Story

This project was for the renovation of Gallaudet University’s Hanson Plaza. Located in the heart of our nation’s capital, the Gallaudet University campus covers 99 acres of land and 2.5 million square feet of academic, residential, and support buildings. Chartered in 1864, Gallaudet University was the first school for the advanced education of the deaf and hard of hearing in the world. Today, Gallaudet University, a bilingual learning environment, remains the only higher education institution in which all courses, programs and services are specifically designed to accommodate deaf and hard of hearing students through American Sign Language (ASL) and English – providing full access for all students to learn and communicate. With an alumnus of over 23,000, Gallaudet’s student body is represented across all 50 states and approximately 100 countries. Hanson Plaza, which sits between the five university residence halls, is located on an elevated parking deck Working on an elevated structural parking deck posed several challenges. One of the primary hurdles involved adhering to the deck's strict structural load limit, set at 2000 lbs. Traditional construction equipment was prohibited, necessitating the use of specialized lightweight machinery. Consequently, our demolition tasks were prolonged, as handheld demolition tools replaced the usual mobile equipment. For new construction endeavors, such as pouring concrete, walk-behind construction buggies became indispensable, as staging a ready-mix concrete truck on the deck was unfeasible. Moreover, maneuvering around the deck and the campus, especially given the prevalence of individuals with hearing and visual impairments, presented additional complexities. As a construction team, we entered their environment and had to adjust, being cognizant of the delicate surroundings. This prompted us to employ heightened signage, continually update our construction plans, and station flag persons near mobile equipment to alert students unable to hear equipment alarms. to upgrade and enhance the plaza to usable space for student activities and socialization - to enliven this area on the Gallaudet Campus and bring the community together. The scope of work included a new high-performance multi-sport court that transforms between a basketball court and a pickleball court. A new large wooden deck, exterior lighting replacement, new outdoor site furnishings, ADA ramps, new code compliant guardrails, structural repairs and plumbing repairs were also included in this renovation project. Modern walkable areas (filled with granite resurfacing) were crafted with the adaptive reuse of existing concrete fountains, several outdoor seating areas were created, a trellis’ with A/V data ports was erected and a fire pit constructed helped complete the scope of work for the Gallaudet Hanson Plaza Project. Hanson Plaza is now known as the hub for pickup sports and community socialization on the campus of Gallaudet University located in Washington, DC.