The Project Scope

The project consisted of two negative edge pools located on the fifth floor of an apartment project.
The two pools were located above the parking garage of the Park Lane Place Apartments. In addition to the usual demands of working on the 5th floor of an ongoing commercial project we had the problem of constructing basically a design built project with little preconstruction engineering. The project was described as a performance design built project. It was up to PSF to insure that the intent shown in the concept plans would work as shown.

In most of the negative edge pool concepts, the NE is unusually found on only one side of the pool. These pool have the negative edge on all four sides of the pool with two different scenarios for the concept. In other words, we had to adjust the water level for two different concepts of the NE feature. On one side of the pool there is a traditional raised tile wall with the water skimming over the wall into a gravel covered trench. On the other walls, there are tiles set over a hidden trench. The 6” X 12” tiles were set on a 5% slope with the grout joint left open between the tiles. The water was set to disappear between these tiles into the trench below. Working out the hydraulics of these demands required a lot of trail and error.

Water proofing of the pool vaults and NE basins proved to be one of the most challenging of our career. While the pools were not located above occupied space, the garage below was almost as unforgiving as would be expected of an apartment. Containing 30,000 gallons of water, in two different pools, five stories above the surface can result in many sleepless nights.

Additional challenges presented themselves when it was discovered that structural engineering did not take into consideration the need to support two 2000 gal surge tanks in the equipment room for the NE features. This oversight required the installation of 9, 250 gal surge tanks with all of the associated plumbing and equalizer lines to support these tanks. We were required to be able to space out the loads over a wider area than would have been the case with two large tanks.

While the demands of the owner, GC and the city can present a challenge to ones experience and patience, this project was one that we learned the most and therefore are perhaps most pleased with.

The landscape architect was MESA Designs and the GC was Cadence McShane. PSF did all of the structure, finishes and MEP.