4 minute read
Going to New Heights
going TO NEW HEIGHTS Colorado Springs takes Challenge Head-On with New Visitor Center atop 14,115 foot Pikes Peak – America’s Mountain
By Monica Ramey, bachman pr
This is one of the projects you’ll look back and tell your grandkids about,” construction superintendent Robert Clough commented to the mayor of Colorado Springs during a recent project tour. At an altitude of 14,115 feet, this new visitor center could not be a more challenging nor innovative undertaking for the City’s Parks Department. The new $65 million complex is being fully funded by Pikes Peak revenues and donations. Between the altitude; it’s the highest ongoing construction site in North America and one of very few visitor centers in the world constructed above 14,000 feet, and weather factors; deep snow arrives early and stays for half the year and wind speeds often reach more than 230 miles per hour – so what could possibly go wrong? So far, not much. The architectural team of RTA (Colorado Springs) and GWWO (Baltimore), and contractor GE Johnson, admits it’s one of the most challenging projects they’ve ever had the privilege of working on, but it has progressed well and is on track for a spring/summer 2021 completion. It’s a privilege because of its’ national significance as Pikes Peak – America’s Mountain; views from the summit inspired Katherine Lee Bates’ to write the poem, America the Beautiful, subsequently put to song. Pikes Peak’s elevation presents logistic and health challenges, requiring constant adaptability. Lower oxygen levels in the air mean crews need additional training and must undergo a thorough physical exam. As for climate at 14,115 feet, snow is a possibility year-round, and even during the summer temperatures can still dip below freezing at night. Thunderstorms and lightning strikes occasionally knock out equipment and are also a safety concern. Crews are currently working to close-in the 38,000 square foot building from the elements so they can work on internal finishes through the colder months ahead. Specially manufactured windows were installed following a year of high-wind
A PermaTrak® system, an environmentallyfriendly precast concrete boardwalk and elevated greenway solution, is part of the new Pikes Peak Summit Complex. The pedestrian boardwalk will connect visitors from the parking lot to the new visitor center and dining terrace, and most impressively will include a promenade and viewing platform wrapping along the edge of the mountain.
Architectural rendering of the view of Mt. Rosa from inside the new Pikes Peak Summit Complex.
Rendering courtesy of RTA Architects and GWWO Architects
testing at the summit to assure they could withstand the hurricane force wind speeds. “An innovative aspect of the sustainable design is a water conservation measure. The new complex will have a closed-loop wastewater system serving the toilets that allows solids to be removed and composted offsite while the water is reused again and again,” said Jack Glavan, Pikes Peak manager. The system is the second of its kind in Colorado to treat wastewater to reclaimed standards and reusing it within the building. Annually, the new system will reduce water truck trips to the summit from 127 to 72 and
A cold October day (10 degrees) on the summit of Pikes Peak. Most of the windows on the new summit complex have been installed, specially manufactured to sustain hurricane force winds.
Architectural rendering of the outside dining terrace of the new Pikes Peak Summit Complex.
Rendering courtesy of RTA Architects and GWWO Architects
wastewater trips back down from 174 to 69, saving more than 350,000 gallons of water per year over the former system. Once completed, the new summit complex will be one of the nation’s most accessible of facilities for all ages and abilities. It will achieve LEED Silver status and will meet requirements for Living Building Challenge certification, the most rigorous environmental sustainability standard in the world. No easy feat for those working on the project, but a challenge worth the effort for bragging rights to have been a part of this new iconic visitor center atop Pikes Peak – America’s Mountain.
Helping Elevate Pikes Peak with PermaTrak®
The maintenance-free concrete boardwalk system for trail, greenway and pedestrian bridge projects.
PermaTrak® is a durable, maintenance-free commercial boardwalk system. Landscape architects and engineers design with PermaTrak for pedestrian bridges, multi-use trails, wetland boardwalks and observation piers.
Go online to request a free Boardwalk Information Packet to share with colleagues or file away for future reference. www.permatrak.com (877) 332-7862
