COVER FEATURE Architectural Precast Façade and Seating Risers Bring Elegance and Construction Speed to Broward County Arena Doug Brown, AIA The National Car Rental Center in Broward Lead Architect Ellerbe Becket Architects & County, Florida features architectural precast Engineers Inc. panels on its façade and precast concrete seating Kansas City, Missouri treads and risers inside, both of which give uniqueness and elegance to this facility devoted to hockey, basketball, concerts and special events. Close coordination was required to meet the tight 27-month design and construction schedule. The panels used on the exterior comprise only one mix Jim Downing but other panels also feature a series of tightly Construction Manager spaced reveals that add texture and contrast while Hunt Construction Group reflecting the long, thin, skating lines of hockey Tampa, Florida skates. The interior precast concrete seating required tight tolerances and well-planned logistics to coordinate the erection of the upper tiers. This article presents the design aspects and Donald Collins, P.E. erection highlights of the project. Precast Engineering Consultant Computerized Engineering Inc. Ashland, Virginia he new National Car Rental Center in Broward County, Florida, home to the National Hockey TLeague’s Florida Panthers hockey team, features a unique, user-friendly design that provides efficient pedes- trian circulation and takes full advantage of its distinctive setting (see Fig. 1). The new facility is located in the City Dean Gwin of Sunrise, a few miles west of Fort Lauderdale. Vice President of Sales & Marketing But completing the project within the required schedule— Gate Precast Co. 27 months from letting of contract to occupancy—demanded Monroeville, Alabama close communication among the members of the construc- 32 PCI JOURNAL Fig. 1. View of Broward County Arena, City of Sunrise, Florida, from parking lot. tion team. A major key to success in tions, namely: quality, schedule, and Sawgrass Expressway by a newly con- completing the work on that short cost. structed interchange. The facility pro- timetable was the use of a variety of In this case, the team delivered all vides 7500 on-site parking spaces, in- precast concrete components, including three options by designing and con- cluding 226 enclosed spaces. risers and treads, vomitory walls, and structing a facility that offers a dra- The site is located along the western architectural precast panels on the matic addition to the landscape while perimeter of the urban development façade. hosting hockey and basketball games, within Broward County. The sporting The 27-month schedule was so con- concerts, and other special events (see complex is situated directly across densed that the project team came to Fig. 2). All this was achieved on from Sawgrass Mills Regional Mall, a think of the project based on a “flash- schedule and within budget. 2.35 million sq ft (0.218 million m2) track” schedule rather than the more The facility seats 19,000 people for commercial center. It is bounded by common “fast-track” format as is done hockey matches and 20,000 for bas- vacant land to the north, a single-fam- for many time-sensitive projects. In a ketball. Included are 70 private suites, ily residential development to the typical fast-track system, one often four party suites, eight co-op suites, south, and the Florida Everglades to hears the expression that the owner and 2330 club seats. The 135 acre the west. A 22 acre (8.9 ha) wetland- can have only two out of three op- (54.6 ha) site is accessible from the mitigation area was developed on the Fig. 2. View of Broward County Arena from area close to the Florida Everglades. May-June 2001 33 Fig. 3. Bands of reveals in architectural precast panels provide contrast to the beige concrete mix and are complemented by colorful stripes in concrete pavers. site as part of a commitment by the The arena’s entrance is located 20 ft with two of its sides acting as bill- local Development of Regional Impact (6.1 m) above the parking level so the boards to approaching motorists on for the mall. event level could be located above the the expressway. The remaining side The arena plays host to more than area’s high water table. As a result, faces a nearby street and features the 200 events per year. The site was de- the arena is the tallest structure in a multistory glass entry lobby, which signed to facilitate the efficient flow multi-mile radius, making it a land- serves as the site’s focal point. The tri- of fans to and from the stadium and mark visible from a long distance. Be- angular shape was derived from the into and out of its interior arena. Fans cause of this high-profile location, the owner’s desire to collect the conces- leave their cars and approach the arena designers knew the structure needed a sion offerings into three food courts