HomeMy WebLinkAboutParking Garage RFP 2020-2023 Final
Request for Proposals (RFP)
Engineering Services for the City of Iowa City Parking Garage
Structures (January 19, 2021 and June 30, 2023)
November 20, 2020
RFP – Parking Garage Eng. Services 2 City of Iowa City
SUMMARY
The City of Iowa City, Iowa (City) is soliciting proposals from interested consulting firms, licensed
in the State of Iowa, to provide professional engineering services for the six parking garage
structures owned and operated by the City of Iowa City. The selected firm (Consultant), will assist
the City in engineering services between January 19, 2021 and June 30, 2023 with a potential
extension.
CONTENTS
Summary ......................................................................................................................................... 2
Submittal Instructions and Deadline ............................................................................................... 3
Timeline for RFP Process ............................................................................................................... 3
Minimum Qualifications ................................................................................................................. 3
Costs for Developing the RFP ........................................................................................................ 3
Consultant Selection Process .......................................................................................................... 4
Submittal Contents .......................................................................................................................... 4
Contract Documents........................................................................................................................ 6
Reservations .................................................................................................................................... 6
Inquires ........................................................................................................................................... 6
Project Background ......................................................................................................................... 6
Capitol Street Ramp .................................................................................................................... 7
Dubuque Street Ramp ................................................................................................................. 7
Tower Place Ramp ...................................................................................................................... 8
Chauncey Swan Ramp ................................................................................................................ 9
Court Street Transportation Center ........................................................................................... 10
Harrison Street Ramp ................................................................................................................ 10
Scope of Services .......................................................................................................................... 11
Schedule for Completion of Services ........................................................................................... 12
Appendix A – Master Plan .............................................................................................................. 1
Appendix B – Consultant Agreement ............................................................................................. 1
Appendix C – City of Iowa City Wage Theft Policy ...................................................................... 1
RFP – Parking Garage Eng. Services 3 City of Iowa City
SUBMITTAL INSTRUCTIONS AND DEADLINE
Submittals may be mailed or submitted electronically.
If the submittal is mailed, it should be sent to:
City Clerk
City of Iowa City
City Hall
410 East Washington Street
Iowa City, Iowa 52245
Mailed submittals must be received by the City Clerk’s office before 4:00 p.m. (CST) on
Wednesday, December 23, 2020. Mailed submittals should include three (3) hard copies of the
submittal and a USB thumb drive, CD or DVD containing one electronic (PDF) copy of the
submittal. Mailed submittals must be sealed and clearly marked as: “Engineering Services for the
City of Iowa City Parking Garage Structures (January 19, 2021 and June 30, 2023).”
If the submittal is delivered electronically, it should be delivered to the City’s website at
www.icgov.org/parkingRFP.
Submittals delivered electronically must be complete and uploaded to the website in their entirety
before 4:00 p.m. (CST) on Wednesday, December 23, 2020. Submittals delivered electronically
should include one (1) electronic (PDF) copy of the submittal. No hard copies will be required if
submitted electronically.
Faxed submittals will not be accepted. Late submittals will not be evaluated. The City may reject
any or all submittals in its sole discretion.
TIMELINE FOR RFP PROCESS
Tentative consultant selection timeline is as follows:
▪ Submittals are due 4:00 PM CST, Wednesday December 23, 2020
▪ All inquiries must be made no later than December 11, 2020
▪ Selection of consultant will occur on approximately January 4, 2021
▪ Consultant agreements will be finalized approximately by January 19, 2021
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
To be considered, consultants must document the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the firm and
team members proposed for this project.
COSTS FOR DEVELOPING THE RFP
Firms participating in the consultant selection process will be responsible for all costs incurred to
respond to this RFP.
RFP – Parking Garage Eng. Services 4 City of Iowa City
CONSULTANT SELECTION PROCESS
The Selection Committee consists of several members of the Engineering Division, Transportation
Services, and other departments or divisions as needed. Submittals will be reviewed based on the
submittal contents described below and evaluated based on the following criteria: consultant
qualifications and experience, project approach, consultant fees and project costs, and project
scheduling. The firm deemed best qualified by the Selection Committee will be selected for
negotiations related to final project scope and fee. Should the City and Consultant not be able to
reach an agreement regarding project scope and fee, the City reserves the right to negotiate with
the firm determined by the City to be the next most qualified.
The intent of the selection process is to select the most qualified firm based on the identified needs
of the City. The skills, areas of expertise, and capabilities that the City believes are necessary for
successful completion of the project work will be evaluated and factored in the selection process.
In all cases, the City reserves the right to select a consultant firm and award a contract that is in
the best interests of the City. Interviews may be conducted as part of the selection process.
SUBMITTAL CONTENTS
To standardize responses and simplify the comparison and evaluation of responses, all statements
must be organized in the manner set forth below, separated into sections, and appropriately labeled.
However, specific requirements for each section have been minimized in order to allow for
flexibility for each firm to provide information they feel best conveys their qualifications. All
information and materials requested shall be provided in the response under a single cover. The
submittal length shall be limited to a maximum of 20 single-sided (or 10 double-sided) pages, not
including dividers and covers. The cover letter attached to the response counts towards the page
limit. Minimum font size shall be ten (10) point.
Interested Consultants shall submit proposals to make sure a proper evaluation of the firm’s
capabilities. Three hard copies and an electronic copy of the response are requested. The
Proposals shall contain the following response items arranged in order in the manner specified
below.
Cover Letter – The letter should state the firm’s interest in being considered for selection as well
as pertinent information for the firm’s contact person.
General Firm Profile – A general description of the firm is required. Describe the general nature
of services provided by the firm, the location of main and branch offices, and the number of years
the firm has provided services similar to those anticipated on the project included in the RFP. Any
sub-consultants who are expected to be a part of the design team should be identified.
Key Personnel – Provide information indicating anticipated key personnel, relationship to the
desired project, and their positions within the firm. Include in the descriptions past experience
with the City, technical abilities, and identified project responsibilities. It is a requirement of the
City that the key personnel identified during the consultant selection process will participate in
and execute the project. Substitution of key personnel after selection will require approval by the
RFP – Parking Garage Eng. Services 5 City of Iowa City
City as project lead professionals are considered essential. Please indicate the persons possessing
the licenses and certifications necessary to perform the type of work being requested.
Reference Projects – A listing of reference projects shall be provided. Reference projects should
be of similar size and scope as those for which the consultant would like to be considered.
Particular emphasis should be placed on innovative, sustainable, and cost-effective solutions.
Indicate which key personnel were involved in the reference projects and their role in the reference
projects. Provide contact information for the project owners, the nature of the firm’s scope of
work on the project, and the date the contract started and ended. The Project Team should
demonstrate current experience in working with federal, state, and local agencies involved in the
operations and compliance at the Facility.
Project Approach (Each Fiscal Year) – A description of the anticipated project approach, including
technical and management factors that will lead to a quality project. Respondents are encouraged
to use this section of the submittal to address unique understanding, knowledge and/or abilities of
the firm as they apply to the project included in this RFP. Competitive advantages or special
capabilities of project teams should be highlighted in this section. This section should describe
the firm’s understanding of the maintenance and upkeep of the City’s Parking Garages including,
but not limited to, their structure; operations and maintenance; environmental compliance and
permitting; and future operations and compliance issues. The proposed maintenance and repair
activities for the six garages is described in the City of Iowa City Parking Garages, Condition
Review and Proposed Repair and Maintenance Master Plan, THP Limited, Inc., June 19, 2020
(Master Plan). The Master Plan is included in Appendix A. This section should describe how the
activities within the Master Plan will be implemented across the different locations, years, and
types of work (electrical, mechanical, structural, waterproofing, etc.). Of particular concern is how
the project approach will organize the design packages to meet the budget included in the Master
Plan, while minimizing the disruptions to regular operations and usage of the garages. The
response should identify the basis for the specifications. Possibilities include American Institute
of Architects (AIA), Engineers Joint Contract Documents Committee (EJCDC), and Statewide
Urban Design and Specifications (SUDAS). This section will describe the project management
approach as well as provisions that will be utilized to accommodate working during the
Coronavirus Pandemic (COVID-19).
Estimate of Resources (Each Fiscal Year) – Based on the firm’s understanding of the scope of
work required, provide an estimate of the firm’s resources that should be dedicated to the project.
This can be in a form of the firm’s choosing but should clearly convey a sense of the amount of
effort, resources and an estimated price the firm believes will be required for the project. The
estimated price does not need to be a quote to complete the project, and may include an estimated
cost range, but should accurately reflect the anticipated effort to complete the project. A detailed
breakdown by task, as included in the Scope of Service Section, would be beneficial.
Project Schedule (Each Fiscal Year) – Provide a preliminary project schedule that includes
projected durations for anticipated project phases, including project milestones and deliverables.
A detailed breakdown by task, as included in the Scope of Services and Schedule for Completion
of Service Sections, would be beneficial.
RFP – Parking Garage Eng. Services 6 City of Iowa City
Billing Rates – Provide current billing rates for firm personnel, including rates of staff included in
the proposal, at a minimum.
CONTRACT DOCUMENTS
The City anticipates entering into a contract for professional services with the selected firm for
three fiscal years, Fiscal Years 2021 through 2023 (the period from January 19, 2021 to June 30,
2023).
Consultants selected to provide services will be required to enter into a written consultant
agreement with the City of Iowa City. A sample consultant agreement is included in Appendix A
of this RFP. Any objections to agreement language shall be documented in the submitted proposal.
In addition, selected consultants will be required to submit a completed copy of the City of Iowa
City Wage Theft Policy, included in Appendix B of this RFP. Any objections to agreement
language shall be documented in the submitted proposal.
RESERVATIONS
The City reserves the right to reject any and all submittals; waive formalities, technical
requirements and/or deficiencies; or to solicit for new or additional proposals it deemed to be in
the best interests of the City. In addition, the City reserves the right to further negotiat e with one
or more firms of its choice, if such negotiations better serve the City’s interest. The City reserves
the right to negotiate a contract that covers all or selected parts of the proposal, key project team
members and sub-consultants.
INQUIRES
Inquiries to clarify the requirements of this RFP can be directed to Joe Welter at (319) 356-5144
or emailed to joe-welter@iowa-city.org. All inquiries must be made no later than December 11,
2020. Specific project scope and fees will be negotiated at a later time.
PROJECT BACKGROUND
The City owns and operates six parking garages. The recommended maintenance and repair
activities for these locations are described within the Five-Year Master Plan for Calendar Years
2020 – 2024. The locations and their associated activities for the five years is summarized below.
Locations of the six (6) parking garages:
No. Garage Address
1 Capitol Street Ramp 220 South Capitol Street, Iowa City, Iowa 52240
2 Dubuque Street Ramp 220 South Dubuque Street, Iowa City, Iowa 52240
3 Chauncey Swan Ramp 415 East Washington Street, Iowa City, Iowa 52240
4 Tower Place Ramp 335 Iowa Avenue, Iowa City, Iowa 52240
5 Court Street Transportation Center 150 East Court Street, Iowa City, Iowa 52240
6 Harrison Street Ramp 175 East Harrison Street, Iowa City, Iowa 52240
RFP – Parking Garage Eng. Services 7 City of Iowa City
Capitol Street Ramp
The Capitol Street Ramp has approximately 875 parking spaces and in excess of 280,000 square
feet of supported floor structure. This structure has six levels with five being supported. Each
level consists of three adjacent bays with two bays that act as ramps between adjacent floor levels.
The planned efforts for this ramp are as follows:
Capitol Street Ramp Summary
Year Structural/Waterproofing Mechanical, Electrical, and
Plumbing (MEP)
2020 New sealant, traffic membrane strip installations Repair stair tower ventilation and
replace stand pipe cap, complete IR
scan and maintenance of electrical
equipment.
2021 Expansion joint repairs and replacement, Interior
level sealant replacement, concrete soffit repairs,
Isolated stair towers repairs and waterproofing
No efforts planned
2022 Concrete floor repairs and traffic membrane
recoating, interior level sealant replacement,
concrete soffit repairs, isolated stair towers repairs
and waterproofing
No efforts planned
2023 No efforts planned Replace top deck lighting and
poles, replace common area
lighting fixtures
2024 Interior level sealant replacement No efforts planned
Dubuque Street Ramp
The Dubuque Street Ramp has approximately 625 parking spaces, and in excess of 200,000 square
feet of supported floor structure. This ramp is a double helix with two adjacent bays sloped in
opposing directions with crossover at the common intersection. The planned efforts for this ramp
are as follows:
RFP – Parking Garage Eng. Services 8 City of Iowa City
Dubuque Street Ramp Summary
Year Structural/Waterproofing Mechanical, Electrical, and
Plumbing (MEP)
2020 Concrete floor repairs and membrane patching,
concrete soffit repairs, expansion joint repairs,
stair tower roof replacements
Repair stair tower ventilation,
install CO/NOx control and repair
ductwork, electrical room
ventilation, complete IR scan
2021 Traffic membrane recoating at crossovers, new
sealants at roof level topping slab, north facade
joint sealant replacements, stair towers repairs and
water proofing
No efforts planned
2022 Concrete floor repairs and traffic membrane
recoating, interior level sealant replacement,
concrete soffit repairs, isolated stair towers repairs
and waterproofing
No efforts planned
2023 No efforts planned Replace top deck lighting and
poles, replace common area
lighting fixtures
2024 Concrete floor repairs and membrane patching No efforts planned
Tower Place Ramp
The Tower Place Ramp has approximately 510 parking spaces and approximately 180,000 square
feet of supported parking structure. This parking ramp has multiple levels of retail and businesses
as well as the City Parking Office. Each level has two bays, configured in a double helix with a
traffic crossover between each bay. The planned efforts for this ramp are as follows:
Tower Place Ramp Summary
Year Structural/Waterproofing Mechanical, Electrical, and
Plumbing (MEP)
2020 Stair tower vestibule leaking and membrane at
adjacent floor areas
Repair stair tower ventilation,
relocate boiler flue, complete IR
scan and maintenance of electrical
equipment
RFP – Parking Garage Eng. Services 9 City of Iowa City
Tower Place Ramp Summary
Year Structural/Waterproofing Mechanical, Electrical, and
Plumbing (MEP)
2021 Concrete floor repairs and membrane patching,
expansion joint replacements and membrane strip
recoating, stair tower waterproofing, handrail
embedment repairs
No efforts planned
2022 No efforts planned Replace chilled water pumps,
replace 200MHB boiler, replace
snowmelt piping, replace common
area lighting fixtures
2023 Facade expansion joint and control joint, sealant
replacement and miscellaneous repairs
No efforts planned
2024 Facade expansion joint and control joint sealant
replacement, lower level traffic membrane partial
recoating
No efforts planned
Chauncey Swan Ramp
The Chauncey Swan Ramp has approximately 475 parking space with two and one half supported
levels. It has just less than 100,000 square feet of support structure. The parking ramp has two
adjacent bays with one bay sloped to provide traffic between levels. The upper levels are not
connected to the ground level but are all accessible by a stair tower. The planned efforts for this
ramp are as follows:
Chauncey Swan Ramp Summary
Year Structural/Waterproofing Mechanical, Electrical, and
Plumbing (MEP)
2020 No efforts planned Repair stair tower ventilation and
complete IR scan and maintenance
of electrical equipment
2021 Isolated garage, spandrel, and stair tower repairs No efforts planned
2022 Concrete floor repairs, epoxy injection of
stem/flange cracks in precast, entrance ramp soffit
and floor repairs and waterproofing
No efforts planned
RFP – Parking Garage Eng. Services 10 City of Iowa City
2023 No efforts planned Replace top deck lighting and
poles, replace common area
lighting fixtures, repair storm drain
insulation
2024 Sealant replacement and membrane strip
installations at exposed top level
No efforts planned
Court Street Transportation Center
The Court Street Transportation Center has approximately 600 parking spaces with over 180,000
square feet of supported parking structure. The parking ramp has two adjacent bays with one bay
sloped to provide traffic between levels. The planned efforts for this ramp are as follows:
Court Street Transportation Center Summary
Year Structural/Waterproofing Mechanical, Electrical, and
Plumbing (MEP)
2020 Repair of deteriorated spandrel panel Repair stair tower ventilation,
repair AH-2 and tenant space
combustion air, complete IR scan
and maintenance of electrical
equipment
2021 Clean and coat miscellaneous facade elements No efforts planned
2022 Construction joint sealant replacement and
membrane strips, isolated stair tower repairs and
water proofing, clean and coat miscellaneous
facade elements
No efforts planned
2023 No efforts planned Replace top deck lighting and
poles, replace common area
lighting fixtures, repair storm drain
insulation
2024 Clean and coat miscellaneous facade elements No efforts planned
Harrison Street Ramp
The Harrison Street Parking Ramp has approximately 600 parking spaces and is approximately
160,000 square feet of supported parking structure. The parking ramp has two bays, with both
RFP – Parking Garage Eng. Services 11 City of Iowa City
being sloped to provide continuous traffic between levels. The planned efforts for this ramp are
as follows:
Harrison Street Ramp Summary
Year Structural/Waterproofing Mechanical, Electrical, and
Plumbing (MEP)
2020 No efforts planned Clean and seal common area light
fixtures, complete IR scan and
maintenance of electrical
equipment
2021 Route and seal floor cracks and minor,
miscellaneous efforts
No efforts planned
2022 Route and seal floor cracks and minor,
miscellaneous efforts
No efforts planned
2023 Contingency funds for annual garage maintenance No efforts planned
2024 Contingency funds for annual garage maintenance No efforts planned
SCOPE OF SERVICES
The selected firm (Consultant), will assist the City in engineering services for Fiscal Years 2021
through 2023 (the period from January 19, 2021 to June 30, 2023). The Consultant shall perform
the following services, including but not limited to, the tasks listed below:
The information provided in this section is not intended to comprise a detailed scope of services
that will be required in a final consultant contract, but is intended to provide general information
to firms wishing to submit proposals. The City will negotiate the detailed scope of servi ces with
the successful firm for each project.
Each contract for engineering and design services will be a full-service design contract that
includes, but is not limited to, the following:
▪ Conduct a kick-off meeting with City Staff.
▪ Review available information provided by the City.
▪ Survey and field verify the project area (using the Iowa State Plane South Coordinate
System).
▪ Survey boundary work and preparation of acquisition plats, as needed.
RFP – Parking Garage Eng. Services 12 City of Iowa City
▪ Create a base map for use during design and project document development.
▪ Project team meetings (City and Consultant staff) and field visits as necessary.
▪ Provide project plans, including estimate of construction costs, for review at
approximately 30%, 60%, 90% and 100% completion.
▪ Coordinate with private utility companies, as needed, for required relocations.
▪ Meet with City Staff to discuss and review comments.
▪ Individual property owner meetings and public meetings.
▪ Provide final bid documents, including a final estimate of construction costs.
▪ Bid phase services, as necessary, including but not limited to, assisting the City in
responding to bidder inquiries on technical matters and preparing the appropriate
clarifications and addenda.
▪ Limited construction period services.
▪ Construction period services, including but not limited to, attending construction
meetings and issuing meeting notes, shop drawing review, responding to Requests for
Information (RFIs), issuing Instructions to Contractors (ITCs), preparing punch lists,
assisting with closeout and providing as-built record drawings based on contractor
mark-ups.
Following selection of a preferred consultant for each project, City staff will meet with consultant
staff to negotiate final project design scope and fee.
The detailed schedule for development of draft documents should be included in the response as
described in Submittal Contents – Project Schedule Section of this RFP.
Following selection of a preferred consultant for each project, the City will meet with the selected
consultant to negotiate final project design scope and fee.
SCHEDULE FOR COMPLETION OF SERVICES
The Consultant will complete the deliverables for the intended project approach in a manner to
meet the schedule within the Master Plan. As needed, activities within Calendar Year 2020 will
be moved into Calendar Year 2021.
