Peterson Building Renovation
Civil, CMT, Structural, Survey
In 2020, Texas A&M University began the renovation of the L.F. Peterson Building, originally constructed in 1962. The transformation provided new offices, meeting rooms, studios, and laboratories, all designed to foster innovation and collaboration among students and faculty. Our topographic and utility surveys were critical to establishing existing conditions for the renovation. Based on this data, civil engineering design included improvements to grading, drainage, and ADA/TAS access enhancing functionality, safety, and connectivity, helping transform an outdated facility into a resilient one. Structural assessments and remediation solutions enabled new openings, system upgrades, and façade modifications, restoring and reinforcing the building’s capacity for its new use. Through construction materials testing, Gessner Engineering verified subgrade and concrete performance to reduce construction risk and verify newly constructed elements would complement the renovation for a renewed life cycle.
Location
Completion date
Construction Value
Project Size
Challenges
The original site included poor site conditions, inadequate drainage, and insufficient ADA accessibility. Drainage issues led to frequent water accumulation. This required regrading and stormwater improvements to mitigate infiltration risks and enhance long-term performance. The building’s outdated pedestrian pathways and entry points needed to be updated to meet ADA compliance standards and improve connectivity across the campus. The existing concrete structure limited opportunities for modification without strategic assessments and coordination across disciplines.
Solutions
The site was regraded to improve water management, and a new pedestrian circulation network was implemented. This network integrated bike racks and a landscaped plaza to enhance both functionality and aesthetics. Structural modifications included retrofitting perimeter framing assemblies to accommodate new curtain wall systems and additional exterior openings to improve natural lighting and ventilation. Openings to accommodate chases for new lab infrastructure required integration of supplemental framing to support the affected concrete structure. Surface-penetrating radar and 3D lidar scanning were used to assess the existing structure and guide renovations effectively.
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