MichiganConstruction.Net

Wolverine Building Group

The River House tower, set to be the tallest building in downtown Grand Rapids. The Grooters Development  River House project is being constructed at an amazing rate; work is on a continuous fast paced 24 hour schedule - pouring one floor a week. 

 

According to project manager, Matt Larsen, “We have spent a great deal of time detailing and planning the orchestra of activity you see on the site. It’s exciting to see it all coming together”

Allied Electric Inc

When finished, a skyscraper offers an impressive sight for those standing in its shadow down below, while offering an impressive view for those looking out its windows, high above. But during construction, the stately high-rise offers considerable challenges to those who would raise it up. On its way to becoming the tallest building in Grand Rapids and the tallest 100% residential building in the entire state, the 34-story River House Condominiums was no exception to this architectural principle. Dick Hansma, Allied Electric’s project manager on the 404-foot edifice, notes that the type of structure can be as challenging as its height. Because the River House tower was erected using post-tension concrete (with floors and walls poured as the building rises), electric and plumbing had to be put in place concurrently. Post-tension concrete also meant steel cable going through the sleeves, requiring drilling precision by electricians. The downtown location presented a challenge as well, according to Hansma. “Anyone in the building industry knows that when you have a tight urban site, it affects every trade—how you operate and how you deliver equipment and materials.” Add to that a tower crane operating overhead and you have a construction project requiring the utmost skill and keenest vigilance. Especially noteworthy, recalls Hansma, was the fact that “Allied did it as a design-build project. There was no outside electrical engineering firm involved. It was completely done by us.”

Despite the inherent challenges, River House Condominiums stands tall and majestic, adding a stunning element to the Grand Rapids skyline. The building’s 207 housing units offer the utmost in luxury living, featuring private terraces and floor-to-ceiling exterior glass walls. Impressive—whether you’re looking out its windows or standing in its shadow.

Exxel Engineering

EXXEL Engineering is providing multi-level building staking for this high rise building construction that includes establishing vertical and horizontal control for the General Contractor and concrete contractor. Services include office computations to develop staking coordinates. As each floor is completed, we verify as-built locations and provide a map.

Godwin Plumbing Inc.

The River House tower, set to be the tallest building in downtown Grand Rapids. The Grooters Development  River House project is being constructed at an amazing rate; work is on a continuous fast paced 24 hour schedule - pouring one floor a week. 

 

According to project manager, Matt Larsen, “We have spent a great deal of time detailing and planning the orchestra of activity you see on the site. It’s exciting to see it all coming together”

Kent Companies, Inc.

A new landmark is piercing the sky of Grand Rapids. At 34 stories and 406’ tall, the RiverHouse Condominium project is the tallest building in Grand Rapids and the second tallest concrete frame building in Michigan.

Kent Companies’ work began in 2004 assisting in the planning and development of the structural model and helping determine the most cost effective systems and methods for building the 500,000 square foot concrete structure. By the summer of 2006, the work on massive grade beams and pile caps began. By the winter of 2006, the structural concrete frame began to take shape.

Several first-time, innovative systems were utilized by Kent on this project:

At level 6, immense concrete girders were required to transfer building loads as the tower perimeter stepped in. The girders included staged post-tension reinforcement, and were tensioned in multiple phases during construction to support the increasing weight of the structure as it rose - a first for West Michigan.

To increase the stiffness of the structure and reduce sway, several shear walls incorporated vertical post-tensioning – a first for the state of Michigan.

Kent brought in a special “TLS elevator” to move the unique, hybrid shoring system they developed from floor to floor - a first for the United States!

Kent is very proud to have been part of the construction team for this leading-edge project. Kent is extremely proud of our employees for the incredible effort required to build this difficult project and meet the very demanding schedule. All this was accomplished without a single lost time accident in over 190,000 labor hours! The attitude of Kent’s workers, who made project a reality, is unmatched and they deserve all the credit.

 

Classic Engineering

The River House tower, set to be the tallest building in downtown Grand Rapids.  The Grooters Development River House project is being constructed at an amazing rate; work is on a continuous fast paced 24 hour schedule -pouring one floor a week.  Classic Engineering provided the steel detailing for this project.

SecurAlarm Systems, inc.

A new landmark is piercing the sky of Grand Rapids. At 34 stories and 406’ tall, the RiverHouse Condominium project is the tallest building in Grand Rapids and the second tallest concrete frame building in Michigan.