RFP – Parking Garage Eng. Services A-1 City of Iowa City
APPENDIX A – MASTER PLAN
City of Iowa City Parking Garages
Condition Review and Proposed Repair and Maintenance Master Plan
THP #19040.00
Table of Contents Page
I. Executive Summary .............................................................................................1
II. Introduction ..........................................................................................................3
III. Capitol Street Ramp
Description
Structural and Waterproofing .......................................................................5
MEP Systems ..............................................................................................6
Recent Repair and Maintenance Efforts ......................................................7
Review and Findings
Precast and Cast-in-Place Concrete ...........................................................8
Chloride Testing of Concrete Powder Samples ...........................................9
Membrane Conditions..................................................................................9
Membrane Bond Testing ...........................................................................10
Sealants and Shear Connectors ................................................................10
Expansion Joint Conditions .......................................................................11
Stair and Elevator Towers .........................................................................11
Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing .................................................................11
Photos........................................................................................................13
Recommendations
Structural and Waterproofing .....................................................................16
Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing .................................................................17
Repair and Maintenance Master Plan .............................................................19
IV. Dubuque Street Ramp
Description
Structural and Waterproofing .....................................................................23
MEP Systems ............................................................................................24
Recent Repair and Maintenance Efforts ....................................................26
Review and Findings
Concrete Floor and Soffit Deterioration .....................................................27
Chloride Testing of Concrete Powder Samples .........................................27
Membrane Conditions................................................................................28
Membrane Bond Testing ...........................................................................28
Expansion Joint Conditions .......................................................................29
Sealants in the Precast Levels ..................................................................29
Façade Panels and Sealants .....................................................................29
Stair and Elevator Towers .........................................................................29
Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing .................................................................30
Photos........................................................................................................32
Recommendations
Structural and Waterproofing .....................................................................35
Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing .................................................................36
Repair and Maintenance Master Plan .............................................................38
Table of Contents (continued) Page
V. Tower Place Ramp
Description
Structural and Waterproofing .....................................................................42
MEP Systems ............................................................................................43
Recent Repair and Maintenance Efforts ....................................................45
Review and Findings
Concrete Floor and Soffit Deterioration .....................................................46
Chloride Testing of Concrete Powder Samples .........................................46
Expansion Joints, Membrane and Sealant Conditions ..............................47
Membrane Bond Testing ...........................................................................47
Stair Towers...............................................................................................48
Handrails....................................................................................................48
Garage Façade ..........................................................................................48
Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing .................................................................49
Photos........................................................................................................51
Recommendations
Structural and Waterproofing .....................................................................54
Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing .................................................................55
Repair and Maintenance Master Plan .............................................................57
VI. Chauncey Swan Ramp
Description
Structural and Waterproofing .....................................................................61
MEP Systems ............................................................................................62
Recent Repair and Maintenance Efforts ....................................................62
Review and Findings
Precast Concrete Double Tees..................................................................63
Chloride Testing of Concrete Powder Samples .........................................63
Sealants and Membrane Systems .............................................................64
Connector Bridge to Street Level...............................................................64
Spandrel Panels ........................................................................................64
Stair and Elevator Towers .........................................................................64
Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing .................................................................65
Photos........................................................................................................66
Recommendations
Structural and Waterproofing .....................................................................68
Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing .................................................................69
Repair and Maintenance Master Plan .............................................................70
Table of Contents (continued) Page
VII. Court Street Transportation Center
Description
Structural and Waterproofing .....................................................................74
MEP Systems ............................................................................................75
Review and Findings
Concrete Floor Slabs .................................................................................77
Sealants .....................................................................................................77
Garage Façade ..........................................................................................77
Stair and Elevator Towers .........................................................................77
Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing .................................................................78
Photos........................................................................................................79
Recommendations
Structural and Waterproofing .....................................................................81
Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing .................................................................81
Repair and Maintenance Master Plan .............................................................83
VIII. Harrison Avenue Ramp
Description
Structural and Waterproofing .....................................................................87
MEP Systems ............................................................................................88
Review and Findings
Garage Structural and Waterproofing ........................................................90
Garage Façade ..........................................................................................90
Stair and Elevator Towers .........................................................................90
Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing .................................................................91
Photos........................................................................................................92
Recommendations
Structural and Waterproofing .....................................................................94
Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing .................................................................95
Repair and Maintenance Master Plan .............................................................96
APPENDICES
Appendix A – Parking Facility Chloride Testing Data
Appendix B – Parking Facility Membrane Bond Testing Data
Appendix C – Discussion of Typical Parking Garage Issues
I. Salt-Induced Corrosion in Reinforced Parking Decks..................................1
II. Slab Tendons in Post-Tensioned Concrete Structures................................5
III. Lateral Stability and Movement in Parking Garages....................................6
Appendix D – NFPA Recommended Systems Testing Frequencies
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 1 of 99 Executive Summary
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Iowa City parking facilities range significantly in their recommended
maintenance of structural, waterproofing, and mechanical/electrical/plumbing (MEP)
items. The two oldest structures (Capitol Street and Dubuque Street Ramps) require the
most significant structural and waterproofing needs over the next 5 years, with a focus
on concrete floor repairs and traffic membrane patching in the post-tensioned Dubuque
Street facility, and isolated tee joint repairs and traffic membrane strip installations in the
precast Capitol Street facility. Isolated recommendations for structural and waterproofing
efforts exist in the other four facilities. Similarly, varying MEP efforts are recommended
for all six facilities, with the most significant efforts outlined for the Tower Place Ramp,
where several systems are recommended for replacement in the coming years.
Comprehensive summaries and outlines of the recommended Master Plan scope of
work for each facility are included at the end of their corresponding report section. The
recommended scope for each facility is broken down into two categories: Structural and
Waterproofing efforts, and MEP work.
The six parking facilities, taken as a whole, contain over 3,600 total spaces and in
excess of 1,050,000 square feet of structurally maintainable floor areas. While the unit
costs of the individual structural and waterproofing repair needs are typically not high,
the extension of large volume items (such as expansion joint and sealant replacements,
concrete floor repairs, and traffic membrane renewal) over this great amount of floor
area results in significant total costs.
The total opinion of probable cost for the recommended 2020 through 2024 scope of in
the six facilities is $2,300,000, including $1,565,000 in Structural and Waterproofing
efforts and $735,000 in MEP efforts. Anticipated costs include varying allowances for
future repairs, contingency and architectural/engineering (A/E) fees. A summary of the
annual opinion of probable costs is included on the following page.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 2 of 99 Executive Summary
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
City of Iowa City Parking Garages
Proposed Repair and Maintenance Master Plan, 2020-2024
Annual Summary of All Garages (Structural, Waterproofing, and MEP)
Opinion of Probable Costs(1)(2)
Year Parking Garage Structural/Waterproofing MEP
Totals
2020 Capitol $120,000 $35,000 $155,000
Dubuque $185,000 $45,000 $230,000
Tower Place $45,000 $60,000 $105,000
Chauncey Swan no efforts planned $40,000 $40,000
Court Street $5,000 $40,000 $45,000
Harrison no efforts planned $25,000 $25,000
Totals $355,000 $245,000 $600,000
2021 Capitol $115,000 no efforts planned $115,000
Dubuque $270,000 no efforts planned $270,000
Tower Place $135,000 no efforts planned $135,000
Chauncey Swan $10,000 no efforts planned $10,000
Court Street $15,000 no efforts planned $15,000
Harrison $5,000 no efforts planned $5,000
Totals $550,000 -$550,000
2022 Capitol $140,000 no efforts planned $140,000
Dubuque $15,000 no efforts planned $15,000
Tower Place no efforts planned $250,000 $250,000
Chauncey Swan $75,000 no efforts planned $75,000
Court Street $65,000 no efforts planned $65,000
Harrison $5,000 no efforts planned $5,000
Totals $300,000 $250,000 $550,000
2023 Capitol no efforts planned $45,000 $45,000
Dubuque no efforts planned $55,000 $55,000
Tower Place $55,000 no efforts planned $55,000
Chauncey Swan no efforts planned $75,000 $75,000
Court Street no efforts planned $65,000 $65,000
Harrison $5,000 no efforts planned $5,000
Totals $60,000 $240,000 $300,000
2024 Capitol $45,000 no efforts planned $45,000
Dubuque $40,000 no efforts planned $40,000
Tower Place $55,000 no efforts planned $55,000
Chauncey Swan $145,000 no efforts planned $145,000
Court Street $10,000 no efforts planned $10,000
Harrison $5,000 no efforts planned $5,000
Totals $300,000 - $300,000
TOTAL OPINION OF PROBABLE COSTS (2020-2024) .................................$2,300,000
Notes:(1) Probable costs do not include an adjustment for inflation beyond 2020. Probable costs
include Contractor general conditions and A/E fees.
(2)Probable costs assume all garage work will be packaged and performed annually
by a single contractor.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 3 of 99 Introduction
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
II. INTRODUCTION
THP was retained by the City of Iowa City to provide a condition assessment of six
separate parking garages. The review included the Capitol Street Ramp, the Dubuque
Street Ramp, the Chauncey Swan Ramp, the Tower Place Ramp, the Transportation
Center Parking Facility, and the Harrison Street Ramp.
THP conducted a structural and waterproofing survey of these garages during a site visit
in June, 2019. Heapy Engineering conducted a survey of MEP equipment at each
facility during a separate site visit in June, 2019.
The primary efforts of the survey consisted of the following:
Review of original construction drawings, recent THP-coordinated restoration projects,
and previous Master Plan reports, as available, and interviews with relevant City
personnel about recent and ongoing maintenance concerns with each facility.
A complete visual survey of all facilities to note conditions, including (where
applicable) but not limited to floor membrane conditions, expansion joint conditions,
floor and soffit deterioration, beam and column deterioration, stairwell structures,
integral façade panels or similar elements, and miscellaneous features impacting
potential restoration efforts.
A representative chain drag survey of supported floors to quantify concrete
delaminations and deterioration, along with representative sounding of spalled or
deteriorated concrete soffit areas, to quantify delaminations.
In the Dubuque Street, Capitol Street, Tower Place and Chauncey Swan Ramps,
select concrete powder sampling and laboratory testing for acid soluble chloride ion
content of exposed concrete floor structures not currently under membrane.
In the Dubuque Street and Capitol Street Ramps, testing of the existing traffic
membranes to verify the bond strength of the existing system, to help determine the
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 4 of 99 Introduction
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
feasibility of recoating the existing traffic membranes in lieu of complete removal and
replacement.
Systems inspection services, including review of MEP systems and lighting,
performed by Heapy Engineering. MEP survey work included review of major
equipment in the garages and parking offices, where accessible.
THP analyzed the field survey and laboratory data to prioritize short-term repair needs
and more long-term repair and maintenance recommendations. Using this information,
THP developed an outline of recommended repair efforts with an opinion of probable
costs, and prepared individual 5-Year Master Plans for each facility.
All findings and recommendations are based on conditions existing as of the date of the
survey and assume the original design and construction of the garages met appropriate
standards. Review of conditions hidden or indeterminable from visual assessment were
excluded from THP’s scope of work.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 5 of 99 Capitol Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
III. CAPITOL STREET RAMP
DESCRIPTION
Structural and Waterproofing
The Capitol Street Ramp was designed by Carl Walker and Associates, Inc. and
constructed around 1980. The garage is located north of Burlington Street, between
Capitol Street and Clinton Street, and is directly adjacent to the Old Capitol Town
Center. The structure consists of six total levels, with five supported levels. Each level
includes three adjacent bays, oriented in the east-west direction. The two southern-most
bays act as ramps between adjacent floor levels, while the north bay is predominantly
flat. Vehicular access to the garage is available from both Capitol and Clinton Street.
The Capitol Street Ramp has approximately 875 parking spaces, and in excess of
280,000 square feet of supported floor structure. The supported levels of the garage are
predominately formed by 8-foot-wide, precast, prestressed concrete double tees. The
double tees are predominately pretopped, with cast–in–place concrete installed at pour
strips over precast support beams, vehicular crossovers between adjacent bays, and
along perimeter washes. North-south oriented expansion joints subdivide each supported
level into structurally independent segments. These joints are located at approximate third
points along the east-west direction of the structure.
Joints are located between adjacent precast double tees, at vehicular crossovers over
precast support beams, and at intersections with cast-in-place concrete. Joints are
typically sealed with urethane sealant. In total, there is in approximately 10 miles of joint
sealant in the Capitol Street Ramp. Urethane-based traffic membrane installations are
located throughout the three lowest supported floor levels, plus a portion of Level 5.
The garage includes two stand-alone stair towers located along the south façade, as
well as an integrated central stair tower, located between the middle and north bays.
Another stair and elevator tower is located in the northern-most bay, and is directly
connected to the adjacent Town Center facility on multiple levels. Stair construction is
typically comprised of steel framing with concrete-filled metal pan treads, except for the
central stair, which is a precast concrete framed structure.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 6 of 99 Capitol Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
MEP Systems
The parking area is naturally ventilated. Stair towers are ventilated and heated only,
utilizing exhaust fans at the top of the stair tower with make–up air louvers near the
bottom. These systems were not functioning at the time of the surveys. Heating is
provided via electric unit heaters. The elevator machine room is served by two (2) mini-
split system AC units and heated by an electric unit. A portable dehumidifier is also
present in the elevator machine room. The stair towers are equipped with manual
standpipes, while the parking decks are not suppressed. Existing drainage for the
parking decks appears to be piped to the City or municipality storm sewer system.
The Capitol Street Ramp is served from a utility company pad mount transformer and
has a main electric service room towards the west end of the garage. The garage has a
400 amp, 480Y277 volt, 3-phase, 4-wire main fusible switchboard. A majority of the
electrical distribution equipment is still from the original installation of the facility.
The parking area is lit by LED fixtures, each fixture equipped with a combination
photocell and motion sensor for control. The space is well lit in all areas.
The top deck is outfitted with what appears to be the original metal-halide poles and
fixtures that show signs of aging. The location of the poles appears adequate for
sufficient light at night. Additionally, there is grounding of the poles to what appears to
be the lightning protection system.
A control panel, mounted in the Guard Shack provides control for the lighting fixtures.
Current settings allow the outer edge and the top deck to be automatic operation through
a photocell, with the rest of the lighting kept in the ON position.
The majority of the support spaces in the garage still have the original light fixtures with
T8 and T12 fluorescent lamps in them. The stairwell well lighting appears to have been
changed recently to newer LED based fixtures on both the interior and exterior. Exit
signage are a mixed system with some incandescent, some compact fluorescent, and
some LED based in the stairwells.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 7 of 99 Capitol Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
The garage has a Simplex 4010 fire alarm system installed that was inspected and
approved on 6/9/2019. There are smoke detectors located in the elevator lobbies. There
were no fire alarm audio visual devices in the stairwells or elevator lobbies. This would be
in keeping with the Building Codes of the original design and build in 1978.
Recent Repair and Maintenance Efforts
THP has designed and coordinated several structural and waterproofing repair efforts in
recent years as part of annual maintenance efforts. These efforts included replacement
of most expansion joints in the parking deck, new sealants throughout the exposed level
with traffic membrane strips on over joints on the north bay, isolated sealant
replacements on the interior levels of the garage, and isolated structural repairs to
damaged or deteriorated precast stems and soffits.
THP also designed and coordinated repairs to the stair towers, including structural
repairs and new sealants on the exposed facades, replacement of select deteriorated
metal tread-riser units, and application of a new waterproofing pedestrian traffic
membrane system on exposed treads and landings.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 8 of 99 Capitol Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
REVIEW AND FINDINGS
Precast and Cast-in-Place Concrete
No significant issues were noted with either the cast-in-place or precast concrete floor
structure in the Capitol Street Ramp. Minor cracking, spalls, or other deterioration were
noted throughout the garage, though typically concentrated at the cast-in-place pour
strips at vehicular crossovers between adjacent bays (refer to Photo 01, included at the
end of this section). Minor scaling, cracking and deterioration were also noted in the
cast-in-place concrete washes at the ends of the precast double tees, especially on the
exposed top level of the parking deck (Photo 02).
THP performed a chain drag survey of all cast-in-place crossovers throughout the
garage, and estimates approximately 100 square feet of delaminated or deteriorated
concrete.
Precast concrete bearings throughout the garage, where visible, were noted to be in
good condition, with no significant deterioration and only minor rotation of bearing pads
at tee stem bearings on ledge beams. The majority of the bearings in the garage have a
manufactured cover installed between adjacent tee stems to deter bird nesting, and as
such were not visible for review.
Isolated issues were noted with the exposed flange soffits and stems of the precast
double tee elements. Corrosion-induced spalling at shear connectors was noted at the
underside of several leaking joints throughout the facility (Photo 03). One of the most
significant concentrations of this deterioration is below the expansion joint on the south
bay of Level 2. Isolated tee stem deterioration was noted below two locations on the
south bay of Level 3 (Photo 04). The floor area below both of these locations had been
blocked by the City at the time of THP’s survey.
No significant issues were noted with spandrel panels and connections. Spalling and
cracking were noted at isolated locations, including at the exposed top face of one
spandrel panel on the west façade (Photo 05).
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 9 of 99 Capitol Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
Chloride Testing of Concrete Powder Samples
A test program was performed to determine the extent of chloride contamination
throughout the exposed Levels 4 through 6 of the Capitol Street Ramp. A total of 6
samples were taken from 3 different locations. Each sample was taken in 1” depth
increments. Floor locations were selected with a mix between drive lane and parking
areas.
Concentrations of between 1.3 to 1.9 lbs. of acid soluble chloride ions per cubic yard of
concrete are normally considered the threshold level above which corrosion of
embedded reinforcing steel will occur, given sufficient exposure to moisture and oxygen.
Samples in the top 1” depth of slabs typically indicate higher chloride content, since this
depth is directly exposed to all road salt trafficked in by vehicles. In precast double tees,
examination of the overall chloride build-up through the 1”-2” is more critical. If build-up
increases to the point where the chlorides start to migrate into the heavily removed tee
flanges, restoration measures can become excessive.
Average chloride content in the Capitol Street Ramp was 0.80 lbs./cubic yard (CY) for
the 0-1” depth, and 0.51 lbs/CY for the 1” to 2” depth. These values are similar to the
results from the previous 2012 testing. Refer to Appendix A for a breakdown of the
chloride data and a copy of the chloride sampling laboratory report from CTL Group.
Membrane Conditions
Typical heavy wear and debonding were noted at the traffic membrane installations
throughout the lower levels of the garage. The most significant wear was located at
vehicular crossovers between adjacent ramp bays (Photo 06). Isolated cracking and
splits were also noted in the membrane systems over adjacent tee joints, as well as
premature wear of the systems at high edges along the tee joint.
Urethane based-traffic membrane strips are installed over tee joints on the north bay of
the exposed level of the parking garage. These strips were designed and coordinated
by THP as part of the 2018 annual garage repairs project. No issue was noted with
these strips. The strips do not extend to the washes at the north and south sides of the
bay, or to the crossovers with the middle bay of the garage on either the east or west
sides.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 10 of 99 Capitol Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
Membrane Bond Testing
As part of the review of the membrane system installations at the Capitol Street Ramp,
THP performed a series of bond tests at representative locations throughout the
structure. A total of 6 bond tests were performed on Levels 2 through 4. One of the
tests failed the epoxy adhesive to the disc, at a value of 166 pounds-per-square-inch
(psi), and can be disregarded. The remaining five tests carried an average bond
strength of 209 psi, with no result less than 166 psi. All tests were recorded as adhesive
failures of the existing coating to the concrete substrate. Refer to Appendix B for a
more comprehensive breakdown of the membrane bond testing data.
While no industry standards exist for pass/fail results of bond tests, THP mandates all
new membrane installations or existing membrane substrates scheduled for recoating
have a warranted value of 200 pounds per square inch (psi) average, with no single test
result of less than 150 psi. All testing is performed per ASTM D4541 specifications.
Membrane bond strengths below these values typically carry recommendations for
removal to an acceptable substrate, in lieu of simply recoating the system. These
criterion values were originally established during testing of older membrane systems in
the early 1990’s, where typical minimum values of between 150 to 200 psi were
recommended to ensure proper bond strength for the individual layers of the system (top
coats to base coats, etc.), as well as for the overall system to the base substrate. A
well-prepared substrate and quality installation of a typical modern membrane system
will often achieve bond values of 300 psi or greater.
Sealants and Shear Connectors
Sealant in the lower levels of the garage were found to be in varying states of
serviceability, with isolated leaking over several joints. This leaking was particularly heavy
below the lowest supported level, where ongoing water infiltration though the joint had
caused corrosion of the steel and corresponding spalls of the concrete floor edges and
soffit adjacent to the embedded shear connections (Photo 07). However, few joints in the
garage appeared to deflect differentially under vehicular traffic, indicating the shear
connections are still predominantly intact.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 11 of 99 Capitol Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
Expansion Joint Conditions
Expansion joints throughout the garage are typically standard wing compression seal
systems. No significant issues were noted with these joints, though over 200 linear feet
of isolated deteriorated nosing material were noted throughout the garage (Photo 08).
The expansion joint seal on Level 5 in the north bay, at the east side, is split and failed
from support wing for some length.
Stair and Elevator Towers
The two southern stair towers in the Capitol Street Ramp have isolated areas of
corroding metal tread/riser units, though steel replacements and traffic membrane
installations in recent years appears to have predominantly slowed the rate of
deterioration. The majority of this deterioration was noted in the southeast stair tower,
where an estimated 12 units are deteriorating to the point of replacement (Photo 09),
mostly at the Level 3 interface. The joint between the stair tower and elevator tower is a
combination of a compressible foam seals, premold seals, and wide isolation joints.
Signs of Isolated leaking were noted at several levels adjacent to the stair tower
threshold (Photo 10).
Minor concrete cracking exists in the enclosed northern stair tower, though no significant
signs of corrosion were noted. Isolated, though minor, spalling and cracking was also
noted at the central concrete stair, between the north and center bays of the garage.
Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing
No significant issues were noted with the manual standpipe system. A cap was missing
on one of the standpipes on the top level. Storm drainage piping appear to be adequate
and in acceptable condition within the limits of visual observation. Horizontal piping from
all the drains to the vertical pipes was recently replace with PVC piping.
The stair tower summer ventilation system did not appear to be operational and the
temperature was elevated well above ambient at the time of the site visit. The existing
electric unit heaters appeared to be functional and in acceptable condition.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 12 of 99 Capitol Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
No significant issues were noted with the electrical distribution equipment, though minor
surface rusting was visible at several older components. No issues were noted with the
parking area LED fixtures. While adequate, the exposed level lighting is older and less
efficient, and visible surface corrosion and deterioration was noted with the older poles
and fixtures. Support spaces throughout the garage have aging fixtures with discolored
or missing lenses and guards.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 13 of 99 Capitol Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
Capitol Street Photo 01
Typical pour strip cracking and deterioration.
Capitol Street Photo 02
Visible scaling in exposed concrete
washes on top level.
Capitol Street Photo 03
Visible corrosion and spalling
at shear connector.
Capitol Street Photo 04
Tee stem deterioration.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 14 of 99 Capitol Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
Capitol Street Photo 05
Spalled spandrel panel corner.
Capitol Street Photo 06
Heavily worn traffic coating at vehicle
crossover between bays.
Capitol Street Photo 07
Spalled edge at precast shear connector.
Capitol Street Photo 08
Damaged wing compression
expansion joint seal.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 15 of 99 Capitol Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
Capitol Street Photo 09
Corroding and deteriorating tread/riser plate.
Capitol Street Photo 10
Visible leaking below stair tower door threshold.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 16 of 99 Capitol Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
RECOMMENDATIONS
Structural and Waterproofing
The deteriorated tee stems and precast soffit at currently blocked areas of parking, along
with the associated joint leaking causing these issues should be prioritized and
addressed as soon as possible.
The recently installed membrane strips on the north bay of the exposed level appear to
be mitigating the isolated leaking that has been an issue in recent years. As a result, full
membrane strip installations for the remaining top-level joints, washes, and crossovers
are recommended.
While the traffic membrane throughout the lower levels of the garage is predominantly
worn and debonded, full replacement is not recommended at this time. Repair of
deteriorated crossover concrete pour strips should be performed, and then these
elements recoated to provide better durability. Leaking interior level joints should be
removed and replaced, with an allowance for isolated traffic membrane strip installations
similar to the top level. In conjunction with these efforts, deteriorated soffit concrete and
failed shear connections should be repaired, as well as any deterioration to spandrel
panels and connections.
This select traffic membrane recoating throughout the lower garage will also alleviate the
widespread need to potentially remove and replace poorly bonded existing coatings.
While the bond test data indicates the exiting coating may be acceptable for recoating,
the close proximity of the overall average for the tests (209 psi) to THP’s recommended
threshold (200 psi) means these systems should be investigated more in the future prior
to scheduled recoating or replacement.
