Quick Facts
Location
Evendale, OH
Size
71,000 SF
Customer
GE Aviation
Architect
KZF Design
Project Type
New Construction, MEP Design-Build
Project Summary
The GE Boatyard and Canning Facilities were built to enable GE to better streamline its naval-engine canning and shipping processes.
Construction commenced during the heart of winter with the installation of over 300 auger-cast piles, each over 40 feet deep, which were needed to stabilize the building pad. Making matters more difficult, the conditions below grade were suboptimal with numerous sanitary sewer lines, gas lines, and water lines. With as-built drawings dating back to 1945 (when the plant opened) as our only reference, we successfully installed 298 piles without conflict.
Both the Boatyard and Canning buildings feature “super flat” polished concrete floors with heavy-duty concrete in order that GE could operate the air flotation skids to effectively maneuver their massive engines as well as operate their 16-ton forklift without breaking the concrete. The “super flat” floors required no more than a 1/4” deviation in slope within any 25 SF area of the 70,000+ total SF building space! Anything above that 1/4” deviation, and GE’s air flotation skids could not function.
Both the Boatyard and Canning Facilities were constructed with insulated precast concrete panels 8’ wide and 45’ tall. The building features a 40’ wide entry drive underneath a canopy where trucks can access one of the two loading vestibules.
Each loading vestibule has two massive coiling overhead doors measuring at 29’x29’ that alternate to keep inclement weather out of the facility’s main floor. The canopy and overhead doors allow GE to sustain its operations throughout the year regardless of inclement weather. Both buildings feature 40-ton cranes to help move their engines and load for shipping.