Berger/Abam Wins Award

BERGER/ABAM received the 2004 Post-Tensioning Institute (PTI) Award of Excellence for the Pierce Transit Tacoma Dome Station Phase I and Phase II development project. The PTI awards committee honored the Tacoma Dome Station development project in the category of "Best Parking Structure Design" in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. This is the project's third national award.

Each PTI award entry was carefully evaluated and ranked by a select group of distinguished judges from across the nation based on six specific criteria, including creativity, innovation, ingenuity, cost-effectiveness, functionality, constructability, and aesthetics.

BERGER/ABAM was the prime consultant for the Tacoma Dome Station development project, which evolved into a major multimodal parking facility/transit center. A brand new gateway into the city, the transit center was intelligently designed for future flexibility, and compatibility with a variety of revolutionary transportation modes in the area, including the commuter rail, light rail, and unique intercity bus systems.

Phase I of the project, which was performed on a fast-track basis, provided 1,250 parking spaces on a footprint roughly half the size of the original concept garage, exceeding the owner's original goal for parking capacity and budget. Phase I also included an 8-bay transit island and 4-bay layover spaces. The transit island houses covered patron waiting areas, restrooms, ticketing, information kiosks, and a securities office (subsequently moved to Phase 2). Of special note is the cost-effective design that enabled the addition of an additional floor of parking.

Phase II completed the Tacoma Dome Station project with an addition of a seven-level, 1,200-space parking garage, an intercity bus station, commuter and light rail transit agency offices, customer service facilities, platforms for city-viewing, and a variety of intelligently designed commercial and retail spaces oriented to a brand new urban plaza.

Phase II is connected to Phase I by a series of seven pedestrian bridges and a car bridge.

Theater Design Goes Seattle Firm

DALLAS -- The Dallas Center for the Performing Arts Foundation announced that Magnusson Klemencic Associates of Seattle will serve as the structural engineer for the Charles and Dee Wyly Theatre.

The firms will also work closely with the Kendall/Heaton Associates Inc., which will execute primary designs and drawings and will handle daily management of the construction project.

The Center's Charles and Dee Wyly Theatre will be designed to accommodate thrust, proscenium and arena stages - depending on individual production requirements and will seat approximately 600. The theater will be engineered with state-of-the-art technology supporting classical and experimental drama, as well as dance and music productions.

Magnusson Klemencic Associates of Seattle is a firm of 90 engineers that has participated in projects in 44 states and 35 nations. Recent projects include the Seattle Central Library.