The deteriorated expansion joint nosing throughout the garage should be repaired, along
with replacement of the failed wing seal at the exposed level. Several additional seals
will likely require repair or replacement as part of future annual maintenance efforts.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 17 of 99 Capitol Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
Annual maintenance work should also typically include an allowance for additional
isolated sealant and waterproofing repairs, along with knock down of loose concrete and
epoxy coating of exposed reinforcement at corroding shear connectors.
Repair and localized replacement of isolated stair tower elements, primarily corroding
steel landings and tread and risers, should be scheduled within the next several years.
Isolated repair of associated waterproofing elements, including sealants and traffic
membrane as well as the threshold expansion joint, should also be performed.
For additional discussion on the structural and waterproofing recommendations outlined
above, refer to the applicable sections of Appendix C.
Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing
The stair tower ventilation system should be returned to working order to provide
summer ventilation based on temperature at the top of the stair tower.
The electrical distribution system is still functional, but reaching the end of its life
expectancy according to industry standards. There is no visible eminent danger of
equipment failure. It is recommended that the City coordinate a complete maintenance
action per the manufacturer’s recommendation on all equipment, including an IR scan to
insure proper connections. While outside the scope of this Master Plan, the city should
be budgeting money to replace the equipment in the next 10 years.
The missing standpipe cap on the top level should be replaced.
The top deck exterior light poles are showing signs of age. These poles and fixtures
should be replaced with new more energy efficient LED fixtures. The remaining primary
fixtures for the parking area are in good condition. All of the existing fluorescent lights in
the support spaces should be replaced with new LED light fixtures with vacancy sensing
where applicable.
Finally, it is recommended the City evaluate installating audio/visual fire alarm devices in
the elevator lobbies, stairwells and other employee or public spaces. Other garages
managed by the City have devices in these areas.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 18 of 99 Capitol Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
Additional information on recommended testing frequencies in accordance with the
National Fire Protection Association is included in Appendix D.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 19 of 99 Capitol Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE MASTER PLAN
THP has developed a 5-year (2020 through 2024) Repair and Maintenance Master Plan
for structural, waterproofing, and MEP issues in the Capitol Street Parking Ramp. The
total opinion of probable cost for the full 5-year period is $500,000. A complete annual
breakdown for the recommended scope of work for both Structural/Waterproofing and
MEP efforts is included at the end of this report section.
The Master Plan and its associated opinion of probable costs include an allowance for
contractor overhead and profit, and all associated consulting fees. Opinion of probable
costs reflect recently noted general increases for raw materials, shipping, etc. for similar
THP administered efforts in the region. Opinion of probable costs have not been
adjusted for inflation beyond 2020. Minor inflation over the life of the Master Plan should
be accounted for within the available contingency funds.
The conclusions and recommendations in this report are provided for
repair/maintenance planning and budgeting purposes. This report is not intended to be
used as a construction document. All findings and recommendations are based on
conditions existing as of the date of the survey. It is important that the recommended
repairs and maintenance are implemented in a timely manner.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 20 of 99 Capitol Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
Capitol Street Parking Ramp
Proposed Repair and Maintenance Master Plan, 2020-2024
Annual Summary (Structural, Waterproofing, and MEP)
Year Effort Opinion of Probable Cost(1)(2)
2020 Recommended Structural and Waterproofing Repairs .............................$120,000
Recommended MEP Efforts .......................................................................$35,000
2020 Subtotal ..........$155,000
2021 Recommended Structural and Waterproofing Repairs .............................$115,000
Recommended MEP Efforts........................................................no efforts planned
2021 Subtotal ..........$115,000
2022 Recommended Structural and Waterproofing Repairs .............................$140,000
Recommended MEP Efforts........................................................no efforts planned
2022 Subtotal ..........$140,000
2023 Recommended Structural and Waterproofing Repairs ...............no efforts planned
Recommended MEP Efforts .......................................................................$45,000
2023 Subtotal ............$45,000
2024 Recommended Structural and Waterproofing Repairs ...............................$45,000
Recommended MEP Efforts........................................................no efforts planned
2024 Subtotal ............$45,000
TOTAL OPINION OF PROBABLE COSTS (2020-2024) .......................$500,000
Notes:(1) Probable costs do not include an adjustment for inflation beyond 2020. Probable costs
include allowances for Contractor general conditions and A/E fees.
(2)Probable costs assume all garage work will be packaged and performed annually
by a single contractor.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 21 of 99 Capitol Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
Capitol Street Parking Ramp
Proposed Repair and Maintenance Master Plan, 2020-2024
Structural and Waterproofing Recommendations
Year Effort Opinion of Probable Cost(1)(2)
2020 (a) New sealants at roof level sloped bays and washes .....................$40,000
(b) Traffic membrane strip installations at roof level joints ..................$70,000
(c) Contingency funds for annual garage maintenance
(3)....................$10,000
2020 Subtotal ..........$120,000
2021 (a) Expansion joint repairs and replacement.......................................$25,000
(b) Interior level sealant replacement at leaking joints,
including joint edge and shear connector repairs ..........................$45,000
(c) Concrete soffit repairs....................................................................$25,000
(d) Isolated stair towers repairs and waterproofing .............................$10,000
(e) Contingency funds for annual garage maintenance
(3)....................$10,000
2021 Subtotal ..........$115,000
2022 (a) Concrete floor repairs and traffic membrane recoating
at vehicular crossovers ..................................................................$50,000
(b) Interior level sealant replacement at leaking joints,
including joint edge and shear connector repairs ..........................$45,000
(c) Concrete soffit repairs....................................................................$25,000
(d) Isolated stair towers repairs and waterproofing .............................$10,000
(e) Contingency funds for annual garage maintenance
(3)....................$10,000
2022 Subtotal ..........$140,000
2023 no efforts planned
2024 (a) Allowance for interior level sealant replacement at leaking joints,
including joint edge and shear connector repairs ..........................$20,000
(b) Contingency funds for annual garage maintenance
(3)....................$25,000
2024 Subtotal ............$45,000
TOTAL OPINION OF PROBABLE COSTS (2020-2024) .......................$420,000
Notes:(1) Probable costs do not include an adjustment for inflation beyond 2020. Probable costs
include allowances for Contractor general conditions and A/E fees.
(2) Probable costs assume all garage work will be packaged and performed annually
by a single contractor.
(3) Contingency funds for annual inspections and unidentified scope or efforts
associated with structural and waterproofing maintenance.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 22 of 99 Capitol Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
Capitol Street Parking Ramp
Proposed Repair and Maintenance Master Plan, 2020-2024
Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing Recommendations
Year Effort Opinion of Probable Cost(1)(2)
2020 (a) Repair stair tower ventilation and replace standpipe cap ..............$20,000
(b) Complete IR Scan and maintenance of electrical equipment ........$15,000
2020 Subtotal ............$35,000
2021 no efforts planned
2022 no efforts planned
2023 (a) Replace top deck lighting and poles ..............................................$30,000
(b) Replace common area lighting fixtures..........................................$15,000
2023 Subtotal ............$45,000
2024 no efforts planned
TOTAL OPINION OF PROBABLE COSTS (2020-2024) .........................$80,000
Notes:(1) Probable costs do not include an adjustment for inflation beyond 2020. Probable costs
include allowances for Contractor general conditions and A/E fees.
(2) Probable costs assume all garage work will be packaged and performed annually
by a single contractor.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 23 of 99 Dubuque Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
IV. DUBUQUE STREET RAMP
DESCRIPTION
Structural and Waterproofing
The Dubuque Street Ramp was designed by Carl Walker and Associates, Inc. The
garage is located north of Burlington Street, between Dubuque Street and Linn Street.
The garage serves several businesses that border the north side of the structure,
including the Graduate Hotel and Plaza Towers. The structure consists of seven total
levels, with six supported levels. The structure has approximately 625 parking spaces,
and in excess of 200,000 square feet of supported floor structure.
The garage was built in two phases, with the lower four supported levels constructed in
around 1981, and the upper levels constructed around 1985. Each level includes two
adjacent bays, oriented in the east-west direction. The geometry of the garage is a
double helix configuration, with the two adjacent bays sloped in opposing directions to
provide crossover traffic flow to adjacent bays at the top and bottom of each level, plus
an additional crossover at the common intersection between the two bays in the middle
of each level. Vehicular access to the garage is available from both Dubuque Street and
Linn Street.
The original lower supported levels of the garage are a post-tensioned concrete structure.
The original construction drawings indicate the typical slab is nominally 5” thick, and
reinforced with ½” diameter, 270k strand tendons. The location and profile of the
tendons varies within the slab depth, from approximately 1” from the bottom of the slab
at midspan to approximately 1-1/4” from the top of the slab over support beams. This
designed tendon drape within the slab allows the structure to maximize the beneficial
compressive stresses imparted by the tendons – upward forces from tendons at mid-
span regions, and downward forces from tendons over support beams.
Based on the early 1980’s construction of the facility, the tendons are believed to be
greased and encapsulated in extruded plastic sheathing. Slabs span to post-tensioned
support beams located at 24 feet on center, which are in turn supported from a mix of
cast-in-place and precast columns. A single north-south oriented expansion joints divides
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 24 of 99 Dubuque Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
each level along the west side of the center crossover. A 4-foot wide, cast-in-place
concrete pour strip is located adjacent to the expansion joint at each level, to provide
stressing pockets for the post tensioning tendons that reinforce the slabs west of the
expansion joint.
The two newer upper garage levels are comprised of 8-foot-wide, precast, prestressed
concrete double tees with a cast-in-place topping slab. 6” thick precast concrete panels
form the façade of the garage. Construction joints are located in the slab that mirror the
joints between adjacent precast double tees below, with additional construction joints
installed over precast support beams, and continuously at the middle of each bay.
Joints are typically sealed with urethane sealant. There are approximately 13,000 linear
feet of construction joints in the two precast levels of the Dubuque Street Ramp, with
most joints sealed with urethane.
Expansion joints exist in the precast levels which mirror the location and orientation of the
joints in the post-tensioned levels below. Urethane-based traffic membrane installations
are located throughout the post-tensioned floor levels.
The garage includes two stand-alone stair and elevator towers in the northeast and
northwest corners of the facility. Stair construction is typically comprised of steel framing
with concrete-filled metal pan treads.
The Parking Department Maintenance Office is located below street level, in the
southwest quadrant of the facility. A retrofit pedestrian walkway bridge connects the
north side of the garage to the newer Plaza Towers on the Red Level (second floor).
MEP Systems
The parking area is naturally ventilated except for the lower level which is mechanically
ventilated via a large, inline fan system. Stair towers are ventilated and heated utilizing
exhaust fans at the top of the stair tower with makeup air louvers near the bottom; these
systems were not functioning at the time of our review. Heating is provided via electric
unit heaters. The elevator machine room is equipped with a small packaged AC unit to
maintain appropriate conditions for the elevator controller. The Parking Department
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 25 of 99 Dubuque Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
Maintenance Office is heated and air conditioned utilizing a residential type natural gas
furnace and air-cooled AC system.
The stair towers are equipped with manual standpipes. The majority of the parking
decks are not suppressed, except for the lowest level and the Parking Department
Maintenance Office.
Existing drainage for the parking decks appears to be piped to a municipality storm
system. Lower level appears to drain to a sanitary sewage ejector located with the
Parking Department Maintenance Office. It appears this ejector also serves the toilet
room fixtures within the office area.
The Dubuque Street Ramp is served from a utility company pad mount transformer and
has a main electric service room towards the west end of the garage. The garage has a
600 amp, 480Y277 volt, 3-phase, 4-wire main fusible switchboard. A majority of the
electrical distribution equipment is still from the original installation of the facility.
The parking area is lit by LED fixtures. Each fixture is equipped with a combination
photocell and motion sensor for control. The space is well lit in all areas. The top deck
is outfitted with what appears to be the original metal-halide poles and fixtures. The
location of the poles appears minimal to provide sufficient light at night, but this may be
due to the close proximity of the parking deck to a hotel and residential high-rise. There
does not appear to be grounding of the poles to a lightning protection system. A control
panel, mounted in the Electrical Room, provides control for the lighting fixtures. Current
settings are for all lights to be in automatic operation from photocell or motion sensor.
The majority of the support spaces in the garage still have the original light fixtures with
T8 and T12 fluorescent lamps in them. The stairwell lighting appears to have been
changed recently to newer LED based fixtures on both the interior and exterior. Exit
signage throughout the garage are a mixed system with some incandescent, some
compact fluorescent, and some LED based in the stairwells.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 26 of 99 Dubuque Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
The garage has a Simplex 4010 fire alarm system that was inspected and approved on
6/9/2019. There are smoke detectors located in the elevator lobbies. Fire alarm audio
visual devices are located in the stairwells or elevator lobbies.
Recent Repair and Maintenance Efforts
THP has designed and coordinated several structural and waterproofing repair efforts in
recent years as part of annual maintenance efforts. These efforts included widespread
concrete floor repairs, with repair of several failed post-tensioning tendons, recoat traffic
membrane applications to the lower supported levels, and recoat or replacement traffic
membrane applications to upper post-tension level crossovers. Isolated construction
joint sealant replacement has been performed on the upper precast levels, in addition to
expansion joint repairs or replacements throughout the garage. Isolated concrete soffit
and beam repairs have been completed in the post-tension structure. Stair towers have
had several tread-riser repairs and replacements, with isolated waterproofing and
flashing of the stair tower exterior.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 27 of 99 Dubuque Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
REVIEW AND FINDINGS
Concrete Floor and Soffit Deterioration
Throughout the post-tensioned slabs of the Dubuque Street Ramp, THP performed a
representative chain drag survey of remaining floor areas, with a focus on slab areas
located over beam lines, where slab reinforcement would be typically be highest. THP
estimates a total of approximately 1,000 square feet of deterioration exists in the post-
tensioned floor structure throughout the garage. This deterioration was typically noted
over beam lines, and often adjacent to previous floor repairs (refer to Photos 01,
included at the end of this section). The majority of previous floor repairs from the last
several years appear to be intact, with no significant issues.
No significant issues were noted with the post-tensioned floor slabs, with minimal spalls
or other deterioration, and no visible grease spotting or tendon-induced cracking or
significant deflection. Isolated cracking and minor deterioration were noted at isolated
beams throughout the post-tensioned garage structure (Photo 02).
Chloride Testing of Concrete Powder Samples
A test program was performed to determine the extent of chloride contamination
throughout the exposed precast levels of the Dubuque Street Ramp. A total of 6
samples were taken from 3 different locations. Each sample was taken in 1” depth
increments. Floor locations were selected with a mix between drive lane and parking
areas.
Concentrations of between 1.3 to 1.9 lbs. of acid soluble chloride ions per cubic yard of
concrete are normally considered the threshold level above which corrosion of
embedded reinforcing steel will occur, given sufficient exposure to moisture and oxygen.
Samples in the top 1” depth of slabs typically indicate higher chloride content, since this
depth is directly exposed to all road salt trafficked in by vehicles. In precast double tees,
examination of the overall chloride build-up through the 1”-2” depth is more critical. If
build-up increases to the point where the chlorides start to migrate into the heavily
removed tee flanges, restoration measures can become excessive.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 28 of 99 Dubuque Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
Average chloride content in the Dubuque Street Ramp was 7.49 lbs./CY for the 0-1”
depth, and 2.49 lbs/CY for the 1” to 2” depth, with only one value recorded below the
minimum corrosive threshold. These values are similar to the results from the previous
2012 testing. Refer to Appendix A for a breakdown of the chloride data and a copy of the
chloride sampling laboratory report from CTL Group.
Membrane Conditions
No significant issues were noted with the traffic bearing membrane throughout the lower
levels of the garage which has been recoated since the last assessment report in 2012.
Much of this coating is still under warranty. One end-bay crossover, on Level 4, has not
been replaced or recoated since 2012. The coating at this area was noted to have
typical heavy wear and debonding (Photo 03), with much of the coating worn to bare
concrete.
Membrane Bond Testing
As part of the review of the membrane system installations at the Dubuque Street Ramp,
THP performed a series of bond tests at representative locations throughout the
structure. A total of 7 bond tests were performed on the lower post-tensioned levels of
the garage, including a mixture of recently recoated and older installations. One of the
tests failed the epoxy adhesive to the disc, at a value of 134 psi, and can be
disregarded. The remaining six tests carried an average bond strength of 250 psi, with
no result less than 166 psi. All tests were recorded as adhesive failures of the existing
coating to the concrete substrate. Refer to Appendix B for a more comprehensive
breakdown of the membrane bond testing data.
While no industry standards exist for pass/fail results of bond tests, THP mandates all
new membrane installations or existing membrane substrates scheduled for recoating
have a warranted value of 200 psi average, with no single test result of less than 150
psi. All testing is performed per ASTM D4541 specifications.
Membrane bond strengths below these values typically carry recommendations for
removal to an acceptable substrate, in lieu of simply recoating the system. These
criterion values were originally established during testing of older membrane systems in
the early 1990’s, where typical minimum values of between 150 to 200 psi were
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 29 of 99 Dubuque Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
recommended to ensure proper bond strength for the individual layers of the system (top
coats to base coats, etc.), as well as for the overall system to the base substrate. A
well-prepared substrate and quality installation of a typical modern membrane system
will often achieve bond values of 300 psi or greater.
Expansion Joint Conditions
Expansion joints throughout the garage are a mixture of premold and wing compression
seal systems, with most locations replaced since the last assessment in 2012. No
significant issues were noted with the expansion joint seals, with minimal nosing
deterioration observed at a few locations (Photo 04). Expansion joints seals and
isolation joints at the stair tower interfaces were split and deteriorated at several
locations (Photo 05), with apparent leaking visible below.
Sealants in the Precast Levels
Sealant throughout the upper precast levels are in various states of serviceability. Isolated
construction joint and cove sealants have been replaced in recent years, but significant
lengths of older sealants were noted to be crazing and deteriorating from UV exposure
(Photo 06). Isolated leaking was noted below adjacent tee joints throughout the top level
(Photo 07), with occasional visible staining from corroding shear connectors (Photo 08).
However, no joints in the garage were noted to deflect differentially under vehicular traffic,
and no significant floor spalls or other deterioration were visible in the precast topping slab,
indicating the shear connections are still predominantly intact and functioning as designed.
Façade Panels and Sealants
No significant issues were noted with the façade panels or their connections to the
garage structure. However, the joints at the south façade where the panels interface
with the garage structure are open (Photo 09), allowing water infiltration from wind-
driven rain and other inclement weather.
Stair and Elevator Towers
Stair towers in the Dubuque Street Ramp are in varying states of deterioration. Several
steps in both towers have been replaced in recent years, mostly in the northwest tower.
Several tread/risers and landing plates were noted to have corrosion and deterioration
(Photo 10) with visible exposed aggregate from scaling and freeze/thaw induced
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 30 of 99 Dubuque Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
deterioration in the lower steps and landings (Photo 11), in particular in the lower levels
of the northwest tower. While some of this deterioration is due to water infiltration from
the adjacent garage slabs, there are also signs of leaking from the roofs of the stair
towers (Photo 12).
Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing
No significant issues, such as leaks or significant corrosion, were noted with the
standpipe and sprinkler system. The fire service backflow preventer also appeared to be
functioning with no visible issues.
The existing drainage system piping had visible corrosion on the storm drainage risers.
The existing sewage ejector seals appeared to be in place and no issues were noted
with the discharge piping. No issues were noted with the plumbing fixtures within the
Parking Department Office Area and flush valves and faucets were in working order.
The lower level parking deck mechanical ventilation fan was disconnected from the
exhaust ductwork and not running at the time of the site visit. There were no apparent
CO/NOx (carbon monoxide/nitrous oxides) controls for that fan. Generally, without
CO/NOx controls, the fan is expected to operate continuously to provide code required
ventilation.
The stair tower ventilation fans were not in operation and the thermostatic controls
originally specified for the control of the fan appeared to have been removed and
replaced with blank cover plates. Additionally, there was no apparent source of make-up
air for these tower ventilation fans. The stair towers are heated with electric unit heaters,
which appeared to be in working order.
No issues were noted with the Parking Department Office Area HVAC system. Based
on a limited review, it appears the system is providing outdoor air to the space that it is
positive relative to the garage.
The main electric room is equipped with a unit heater but no source of ventilation. A
significant storm water leak appeared to be occurring at a construction joint in the
structure, with the main switchboard displaying a significant amount of rust on the
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 31 of 99 Dubuque Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
exterior enclosure due to chloride-contaminated water dripping onto the equipment. A
15 kVA transformer serving the exit and egress lights was very hot and is humming very
loudly at the time of the surveys.
No issues were noted with the parking area LED fixtures. While adequate, the exposed
level lighting is older and less efficient, and visible surface corrosion and deterioration
was noted with the older poles and fixtures. Support spaces throughout the garage have
aging fixtures with discolored or missing lenses and guards. Non-LED exit signage
fixtures are showing signs aging with yellowing lenses that are hard to read.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 32 of 99 Dubuque Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
Dubuque Street Photo 01
Locations of noted floor deterioration
in post-tensioned slab.
Dubuque Street Photo 02
Typical minor cracking and deterioration
of beam bottom.
Dubuque Street Photo 03
Worn older traffic coating on Level 4.
Dubuque Street Photo 04
Typical cracking in expansion joint nosing.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 33 of 99 Dubuque Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
Dubuque Street Photo 05
Split seal at stair tower interface.
Dubuque Street Photo 06
UV-deteriorated sealant on exposed level.
Dubuque Street Photo 07
Visible leaking below exposed level.
Dubuque Street Photo 08
Corroding and deteriorated shear connector.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 34 of 99 Dubuque Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
Dubuque Street Photo 09
Open façade joints on south elevation.
Dubuque Street Photo 10
Corroded riser plate
Dubuque Street Photo 11
Scaling and deterioration of lower level
concrete-filled steps and landing.
Dubuque Street Photo 12
Visible leaking through stair tower roof.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 35 of 99 Dubuque Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
RECOMMENDATIONS
Structural and Waterproofing
Concrete floor repairs with traffic membrane patching are the highest priority Dubuque
Street issue to address over the next few years. While no definitive locations requiring
tendon repairs were noted during the survey, an allowance for a limited number of
tendon repairs should be included. In conjunction with these efforts, repairs to isolated
deteriorated soffit areas and prestressed support beams should also be performed.
