RAY Envelope Improvements

RAY Envelope Improvements

This $26,000,000+ project was performed at the Robert A. Young Federal Building in St. Louis, Missouri.  A complete masonry restoration and window replacement project for a large ten story masonry structure that included a tower portion that was twenty-one stories tall. This project required the removal and replacement of tens of thousands of brick in order to correct, restore or replace many thousands of feet of steel angle lintels and metal flashings. The method of access for was mast-climbing work platforms as well as 40′ long swing-stages.  Complete tuck pointing of the entire building was required. The building was 100% occupied during this entire project. In order to eliminate any disruption of daily activities of the building occupants, all of the work was performed at night. We used vacuums on all of the tools and machines to capture in excess of 95% of all dust created by this work.  A large percentage of the decorative terra cotta pieces were replaced at the parapets and on the tower. Tens of thousands of helical anchors were installed to anchor the brick veneer to the backup masonry to prevent any separation between the two.  1,500 window units were replaced.  This entailed the removal and replacement and associated architectural and window shade installation work all in one night’s time. This included furniture re-installation and clean-up of premises ready for occupancy by the next morning with no interruption of the using agency, all the while following strictly a schedule of work locations that was established weeks earlier. After a week we developed a system that worked smoothly and pleasantly surprised everyone including building management that initially had been very apprehensive regarding the entire project.