Story

At the center of Falls Church, Virginia, you will find Broad and Washington. The substantial modern luxury apartment building houses 334 units across seven stories on the 2.7-acre site. The community centric building includes a parking structure, Whole Foods Market, and a community theater. Prospect Waterproofing Company’s scope of work: 60,000 square feet of bentonite and sheet membrane below grade waterproofing 152,000 square feet of hot rubberized asphalt IRMA waterproofing at the fourth-floor courtyards and Whole Foods Market 88,000 square feet of TPO roofing 10,000 square feet of architectural concrete and porcelain pavers at the fourth-floor courtyards Waterproofing of the storm water management vault Sheet metal flashing and trim at the courtyards and roofs Sheet metal roofing at canopies The form and function of Broad and Washington’s lavish outdoor amenities on the three fourth floor courtyards offer residents space to focus with mindfulness and intention. The pool deck, poolside cabanas, outdoor kitchen, lounge spaces, and community garden boxes are visually stunning while concealing the functional roof system. Prospect covered the concrete substrate of the building podium using a hot rubberized asphalt IRMA waterproofing system covered with insulation, drainage board, and either architectural concrete or porcelain pavers installed by Prospect’s expert craft workers. To guarantee a watertight building structure exacting waterproofing details were executed at the numerous planters, divider walls, and the interstitial space associated with the pool. Safety was a primary focus throughout the various phases of the building construction process including the hanging of the below grade waterproofing on lagging from ladders, installation of roofing while using personal fall protection equipment at the roof edges, hanging of downspouts using boatswain chairs due to inaccessibility for the use of equipment, and confined space protocols at the storm water management vault. Installing the hot rubberized asphalt waterproofing system on the interior horizontal slab at the Whole Foods Market space required careful coordination and planning during the project fit-out. Crews worked 35,000 hours on the project without a recordable accident. Above the courtyard level, Broad and Washington’s structure transitions from concrete to wood. A TPO roofing system was installed on the wood roof substrates. The execution of this work was difficult due to the potential for damage to the installed roofing on this new construction project where a tight schedule, limited access to work areas, the coordination of trades, and design changes forced Prospect’s field supervision and workers to juggle the logistics of working across multiple building elevations. Prospect’s execution of the different waterproofing and roofing systems at Broad and Washington provide for the long-term watertight integrity of the structure while also being able to contribute to its placemaking and community building with lavish outdoor amenity spaces. The project’s completion date was met.