The recoating or replacement of the older remaining worn crossover membrane should
also be performed in conjunction with other floor repairs and membrane patching, to
provide beneficial waterproofing protection of these high-traffic areas. Based on the
overall bond test data, the existing crossover area membrane is anticipated to be
recoated, in lieu of complete removal to bare concrete and installation of a new
membrane system. However, past THP-coordinated projects required isolated removal
of existing traffic membrane areas following additional review and testing with the
selected coating manufacturer. As a result, it is recommended this effort include an
allowance for isolated removal and replacement.
In the precast structure, the chloride levels at the critical depths in the topping slab were
found to be well above the threshold levels for potential corrosion of reinforcing steel,
reconfirming the test data from the 2012 assessment. However, no visible or wide
spread deterioration was noted during this survey. While no immediate remediation of
the chloride levels is recommended as part of this Master Plan, these topping slabs
should continue to be monitored. It is likely that within the next 5 to 10 years,
applications of at least a water repellent will likely be required to the topping slabs, with
consideration for application of a migrating corrosion inhibitor.
The minor expansion joint nosing deterioration noted at isolated seals should be
repaired as part of annual maintenance to mitigate water infiltration and help ensure the
recently replaced seals reach their intended service life.
New urethane sealants should be installed throughout the exposed precast level topping
slab, along with isolated traffic membrane strip installations and recoating at crossovers.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 36 of 99 Dubuque Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
Silicone sealants should also be installed at exposed joints around the bearings of the
precast panels on the south face of the garage.
Repair and localized replacement of select stair tower elements, primarily corroding steel
landings, tread and risers, should be scheduled within the next two years, along with
installation of a new pedestrian grade traffic membrane coating, similar to what was
recently installed in the Capitol and Chauncey Swan stair towers. In addition to these
efforts, the roofing systems of both towers should be replaced to further mitigate leaking
into the stairs and landings.
For additional discussion on the structural and waterproofing recommendations outlined
above, refer to the applicable sections of Appendix C.
Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing
It is recommended to consider performing wall thickness testing on the existing storm
risers to determine the extent that corrosion has reduced the piping wall thickness, then
schedule repair or replacement as appropriate. The source of water leaking into the
main electric room should also be further investigated and resolved.
The stair tower ventilation system should be returned to working order to provide
summer ventilation based on temperature at the top of the stair tower. The lower level
garage exhaust fan should be returned to continuous operation or CO/NOx detection
and control should be added to safely cycle the operation of the ventilation system in
compliance with current building code.
A ventilation exhaust fan and source of makeup air (louver) should be added to the main
electrical room to remove heat from the space associated with the transformer
impedance.
The electrical distribution system is reaching the end of its life expectancy according to
industry standards. It is recommended that the City coordinate a complete maintenance
action per the manufacturer’s recommendation on all equipment, including an IR scan to
insure proper connections. While not part of this proposed Master Plan, the City should
be budgeting money to replace the equipment in the next ten years.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 37 of 99 Dubuque Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
The top deck exterior light poles are showing signs of age. These poles and fixtures
should be replaced with new more energy efficient LED fixtures. Additionally, the
photocell unit for control of the fixtures is located approximately 5’-0” above the deck
level and are pointed at odd angles, in some cases directly back at the pole.
Replacement of the poles should include new control devices at the top of the pole. The
remaining fixtures for the parking area are in good condition.
All of the existing fluorescent lights in the support spaces should be replaced with new
LED light fixtures with vacancy sensing where applicable. The building mounted lighting
and the stairwell lighting are LED with no noted issues or recommendations. The older
exit lighting should be scheduled for replacement.
Additional information on recommended testing frequencies in accordance with the
National Fire Protection Association is included in Appendix D.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 38 of 99 Dubuque Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE MASTER PLAN
THP has developed a 5-year (2020 through 2024) Repair and Maintenance Master Plan
for structural, waterproofing, and MEP issues in the Dubuque Street Parking Ramp. The
total opinion of probable cost for the full 5-year period is $610,000. A complete annual
breakdown for the recommended scope of work for both Structural/Waterproofing and
MEP efforts is included at the end of this report section.
The Master Plan and its associated opinion of probable costs include an allowance for
contractor overhead and profit, and all associated consulting fees. Opinion of probable
costs reflect recently noted general increases for raw materials, shipping, etc. for similar
THP administered efforts in the region. Opinion of probable costs have not been
adjusted for inflation beyond 2020. Minor inflation over the life of the Master Plan should
be accounted for within the available contingency funds.
The conclusions and recommendations in this report are provided for
repair/maintenance planning and budgeting purposes. This report is not intended to be
used as a construction document. All findings and recommendations are based on
conditions existing as of the date of the survey. It is important that the recommended
repairs and maintenance are implemented in a timely manner.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 39 of 99 Dubuque Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
Dubuque Street Parking Ramp
Proposed Repair and Maintenance Master Plan, 2020-2024
Annual Summary (Structural, Waterproofing, and MEP)
Year Effort Opinion of Probable Cost(1)(2)
2020 Recommended Structural and Waterproofing Repairs .............................$185,000
Recommended MEP Efforts .......................................................................$45,000
2020 Subtotal ..........$230,000
2021 Recommended Structural and Waterproofing Repairs .............................$270,000
Recommended MEP Efforts........................................................no efforts planned
2021 Subtotal ..........$270,000
2022 Recommended Structural and Waterproofing Repairs ...............................$15,000
Recommended MEP Efforts........................................................no efforts planned
2022 Subtotal ............$15,000
2023 Recommended Structural and Waterproofing Repairs ...............no efforts planned
Recommended MEP Efforts .......................................................................$55,000
2023 Subtotal ............$55,000
2024 Recommended Structural and Waterproofing Repairs ...............................$40,000
Recommended MEP Efforts........................................................no efforts planned
2024 Subtotal ............$40,000
TOTAL OPINION OF PROBABLE COSTS (2020-2024) .......................$610,000
Notes:(1) Probable costs do not include an adjustment for inflation beyond 2020. Probable costs
include allowances for Contractor general conditions and A/E fees.
(2)Probable costs assume all garage work will be packaged and performed annually
by a single contractor.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 40 of 99 Dubuque Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
Dubuque Street Parking Ramp
Proposed Repair and Maintenance Master Plan, 2020-2024
Structural and Waterproofing Recommendations
Year Effort Opinion of Probable Cost(1)(2)
2020 (a) Concrete floor repairs and membrane patching...........................$115,000
(b) Concrete soffit repairs....................................................................$15,000
(c) Expansion joint repairs.....................................................................$5,000
(d) Stair tower roof replacements........................................................$40,000
(e) Contingency funds for annual garage maintenance
(3)....................$10,000
2020 Subtotal ..........$185,000
2021 (a) Traffic membrane recoating at crossovers...................................$125,000
(b) New sealants at roof level topping slab .........................................$45,000
(c) North façade joint sealant replacements........................................$25,000
(d) Stair towers repairs and waterproofing ..........................................$65,000
(e) Contingency funds for annual garage maintenance
(3)....................$10,000
2021 Subtotal ..........$270,000
2022 (a) Contingency funds for annual garage maintenance
(3)....................$15,000
2022 Subtotal ............$15,000
2023 no efforts planned
2024 (a) Allowance for concrete floor repairs and membrane patching.......$20,000
(b) Contingency funds for annual garage maintenance
(3)....................$20,000
2024 Subtotal ............$40,000
TOTAL OPINION OF PROBABLE COSTS (2020-2024) .......................$510,000
Notes:(1) Probable costs do not include an adjustment for inflation beyond 2020. Probable costs
include allowances for Contractor general conditions and A/E fees.
(2) Probable costs assume all garage work will be packaged and performed annually
by a single contractor.
(3) Contingency funds for annual inspections and unidentified scope or efforts
associated with structural and waterproofing maintenance.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 41 of 99 Dubuque Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
Dubuque Street Parking Ramp
Proposed Repair and Maintenance Master Plan, 2020-2024
Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing Recommendations
Year Effort Opinion of Probable Cost(1)(2)
2020 (a) Repair stair tower ventilation..........................................................$15,000
(b) Install CO/Nox control and repair ductwork ...................................$10,000
(c) Electrical room ventilation................................................................$5,000
(d) Complete IR Scan and maintenance of electrical equipment ........$15,000
2020 Subtotal ............$45,000
2021 no efforts planned
2022 no efforts planned
2023 (a) Replace top deck lighting and poles ..............................................$35,000
(b) Replace common area lighting fixtures..........................................$20,000
2023 Subtotal ............$55,000
2024 no efforts planned
TOTAL OPINION OF PROBABLE COSTS (2020-2024) .......................$100,000
Notes:(1) Probable costs do not include an adjustment for inflation beyond 2020. Probable costs
include allowances for Contractor general conditions and A/E fees.
(2) Probable costs assume all garage work will be packaged and performed annually
by a single contractor.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 42 of 99 Tower Place Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
V. TOWER PLACE RAMP
DESCRIPTION
Structural and Waterproofing
The Tower Place Ramp was designed by Neumann Monson, PC and constructed in
2000. The structural engineer of record was Paragon Structural Design, Inc. The garage
is located south of Iowa Avenue, between South Gilbert Street and Linn Street. The
garage includes multiple levels of enclosed retail and business space located along the
north and west sides of the structure, including the City Parking Office. The structure
consists of six total levels, with five supported levels and a partial basement level located
substantially below grade which is reportedly used for Senior Center parking. The
structure includes 510 parking spaces, and approximately 180,000 square feet of
supported parking structure.
Each level includes two bays, oriented in the east-west direction, separated by an open
25-foot-wide bay in the middle of the garage that functions as a light well, and provides
for snow collection and drainage from exposed levels above. The geometry of the
garage is a double helix configuration, with the two adjacent bays sloped in opposing
directions. Crossover traffic flow between bays is structured at the top and bottom of
each level, plus an additional crossover at the common elevation between the two bays
in the middle of each level. Additional parking and an expanded crossover is located on
the west side of the top two levels, over occupied business space below. Vehicular
access to the supported garage is from Iowa Avenue, while the partial basement level is
accessible on the east side of the structure, from South Gilbert Avenue.
The supported levels of the garage are post-tensioned concrete. The original
construction drawings indicate the typical slab is nominally 5” thick, and spans to post-
tensioned support beams located at 18 feet on center, which are in turn supported from
cast-in-place columns.
The primary slab reinforcement is 7 strand, ½” diameter, 270k strand tendons wrapped
in extruded polyurethane sheathing. Tendons were additionally specified to have fully
encapsulated, waterproof connections between the tendon and anchorage location. The
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 43 of 99 Tower Place Ramp
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location and profile of the tendons varies within the slab depth, from approximately 1”
from the bottom of the slab at mid-span to approximately 1” from the top of the slab over
support beams. This designed tendon drape within the slab allows the structure to
maximize the beneficial compressive stresses imparted by the tendons – upward forces
from tendons at mid-span regions, and downward forces from tendons over support
beams. Tendons are anchored and stressed from either the expansion joints or the ends
of the garage.
Slabs are also reinforced with conventional reinforcement, again near the top surface in
slab areas over beams, and near the bottom surface near midspans. Drawings do not
indicate this secondary reinforcement was intended to be epoxy-coated or galvanized for
additional corrosion protection.
Beams cast integral with slabs are similarly reinforced with a combination of post-
tensioning tendons and conventional rebar.
Two separate north-south oriented expansion joints segment each level. These joints are
located to the east of the center crossover, as well as the interface with the occupied
space on the west side of the facility. Membrane is installed throughout the garage over
occupied space on the first supported level, at crossovers between the north and south
bays, and on west side of Level over the occupied businesses.
The garage includes two integrated stair and elevator towers at the east and west sides
of the light well. Stair construction is typically comprised of steel framed stringers, treads
and risers.
The facade of the Tower Place Ramp facility is a mixture of brick and stone construction.
Decorative ornamental steel and aluminum elements adorn the open perimeter of the
top two levels.
MEP Systems
The parking area is naturally ventilated except for the lowest level area used for non-
public parking, which is equipped with mechanical ventilation. Stair towers are ventilated
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 44 of 99 Tower Place Ramp
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and heated utilizing exhaust fans at the top of the stair tower with make–up air louvers
near the bottom. Heating is provided via electric unit heaters.
The stair towers are equipped with manual standpipes. The parking decks are not
suppressed except for the lowest level parking areas, which is equipped with a dry pipe
system. The accessory spaces, such as the tenant spaces, boiler room, and Parking
Department Office, are suppressed. Existing drainage for the parking decks appears to
be piped to the City or municipality storm sewer systems.
The Parking Department Office is served by a small, variable-air-volume air handler
(VAV AH) unit equipped with cooling, heating, and airside economizer. VAV units for
zone control are equipped with hot water (HW) reheat coils. Controls are direct digital
controls (DDC). Cooling and Heating needs for the Parking Office and Tenant Spaces
are provided by a central chiller plant / heating hot water boiler plant. The boiler plant is
located at the lowest level of the facility adjacent to one of the snow pit areas.
The electrical distribution system for the facility is served from a utility company pad
mount transformer and multiple electric services in a main electric room located in the
northwest part of the garage at the lower level. The garage has a 1200 amp, 480Y277
volt, 3-phase, 4-wire main fusible switchboard with multiple separately metered
switchboards to serve the tenant spaces. All of the equipment is still from the original
installation of the facility in approximately 2001.
The parking area is lit by LED fixtures, with some fixtures equipped with a combination
photocell and motion sensor for control. The top deck is outfitted with what appears to
be the original poles and metal-halide fixtures. The location of the poles appears
sufficient for adequate lighting at night. The poles are grounded to a lightning protection
system.
The majority of the support spaces in the garage still have the original light fixtures with
T8 fluorescent lamps in them. The stairwell lighting appears to have been changed
recently to newer LED based fixtures on the interior, with the original metal halide on the
exterior. Exit signage are a mixed system with some incandescent and some compact
fluorescent-based fixtures.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 45 of 99 Tower Place Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
The garage has a Simplex 4010 fire alarm system that was inspected and serviced on
3/1/2019. There are smoke detectors located in the elevator lobbies. There are fire alarm
audio visual devices located in the common areas.
Recent Repair and Maintenance Efforts
THP has designed and coordinated several structural and waterproofing repair efforts in
recent years as part of annual maintenance efforts. These efforts included widespread
expansion joint repairs and replacements, with traffic membrane strip installations
adjacent to expansion joints on the upper levels of the facility. Isolated concrete floor
repairs have also been performed, including the repair of several failed post-tensioning
tendons.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 46 of 99 Tower Place Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
REVIEW AND FINDINGS
Concrete Floor and Soffit Deterioration
Throughout the post-tensioned slabs of the Tower Place Ramp, THP performed a
representative chain drag survey of floor areas throughout the facility, with a focus on
slab areas located over beam lines, where slab reinforcement would be typically be the
highest. THP estimates a total of approximately 250 square feet of floor deterioration
exists in the post-tensioned floor structure. The majority of this deterioration is in the
lowest level of the garage, which is predominantly covered with a traffic membrane
application. No issues were noted with previous floor repairs from the last several years.
No significant issues related to visible grease spotting or tendon-induced cracking or
significant deflection were noted which may be indicative of a failed post-tensioning
tendon. Minor grease spotting was visible at a few isolated locations in the garage.
These locations included a previous concrete repair in the northeast quadrant of the
garage, with grease visible in the cracking on the patched surface (Refer to the attached
Photo 01, included at the end of this report section). Grease spotting was also noted at
two exposed grout-pocket for the anchorage of tendons, visible on the side of the middle
crossover (Photo 02). Both of these locations have had visible grease spotting for
several years, with no apparent issues to the floor slabs.
No apparent problems or deterioration were noted in the exposed beams and columns
throughout the garage.
Chloride Testing of Concrete Powder Samples
A test program was performed to determine the extent of chloride contamination
throughout the exposed levels of the Tower Place Ramp. A total of 6 samples were
taken from 3 different locations in 1” depth increments, at the 0”-1” and 1” to 2” depths.
Floor locations were selected with a mix between drive lane and parking areas.
Concentrations of between 1.3 to 1.9 lbs. of acid soluble chloride ions per cubic yard of
concrete are normally considered the threshold level above which corrosion of
embedded reinforcing steel will occur, given sufficient exposure to moisture and oxygen.
Samples in the top 1” depth of slab typically indicate higher chloride content, since this
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 47 of 99 Tower Place Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
depth is directly exposed to all road salt trafficked in by vehicles. However, in a newer
post-tensioned structure such as the Tower Place Ramp, examination of the overall
chloride build-up through the 1”-2” depth (where tendons are generally located over
support beams) is more critical.
Average chloride content in the garage was 3.89 lbs./CY for the 0-1” depth, but fell off as
anticipated to an average value of 0.27 lbs/CY for the 1” to 2” depth. These values are
similar to the results from the previous 2012 testing. Refer to Appendix A for a
breakdown of the chloride data and a copy of the chloride sampling laboratory report
from CTL Group.
Expansion Joint, Membrane, and Sealant Conditions
Expansion joints throughout the garage are a wing compression seal systems. Several
seals have visible splits and tears, as well as deteriorated nosing material (Photo 03).
The traffic bearing membrane throughout the lower levels of the garage was noted to be
predominantly intact and functioning, though wear and minor deterioration was visible at
several areas, including drive lanes and crossovers. No significant debonded or split
areas were noted. Traffic membrane installations on the upper levels of the garage
adjacent to stair towers and expansion joints were similarly worn at several locations
(Photos 04 and 05).
Exposed sealants throughout the garage were in various states of serviceability. Exposed
level sealants at joints and previously sealed cracks were worn and degrading due to UV
exposure (Photo 06). Cove sealants were typically not installed throughout the garage at
exposed vertical surfaces.
Membrane Bond Testing
In anticipation of the need to begin at least partial recoating of traffic membrane
installations throughout the Tower Place Ramp, THP performed two bond tests at select
locations on the lowest supported level. The two tests carried bond strengths of 197 psi
and 260 psi, with both failures recorded as adhesive failures of the existing coating to
the concrete substrate. Refer to Appendix B for a more comprehensive breakdown of
the membrane bond testing data.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 48 of 99 Tower Place Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
While no industry standards exist for pass/fail results of bond tests, THP mandates all
new membrane installations or existing membrane substrates scheduled for recoating
have a warranted value of 200 pounds per square inch (psi) average, with no single test
result of less than 150 psi. All testing is performed per ASTM D4541 specifications.
Membrane bond strengths below these values typically carry recommendations for
removal to an acceptable substrate, in lieu of simply recoating the system. These
criterion values were originally established during testing of older membrane systems in
the early 1990’s, where typical minimum values of between 150 to 200 psi were
recommended to ensure proper bond strength for the individual layers of the system (top
coats to base coats, etc.), as well as for the overall system to the base substrate. A
well-prepared substrate and quality installation of a typical modern membrane system
will often achieve bond values of 300 psi or greater.
Stair Towers
Signs of ongoing water infiltration into the stair towers was noted at several levels, in
particular at the upper levels of the west stair tower. At these locations, water appears
to be bypassing the vestibule and leaking into the interior space (Photos 07 and 08).
This leaking is causing corrosion of the metal tread and riser elements (Photo 09).
Handrails
Several posts for the handrail of the handicap ramp adjacent to the west occupied
spaced on Level 2 had visible corrosion at the base, where anchored to the slab or ramp
(Photo 10).
Garage Facade
Sealants and expansion joints throughout the brick facade were noted to be crazed and
cracking due to UV exposure, and are nearing the end of their anticipated service life
(Photo 11). Visible biological growth and failed mortar and sealant joints was noted below
several cap stones accessible from the top level of the garage (Photo 12).
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 49 of 99 Tower Place Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing
No issues were noted with the existing fire services, including the fire protection piping.
Storm drainage piping appeared to be in similarly good condition.
The stair tower summer ventilation systems did not appear operational, with interior
temperature elevated to well above ambient. The existing air handler unit serving the
Parking Office is in working order and appears to be operating properly.
The central chilled water and heating hot water system equipment appears to have
several issues. One of the original hot water boilers has been replaced. The removed
boiler is currently stored in the mechanical room for spare parts to the other original
boiler. While no issues were noted with the HW pumps, the cold-water (CW) pumps
have elevated levels of corrosion on the pump frame, caused by elevated humidity levels
in the mechanical while the chillers were operating. A portable de-humidifier has been
installed in the mechanical room to deal with the humidity, and this may help prolong the
life of the CW pumps.
Boiler flues and generator engine exhaust do not appear to be extended far enough from
garage ventilation openings to be code compliant. These vents are located partially up
the elevation of the building directly adjacent to openings on the parking decks.
The snow melt system has partially failed. Approximately one-third of the snow melt
system is not functional due to failures in the underslab radiant pipe. Two variable
frequency drives appear to have been replaced. The remaining five original variable
frequency drives appear to be near the end of their life expectancy.
No significant visual issues were noted with the electrical distribution equipment.
No issues were noted with the parking area LED fixtures or exposed top level light poles.
Support spaces throughout the garage have aging original fixtures with discolored or
missing lenses and guards.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 50 of 99 Tower Place Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
The stairwell interior fixtures are in good condition and provide adequate lighting.
However, the exterior fixtures have indications of leakage around the lens that severely
limit the light output.
Exit signage fixtures are showing signs of aging, with yellowing lenses that are hard to
read.
The garage has a Simplex 4010 fire alarm system that was inspected and serviced on
3/1/2019. There are smoke detectors located in the elevator lobbies. Fire alarm audio
visual devices are located in the common areas.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 51 of 99 Tower Place Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
Tower Place Photo 01
Visible grease leaking from floor patch
on top level.
Tower Place Photo 02
Visible grease leaking from two tendon pockets
Tower Place Photo 03
Torn and deteriorated wing compression seal.
Tower Place Photo 04
Heavily worn traffic coating adjacent to
expansion joint on top level.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 52 of 99 Tower Place Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
Tower Place Photo 05
Debonded and deteriorated traffic coating.
Tower Place Photo 06
Typical deteriorated crack sealant.
Tower Place Photo 07
Exterior view of vestibule curtain wall base.
Tower Place Photo 08
Visible leaking at interior soffit of vestibule.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 53 of 99 Tower Place Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
Tower Place Photo 09
Corroding metal steps in stair tower.
Tower Place Photo 10
Corroding rail post base.
Tower Place Photo 11
Visibly deteriorated sealant at façade
control joint.
