LOCATION: Rio Salado Parkway near Hardy

CLIENT: Various

CIVIL ENGINEER:

YEAR(S): 2000 (initial ESA)-2007

DESCRIPTION: The Tempe Center for the Arts is an 88,000-square foot, steel-framed, masonry-paneled performing and visual arts center. The structure will house a 600-seat proscenium theater with state-of-the-art stage areas and equipment, a 200-seat studio theater, 3,500 square feet of gallery exhibition space, and a finely appointed multi-purpose room. The building also features administrative offices, donor room, gift shop and a central plant. The project features 17 acres of landscape / hardscape features like a reflecting pool, pedestrian paths and a park and is located next to a riparian area on the southwest shore of the Tempe Town Lake adjacent to a downstream dam.

SCOPE OF SERVICES:

Environmental

GEC provided a combined Phase I and II environmental site assessment.  The services performed included a site reconnaissance, a review of the environmental setting of the Site, a review of the ownership and history of the Site, excavation of exploratory test pits, a limited program of soil sampling and testing, drilling of exploratory test borings, installation of a groundwater monitoring well for geotechnical purposes, and preparation of this report.  The main environmental concern associated with former landfilling activities at a Site is the potential for hazardous and petroleum substances to be disposed in the landfill materials which could then result in soil and groundwater contamination beneath the Site.  Selected samples from the test pits were analyzed for total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH), extractable fuel hydrocarbons (EFH), polynuclear aromatic hydorcarbons (PAHs), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and eight RCRA metals.  Five samples were analyzed for eight RCRA metals.

Geotechnical Engineering

GEC   provided a geotechnical investigation for a proposed Arts Center adjacent to the new Tempe Town Lake.  The investigation included the excavation of exploratory test pits, the drilling of percussion-hammer test borings, and the installation of a piezometer to monitor   shallow groundwater conditions below the Site.  The Site was   historically used for mining sand and gravel and as an operating landfill. Soil fill and landfill materials underlie the Site to depths of 25 feet below the ground surface.  Work included analysis and recommendations for removal of soil fill and landfill materials beneath structures; replacement of the removed materials with engineered fill; disposal of the landfill materials; evaluation of clean on-site fill materials for use as engineered fill; earthwork    recommendations for deep excavations into the landfill materials; and foundation recommendations for shallow footings on engineered fill.

Construction Materials Testing

QA/QC for the 89,000 square foot Center for the Arts located northeast of Hardy Drive and Rio Salado.  Responsible for overseeing observation and testing of the site grading, testing of construction materials including concrete,  masonry, base course materials, and asphalt concrete, and special inspection of reinforced concrete, structural masonry, structural steel, and fireproofing.