Story

As one of their capital improvements projects, Kent County Facilities Management funded the design and construction of several projects in and around the grounds of the Fuller Complex. There were four main projects on the 77-acre campus, each of which required Williams & Works' survey and design services.

Boiler Rooms

The first project was the addition of two separate boiler rooms, one at the Community Re-Entry Center and the other at the Kent County Health Department. Survey, design and construction of the building additions were completed in the fall of 2007. Aside from the design survey, Williams & Works provided site grading and drainage design along with the development of erosion control plans.

Kent County Animal Shelter

A major design consideration in the development of the Animal Shelter was the management of storm water. The proposed Animal Shelter was positioned on top of a hill in the center of the site with a drainage channel containing regulated wetlands along the west side of the site. A surface detention basin was not feasible because of topographic constraints, so the only remaining option was to manage the runoff below the parking lot. We evaluated the use of underground detention chamber systems; however, the cost of an underground system led us to evaluate another alternative. The final design incorporated the use of leach basins, perforated pipe, and sand backfill, all of which were connected to the native sandy soils found below a 6' deep clay layer under the parking lot. The infiltration rates of the underlying soils were exceptional and allowed the project to move forward without unnecessary expense.

Circulation Road

Several conceptual plans were developed, depicting the route of the new circulation road throughout the complex, as well as the affects the road would have on the existing parking lots. As the landlord of the Fuller Complex, Kent County leases building space to Spectrum Hospital and network180. The Complex also houses the Kent County Animal Shelter, Kent County Health Department, Kent County Sheriff's Office, Kent County Jail, and the State of Michigan Crime Lab. Williams & Works facilitated meetings with these entities during the plan development process in an effort to gain consensus on the plan and create a solution that satisfied the needs of the end users.

Once the conceptual road and parking lot layout were approved, a detailed design of the circulation road, parking lots, and drainage facilities were analyzed, refined, and finalized into phased construction drawings. Williams & Works provided construction staking, observation, and administrative services for all site work.

Fuller Road Improvements

Coordination efforts related to the widening of Fuller Avenue and design of the signalized intersection at the new entrance to the Complex were performed. Our plans were reviewed by the Engineering, Traffic Safety, Street Lighting, Water, Sewer, and Planning Departments.

Five subconsultants were utilized on the project to provide services related to traffic analysis, geotechnical testing, wetlands assessment, site lighting design, and design of the new traffic signal.