Tower Place Photo 12
Deteriorated cap stone mortar joint.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 54 of 99 Tower Place Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
RECOMMENDATIONS
Structural and Waterproofing
The leaking in the stair towers should be addressed to mitigate ongoing corrosion of the
stair tread and risers. This repair effort will likely require some exploratory and additional
investigation efforts into the as-built conditions for the vestibule curtain wall, which may
be contributing to the leaking. In conjunction with this work, the exterior traffic
membrane coating adjacent to the stair vestibules should be recoated to further alleviate
potential avenues for water to infiltrate the stair towers.
Following remediation of the active leaking into the stair tower, the existing stair structure
should have new sealants and a slip-resistant epoxy coating scheduled for installation,
along with cleaning and coating of select corroding elements.
The deteriorated wing compression seal expansion joints in the garage should be
scheduled for repair or replacement, in conjunction with recoating of select adjacent
membrane strips which are beginning to wear.
Existing floor deterioration should be repaired, with new traffic membrane patches where
applicable. In conjunction with this work, additional exploratory efforts should be
performed to isolated locations of visible grease spotting to assess and repair potential
sheathing issues.
While no active leaks were noted with the existing traffic membrane coating over the
lower level occupied space, the system appears to be wearing. It is recommended to
budget and plan for at least partial recoating of this level, up to 25%, within the next 5
years. The coating should continue to be reviewed annually, and the timing and final
scope of this work modified in the coming years as appropriate.
Exposed vertical control joint sealants and expansion joints in the facade should be
scheduled for replacement, to prevent potential water infiltration and associated
deteriorated to the adjacent brick and backup systems. To mitigate existing and future
brick growth, joints exposed during replacement should also be routed to create a
minimum 3/8” opening width. In conjunction with these efforts, isolated mortar and
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 55 of 99 Tower Place Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
sealant joint repairs to cap stones at the perimeter of the roof level should be
coordinated and performed.
For additional discussion on the structural and waterproofing recommendations outlined
above, refer to the applicable sections of Appendix C.
Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing
The stair tower ventilation system should be returned to working order to provide
summer ventilation based on temperature at the top of the stair tower.
The chilled water pump frame will require annual inspections. The addition of a
dehumidifier in the mechanical room is also recommended to help mitigate any further
corrosion on the frame.
The boiler flue and generator exhaust should be piped to the top of the garage and
seven feet above the nearest parking deck surface, such that the installation complies
with code requirements related to terminations of chimneys and vents.
The remaining original boiler will need to be replaced within the next five years. This
boiler is near the end of its life expectancy and the availability of replacement parts will
likely become an issue. The new replacement boiler should match the other replaced
boiler.
With part of the existing underslab snow melt system already in failure, the entire
underslab snow melt piping should be replaced.
All five of the original variable frequency drives are near the end of their life expectancy
and should be scheduled for replacement.
While no issues were noted with the electrical distribution system, it is recommended
that the City coordinate a complete maintenance action per the manufacturer’s
recommendation on all equipment, including an IR scan to insure proper connections.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 56 of 99 Tower Place Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
The top deck exterior pole mounted lights are showing signs of age and should be
replaced with new poles and more energy efficient LED fixtures. Replacement of the
poles should include new control devices at the top of the pole.
All of the existing fluorescent lights in the support spaces should be replaced with new
LED light fixtures where applicable. The older exit lighting and exterior wall pack lights
on the stair tower should similarly be scheduled for replacement with new LED based
fixtures.
Additional information on recommended testing frequencies in accordance with the
National Fire Protection Association is included in Appendix D.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 57 of 99 Tower Place Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE MASTER PLAN
THP has developed a 5-year (2020 through 2024) Repair and Maintenance Master Plan
for structural, waterproofing, and MEP issues in the Tower Place Parking Ramp. The
total opinion of probable cost for the full 5-year period is $600,000. A complete annual
breakdown for the recommended scope of work for both Structural/Waterproofing and
MEP efforts is included at the end of this report section.
The Master Plan and its associated opinion of probable costs include an allowance for
contractor overhead and profit, and all associated consulting fees. Opinion of probable
costs reflect recently noted general increases for raw materials, shipping, etc. for similar
THP administered efforts in the region. Opinion of probable costs have not been
adjusted for inflation beyond 2020. Minor inflation over the life of the Master Plan should
be accounted for within the available contingency funds.
The conclusions and recommendations in this report are provided for
repair/maintenance planning and budgeting purposes. This report is not intended to be
used as a construction document. All findings and recommendations are based on
conditions existing as of the date of the survey. It is important that the recommended
repairs and maintenance are implemented in a timely manner.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 58 of 99 Tower Place Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
Tower Place Street Parking Ramp
Proposed Repair and Maintenance Master Plan, 2020-2024
Annual Summary (Structural, Waterproofing, and MEP)
Year Effort Opinion of Probable Cost(1)(2)
2020 Recommended Structural and Waterproofing Repairs ...............................$45,000
Recommended MEP Efforts .......................................................................$60,000
2020 Subtotal ..........$105,000
2021 Recommended Structural and Waterproofing Repairs .............................$135,000
Recommended MEP Efforts........................................................no efforts planned
2021 Subtotal ..........$135,000
2022 Recommended Structural and Waterproofing Repairs ...............no efforts planned
Recommended MEP Efforts .....................................................................$250,000
2022 Subtotal ..........$250,000
2023 Recommended Structural and Waterproofing Repairs ...............................$55,000
Recommended MEP Efforts........................................................no efforts planned
2023 Subtotal ............$55,000
2024 Recommended Structural and Waterproofing Repairs ...............................$55,000
Recommended MEP Efforts........................................................no efforts planned
2024 Subtotal ............$55,000
TOTAL OPINION OF PROBABLE COSTS (2020-2024) .......................$600,000
Notes:(1) Probable costs do not include an adjustment for inflation beyond 2020. Probable costs
include allowances for Contractor general conditions and A/E fees.
(2)Probable costs assume all garage work will be packaged and performed annually
by a single contractor.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 59 of 99 Tower Place Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
Tower Place Parking Ramp
Proposed Repair and Maintenance Master Plan, 2020-2024
Structural and Waterproofing Recommendations
Year Effort Opinion of Probable Cost(1)(2)
2020 (a) Stair tower vestibule leaking and membrane at
adjacent floor areas........................................................................$40,000
(b) Contingency funds for annual garage maintenance
(3)......................$5,000
2020 Subtotal ............$45,000
2021 (a) Concrete floor repairs and membrane patching.............................$25,000
(b) Expansion joint replacements and membrane strip recoating .......$70,000
(c) Stair tower waterproofing...............................................................$25,000
(d) Handrail embedment repairs............................................................$5,000
(e) Contingency funds for annual garage maintenance
(3)....................$10,000
2021 Subtotal ..........$135,000
2022 no efforts planned
2023 (a) Façade expansion joint and control joint
sealant replacement and miscellaneous repairs............................$40,000
(b) Contingency funds for annual garage maintenance
(3)....................$10,000
2022 Subtotal ............$55,000
2024 (a) Façade expansion joint and control joint
sealant replacement and miscellaneous repairs............................$20,000
(b) Lower level traffic membrane partial recoating ..............................$25,000
(c) Contingency funds for annual garage maintenance
(3)....................$10,000
2024 Subtotal ............$55,000
TOTAL OPINION OF PROBABLE COSTS (2020-2024) .......................$290,000
Notes:(1) Probable costs do not include an adjustment for inflation beyond 2020. Probable costs
include allowances for Contractor general conditions and A/E fees.
(2) Probable costs assume all garage work will be packaged and performed annually
by a single contractor.
(3) Contingency funds for annual inspections and unidentified scope or efforts
associated with structural and waterproofing maintenance.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 60 of 99 Tower Place Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
Tower Place Parking Ramp
Proposed Repair and Maintenance Master Plan, 2020-2024
Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing Recommendations
Year Effort Opinion of Probable Cost(1)(2)
2020 (a) Repair stair tower ventilation..........................................................$15,000
(b) Relocate boiler flue ........................................................................$30,000
(c) Complete IR Scan and maintenance of electrical equipment ........$15,000
2020 Subtotal ............$60,000
2021 no efforts planned
2022 (a) Replace chilled water pumps.........................................................$50,000
(b) Replace 200MHB boiler.................................................................$85,000
(c) Replace snowmelt piping...............................................................$95,000
(d) Replace common area lighting fixtures..........................................$20,000
2023 Subtotal ..........$250,000
2023 no efforts planned
2024 no efforts planned
TOTAL OPINION OF PROBABLE COSTS (2020-2024) .......................$310,000
Notes:(1) Probable costs do not include an adjustment for inflation beyond 2020. Probable costs
include allowances for Contractor general conditions and A/E fees.
(2) Probable costs assume all garage work will be packaged and performed annually
by a single contractor.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 61 of 99 Chauncey Swan Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
VI. CHAUNCEY SWAN RAMP
DESCRIPTION
Structural and Waterproofing
The Chauncey Swan Ramp was designed by Neumann Monson, PC and constructed in
1993. The structural engineer of record was Rich and Associates. The garage includes
approximately 475 parking spaces and is located west of Van Buren Street, between
Washington Street and College Street. The structure consists of two and one half
supported levels, and just less than 100,000 square feet of supported parking structure.
The garage consists of two adjacent, 60-foot-wide bays, oriented in the north-south
direction, with the east bay sloped to provide vehicular traffic between levels. The
supported garage floors are not connected to the on-grade level, though all levels are
accessible to pedestrian access from a stair tower located at the northwest corner of the
garage, and a stair/elevator tower located at the southwest corner. Vehicular access to
the supported floors of the garage is available from College Street on the south, while
the on-grade parking is accessible from Washington Street to the north.
The supported garage levels are comprised of 8-foot-wide, precast, prestressed concrete
double tees with a nominal 3” thick bonded cast-in-place topping slab. Architectural
precast concrete panels form the facade of the garage. Construction joints are located in
the slab that mirror the joints between adjacent precast double tees below, with additional
construction joints installed over precast support beams. There are approximately 6,500
linear feet of construction joints in the Chauncey Swan Ramp, with most joint sealed with
urethane. A single expansion joint is located where the supported garage level
intersects the adjacent street.
The integral stair and elevator towers in the garage are typically comprised of steel
framing with concrete-filled metal pan treads. Decorative precast and curtain wall
facades adorn the enclosed stair towers.
In recent years, modifications to the west facade have been performed to accommodate
access to the new tower development located directly west of the property.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 62 of 99 Chauncey Swan Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
MEP Systems
The parking garage is naturally ventilated. Stair towers ventilation and heating utilizes
exhaust fans located at the top of the stair tower, with makeup air louvers installed at the
base. Heating is provided via electric unit heaters. The elevator machine room is
equipped with a small packaged air-conditioning unit, to maintain appropriate conditions
for the elevator controller. The stair towers are equipped with manual standpipes, and
the parking decks are not suppressed. Existing drainage for the parking decks is piped
to the City or municipality storm sewer systems.
The facility is served from a utility company pad mount transformer and has a main
electric service room towards the northwest part of the garage. The garage has a 400-
amp 480/277 volt main panel board. All of the electrical distribution equipment is
installed in NEMA 3R enclosures along an exterior wall of a stairwell in the garage. A
majority of the electrical distribution equipment appears to be from the original
installation of the facility.
The parking area is lit by LED fixtures, with some fixtures equipped with a combination
photocell and motion sensor for control. The top deck is outfitted with original poles and
high-pressure sodium fixtures. The stairwell well lighting is provided by fluorescent
fixtures. Exit signage are compact fluorescent fixtures with some exterior housings.
The garage has a Simplex 4002 fire alarm system installed. There are smoke detectors
located in the elevator lobbies. Limited fire alarm audio visual devices are located in the
stairwells or elevator lobbies.
Recent Repair and Maintenance Efforts
THP has designed and coordinated several structural and waterproofing repair efforts in
recent years as part of annual maintenance efforts. These efforts included replacement
of exposed level urethane joint sealants and repair of the entrance bridge from College
Street, including floor, soffit and beam repairs and a new expansion joint seal. The two
stair tower interiors have been renovated with new finishes and traffic coatings on the
exposed steps and landings.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 63 of 99 Chauncey Swan Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
REVIEW AND FINDINGS
Precast Concrete Tees
The cast-in-place topping slab of the Chauncey Swan Ramp has isolated locations of
minimal cracking, spalling, or other deterioration. THP performed a chain drag survey of
all crossovers throughout the garage, and estimates less than 50 square feet of
delaminated floor repairs, with no visible spalls.
The soffits of the precast double tees were in good overall condition. Cracking between
the tee flange and stem were noted at isolated locations throughout the garage, often
with visible efflorescence leaching through the crack (refer to Photo 01, included at the
end of this section).
No significant spalls or deterioration were noted at precast tee stem bearings. However,
several bearing pads between the tee stem and support structure are below the roof
level, similar to conditions noted by THP in 2012. Bearing pads elsewhere in the
structure continue to exhibit little-to-no visible movement or rotation.
Chloride Testing of Concrete Powder Samples
A test program was performed to determine the extent of chloride contamination
throughout the exposed levels of the Chauncey Swan Ramp. A total of 6 samples were
taken from 3 different locations in 1” depth increments, at the 0”-1” and 1” to 2” depths.
Floor locations were selected with a mix between drive lane and parking areas.
Concentrations of between 1.3 to 1.9 lbs. of acid soluble chloride ions per cubic yard of
concrete are normally considered the threshold level above which corrosion of
embedded reinforcing steel will occur, given sufficient exposure to moisture and oxygen.
Samples in the top 1” depth of slab typically indicate higher chloride content, since this
depth is directly exposed to all road salt trafficked in by vehicles.
Lightly reinforced mesh topping slabs, such as those throughout the Chauncey Swan
Ramp, can typically absorb higher chloride rates than those listed above without
significant corrosion problems.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 64 of 99 Chauncey Swan Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
Average chloride content in the garage was 13.00 lbs./CY for the 0-1” depth and 3.04
lbs/CY for the 1” to 2” depth. These limited readings are trending higher than the results
from 2012 at both depths, by approximately 50% in each instance. Refer to Appendix A
for a breakdown of the chloride data and a copy of the chloride sampling laboratory
report from CTL Group.
Sealants and Membrane Systems
No significant issues were noted with sealants below the top level, which were replaced
in recent years as part of annual garage maintenance projects. Isolated locations of
failed and partially leaking tee joints were noted (Photo 02). Shear connections at all
joints appeared to be substantially intact, with little discernible differential movement of
adjacent joints under wheel load.
Isolated membrane strips installed over crossovers have visible signs of wear, often to
bare concrete (Photo 03).
Connector Bridge to Street Level
The connector bridge between the garage and College Street was substantially restored
several years ago as part of annual garage maintenance project. Visible hairline
cracking and minor spalls exist at sealant joints in the new topping slab over the bridge
(Photo 04), though THP’s sounding survey indicated no significant concrete
delaminations or repairs. The expansion joint at the intersection with the elevated road
structure had minor visible tears and deterioration (Photo 05). Isolated soffit spalling
and beam deterioration was noted below the bridge.
Spandrel Panels
Supplemental wall top handrails are installed on top of the precast façade panels at the
roof level. The majority of these steel elements have visible minor corrosion at isolated
areas of chipped or loose paint. THP also noted isolated spandrel panel lateral
connections to adjacent columns with missing nuts at threaded rods (Photo 06).
Stair and Elevator Towers
While the stair and elevator towers interior finishes were recently replaced, ongoing
isolated water infiltration continues to create issues. Minor bubbling and deterioration of
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 65 of 99 Chauncey Swan Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
finishes was noted at isolated locations, though at least some of these issues may be
attributed to condensation in the stair towers resulting from poor ventilation – refer to the
Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing section for additional discussion.
The existing tread/riser and stair framing elements had no significant issues. The
exposed landings and tread risers were recently coated with a pedestrian traffic coating
in conjunction with other interior work in the stair towers.
The stair tower curtain wall had visible deterioration at the door, near the weather
stripping (Photo 07), as well as split isolation sealant joints at the interface between the
garage floor and stair tower facade (Photo 08).
Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing
The manual standpipe system had some apparent corrosion of the exposed painted
piping. Insulation on the storm drain piping was noted to be damaged in multiple
locations.
The stair tower ventilation system did not appear to be operational. The temperature
within the stair towers was elevated well above ambient. The existing electric unit
heaters and elevator machine room AC unit appeared to be functional.
The electrical distribution equipment has no significant issues, but corrosion and rust
was visible on equipment enclosures. The top deck light poles have signs of visible,
though minor, corrosion. No issues were noted with the light pole fixtures, which are
less efficient high-pressure sodium high-intensity discharge (HID) lamps. No significant
issues were noted with the interior garage lighting or stair tower fixtures. Exit signage
fixtures are showing signs aging with yellowing, hard-to-read lenses.
No issues were noted with the garage fire alarm system, smoke detectors, or Isolated fire
alarm audio visual devices.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 66 of 99 Chauncey Swan Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
Chauncey Swan Photo 01
Visible flange/stem cracking and efflorescence.
Chauncey Swan Photo 02
Isolated leaking below precast joint.
Chauncey Swan Photo 03
Isolated failed traffic coating.
Chauncey Swan Photo 04
Visible cracking and joint edge deterioration
in connector bridge slab.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 67 of 99 Chauncey Swan Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
Chauncey Swan Photo 05
Minor wing seal damage at connector bridge.
Chauncey Swan Photo 06
Missing nut on spandrel panel
threaded rod connection.
Chauncey Swan Photo 07
Deteriorated weather stripping at base
of stair tower door.
Chauncey Swan Photo 08
Split and failed sealant around
stair tower interface.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 68 of 99 Chauncey Swan Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
RECOMMENDATIONS
Structural and Waterproofing
While no significant items were noted in the Chauncey Swan Ramp, several issues
should be addressed over the next several years. The entrance connector bridge from
College Street should have minor repairs at construction joints, along with new sealants
and repair of the adjacent wing compression seal. In conjunction with this work, isolated
soffit and beam repairs below the bridge should be performed. Following these repairs,
to provide additional long-term durability, the surface of the connector bridge should be
coated with a fast-curing poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) traffic coating. While
expensive, this type of coating would allow quick turnaround of the entrance bridge and
provide better long-term durability with less frequent maintenance compared to a more
traditional epoxy or urethane-based traffic coating system.
Isolated leaks at the stair tower should continue to be addressed, either through
warranties for the recent work (where applicable) or as part of annual maintenance.
These efforts should include repairs to the storefront curtainwall system and door
weather stripping, and isolation joint surrounding the perimeter of the towers.
Isolated floor repairs throughout the garage should be repaired, and select cracks at
precast tee stem and flange interfaces should be epoxy injected to re-establish integrity
of the structure. Isolated leaks at precast joints should be repaired on an annual basis.
Miscellaneous issues, such as the missing hardware for the spandrel panel connections,
should be replaced or repaired as appropriate.
Given the anticipated increased traffic from the adjacent tower construction, it is prudent
to plan on full replacement of the top level sealants within a five year period, along with
replacement of a nominal amount – approximately 25% – of interior level sealants. In
conjunction with these efforts, it is recommended to recoat existing isolated traffic
membrane installations throughout the facility, and install new traffic membrane strips
over tee joints in the flat western bay of the garage, similar to what has recently been
implemented in the Capitol Street Ramp.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 69 of 99 Chauncey Swan Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
For additional discussion on the structural and waterproofing recommendations outlined
above, refer to the applicable sections of Appendix C.
Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing
The stair tower ventilation system should be returned to working order to provide
summer ventilation based on temperature at the top of the stair tower. Following the
renovation of the stair tower ventilation, any remaining condensation effects can be
assessed, and recommendations incorporated into annual maintenance projects.
The damaged sections of insulation on storm drain piping should be replaced. These
sections of piping are in areas of the parking garage that are not protected from the
elements above, which could result in additional damage from annual freeze/thaw
cycles. Future insulation should be protected by PVC or metal jacketing.
The electrical distribution system shows signs of deterioration and is reaching the end of
its life expectancy according to industry standards. It is recommended that the City
coordinate a complete maintenance action on all equipment per the manufacturer’s
recommendation, including an IR scan to insure proper connections. While not part of
this Master Plan, the city should be budgeting money for the likely replacement of the
equipment within the next ten years.
The top deck exterior pole mounted lights are showing signs of age and should be
replaced with new poles and more energy efficient LED fixtures. Replacement of the
poles should include new control devices at the top of the pole.
All of the existing fluorescent lights and exit lighting in the support spaces should be
replaced with new LED light fixtures where applicable.
Installation of new audio/visual fire alarm devices in the elevator lobbies, stairwells and
other employee or public spaces should be evaluated. Other garages managed by the City
have similar devices in these areas.
Additional information on recommended testing frequencies in accordance with the
National Fire Protection Association is included in Appendix D.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 70 of 99 Chauncey Swan Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE MASTER PLAN
THP has developed a 5-year (2020 through 2024) Repair and Maintenance Master Plan
for structural, waterproofing, and MEP issues in the Chauncey Swan Parking Ramp.
The total opinion of probable cost for the full 5-year period is $345,000. A complete
annual breakdown for the recommended scope of work for both Structural/Waterproofing
and MEP efforts is included at the end of this report section.
The Master Plan and its associated opinion of probable costs include an allowance for
contractor overhead and profit, and all associated consulting fees. Opinion of probable
costs reflect recently noted general increases for raw materials, shipping, etc. for similar
THP administered efforts in the region. Opinion of probable costs have not been
adjusted for inflation beyond 2020. Minor inflation over the life of the Master Plan should
be accounted for within the available contingency funds.
The conclusions and recommendations in this report are provided for
repair/maintenance planning and budgeting purposes. This report is not intended to be
used as a construction document. All findings and recommendations are based on
conditions existing as of the date of the survey. It is important that the recommended
repairs and maintenance are implemented in a timely manner.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 71 of 99 Chauncey Swan Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
Chauncey Swan Parking Ramp
Proposed Repair and Maintenance Master Plan, 2020-2024
Annual Summary (Structural, Waterproofing, and MEP)
Year Effort Opinion of Probable Cost(1)(2)
2020 Recommended Structural and Waterproofing Repairs ...............no efforts planned
Recommended MEP Efforts .......................................................................$40,000
2020 Subtotal ............$40,000
2021 Recommended Structural and Waterproofing Repairs ...............................$10,000
Recommended MEP Efforts........................................................no efforts planned
2021 Subtotal ............$10,000
2022 Recommended Structural and Waterproofing Repairs ...............................$75,000
Recommended MEP Efforts........................................................no efforts planned
2022 Subtotal ............$75,000
2023 Recommended Structural and Waterproofing Repairs ...............no efforts planned
Recommended MEP Efforts .......................................................................$75,000
2023 Subtotal ............$75,000
2024 Recommended Structural and Waterproofing Repairs .............................$145,000
Recommended MEP Efforts........................................................no efforts planned
2024 Subtotal ..........$145,000
TOTAL OPINION OF PROBABLE COSTS (2020-2024) .......................$345,000
Notes:(1) Probable costs do not include an adjustment for inflation beyond 2020. Probable costs
include allowances for Contractor general conditions and A/E fees.
