SouthWest Transit, Eden Prairie, Minn.
RETROFIT TEAM
ARCHITECT: Hay Dobbs Architects
METAL PANEL INSTALLER: Minnkota Architectural Products Co.
MATERIALS
SouthWest Transit is the public transit agency for the Twin Cities suburbs of Chaska, Chanhassen, Eden Prairie and Carver, offering service from downtown Minneapolis, the University of Minnesota, Normandale Community College and the Best Buy headquarters.
SouthWest Transit relocated its corporate office to co-locate all staff, dispatch, drivers, maintenance, operations, planning and business operations under one roof. The existing maintenance facility was expanded and remodeled to reflect the space and operational needs of the staff co-location.
“Our goals were to develop operation efficiencies through the staff co-location and develop operational and resource efficiencies through reduction of the deferred maintenance backlog,” explains Gary Hay, RA, CID, principal, Hay Dobbs Architects. “We wanted to reinforce the SouthWest Transit brand and co-location philosophy, as well as the company’s commitment to innovation.”
The agency’s expansion was relatively small, about 2,000 square feet on the second floor, but the exterior renovation was larger to tie in the original building with the expansion. Hay says metal panels were specified for the remodel because of their lightweight qualities and minimal structural impacts to the existing construction. “Metal panels offered a variety of panel shapes, expressions, configurations and application flexibility,” Hay says. “These products offered the opportunity to select custom colors, reflecting the SouthWest Transit brand.”
Sheet Metal Supply delivered 2,300 square feet of 1-millimeter RHEINZINK flatlock panels (60 inches by 16 inches) and 600 square feet of 18-gauge Cor-Ten flatlock panels (20 inches by
16 inches). Other manufacturers supplied 1,700 square feet of aluminum panels in two special colors, 16-feet and 8-feet tall, as well as 800 square feet of flush aluminum soffit panels.
Hay says RHEINZINK and Cor-Ten products offer the benefits of minimal maintenance and sustainability. “RHEINZINK provided the flexibility necessary for the building,” he says. “It allowed the design team to develop the desired panel configurations and customized corner details. Cor-Ten was selected for its weathering properties and provides similar flexibility to RHEINZINK. It was installed in its natural form and is weathering, reflecting the conditions of the site.”
METAL PANEL SUPPLIER AND FABRICATOR: Sheet Metal Supply Ltd.
PHOTO: Sheet Metal Supply Ltd.