Bridge Yard Seismic and Renovation Project Earns ASCE Outstanding Historical Renovation Project Award
OAKLAND, Calif. – The Bridge Yard Seismic and Renovation Project in Oakland has won the Outstanding Historical Renovation Project Award from the San Francisco Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers. HNTB Corporation designed and managed the project as lead architect and engineer for the California Department of Transportation and the Bay Area Toll Authority, which manages, invests and distributes the revenues from the region’s seven state-owned toll bridges. Andrew Fremier, deputy executive director of operations for BATA, accepted the honor at the annual ASCE San Francisco Section awards dinner.
The project team also included WSP USA, Einwiller Kuehl, Forell/Elsesser, AECOM, American Bridge/Fluor Enterprises JV and BHM Construction, among other collaborators.
“The Bridge Yard renovation project was ambitious from the beginning,” said Fremier. “There were many challenges along the way, but the transformation of this historic building brings it back to life as a place for the whole community to enjoy. I am proud of the BATA/Caltrans/HNTB team’s collaboration throughout the process and honored to receive the ASCE’s recognition.”
Completed in January 2017, the $9 million Bridge Yard Seismic and Renovation Project created a dramatic, seismically sound exhibit and public assembly space out of the former Interurban Electric Railway Bridge Yard Shop. Built in 1938 adjacent to the eastern terminus of the Bay Bridge, the challenge was to avoid changes that could endanger the structure’s eligibility for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. The cavernous building, with its distinctive “sawtooth” roof, was originally used as a repair facility for railroad cars that travelled over the Bay Bridge; later, Caltrans used it as a bridge maintenance and storage shop.
“This was an exceptional project and we appreciate the opportunity to work with BATA and Caltrans,” said Darlene Gee, PE, HNTB Northern California district leader and vice president. “It was necessary not only to transform a neglected old structure into a people magnet, but to do it while abating hazards. My hat is off to Karen Wang and Gregory Baker, the project engineer and project architect, respectively, who brought tremendous innovation and resourcefulness to the job.”
Wang and Baker had to maintain the building’s original lead flashing and encapsulate its cement-asbestos siding in a protective “sandwich” of thin-gauge metal panels to preserve original finishes and characteristic 1930s craftsmanship. Working with the BATA project manager and Caltrans oversight, they replaced more than 5,000 panes of glass with laminated glazing that won’t shatter and injure people in an earthquake. At the same time, they coordinated the seismic retrofit, fire and life safety upgrades so that it complied with the requirements of the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Rehabilitation of Historic Properties.
“The restoration of the historic Interurban Electric Railway Bridge Yard Shop, now known as the Bridge Yard Building, in many ways, represents our commitment to preserve California’s history while focusing upon our future growth,” said Bijan Sartipi, Caltrans District 4 Director. “We look forward to seeing this creative space back in service.”
The ASCE San Francisco Section Awards recognize outstanding civil engineering projects in the Bay Area and Northern California. The Bridge Yard project previously won a Merit Award from the Northern California Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects.
HNTB is currently working on several major infrastructure projects in Northern California, including the Central Subway and Presidio Parkway projects in San Francisco, design and environmental clearance of two California High-speed Rail segments, the East Bay Greenway multi-use path in Alameda County, and a Runway Incursion Mitigation study at San Jose International Airport.
About HNTB
HNTB Corporation is an employee-owned infrastructure solutions firm serving public and private owners and contractors. HNTB’s work in California dates back to its founding in 1914. Today, HNTB continues to grow in size and service offerings to clients in California from eight office locations, currently employing more than 350 full-time professionals. With more than a century of service, HNTB understands the life cycle of infrastructure and addresses clients’ most complex technical, financial and operational challenges. Professionals nationwide deliver a full range of infrastructure-related services, including award-winning planning, design, program management and construction management. For more information, visit www.hntb.com.