(2)Probable costs assume all garage work will be packaged and performed annually
by a single contractor.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 72 of 99 Chauncey Swan Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
Chauncey Swan Parking Ramp
Proposed Repair and Maintenance Master Plan, 2020-2024
Structural and Waterproofing Recommendations
Year Effort Opinion of Probable Cost(1)(2)
2020 no efforts planned
2021 (a) Isolated garage, spandrel, and stair tower repairs...........................$5,000
(b) Contingency funds for annual garage maintenance
(3)......................$5,000
2021 Subtotal ............$10,000
2022 (a) Concrete floor repairs.....................................................................$10,000
(b) Epoxy injection of stem/flange cracks in precast .............................$5,000
(c) Entrance ramp soffit and floor repairs and waterproofing..............$50,000
(d) Contingency funds for annual garage maintenance
(3)....................$10,000
2022 Subtotal ............$75,000
2023 no efforts planned
2024 (a) Sealant replacement and membrane strip installations
at exposed top level.....................................................................$125,000
(b) Contingency funds for annual garage maintenance
(3)....................$20,000
2024 Subtotal ..........$145,000
TOTAL OPINION OF PROBABLE COSTS (2020-2024) .......................$230,000
Notes:(1) Probable costs do not include an adjustment for inflation beyond 2020. Probable costs
include allowances for Contractor general conditions and A/E fees.
(2) Probable costs assume all garage work will be packaged and performed annually
by a single contractor.
(3) Contingency funds for annual inspections and unidentified scope or efforts
associated with structural and waterproofing maintenance.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 73 of 99 Chauncey Swan Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
Chauncey Swan Parking Ramp
Proposed Repair and Maintenance Master Plan, 2020-2024
Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing Recommendations
Year Effort Opinion of Probable Cost(1)(2)
2020 (a) Repair stair tower ventilation..........................................................$25,000
(b) Complete IR Scan and maintenance of electrical equipment ........$15,000
2020 Subtotal ............$40,000
2021 no efforts planned
2022 no efforts planned
2023 (a) Replace top deck lighting and poles ..............................................$40,000
(b) Replace common area lighting fixtures..........................................$20,000
(c) Repair storm drain insulation .........................................................$15,000
2023 Subtotal ............$75,000
2024 no efforts planned
TOTAL OPINION OF PROBABLE COSTS (2020-2024) .......................$115,000
Notes:(1) Probable costs do not include an adjustment for inflation beyond 2020. Probable costs
include allowances for Contractor general conditions and A/E fees.
(2) Probable costs assume all garage work will be packaged and performed annually
by a single contractor.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 74 of 99 Court Street Transportation Center
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
VII. COURT STREET TRANSPORTATION CENTER
DESCRIPTION
Structure and Waterproofing
The Court Street Transportation Center was designed by OPN Architects Incorporated
and constructed in 2003 and 2004. The structural engineer of record was Desman
Associates. The garage is located west of Dubuque Street, between Burlington Street
(to the north) and Court Street (to the south). The garage includes retail and business
space located in the on-grade east bay.
The structure consists of five supported levels totaling approximately 600 parking
spaces, with over 180,000 square feet of supported parking structure. The garage
consists of two adjacent, 60 foot wide bays, oriented in the north-south direction, with the
west bay sloped to provide vehicular traffic between levels. Vehicular access to the
garage is provided from Dubuque Street and Court Street.
The supported levels of the garage are a post-tensioned concrete structure. The original
construction drawings indicate the typical slab is nominally 6” thick, and spans to post-
tensioned support beams located at 24 feet on center, which are in turn supported from
cast-in-place columns.
Slabs are reinforced with 7 strand, ½” diameter, 270k strand tendons wrapped in
extruded polyurethane sheathing. The location and profile of the tendons varies within
the slab depth, typically between 1-1/4” to 2” from the bottom of the slab at mid-span to
approximately 2-1/4” from the top of the slab over support beams. This designed tendon
drape within the slab allows the structure to maximize the beneficial compressive
stresses imparted by the tendons – upward forces from tendons at mid-span regions,
and downward forces from tendons over support beams. Tendons are anchored and
stressed from either end of the garage, with supplemental anchorage at interior
construction joints in the slab. All non-post tensioning tendon reinforcement in the slabs
and beams were specified to be epoxy coated.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 75 of 99 Court Street Transportation Center
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
No expansion joints exist in the garage. Construction joints between adjacent slab pours
are typically sealed with urethane. No sealant is typically installed along interfaces with
vertical projections. A sacrificial topping slab with buried waterproofing is located over
the on-grade retail and business spaces.
The garage includes two isolated, enclosed stair and elevator towers at the northeast
and southeast corners. Stair construction is typically comprised of precast treads and
risers.
The facade of the Transportation Center is composed of precast panels with decorative
brick fascia. The façade panels are typically offset almost 2” from the adjacent slab,
creating a horizontal opening around the perimeter of the garage at each supported
level. Decorative steel elements adorn the façade openings on the north, south and east
sides, while the majority of the west facade is infilled with precast from grade to allow the
garage to abut future construction on the same block.
In recent years, modifications to the west façade have been performed to accommodate
vehicular and pedestrian access points to the new hotel development located directly
west of the property.
MEP Systems
The parking garage is naturally ventilated. Stair towers are ventilated and heated by
utilizing exhaust fans installed at the top of the stair tower with make–up air louvers
located at the base. Heating is provided via electric unit heaters. The stair towers are
equipped with manual standpipes, while the parking deck itself is not fire-suppressed.
Existing drainage for the parking decks utilizes the City or municipality storm sewer
systems. The parking areas is equipped with drainable hose bibs for garage wash
purposes.
Tenant spaces within the facility have mechanical and electrical rooms located adjacent
to the garage floors, and use the parking area as their means of access to these spaces.
This facility is served from a utility company pad mount transformer and multiple electric
services are located in a main electric room towards the northwest part of the garage.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 76 of 99 Court Street Transportation Center
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
The garage has a 2000 amp 480/277 volt, 3-phase, 4-wire main switchboard with
multiple separately metered switchboards to serve the tenant spaces. All of the electrical
distribution equipment is from the original installation of the facility.
The parking area is lit by LED fixtures, with some fixtures equipped with a combination
photocell and motion sensor for control. The top deck is outfitted with original poles and
metal-halide fixtures, with no apparent grounding to a lightning protection system. The
majority of the support spaces have light fixtures with T8 fluorescent lamps.
The stairwell lighting includes newer LED based fixtures on both the interior and exterior.
The fixtures are in good condition and provide adequate lighting. Exit signage are a
mixed system, with some incandescent and some compact fluorescent-based fixtures.
The garage has a Simplex 4010 fire alarm system installed that was inspected and
serviced on 3/1/2019. There are smoke detectors located in the elevator lobbies. There
are limited fire alarm audio visual devices in the common areas.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 77 of 99 Court Street Transportation Center
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
REVIEW AND FINDINGS
Concrete Floor Slabs
No significant issues were noted with the post-tensioned floor slabs throughout the
Transportation Center. No grease spotting was noted in the soffits, which can be
indicative of damaged tendon sheathing.
Sealants
Sealants throughout the construction joints of the garage are in varied states of
serviceability. Sealants on the exposed top level showed typical cracking and crazing
due to UV exposure, and are nearing the end of its useful life (refer to Photo 01,
included at the end of this section).
Garage Facade
At the south side of the exposed top level, a damaged spandrel panel was noted with a
spalled lateral connection clip near midspan (Photo 02) and a broken barrier cable
(Photo 03). This damage reportedly happened as a result of snow removal efforts. No
issues were noted with the bearing connections and remaining lateral clips for the panel.
The ornamental steel facade elements around the perimeter of the garage were noted to
have isolated areas of chipped and peeling paint, with minor surface corrosion visible at
several locations (Photo 04).
Several of the clip connections for the facade panels have hard shims for construction
tolerance. At isolated locations, these shim stacks have shifted or moved (Photo 05).
Isolated holes were noted in the brick facade panels at the southeast corner of the
facility (Photo 06), presumably at abandoned fixtures or signage.
Stair and Elevator Towers
No significant issues were noted with the concrete stair towers. Minor isolated cracking,
edge deterioration, and rail post embedment deterioration was noted at several locations
throughout both towers, though these issues were more pronounced in the northeast stair.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 78 of 99 Court Street Transportation Center
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
An isolation joint exists at the interface between the stair towers and the garage slab that
is sealed with silicone. Exposed level isolation joint sealants on the roof level are typically
wearing due to UV exposure
Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing
No issues were noted with the manual standpipe. Insulation on the storm drain piping
was noted to be damaged at isolated locations, mostly evident at the ground level. This
damage appears to be the result of roosting and perching birds.
The stair tower ventilation system did not appear to be operational. The temperature
within the stair towers was elevated well above ambient. The existing electric unit
heaters and elevator machine room AC unit appeared to be functional.
A cursory walk through the existing tenant HVAC spaces was performed. Several of the
pieces of combustion equipment, specifically HW boilers, appear to be drawing
combustion air from the enclosed garage. If accurate, this condition is not compliant
with the building code. The building code requires that combustion air not be drawn from
spaces or sources which could contain combustible fumes or vapors, such as cars
parked immediately adjacent to the intake locations. During the walkthrough, air
handling unit AH-2 appeared to be out of operation and in the middle of being serviced.
The electrical distribution equipment has no significant issues. The top deck light poles
have signs of visible, though minor, corrosion. No issues were noted with the metal
halide pole fixtures. No significant issues were noted with the interior garage lighting or
stair tower fixtures, except for one fixture near the exit that appeared to have some LED
modules not operating. Support space fixtures are aged with discolored or missing
lenses and guards. Exit signage fixtures are showing signs aging with yellowing, hard-
to-read lenses.
No issues were noted with the garage fire alarm system, smoke detectors, or Isolated fire
alarm audio visual devices.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 79 of 99 Court Street Transportation Center
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
Court Street Photo 01
Typical exposed level construction
joint sealant.
Court Street Photo 02
Spalled clip connection at damaged
facade panel.
Court Street Photo 03
Broken barrier cable at damaged
facade panel.
Court Street Photo 04
Isolated peeling and corroding
steel facade elements.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 80 of 99 Court Street Transportation Center
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
Court Street Photo 05
Shifted shim plates at garage facade
lateral connection.
Court Street Photo 06
Open hole in brick facade.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 81 of 99 Court Street Transportation Center
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
RECOMMENDATIONS
Structural and Waterproofing
Replacement of construction joint sealants throughout the facility is recommended,
starting with exposed level sealants deteriorating due to UV exposure. During this work,
it also recommended to install urethane traffic membrane strips along these joints to
provide additional protection to intermediate tendon anchorages. Sealant replacement
and maintenance throughout the Level 2 topping slab over occupied space should be
coordinated and performed in conjunction with these efforts.
The damaged spandrel panel lateral connection and broken barrier cable should be
repaired within the next year, to ensure proper stability of the spandrel panel. Dumping
of snow over the side of the panel should not be permitted until repairs can be
performed. Isolated, phased cleaning and coating of corroding or deteriorating façade
elements should be scheduled. Loose or shifted shims at façade connections should be
reset.
Minor isolated concrete repairs are recommended to the stairs, in particular at cracking
and deterioration along stringer and step edges and at rail post embedments. While still
predominantly intact and water tight, the isolation joint sealants between the stair towers
and adjacent garage floors are beginning to soften and fail, and will likely require
replacement over the course of the Master Plan. Because of the size of the opening,
these joints should be replaced with a compressible expansion joint seal with a
preformed silicone cap.
For additional discussion on the structural and waterproofing recommendations outlined
above, refer to the applicable sections of Appendix C.
Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing
The stair tower ventilation system should be returned to working order to provide
summer ventilation based on temperature at the top of the stair tower.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 82 of 99 Court Street Transportation Center
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
The damaged sections of insulation on the ground level drain piping should be replaced
and protected by PVC jacketing. Consideration should also be given to installation of
netting or other bid-deterrent.
The use of the air from the parking area as a source of combustion air for the tenant
combustion equipment should be further evaluated and modified as appropriate.
Air handling unit AH-2, serving a tenant space, should be reviewed and repair as
required.
While no issues were noted with the electrical distribution system, it is recommended
that the City coordinate a complete maintenance action on all equipment per the
manufacturer’s recommendation, including an IR scan to insure proper connections.
The top deck exterior pole mounted lights are showing signs of age and should be
replaced with new poles and more energy efficient LED fixtures. Replacement of the
poles should include new control devices at the top of the pole. The non-operational
LED modules in the fixture near the garage exist should be repaired.
All of the existing fluorescent lights in the support spaces should be replaced with new
LED light fixtures where applicable. It is also recommended that all of the exit signs be
replaced with new LED based fixtures for energy savings.
Common areas throughout the facility should be evaluated for additional fire alarm devices,
similar to other garages managed by the City.
Additional information on recommended testing frequencies in accordance with the
National Fire Protection Association is included in Appendix D.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 83 of 99 Court Street Transportation Center
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE MASTER PLAN
THP has developed a 5-year (2020 through 2024) Repair and Maintenance Master Plan
for structural, waterproofing, and MEP issues in the Court Street Transportation Center
Parking Ramp. The total opinion of probable cost for the full 5-year period is $610,000.
A complete annual breakdown for the recommended scope of work for both
Structural/Waterproofing and MEP efforts is included at the end of this report section.
The Master Plan and its associated opinion of probable costs include an allowance for
contractor overhead and profit, and all associated consulting fees. Opinion of probable
costs reflect recently noted general increases for raw materials, shipping, etc. for similar
THP administered efforts in the region. Opinion of probable costs have not been
adjusted for inflation beyond 2020. Minor inflation over the life of the Master Plan should
be accounted for within the available contingency funds.
The conclusions and recommendations in this report are provided for
repair/maintenance planning and budgeting purposes. This report is not intended to be
used as a construction document. All findings and recommendations are based on
conditions existing as of the date of the survey. It is important that the recommended
repairs and maintenance are implemented in a timely manner.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 84 of 99 Court Street Transportation Center
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
Court Street Transportation Center Parking Ramp
Proposed Repair and Maintenance Master Plan, 2020-2024
Annual Summary (Structural, Waterproofing, and MEP)
Year Effort Opinion of Probable Cost(1)(2)
2020 Recommended Structural and Waterproofing Repairs .................................$5,000
Recommended MEP Efforts .......................................................................$40,000
2020 Subtotal ............$45,000
2021 Recommended Structural and Waterproofing Repairs ...............................$15,000
Recommended MEP Efforts........................................................no efforts planned
2021 Subtotal ............$15,000
2022 Recommended Structural and Waterproofing Repairs ...............................$65,000
Recommended MEP Efforts........................................................no efforts planned
2022 Subtotal ............$65,000
2023 Recommended Structural and Waterproofing Repairs ...............no efforts planned
Recommended MEP Efforts .......................................................................$65,000
2023 Subtotal ............$65,000
2024 Recommended Structural and Waterproofing Repairs ...............................$10,000
Recommended MEP Efforts........................................................no efforts planned
2024 Subtotal ............$10,000
TOTAL OPINION OF PROBABLE COSTS (2020-2024) .......................$200,000
Notes:(1) Probable costs do not include an adjustment for inflation beyond 2020. Probable costs
include allowances for Contractor general conditions and A/E fees.
(2)Probable costs assume all garage work will be packaged and performed annually
by a single contractor.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 85 of 99 Court Street Transportation Center
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
Court Street Transportation Center Parking Ramp
Proposed Repair and Maintenance Master Plan, 2020-2024
Structural and Waterproofing Recommendations
Year Effort Opinion of Probable Cost(1)(2)
2020 (a) Repair of deteriorated spandrel panel..............................................$5,000
2020 Subtotal ..............$5,000
2021 (a) Clean and coat miscellaneous façade elements............................$10,000
(b) Contingency funds for annual garage maintenance
(3)......................$5,000
2021 Subtotal ............$15,000
2022 (a) Construction joint sealant replacement and membrane strips.......$40,000
(b) Isolated stair tower repairs and waterproofing...............................$10,000
(c) Clean and coat miscellaneous façade elements............................$10,000
(d) Contingency funds for annual garage maintenance
(3)......................$5,000
2022 Subtotal ............$65,000
2023 no efforts planned
2024 (a) Clean and coat miscellaneous façade elements..............................$5,000
(b) Contingency funds for annual garage maintenance
(3)......................$5,000
2024 Subtotal ............$10,000
TOTAL OPINION OF PROBABLE COSTS (2020-2024) .........................$95,000
Notes:(1) Probable costs do not include an adjustment for inflation beyond 2020. Probable costs
include allowances for Contractor general conditions and A/E fees.
(2) Probable costs assume all garage work will be packaged and performed annually
by a single contractor.
(3) Contingency funds for annual inspections and unidentified scope or efforts
associated with structural and waterproofing maintenance.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 86 of 99 Court Street Transportation Center
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
Court Street Transportation Center Parking Ramp
Proposed Repair and Maintenance Master Plan, 2020-2024
Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing Recommendations
Year Effort Opinion of Probable Cost(1)(2)
2020 (a) Repair stair tower ventilation..........................................................$15,000
(b) Repair AH-2 and tenant space combustion air ..............................$10,000
(c) Complete IR Scan and maintenance of electrical equipment ........$15,000
2020 Subtotal ............$40,000
2021 no efforts planned
2022 no efforts planned
2023 (a) Replace top deck lighting and poles ..............................................$40,000
(b) Replace common area lighting fixtures..........................................$15,000
(c) Repair storm drain insulation .........................................................$10,000
2023 Subtotal ............$65,000
2024 no efforts planned
TOTAL OPINION OF PROBABLE COSTS (2020-2024) .......................$105,000
Notes:(1) Probable costs do not include an adjustment for inflation beyond 2020. Probable costs
include allowances for Contractor general conditions and A/E fees.
(2) Probable costs assume all garage work will be packaged and performed annually
by a single contractor.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 87 of 99 Harrison Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
VIII. HARRISON STREET PARKING RAMP
DESCRIPTION
Structure and Waterproofing
The Harrison Street Parking Ramp was designed by Neumann Monson Architects and
constructed between 2016 and 2018. The structural engineer of record was Walker
Parking Consultants. The garage is located at the southwest corner of East Harrison
Street and South Dubuque Street, and bound by East Prentiss Street to the south. The
east and south facades of the garage abut a row of single unit townhouses along South
Dubuque Street and East Prentiss Street. These townhouses are privately developed
and not maintained as part of the City infrastructure, and as such are excluded from this
assessment.
The structure consists of five supported levels totaling approximately 600 parking
spaces, with over 160,000 square feet of supported parking structure. The garage
consists of two adjacent, 60-foot-wide bays, oriented in the north-south direction, with
both bays sloped to provide continuous vehicular traffic between levels. Vehicular
access to the garage is provided from Harrison Street.
The supported levels of the garage are a post-tensioned concrete structure. The original
construction specifications indicate the typical slab is nominally 6” thick, and spans to
post-tensioned support beams located at 24 feet on center, which are in turn supported
from cast-in-place columns.
Slabs are reinforced with 7 strand, ½” diameter, 270k tendons wrapped in extruded
polyurethane sheathing. The location and profile of the tendons varies within the slab
depth. This designed tendon drape within the slab allows the structure to maximize the
beneficial compressive stresses imparted by the tendons – upward forces from tendons
at mid-span regions, and downward forces from tendons over support beams. Tendons
are anchored and stressed from either end of the garage, with supplemental anchorage at
interior construction joints in the slab. All non-post tensioning tendon reinforcement in the
slabs and beams were specified to be epoxy coated.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 88 of 99 Harrison Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
A single wing compression expansion joint seal exists at the interface between the
supported levels and the slab-on-grade construction. No expansion joints exist in the
garage. Construction joints between adjacent slab pours are typically sealed with
urethane and coated with a urethane traffic membrane strip.
The garage includes two isolated, enclosed stair towers at the northwest and southwest
corners, with an elevator in the northwest tower. Stair construction is typically comprised
of concrete-filled metal pan steps supported by steel stringers and framing. A skybridge
is located at the west side of Level 5, adjacent to the stair and elevator tower, which
connects the garage to the adjacent MidWestOne Bank facility.
The facade is composed of several different elements. Along the east and south
facades, a concrete masonry block wall separates the garage and adjacent townhomes
that were still under construction at the time of THP’s survey. An ornamental perforated
metal panel façade is located over most of the north and east facades and is integral
with exposed brick elements at the street level at the main garage entrance. The stair
towers are enclosed in curtain wall, with integration of the ornamental metal panels in
the northwest tower.
MEP Systems
The parking area is naturally ventilated except for the lowest level. The lowest level is
equipped with mechanical ventilation which is tied into a carbon monoxide-nitrogen
dioxide detection system. Stair towers are ventilation only, utilizing exhaust fans at the
top of the stair tower with makeup air louvers near the bottom. The stair towers are
equipped with manual standpipes, while the parking decks are not fire-suppressed
except for the lowest level parking areas which is equipped with a dry pipe system.
The electric room, IT/Tele room and the elevator machine room are all cooled by mini-
split systems and heated by electric unit heaters. The maintenance garage is ventilated
and heated by two electric unit heaters and an exhaust fan located on the top level. The
maintenance garage contains a carbon monoxide-nitrogen dioxide detection system tied
to an alarm. Controls are DDC.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 89 of 99 Harrison Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
This facility is served from a utility company pad mount transformer and multiple electric
services in a main electric room located in the lower level of the northwest corner of the
garage. The garage has a 1200 amp, 208Y120 volt, 3-phase, 4-wire main fusible
switchboard for the parking area. Each tenant is provided with separately metered
panelboard at the transformer.
