Greensboro Station

Connecting Every Piece of the Puzzle

Our technical and preconstruction expertise is evident throughout the entire project. A strong demonstration of this is in how we reconfigured the connectivity between the towers. We found that the Greensboro Station structures seemed disjointed as a result of the original phased construction of the three existing office towers, and how they were connected. So, to open up the ground floor and facilitate free flow from one building to another, we built a new elaborate entrance with a plaza and canopy feature, making it highly visible and accessible from the Metro. To ensure safe movement from building to building during construction, we maintained covered walkways throughout the construction area.

This dramatic steel-and-glass canopy entrance required the skillsets of the very best subcontractors. And because of our preplanning and precision with Building Information Modeling (BIM), it came together seamlessly — literally. The canopy fit in place like an architectural puzzle of glass, framing, and pre-drilled structural steel within a very tight, active job site. Today, its striking beauty is the cornerstone of the Greensboro buildings.

Multiple Phases and Needs — No Problem

This was a phased job encompassing a three-building commercial office complex. Tenants occupied the Class A office towers at different times, so we tackled the property in sections. This enabled us to complete the required renovations without disturbing tenants.

Multi-Dimensional Innovation

Through coordination between designers, subcontractors, and the virtual construction experts on our team, we created a 3D model of the steel frame structure. The model was then used to create the highly custom and specialized frame. The accuracy of the model streamlined review and coordination of all steel connections, and assured accurate fabrication.

The primary steel tubes were ordered concurrently with the design review. The tubes were ordered from the steel mill, shipped to the Midwest to be curved into the shape of the canopy, and transported to the local fabricator, where the rest of the canopy frame was built. To save frame-finishing time, the steel was painted at the shop before being transported to the jobsite.

Once the steel 3D model was completed and coordinated, the glass contractor used it to model the skylight framing and glazing that covered the steel structure.

It's All in the Details

Taking this project from contract to completion required not just skill in construction, but in vision. We went from very basic schematics to construction documents and pricing with no interim design reviews — and Greensboro was ultimately designed, priced, and delivered quickly and efficiently — while remaining on budget.

It was our team's ability to understand what the client wanted to achieve, and effectively work with the design team, that helped Greensboro Station come to life.

Photos by Jim Tetro