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Sam’s Club Parking Lot Project Poses Unique Challenges
Paving (or resurfacing) a commercial
parking lot is either a relatively
straightforward task or as difficult
as improving a busy roadway.
Building a lot on a new construction site
poses few logistical problems. But put
that same lot in a high-traffic area, and
the stakes change dramatically. This is
what happened with Ajax’s project at
the Sam’s Club in Ypsilanti, Michigan.
The improvements to be made at the
existing site had an interesting twist. On
one end of the lot was an existing Sam’s
Club. On the other, a new larger Sam’s
Club was being constructed. So the work
had to be completed in phases in order
to maintain the existing parking lots.
“It’s actually called a relocation, even
though it’s on the same site. So we had
to build it while the old store was open,”
says Scott Nemecek, Project Manager
with LaSalle Contracting, who is
Construction Manager for the entire
project. “The scheduling aspects are a
bit different from the normal job.”
Continued Coordination
“Typically, with new lot construction on
an undeveloped plot of land, scheduling
the work is not difficult because there are
few restrictions when it comes to interacting
with the public,” says Ajax Project
Estimator Bob Farina. “But with this
project, a lot of coordination with the
new store construction was necessary.
While at the same time, we had to minimize
inconvenience to shoppers using
the existing store.”
As the new store was built, Ajax constructed
new roadways and parking lots
immediately adjacent to the new building.
“The areas around the store and
the loading dock require a heavier cross-section
due to the number of large trucks
that regularly use this area,” explains
Farina. As this phase progressed, Ajax
also installed temporary parking lots to
be used once the new store opens and
the existing lots are replaced.
Intensive Planning
Then, as the new Sam’s opens, the old
store will be torn down and the existing
lots removed and replaced. Once again,
this work will be completed in phases to
maintain parking for the new store. Additional
resurfacing work to the parking lot
entrances and main roadways in front of
the location are also part of the project.
But to Farina, the interesting aspect of the
work was — and is — scheduling and
coordination. And here’s why.
“The biggest challenges with this project
come with the fact that we’re working
in a confined area and have to complete
the new surfaces around the new store by
the time it opens,” he says. “We also had
to keep as much of the existing parking
lot open because the old store was still
in operation. So we must pose as little
intrusion to Sam’s members as possible.
Coordination of all the tasks within this
restricted area was a lot more intensive
than most of our parking lot construction
work.”
For this project, all the old parking
surface and aggregate base was removed
and hauled away. Then all new aggregate
base and asphalt materials were placed.
The asphalt materials for this project
were made at Ajax’s Inkster plant in
Romulus, Michigan.
Another unique aspect of the project is
that this lot called for a thicker pavement
cross-section than most retail parking
lots, a testament to the fact that Sam’s is
a popular store, drawing regular hordes
of shoppers and vehicular traffic.
Familiar Faces
Ajax based its bid on the project plans, taking
into account materials and the cross-section
and phasing requirements, and delivered
it to several general contractors who
were bidding on the entire construction
contract. LaSalle Construction won the job.
“We typically bid to multiple contractors
who are bidding for the same job because
it’s about the job itself,” says Farina. “But
the process is easier with contractors we
have a history with just because we’ve
worked with them in the past and know
how they like to operate.”
Ajax has worked with LaSalle for more
than 10 years. “That familiarity helps
in the bidding process and when it’s time
to deliver the contract,” says Nemecek.
“Because of some of these challenges to
this unique project, the long history of
our working with Ajax was certainly
an asset.”
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