The parking area is lit by LED fixtures, with some equipped with a combination photocell
and motion sensor for control. The top deck is similarly outfitted with LED fixtures. The
top deck light poles are grounded to a lightning protection system. All non-space fixtures
are also LED based.
The garage has a Notifier fire alarm system. Smoke detectors are located in the elevator
lobbies. Fire alarm audio visual devices are located in the common areas.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 90 of 99 Harrison Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
REVIEW AND FINDINGS
Garage Structural and Waterproofing
No significant issues were noted with the post-tensioned floor slabs throughout the
Harrison Street Ramp. Minor hairline cracking was noted at several slab areas, though
no significant signs of water infiltration were visible on the soffits below.
Similarly, the urethane traffic membrane installations at joints and other isolated
locations had no apparent issues, as well as exposed sealants and the wing
compression seal at grade.
The garage is designed with open, full height snow pits and gates to allow for more
efficient removal of snow from the exposed level of the garage. Spalls were noted at
anchors of isolated gate locations (refer to Photo 01, included at the end of this section).
In addition, visible corrosion was noted at scratches in the galvanized steel finish of the
gates and frames surrounding the pits (Photo 02).
Garage Facade
The concrete masonry divider wall between the east and south facades and the
townhome developments had no visible issues. However, there is an open joint at the
interface of these walls with the garage floor slab, with regularly spaced clip angle
connections to the floor slabs providing lateral support for the walls. Minor signs of
water infiltration were noted below these open joints (Photo 03).
No issues were noted with the ornamental metal panel facade elements. However,
cracking was noted at a few isolated connections between the panels and the garage
(Photo 04).
Stair and Elevator Towers
Isolated cracking was noted at several locations in the stair tower treads and landings.
More critically, visible corrosion is already starting to develop on the exposed face of the
metal risers, as well as several of the perforated metal panel elements which integrate
into the northwest tower (Photo 05).
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 91 of 99 Harrison Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
Minor splits and damage were noted at the base of the exposed level curtain wall
surrounding the stair towers, likely from plows or cleaning equipment (Photo 06).
Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing
The stair tower ventilation system did not appear to be operational. The temperature
within the stair towers was elevated well above ambient.
Many of the lighting fixtures in the lobby have bugs covering the lens, obscuring the light
output and potentially creating a fire hazard.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 92 of 99 Harrison Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
Harrison Street Photo 01
Spalled snow gate connection.
Harrison Street Photo 02
Typical minor surface corrosion on gate.
Harrison Street Photo 03
Visible staining below open top level joint.
Harrison Street Photo 04
Isolated spall at facade connection.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 93 of 99 Harrison Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
Harrison Street Photo 05
Visible corrosion at stair tower.
Harrison Street Photo 06
Isolated split at base of stair tower curtain wall.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 94 of 99 Harrison Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
RECOMMENDATIONS
Structural and Waterproofing
Visible cracking in the floor slabs will eventually require routing and sealing, beginning
with the exposed level cracking and joints near the main vehicle entrance.
While no issues were noted with the isolated traffic membrane strip installations, it is
likely these elements will require some maintenance and repair within the next five
years, followed by full recoat applications in within 10 years. It is recommended the City
verify any existing warranties for this and all other garage maintenance items from the
original construction which may be still in effect.
The damaged connections for the snow gates and fencing should be repaired, and
visible scrapes cleaned, prepped, and coated with a cold-galvanizing spray to provide
the intended durability. It is likely these items will become a standard maintenance item
for the facility, and should be identified and addressed on annual basis in early spring,
following the substantial end of winter weather conditions.
Cracking in the stair towers should be routed and sealed, and new sealant installed
around the perimeter of the steps and landings to mitigate water infiltration into the metal
pan supports. At least a portion of the visible surface corrosion throughout the tower
appears to be partially related to lack of ventilation in the stair towers, creating a humid
environment and condensation on exposed surfaces. Refer to the
Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing section for additional recommendations on stair tower
ventilation.
The damaged seals at the base of the curtain wall enclosing the stair towers should be
repaired. To provide additional visual deterrent for plows and vehicles, flexible traffic
delineators should be installed on the slabs in front of the towers.
For additional discussion on the structural and waterproofing recommendations outlined
above, refer to the applicable sections of Appendix C.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 95 of 99 Harrison Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing
The stair tower ventilation system should be returned to working order to provide
summer ventilation based on temperature at the top of the stair tower. Following the
renovation of the stair tower ventilation, any remaining condensation effects can be
assessed, and recommendations incorporated into annual maintenance projects.
The common area fixtures should be cleaned of bugs to mitigate a potential fire hazard,
then the lens sealed when the fixture is reattached.
Additional information on recommended testing frequencies in accordance with the
National Fire Protection Association is included in Appendix D.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 96 of 99 Harrison Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE MASTER PLAN
THP has developed a 5-year (2020 through 2024) Repair and Maintenance Master Plan
for structural, waterproofing, and MEP issues in the Harrison Street Parking Ramp. The
total opinion of probable cost for the full 5-year period is $45,000. A complete annual
breakdown for the recommended scope of work for both Structural/Waterproofing and
MEP efforts is included at the end of this report section.
The Master Plan and its associated opinion of probable costs include an allowance for
contractor overhead and profit, and all associated consulting fees. Opinion of probable
costs reflect recently noted general increases for raw materials, shipping, etc. for similar
THP administered efforts in the region. Opinion of probable costs have not been
adjusted for inflation beyond 2020. Minor inflation over the life of the Master Plan should
be accounted for within the available contingency funds.
The conclusions and recommendations in this report are provided for
repair/maintenance planning and budgeting purposes. This report is not intended to be
used as a construction document. All findings and recommendations are based on
conditions existing as of the date of the survey. It is important that the recommended
repairs and maintenance are implemented in a timely manner.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 97 of 99 Harrison Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
Harrison Street Parking Ramp
Proposed Repair and Maintenance Master Plan, 2020-2024
Annual Summary (Structural, Waterproofing, and MEP)
Year Effort Opinion of Probable Cost(1)(2)
2020 Recommended Structural and Waterproofing Repairs ...............no efforts planned
Recommended MEP Efforts .......................................................................$25,000
2020 Subtotal ............$25,000
2021 Recommended Structural and Waterproofing Repairs .................................$5,000
Recommended MEP Efforts........................................................no efforts planned
2021 Subtotal ..............$5,000
2022 Recommended Structural and Waterproofing Repairs .................................$5,000
Recommended MEP Efforts........................................................no efforts planned
2022 Subtotal ..............$5,000
2023 Recommended Structural and Waterproofing Repairs .................................$5,000
Recommended MEP Efforts........................................................no efforts planned
2023 Subtotal ..............$5,000
2024 Recommended Structural and Waterproofing Repairs .................................$5,000
Recommended MEP Efforts........................................................no efforts planned
2024 Subtotal ..............$5,000
TOTAL OPINION OF PROBABLE COSTS (2020-2024) .........................$45,000
Notes:(1) Probable costs do not include an adjustment for inflation beyond 2020. Probable costs
include allowances for Contractor general conditions and A/E fees.
(2)Probable costs assume all garage work will be packaged and performed annually
by a single contractor.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 98 of 99 Harrison Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
Harrison Street Parking Ramp
Proposed Repair and Maintenance Master Plan, 2020-2024
Structural and Waterproofing Recommendations
Year Effort Opinion of Probable Cost(1)(2)
2020 no efforts planned
2021 (a) Route and seal floor cracks and minor, miscellaneous efforts.........$5,000
2021 Subtotal ..............$5,000
2022 (a) Route and seal floor cracks and minor, miscellaneous efforts.........$5,000
2022 Subtotal ..............$5,000
2023 (a) Contingency funds for annual garage maintenance
(3)....................$20,000
2023 Subtotal ..............$5,000
2024 (a) Contingency funds for annual garage maintenance
(3)......................$5,000
2024 Subtotal ..............$5,000
TOTAL OPINION OF PROBABLE COSTS (2020-2024) .........................$20,000
Notes:(1) Probable costs do not include an adjustment for inflation beyond 2020. Probable costs
include allowances for Contractor general conditions and A/E fees.
(2) Probable costs assume all garage work will be packaged and performed annually
by a single contractor.
(3) Contingency funds for annual inspections and unidentified scope or efforts
associated with structural and waterproofing maintenance.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 99 of 99 Harrison Street Ramp
Condition Assessment and THP Limited, Inc.
Master Plan Report June, 2020
Harrison Street Parking Ramp
Proposed Repair and Maintenance Master Plan, 2020-2024
Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing Recommendations
Year Effort Opinion of Probable Cost(1)(2)
2020 (a) Clean and seal common area light fixtures....................................$10,000
(b) Complete IR Scan and maintenance of electrical equipment ........$15,000
2020 Subtotal ............$25,000
2021 no efforts planned
2022 no efforts planned
2023 no efforts planned
2024 no efforts planned
TOTAL OPINION OF PROBABLE COSTS (2020-2024) .........................$25,000
Notes:(1) Probable costs do not include an adjustment for inflation beyond 2020. Probable costs
include allowances for Contractor general conditions and A/E fees.
(2) Probable costs assume all garage work will be packaged and performed annually
by a single contractor.
APPENDIX A
Parking Facility Chloride Testing Data
Iowa City Garages
Chloride Testing Data
THP #19040.00
THP ID Facility Level Test Depth (wt%) (lbs/CY)
1A Dubuque 5 (Drivelane)0" - 1" 0.119 4.66
1B Dubuque 5 (Drivelane)1" - 2" 0.006 0.23
2A Dubuque 6 (Drivelane)0" - 1" 0.230 9.00
2B Dubuque 6 (Drivelane)1" - 2" 0.099 3.88
3A Dubuque 5 (Parking)0" - 1" 0.225 8.81
3B Dubuque 5 (Parking)1" - 2" 0.086 3.37
4A Capitol 4 (Parking)0" - 1" 0.011 0.43
4B Capitol 4 (Parking)1" - 2" 0.013 0.51
5A Capitol 5 (Drivelane)0" - 1" 0.024 0.94
5B Capitol 5 (Drivelane)1" - 2" 0.013 0.51
6A Capitol 5 (Drivelane)0" - 1" 0.026 1.02
6B Capitol 5 (Drivelane)1" - 2" 0.013 0.51
7A Tower Place 5 (Parking)0" - 1" 0.048 1.88
7B Tower Place 5 (Parking)1" - 2" 0.004 0.16
8A Tower Place 4 (Drivelane)0" - 1" 0.077 3.01
8b Tower Place 4 (Drivelane)1" - 2" 0.006 0.23
9A Tower Place 2 (Drivelane)0" - 1" 0.173 6.77
9B Tower Place 2 (Drivelane)1" - 2" 0.011 0.43
10A Chauncey Swan 3 (Parking)0" - 1" 0.169 6.62
10B Chauncey Swan 3 (Parking)1" - 2" 0.021 0.82
11A Chauncey Swan 3 (Drivelane)0" - 1" 0.591 23.14
11B Chauncey Swan 3 (Drivelane)1" - 2" 0.173 6.77
12A Chauncey Swan 2 (Drivelane)0" - 1" 0.236 9.24
12B Chauncey Swan 2 (Drivelane)1" - 2" 0.039 1.53
Note : Numbers in RED indicate chloride concentration levels capable
of causing accelerated corrosion in reinforcing steel.
Determined Cl
Client:THP Limited, Inc.CTL Project No:400229
Project:A/S Chloride Testing CTL Project Mgr.:Sai Vaidya
PO No. : 19110 Analyst:Kevin Arias
Contact:Christopher A. Hauke Approved:Sai Vaidya
Submitter:Christopher A. Hauke Date Analyzed:10-Jun-19
Date Received:10-Jun-19 Date Reported:11-Jun-19
REPORT of ACID-SOLUBLE CHLORIDE
Determined
Sample Identification Chloride
CTL ID Client ID Description (wt% sample)(ppm Cl)
4920301 1A Concrete 0.119 1190
4920302 1B Concrete 0.006 60
4920303 2A Concrete 0.230 2300
4920304 2B Concrete 0.099 990
4920305 3A Concrete 0.225 2250
4920306 3B Concrete 0.086 860
4920307 4A Concrete 0.011 110
4920308 4B Concrete 0.013 130
4920309 5A Concrete 0.024 240
4920310 5B Concrete 0.013 130
4920311 6A Concrete 0.026 260
4920312 6B Concrete 0.013 130
4920313 7A Concrete 0.048 480
4920314 7B Concrete 0.004 40
4920315 8A Concrete 0.077 770
4920316 8B Concrete 0.006 60
4920317 9A Concrete 0.173 1730
4920318 9B Concrete 0.011 110
4920319 10A Concrete 0.169 1690
4920320 10B Concrete 0.021 210
4920321 11A Concrete 0.591 5910
4920322 11B Concrete 0.173 1730
4920323 12A Concrete 0.238 2380
4920324 12B Concrete 0.039 390
Notes:
1. This analysis represents specifically the samples submitted as received.
2. Analysis by potentiometric titration with silver nitrate. (ASTM C1152-04(2012)ᵉ¹)
3. This report may not be reproduced except in its entirety.
QLT 40-027 Corporate Office and Laboratory: 5400 Old Orchard Road Skokie, Illinois 60077-1030 Page 1 of 1
Revision 4 400229_49203_01-24_AS_C1152_Chloride_1556.xlsx
APPENDIX B
Parking Facility Membrane Bond Test Data
Iowa City Garages
Membrane Bond Test Data
THP #19040.00
Facility Level THP ID Pull Test (psi)Majority Failure
Dubuque 4 BT1 339 Basecoat
4 BT2 134 Glue to Disc
3 BT3 276 Concrete
3 BT4 339 Concrete
3 BT5 197 Concrete
3 BT6 166 Concrete
4 BT7 181 Concrete
Capitol 3 BT8 260
Concrete
3 BT9 166
Concrete
3 BT10 245
Concrete
2 BT11 181
Concrete
2 BT12 166
Glue to Disc
2 BT13 197
Concrete
Tower Place 2A BT14 197
Concrete
1B BT15 260 Concrete
APPENDIX C
Discussion of Typical Parking Garage Issues
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 1 of 6 THP Limited, Inc.
Appendix C October, 2019
DISCUSSION OF TYPICAL PARKING GARAGE ISSUES
I. Salt-Induced Corrosion in Reinforced Concrete Structures
Garage Applicability – All Structures
Over fifty years ago, state highway departments in the northern United States
adopted policies of “bare-pavement” winter roadway maintenance. These policies
led to the use of vast quantities of deicer salts. Toward the end of the 1960’s a
significant increase in the rate of deterioration of highway structures was noted. In
the late 1970’s it became generally recognized that this increased deterioration
was due to corrosion of embedded reinforcement accelerated by the presence of
chloride, which is the major chemical component in deicer salts. In the late 1970’s,
it also became generally recognized that parking structures in the northern United
Sates were suffering from the same symptoms as highway structures. It is difficult
to overstate the severity of salt-induced corrosive deterioration on reinforced
concrete structures. On the national level, its destruction of both public and private
infrastructure has been estimated as high as $5 billion per year.
The process of salt-induced concrete deterioration begins when vehicles track in
salt laden slush. The slush melts into saltwater that drips onto the deck and is
absorbed into the concrete. When salt dissolves in water, chloride ions are
liberated. These ions lower an otherwise high pH concrete matrix, which provides
a natural passivity to embedded reinforcing steel. A pH of greater than 11.5 is
believed to stabilize the protective film on the embedded steel. Once the pH drops
below this value the natural passivity, or protective film, is destroyed and corrosion
can be supported and sustained.
Steel reinforcing embedded in concrete will, after a period of time, be completely
surrounded with a thin film of oxide compounds. This thin film serves as a
protective barrier between the steel and oxygen-bearing moisture which
penetrates the concrete through cracks and pores in the concrete surface. As long
as the oxide barrier remains intact, the steel is protected from corroding.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 2 of 6 THP Limited, Inc.
Appendix C October, 2019
Concrete is normally an alkaline material which is responsible for the maintenance
of the protective oxide film. The stability of the oxide film is upset, however, by the
presence of negatively charged chloride ions. Both sodium chloride and calcium
chloride deicing agents ionize in water, releasing over 60 percent of their weight
as chloride ions. These highly reactive ions lower the pH (reduce the alkalinity) of
concrete and eventually compromise the iron-oxide film surrounding the
embedded steel reinforcing. The compromised oxide film allows the detrimental
corrosion process to begin if the steel is exposed to oxygen and moisture.
Research has shown that a certain “threshold” concentration of chloride ions will
support the corrosion process and cause it to continue at approximately the same
rate regardless of higher chloride ion concentrations. Once the concentration of
chloride ions is over the threshold level, the amount of oxygen-bearing water at the
level of the steel reinforcement influences the corrosion rate. Since time is required
for the ions and moisture to penetrate the overlaying concrete, the depth of steel
reinforcement cover, the permeability of the concrete, and the presence of a water
seal on the surface of the concrete are critical factors, among others, in
establishing the time before the corrosion process begins, and the rate of the
corrosion process once it has commenced.
Before steel can corrode, positive iron ions must leave the surface of the steel.
These iron ions then normally combine with negative oxygen ions in the local
environment of the steel reinforcement. Since these iron ions are actually positively
charged atoms, their ability to leave the parent metal requires the material
surrounding the steel bar to be a conductor of electrical charge. Salt dissolved in
water is a far superior conductor of electric charge than water alone. This
electrolytic solution, or electrolyte, does act in surrounding the steel reinforcement
in salt-contaminated concrete and greatly enhances the flow of iron ions from the
reinforcement after the passive oxide film has been removed.
The iron-oxide (rust) that is produced as a result of the exposure of the steel to
oxygen-bearing moisture has a much larger volume than the parent metal. As a
steel reinforcement bar rusts, its volume increases by over a factor of six. This
expansion produces large internal splitting stresses in the concrete. In the case of
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 3 of 6 THP Limited, Inc.
Appendix C October, 2019
a reinforced concrete slab where the steel reinforcement is in layers below the
surface of the concrete, this pressure from expanding rust first splits the concrete
above the rebar away from the concrete below the rebar. This action is termed a
“delamination.” At the initial stages it may or may not be visible from the surface.
At this stage, however, the concrete ceases to be a coherent mass, and the bond
between the concrete and steel reinforcement (which is structurally critical) is lost.
Continued internal pressure will eventually crack the concrete through to the
surface, resulting in a “spall”.
The Progressive Steps of Chloride-induced Corrosion (ref. Figure 1):
1. Application of salt deicing compounds either by direct application to the
structure or by indirect application from melt water and slush carried onto
the structure by vehicles.
2. Absorption of the ionized chloride and water into the concrete through
cracks and surface pores, and penetration to the level of the reinforcing
steel.
3. Lowering of the pH of the concrete in the vicinity of the reinforcing steel and
compromising of the protective oxide layer around the steel.
4. Increase of the electrical conductivity of the concrete in the vicinity of the
reinforcing steel.
5. Electrochemical corrosion of the now unprotected steel in the presence of
water, oxygen, and a conductive electrolyte creating a complex of iron-
oxide corrosion products (rust).
6. Expansion of the reinforcing steel due to the formation of rust and the
creation of internal pressures.
7. Internal splitting or “delamination” of the concrete.
8. The separation reaches the surface and a “spall” is created.
9. The spall is removed by the action of traffic and the pressure of entrapped
freezing water.
10. Continuation of the process with continued exposure of the structure to
moisture.
11. Eventual loss of reinforcing steel bond to the concrete, reduction of usable
steel area, and loss of concrete cross-sectional area until the reinforced
concrete loses its structural integrity.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 4 of 6 THP Limited, Inc.
Appendix C October, 2019
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 5 of 6 THP Limited, Inc.
Appendix C October, 2019
II. Slab Tendons in Post-Tensioned Concrete Structures
Garage Applicability – Dubuque (Levels 1 through 5), Tower, Transportation
Center, and Harrison
In Post-Tensioned Concrete Structures, the primary floor slab reinforcement are
highly stressed tendons composed of multiple high-strength steel wires, with
typically seven or more wires per each tendon. These tendons are installed in the
slab prior to the concrete being placed. After the concrete slabs harden, these
tendons are pulled and stretched with hydraulic jacks to very high stress levels and
then locked-off at anchorages. The term “post-tensioning” refers to jacking or
tensioning of these embedded steel tendons, after the concrete is cast, to produce
a beneficial compressive stress in the concrete.
Due to the high stresses in the tendons resulting from the post-tensioning process,
great energy is released when tendons break, analogous to breaking a stretched
rubber band. Because of their highly stressed state, tendons can undergo very
little corrosion before breaking. After breaking, a tendon’s structural value can be
lost throughout its entire length between anchorage locations, leading to potentially
costly structural repairs. As a result, protection of tendons, especially at anchorage
locations, is critical.
To facilitate the tendon stressing in the hardened concrete slabs, tendons are
greased and encased in a protective sheathing. By the early 1980’s, the durability
of post-tensioning construction improved to typically include extruded plastic
sheathing of tendons, which provides more protection than the older plastic
sheathing with heat welded seams.
In many older post tensioned structures, protective sheathing at cable ends and
intermediate construction joints often stopped short of anchorage hardware,
exposing short (1/2” to 2”) tendon lengths to migrating moisture and chlorides.
Issues from this condition will typically begin to manifest as visible grease staining
on soffits below and, if left unaddressed, can lead to long-term corrosion and failure
of the tendons at these locations.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 6 of 6 THP Limited, Inc.
Appendix C October, 2019
III. Lateral Stability and Movement in Parking Garages
Garage Applicability – Dubuque (Levels 6 and 7), Capitol, and Chauncey
In all structures, lateral loads are transferred through the individual levels, into
lateral restraining elements (such as shear walls) and finally to the foundation.
Lateral loads are result of movements related to thermal loads, wind loads, seismic
loads, and loads imparted to the structure through vehicular acceleration and
breaking.
Precast concrete parking structures are constructed of numerous elements,
typically linked together by steel connections and end bearings. In this type of
flexible construction, transferring lateral loads at each level though these steel
connections and bearings can cause minor movements and rotations of the
precast elements. Over time, the accumulative effect of these movements creates
stresses which can result in cracks and spalls, mostly at bearing locations adjacent
to expansion joints where some allowance for movement is intended, and points
of restraint, such as shear walls, stair towers, connector bridges, and vehicle
crossovers between adjacent garage bays.