along pedestrian spines that gently distinctive and powerful design (see attached to the concourses, instead of slope up to the main concourse-level Figs. 5 and 6). spacing them out evenly around the entry plaza (see Fig. 3). They enter arena as is typically done. through the main entrance lobby adja- This triangular design makes a bold cent to a large outdoor plaza designed TRIANGULAR ARENA PLAN architectural statement. Functionally, for prefunction activities and civic The arena’s plan resembles the it leaves the concourses open for unre- events (see Fig. 4). shape of a triangle (see Figs. 7 and 8), stricted circulation. Each food court is Fig. 4. Main entry is fronted by a large outdoor plaza designed for prefunction activities and civic events. 34 PCI JOURNAL Fig. 5. Arena’s entry features a curved façade with segmented precast panels. located at a point of the triangle and wide concourses to speed up pedes- colored concrete pavers in the plaza. comprises one fully glazed wall lead- trian flow. After observing several existing fa- ing to an outdoor terrace. Large areas The arena in plan measures 550 x cilities, the developer quickly defined of glass are distributed around the 574 ft (167 x 174 m); it stands 142 ft the building goals for the new arena. building, providing views into and out (43.1 m) from event-floor level to the The project team was selected in part of the public spaces. top of the roof; and 103 ft (31.2 m) due to their experience with this type Exterior terraces are located off 14 from the event floor to the roof of stadium. Several members worked key function spaces and public-circu- trusses. It includes 254 ft (77 m) of together on the Fleet Center in Boston, lation areas to take full advantage of clear span across the event floor. Massachusetts, and the Ice Palace in the tropical climate and the views of- The arena consists of a cast-in-place Tampa, Florida. All the participants, fered by the wetlands and Everglades. concrete superstructure with precast from the design team to the general The Panthers’ main offices are situ- concrete seating bowl treads and ris- contractor, were selected quickly and ated within one of the triangle’s points ers. The exterior features architectural became principal players in establish- to enjoy this dramatic scenery. Other precast panels along with a lower, ing the design goals, project objec- elements include three times the num- tinted-glass curtain-wall system, metal tives, building program and construc- ber of toilets required by code and panels, single-ply EPDM roofing and tion schedule. Fig. 6. Façade was designed in “layers” that peel away to the interior, beginning with precast panels followed by a tall glass curtain wall. May-June 2001 35 Fig. 7. Plan of arena showing four quadrants. The design team consisted of approxi- schedule. Each team member proudly and how rapidly they needed to move. mately 150 people from 15 companies. wore shirts displaying the Panthers Communication between meetings Design goals and project objectives were logo with “Arena Development Team” was maintained through conference established. “Communication is every- written on them. calls, e-mails, faxes and overnight de- thing,” became the slogan. Calendars In quick order, project members met livery. CAD drawing standards were were mounted on walls, decision dates with officials from Broward County established and schedules were dis- were targeted and then shifted as other and the City of Sunrise to discuss de- tributed electronically to all members dates fell into place. Nothing was omit- sign goals, review schedules, and re- and updated. CAD files also were pro- ted; each meeting date, document- ceive input on code and zoning re- vided to the subcontractors, including package due date, permit submission, quirements. Meetings were then the precasters. and construction milestone was noted. arranged on a two-week schedule to The “flash-track” project-delivery The final deadline was set as the end discuss programming, design, budget, method was continually evaluated. goal and the preliminary schedule schedule, constructibility, and coordi- Nine different construction-issue served as the framework within which nation issues. Each meeting focused packages were released on strategic every item was programmed. on the following two weeks of details dates to facilitate construction. At the Everyone involved in the project be- and progress so everyone had a clear onset of construction, after only five came totally committed to the target understanding of what the process was months of development and design, 36 PCI JOURNAL Fig. 8. Perimeter of building showing various section details. May-June 2001 37 Fig. 9. Panels along entry façade feature complex designs that include bands of reveals created with form liners, granite insets and returns that required both faces to be finished.