A university center is a hub for student activities, events, interaction and dining. When an aging center at a prestigious university received the approval to move forward with a total renovation, leadership was on edge.
After months of deliberation, the contractor finally received the city's go-ahead for the renovation project. The construction schedule was set to launch in a couple of months and the construction team needed to move swiftly to get the demolition underway.
The entire interior of the university center was to be demolished, including the primary dining hall. The loss of the dining hall left a gap in available dining services. The contractor was charged with installing a fully functioning temporary dining hall before the demolition date.
The contractor chose to partner with Sunbelt Rentals' team based on Sunbelt Rentals' expertise in the finer points of fast, turnkey installation, custom temporary fabric buildings and customer service.
The Challenge
The recent approval of the renovation meant the contractor's team had no time to waste in solving the problem with the dining hall. The team was held to a strict deadline, which meant they needed Sunbelt Rentals to deliver a complete temporary solution within a few weeks.
The dining hall requests included having all the comforts the students were accustomed to in the university center, but the structure had to fit in a limited existing site on-campus.
The structure required a climate-controlled space with appliances for heating and serving hot food. The dynamic nature of campus life required the addition of several doors, and of course, with so many students inside, safety features were needed.
Additionally, the contractor requested a durable industrial tent that could remain on-site for several months, and a structure compliant with wind and snow loads for the region.
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 One fully-functioning dining hall, estimated 5,000 sq. ft. |
 Personnel doors |
 Flooring |
 Climate controlled |
 Safety features |
 11-month lease |
The Solution
Sunbelt Rentals' project manager visited the site for a survey to ensure the proposed solution could be installed in the limited space allotted on campus. With the specifications in hand, the project manager and Sunbelt Rentals' team of engineers and designers carefully considered all of the demands of the structure. They proposed a plan based on using the MegaStructure™ as the solution for the dining hall.
The MegaStructure™ is an aluminum box beam structure, which can withstand extreme winds up to 130 mph, combined with a snow load up to 30 lbs. per square foot. This industrial fabric structure is best suited for semi-permanent applications of at least three months and is ideal for industrial projects, quick turnaround events, and applications located in areas with harsh climate conditions.
Sunbelt Rentals' solution included the following features:
- A 5,383 sq. ft. MegaStructure™
- 3 custom HVAC duct socks
- 5 double glass personnel doors
- Plywood & timber flooring foundation
- Laminate winter wood flooring
- 5 extinguishers
- 5 fire exit lights
- 3 HVAC Units
- LED lighting package
- Concrete ballasting & anchoring stakes
- Expert project managers, designers and installation team
Sunbelt Rentals' installation team arrived on schedule to begin. Six days were budgeted for a team of eight installers to complete the project. A permitting issue and the late arrival of HVAC duct socks delayed progress and the expected finish date, but Sunbelt Rentals' team was undaunted—overcoming obstacles is a Sunbelt Rentals strength. Once the permitting issue was resolved, the team moved inside the structure to quickly install the duct socks, and when the task was complete, they resumed the installation of flooring and completed the structure in a few days.
Unavoidable delays did cause a bump in the production schedule, but the contractor's deadline was never in jeopardy. Sunbelt Rentals' team finished in plenty of time for the subcontractor teams that followed, and the project was completed on time.
The Result
The dining hall is up and running, and enormously popular with the students that frequent it for daily meals and social time with other students.
The contractor remains fully engaged in the demolition process on the university center building with an expected completion date this summer. The MegaStructure™ will remain on-site until the renovation is complete.
The Sunbelt Rentals team forged a new client relationship with another successful project and opened the opportunity for future collaboration with a satisfied customer.
The Takeaways
Contractors schedule construction projects with meticulous precision. Once the plan launches, subcontractor teams are expected to meet every milestone until the project is complete.
Sunbelt Rentals' team is often chosen as a partner for projects like the dining hall because they understand the urgency companies face and have the products and expertise to deliver solutions on a deadline.
The next time you have a mission-critical problem to solve, call one of our project managers.