For these types of structures, it is recommended to maintain a program to survey
the precast elements once annually for signs of cracking, bearing deterioration and
distress. This survey should be performed in early spring after the decks begin to
expand following the cold winter months. Along with this survey, minor concrete
knockdowns and repairs to soffits and tee stem bearings should be a typical,
annually budgeted maintenance item.
APPENDIX D
NFPA Recommended System Testing Frequencies
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 1 of 6 THP Limited, Inc.
Appendix D October, 2019
NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION
RECOMMENDED SYSTEM TESTING FREQUENCIES
NFPA 70B
Table L.1 Interval Guidelines
Item/Equipment Task/Function Interval Reference
Visual inspection/clean 3 years 17.7 through 17.11
Molded-Case Circuit Breakers
Mechanical test 2 years 17.11
Electrical test 3–5 years 11.10.5
17.7 Types of Maintenance.
Maintenance of insulated-case/molded-case circuit breakers generally can be divided into two categories: mechanical
and electrical. Mechanical maintenance consists of inspection involving good housekeeping, maintenance of proper
mechanical mounting and electrical connections, and manual operation as outlined in Sections 17.8 through 17.10.
Electrical testing under field test conditions is covered in 11.10.2.
17.8 Inspection and Cleaning.
Insulated-case/molded-case circuit breakers should be kept clean of external contamination so that internal heat can
be dissipated normally. Further, a clean case reduces potential arcing conditions between live conductors and
between live conductors and ground. The structural strength of the case is important in withstanding the stresses
imposed during fault-current interruptions. Therefore, the case should be inspected for cracks and replaced if
necessary.
17.9 Loose Connections.
Excessive heat in a circuit breaker can cause a malfunction in the form of nuisance tripping and possibly an eventual
failure. Loose connections are the most common cause of excessive heat. Periodic maintenance checks should
involve checking for loose connections or evidence of overheating. Loose connections should be checked for
tightness in accordance with Section 8.11. Insulated-case/molded-case circuit breakers having noninterchangeable
trip units are properly adjusted, tightened, and sealed at the factory. Those having interchangeable trip units installed
away from the factory could overheat if not tightened properly during installation. All connections should be
maintained in accordance with manufacturers' recommendations.
17.10 Mechanical Mechanism Exercise.
Devices with moving parts require periodic checkups, and an insulated-case/molded-case circuit breaker is no
exception. Manual operation of the circuit breaker will help keep the contacts clean and will help the lubrication
perform properly. Although manual operations will exercise the breaker mechanism, none of the mechanical linkages
in the tripping mechanisms will be moved with this exercise. Some circuit breakers have push-to-trip buttons that
should be manually operated to exercise the tripping mechanism linkages. (Refer to Annex K, Long-Term
Maintenance Guidelines; Annex L, Maintenance Intervals; and ANSI/NETA MTS, Standard for Maintenance Testing
Specifications for Electrical Power Distribution Equipment and Systems, for guidance on frequency of exercise as
appropriate.)
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 2 of 6 THP Limited, Inc.
Appendix D October, 2019
17.11 Electrical Testing.
For further information on testing see 11.10.5.
11.10.5 Insulated-Case/Molded-Case Circuit-Breaker Testing.
When performing insulated-case/molded-case circuit-breaker testing, the criteria in 11.10.5.1 through 11.10.5.3
should be utilized.
11.10.5.1 Insulated-Case/Molded-Case Circuit Breakers — General.
11.10.5.1.1
Insulated-case/molded-case circuit breakers are available in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, and ratings. Voltage
ratings up to 1000 volts ac or 1500 volts dc and current ratings up to 6000 amperes are available. Insulated-
case/molded-case circuit breakers can be categorized generally by the types of trip units employed as described in
Section 17.5.
11.10.5.1.2
Electrical testing should be performed in a manner and with the type of equipment required by the type of trip unit
employed.
11.10.5.1.3
For further information on insulated-case/molded-case circuit breakers, see Chapter 17.
11.10.5.1.4 Insulation Resistance Tests.
Measure insulation resistance tests for 1 minute on each pole, phase-to-phase and phase-to-ground, with the circuit
breaker closed and across each open pole. Apply voltage in accordance with manufacturer’s published data.
Insulation resistance values should be in accordance with manufacturer’s published data. For further information on
insulation resistance testing see 11.9.2.3.
11.10.5.1.5 Contact/Pole Resistance or Millivolt Drop Tests.
Measure contact/pole resistance or millivolt drop. These tests are used to test the quality of the contacts. The contact
resistance or millivolt drop should be kept as low as possible to reduce power losses at the contacts with the resultant
localized heating, which will shorten the life of both the contacts and nearby insulation. Microhm or millivolt drop
values should not exceed the high levels of the normal range as indicated in the manufacturer’s published data.
11.10.5.2 Testing Thermal-Magnetic Trip Units.
11.10.5.2.1
The electrical testing of thermal-magnetic trip units in circuit breakers can be divided into three steps:
(1) Overload of individual poles at 300 percent of trip rating
(2) Verification of test procedures
(3) Verification of manufacturer's published data
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 3 of 6 THP Limited, Inc.
Appendix D October, 2019
11.10.5.2.2
Complete and detailed instructions for testing insulated-case/molded-case circuit breakers in accordance with the
steps in 11.10.5.2.1 are outlined in detail in NEMA AB 4, Guidelines for Inspection and Preventive Maintenance of
Molded-Case Circuit Breakers Used in Commercial and Industrial Applications. Individual manufacturers also publish
recommended testing procedures as well as time–current characteristic tripping curves.
11.10.5.2.3
When circuit-breaker tripping characteristics are tested, it is recommended that the inverse time trip (thermal or long
time-delay element) tests be performed on individual poles at 300 percent of rated current.
11.10.5.2.4
The reaction of the circuit breaker to this overload is indicative of its reaction throughout its entire overcurrent tripping
range. This load is chosen as the test point because it is relatively easy to generate the required current in the field,
and the wattage per pole from line to load is large enough that the dissipation of heat in the nonactive pole spaces is
minor and does not affect the test results appreciably.
11.10.5.2.5 Values for Inverse Time Trip (Thermal or Long Time-Delay Element) Data.
Table 11.10.5.2.5 outlines the current and trip-time values as recommended by NEMA. The minimum/maximum
range of values in Table 11.10.5.2.5 was developed to encompass most brands. For more specific values, refer to the
manufacturer's data for the circuit breaker being tested.
Table 11.10.5.2.5 Values for Inverse Time Trip Test (at 300 Percent of Rated Continuous Current of
Circuit Breaker)
Maximum Trip Time in Seconds*
Rated Current in Amperes ≤250 V 251–600 V
0–30 50 70
31–50 80 100
51–100 140 160
101–150 200 250
151–225 230 275
226–400 300 350
401–600 —450
601–800 —500
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 4 of 6 THP Limited, Inc.
Appendix D October, 2019
Table 11.10.5.2.5 Values for Inverse Time Trip Test (at 300 Percent of Rated Continuous Current of
Circuit Breaker)
Maximum Trip Time in Seconds*
Rated Current in Amperes ≤250 V 251–600 V
801–1000 —600
1001–1200 —700
1201–1600 —775
1601–2000 —800
2001–2500 —850
2501–5000 —900
6000 —1000
*For integrally fused circuit breakers, trip times may be substantially longer if tested with the fuses replaced by solid
links (shorting bars).
11.10.5.2.6
Testing the instantaneous (magnetic) element of a trip unit requires the use of the appropriate test equipment coupled
with accurate current-monitoring instrumentation, preferably with digital readouts, for accurate test results.
Instantaneous pickup values of insulated-case/molded-case circuit breakers should fall within the manufacturer’s
published tolerances. In the absence of manufacturer’s published tolerances, refer to Table 11.10.5.2.6 with values
as recommended in Table 4 of ANSI/NEMA AB4, Guidelines for Inspection and Preventive Maintenance of Molded
Case Circuit Breakers Used in Commercial and Industrial Applications.
Table 11.10.5.2.6 Instantaneous Trip Tolerances for Field Testing of Circuit Breakers
Tolerances of Manufacturers’ Published Trip
Range
Breaker Type Tolerances of Settings High Side Low Side
Electronic trip units*+30%——
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 5 of 6 THP Limited, Inc.
Appendix D October, 2019
Table 11.10.5.2.6 Instantaneous Trip Tolerances for Field Testing of Circuit Breakers
Tolerances of Manufacturers’ Published Trip
Range
Breaker Type Tolerances of Settings High Side Low Side
−30%——
Adjustable*+40%——
−30%——
Nonadjustable†—+25%−25%
*Tolerances are based on variations from the nominal settings.
†Tolerances are based on variations from the manufacturer’s published trip band (i.e., −25 percent below the low
side of the band, +25 percent above the high side of the band).
11.10.5.3 Testing Instantaneous-Only Circuit Breakers.
The testing of instantaneous-only circuit breakers requires the use of the appropriate test equipment coupled with
accurate current-monitoring instrumentation, preferably with a digital readout, for accurate test results. Instantaneous
pickup values of insulated-case/molded-case circuit breakers should fall within the manufacturer’s published
tolerances.
11.10.5.4 Testing Solid-State Trip Units.
Breakers employing solid-state trip units offer testing opportunities not readily available in thermal-magnetic or
instantaneous only trip units. These devices have two or more of the following elements.
11.10.5.4.1 Long Time-Delay Element.
This element is designed to operate on overloads between its pickup setting and the pickup of a short time delay or
an instantaneous element. The long time-delay pickup adjustment is generally within the range of 80 percent to
160 percent of the trip-device rating. Settings higher than solid-state trip-device ampere rating do not increase the
continuous-current rating of the trip device, and in no event is the rating increased beyond the breaker frame size.
The operating time of this element ranges from seconds to minutes. Determine long-time pickup and delay. Long-time
pickup values should be as specified, and the trip characteristic should not exceed manufacturer’s published time–
current characteristic tolerance band, including adjustment factors.
City of Iowa City Parking Garages 6 of 6 THP Limited, Inc.
Appendix D October, 2019
11.10.5.4.2 Short Time-Delay Element.
This element has a time delay measured in cycles and is used to protect against moderate fault currents and short
circuits. This element usually can be adjusted to pick up within the range of 250 percent to 1000 percent of the trip-
device rating. Determine short-time pickup and delay. Short-time pickup values should be as specified, and the trip
characteristic should not exceed manufacturer’s published time–current tolerance band.
11.10.5.4.3 Instantaneous Element.
This element has no intentional time delay and is used to protect against heavy fault currents and short circuits. The
pickup settings for this type of element usually range from 500 percent to 1500 percent of the trip-device rating.
Determine instantaneous pickup. Instantaneous pickup values should be within the tolerances of manufacturer’s
published data.
11.10.5.4.4 Ground-Fault Element.
This element is available only on solid-state devices and is used to protect against ground-fault currents at levels
below those that would be sensed otherwise. Determine ground-fault pickup and delay. Ground-fault pickup values
should be as specified, and the trip characteristic should not exceed manufacturer’s published time–current tolerance
band.
RFP – Parking Garage Eng. Services B-1 City of Iowa City
APPENDIX B – CONSULTANT AGREEMENT
RFP – Parking Garage Eng. Services B-2 City of Iowa City
Consultant Agreement
This Agreement, made and entered into this ___________ day o f ____________________,
______________, by and between the City of Iowa City, a municipal corporation, hereinafter
referred to as the City and _____________________, of _____________________, hereinafter
referred to as the Consultant.
INSERT BRIEF PROJECT DESCRIPTION BEGINNING WITH “WHEREAS”
Now Therefore, it is agreed by and between the parties hereto that the City does now contract with
the Consultant to provide services as set forth herein.
I. Scope of Services
Consultant agrees to perform the following services for the City, and to do so in a timely and
satisfactory manner.
INSERT DESCRIPTION OF SCOPE OF SERVICES
II. Time of Completion
The Consultant shall complete the following phases of the Project in accordance with the schedule
shown.
INSERT SCHEDULE OF SERVICES
III. Compensation for Services
INSERT DESCRIPTION OF COMPENSATION
RFP – Parking Garage Eng. Services B-3 City of Iowa City
IV. General Terms
A. The Consultant shall not commit any of the following employment practices and
agrees to prohibit the following practices in any subcontracts.
1. To discharge or refuse to hire any individual because of their race, color,
religion, sex, national origin, disability, age, marital status, gender identity,
or sexual orientation.
2. To discriminate against any individual in terms, conditions, or privileges of
employment because of their race, color, religion, sex, national origin,
disability, age, marital status, gender identity, or sexual orientation.
B. Should the City terminate this Agreement, the Consultant shall be paid for all work
and services performed up to the time of termination. However, such sums shall not
be greater than the "not-to-exceed" amount listed in Section IV. The City may
terminate this Agreement upon seven (7) calendar days' written notice to the
Consultant.
C. This Agreement shall be binding upon the successors and assigns of the parties
hereto, provided that no assignment shall be without the written consent of all Parties
to said Agreement.
D. It is understood and agreed that the retention of the Consultant by the City for the
purpose of the Project shall be as an independent contractor and shall be exclusive,
but the Consultant shall have the right to employ such assistance as may be required
for the performance of the Project.
E. It is agreed by the City that all records and files pertaining to information needed by
the Consultant for the project shall be available by said City upon reasonable request
to the Consultant. The City agrees to furnish all reasonable assistance in the use of
these records and files.
F. It is further agreed that no Party to this Agreement shall perform contrary to any state,
federal, or local law or any of the ordinances of the City of Iowa City, Iowa.
G. At the request of the City, the Consultant shall attend meetings of the City Council
relative to the work set forth in this Agreement. Any requests made by the City shall
be given with reasonable notice to the Consultant to assure attendance.
H. The Consultant agrees to furnish, upon termination of this Agreement and upon
demand by the City, copies of all basic notes and sketches, charts, computations, and
any other data prepared or obtained by the Consultant pursuant to this Agreement
without cost, and without restrictions or limitation as to the use relative to specific
projects covered under this Agreement. In such event, the Consultant shall not be
liable for the City's use of such documents on other projects.
RFP – Parking Garage Eng. Services B-4 City of Iowa City
I. The Consultant agrees to furnish all reports, specifications, and drawings with the
seal of a licensed professional as required by Iowa law.
J. The City agrees to tender the Consultant all fees in a timely manner, excepting,
however, that failure of the Consultant to satisfactorily perform in accordance with
this Agreement shall constitute grounds for the City to withhold payment of the
amount sufficient to properly complete the Project in accordance with this
Agreement.
K. Should any section of this Agreement be found invalid, it is agreed that the remaining
portion shall be deemed severable from the invalid portion and continue in full force
and effect.
L. Original contract drawings shall become the property of the City. The Consultant
shall be allowed to keep reproducible copies for the Consultant's own filing use.
M. Fees paid for securing approval of authorities having jurisdiction over the Project will
be paid by the City.
N. Upon signing this Agreement, Consultant acknowledges that Section 362.5 of the
Iowa Code prohibits a City officer or employee from having an interest in a contract
with the City, and certifies that no employee or officer of the City, which includes
members of the City Council and City boards and commissions, has an interest, either
direct or indirect, in this Agreement, that does not fall within the exceptions to said
statutory provision enumerated in Section 362.5.
O. Indemnification.
1. To the full extent permitted by law, Consultant agrees to defend, indemnify,
and hold harmless the City against any and all claims, demands, suits, loss,
expenses, including attorney’s fees, and for any damages which may be
asserted, claimed or recovered against or from the City by reason of personal
injury, including bodily injury or death, and property damages, including loss
of use thereof, caused by Consultant's negligent acts, errors or omissions in
performing the work and/or services provided by Consultant to the City
pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement.
2. Consultant assumes full responsibility for any and all damage or injuries
which may result to any person or property by reason of Consultant's
negligent acts, errors or omissions in connection with the work and/or
services provided by Consultant to the City pursuant to this Agreement, and
agrees to pay the City for all damages caused to the City's premises resulting
from the negligent acts, errors or omissions of Consultant.
3. The Consultant’s obligation to indemnify the City shall not include the
obligation to indemnify, hold harmless, or defend the City against lability,
RFP – Parking Garage Eng. Services B-5 City of Iowa City
claims, damages, losses, or expenses, including attorney fees, to the extent
caused by or resulting from the negligent act, error, or omission of the City.
4. For purposes of this paragraph, the term "Consultant" means and includes the
Consultant, its officers, agents, employees, sub-consultants, and others for
whom Consultant is legally liable, and the term “City” means and includes
the City of Iowa City, Iowa its Mayor, City Council members, employees,
and volunteers.
P. Insurance
1. The Consultant agrees at all times material to this Agreement to have and
maintain professional liability insurance covering the Consultant’s liability
for the Consultant’s negligent acts, errors and omissions in the sum of
$1,000,000 Per Claim, $1,000,000 Annual Aggregate, or a $1,000,000
Combined Single Limit. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable state
law, a Waiver of Subrogation Clause (endorsement) shall be added.
2. Consultant agrees to provide the City a certificate of insurance evidencing
that all coverages, limits and endorsements required herein are maintained
and in full force and effect, and certificates of Insurance shall provide a
minimum thirty (30) day endeavor to notify, when available by Consultant’s
insurer. If the Consultant receives a non-renewal or cancellation notice from
an insurance carrier affording coverage required herein, or receives notice
that coverage no longer complies with the insurance requirements herein,
Consultant agrees to notify the City within five (5) business days with a copy
of the non-renewal or cancellation notice.
Q. Standard of Care.
1. The Consultant shall perform services for, and furnish deliverables to, the
City pertaining to the Project as set forth in this Agreement. The Consultant
shall possess a degree of learning, care and skill ordinarily possessed by
reputable professionals, practicing in this area under similar circumstances
The Consultant shall use reasonable diligence and professional judgment in
the exercise of skill and application of learning.
2. Consultant represents that the Services and all its components shall be free of
defects caused by negligence; shall be performed in a manner consistent with
the standard of care of other professional service providers in a similar
Industry and application; shall conform to the requirements of this
Agreement; and shall be sufficient and suitable for the purposes expressed in
this Agreement.
3. All provisions of this Agreement shall be reconciled in accordance with the
generally accepted standards of the Engineering Profession.
RFP – Parking Garage Eng. Services B-6 City of Iowa City
4. Consultant's obligations under this Section shall exist without regard to, and
shall not be construed to be waived by, the availability or unavailability of
any insurance, either of City or Consultant.
R. There are no other considerations or monies contingent upon or resulting from the
execution of this Agreement, it is the entire Agreement, and no other monies or
considerations have been solicited.
S. This Agreement shall be interpreted and enforced in accordance with the laws of the
State of Iowa. Any legal proceeding instituted with respect to this Agreement shall
be brought in a court of competent jurisdiction in Johnson County, Iowa. The parties
hereto hereby submit to personal jurisdiction therein and irrevocably waive any
objection as to venue therein, including any argument that such proceeding has been
brought in an inconvenient forum.
For the City For the Consultant
By: By:
Title: Title:
Date: Date:
Attest:
Approved by:
City Attorney's Office
Date
RFP – Parking Garage Eng. Services C-1 City of Iowa City
APPENDIX C – CITY OF IOWA CITY WAGE THEFT POLICY
RFP – Parking Garage Eng. Services 2 City of Iowa City
CITY OF IOWA CITY WAGE THEFT POLICY
It is the policy of the City of Iowa City, as expressed by City Council Resolution No. 15 -364 adopted on
November 10, 2015, not to enter into certain contracts with, or provide discretionar y economic
development assistance to, any person or entity (including an owner of more than 25% of the entity) who
has admitted guilt or liability or been adjudicated guilty or liable in any judicial or administrative
proceeding of committing a repeated or willful violation of the Iowa Wage Payment Collection law, the
Iowa Minimum Wage Act, the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act or any comparable state statute or local
ordinance, which governs the payment of wages, for a period of five (5) years from the date of the last
conviction, entry of plea, administrative finding or admission of guilt. (hereinafter “Wage Theft Policy”)
I. Application. The Wage Theft Policy applies to the following:
a. Contracts in excess of $25,000 for goods, services or public improvements.
b. Contracts for discretionary economic development assistance. “Discretionary” economic
development assistance shall mean any economic development assistance provided by the City
of Iowa City that is not required by law.
II. Exceptions. The Wage Theft Policy does not apply to emergency purchases of goods and services,
emergency construction or public improvement work, sole source contracts excepted by the City’s
purchasing manual, cooperative/piggyback purchasing or contracts with other governmental entities.
III. Affidavit. The contracting entity must complete the attached affidavit showing compliance with
the Wage Theft Policy and provide it to the Contracting Department prior to the execution of the
contract.
Contract provision: Any contract to which this policy is applicable will include the following contract
provision: If the City becomes aware that a person or entity (including an owner of more than 25% of the
entity) has admitted guilt or liability or been adjudicated guilty or liable in any judicial or administrative
proceeding of committing a repeated or willful violation of the Iowa Wage Payment Collection law, the
Iowa Minimum Wage Act, the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act or any comparable state statute or local
ordinance, which governs the payment of wages, within the five (5) year period prior to the award or at
any time after the award, such violation shall constitute a default under the contract.
IV. Waivers. If a person or entity is ineligible to contract with the City as a result of the Wage Theft Policy
it may submit a request in writing indicating that one or more of the following actions have been taken:
a. There has been a bona fide change in ownership or control of the ineligible person or entity;
b. Disciplinary action has been taken against the individual(s) responsible for the acts giving rise
to the violation(s);
c. Remedial action has been taken to prevent a recurrence of the acts giving rise to the
disqualification or default; or
d. Other factors that the person or entity believes are relevant.
RFP – Parking Garage Eng. Services 3 City of Iowa City
The City Manager or Designee shall review the documentation submitted, make any inquiries deemed
necessary, request additional documentation if warranted and determine whether a reduction in the
ineligibility period or waiver is warranted. Should the City Manager or Designee determine that a reduction
or waiver of the ineligibility period is warranted the City Manager or Designee shall make such
recommendation to the City Council. The City Council will make a final decision as to whether to grant a
reduction or waiver.
Any objection that your company has regarding this policy must be stated in the space provided below. If
your company is in agreement with this policy and is able to uphold the policy, provide a statement in the
space provided below.
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________ ________________________________
Signature of Company Representative Date