Art’s Café Steel Shoring Design
Springville, NY
Project Objective
Encorus was contracted to design steel shoring for the front and rear walls of this crumbling building in Springville’s downtown historic district in order to stabilize the structure while it was being renovated. The non-profit organization that owns the building plans to turn it into a coffee shop, artists’ residency space, performance space, and fine crafts area.
Unique Project Features
Abandoned for many years, the roof had collapsed into the basement prior to its acquisition by the Springville Center for the Arts. Immediate action was required to stabilize the structure while the interior was renovated. The structure shares walls with two adjacent buildings, and is contiguous to the sidewalk of a heavily-trafficked downtown area, presenting unique challenges. In addition, asbestos was present in the structure, presenting an additional hazard and necessitating abatement measures.
Encorus Group Solution
Taking into account the proximity issues, building codes, and other factors, Encorus designed the shoring to be installed on the building prior to any demolition and construction on the structure. The shoring served to replace the lateral support provided by the diaphragm structure of the floor while the interior was rebuilt.
Specific Project Task
• Assessment of building condition
• Evaluation of challenges present at site
• Design of low-profile steel shoring to stabilize partially collapsed structure
• Preparation of sealed Professional Engineer’s Report detailing shoring design