Construction Starts at The Imperial at Breckenridge

Multifamily developments often integrate structured parking through one of two configurations: wrap or podium construction. In a wrap structure, residential units are constructed around a parking structure. In podium construction, a concrete slab above the parking levels serves as both a structural floor and a transfer system for wood, light-gauge steel, or other construction above. The concrete podium also provides fire separation and sound control between parking and occupied spaces. Precast/prestressed concrete can be used effectively for both configurations, but podium systems offer particular advantages when site access, weather, and construction sequencing present significant challenges, as they often do in Colorado’s mountain communities.

The Imperial Hotel & Private Residences is EnCon United’s latest podium-style mountain development. Stresscon, an EnCon United company, is beginning erection of a two-story precast podium for the seven-story, 400,000 SF development at the base of Peak 8 in Breckenridge. The high-alpine site has limited access and laydown area. Precast components must travel through constrained mountain corridors, stage at a drop lot in Breckenridge, and then be shuttled to the project site. By manufacturing the structure off site, significant structural work can advance under controlled plant conditions while site work continues.

The Imperial’s precast system includes columns, beams, double tees, walls, spandrels, flat slabs, and stair and elevator shafts. Erection will progress through five areas over approximately five months. As Stresscon advances into later areas, following trades can begin work in completed portions of the podium, reducing trade stacking and making more efficient use of limited site space.
 
EnCon United has applied the same fundamental strategy to numerous other multifamily developments with different project requirements, including Riverview Steamboat in Steamboat Springs and Arabelle at Lincoln Station in Lone Tree. At Riverview, approximately 106,000 SF of precast/prestressed concrete helped enclose the building in approximately six months and contributed to completion four months ahead of schedule. At Arabelle, converting the podium from cast-in-place to precast reduced the planned installation schedule from 32 weeks to 15.
The Imperial is the most recent project to demonstrate how precast podium construction can bring greater efficiency and predictability to multifamily development, particularly on mountain sites where access, weather, logistics, and construction sequencing can significantly impact project delivery. By shifting substantial structural work to a controlled manufacturing environment and coordinating delivery and erection around site conditions, precast gives project teams greater control over the variables that make mountain construction most challenging.
 

Renderings courtesy of DTJ DESIGN