Ohio 17, August 19, 2023

ECBC Constructs $85M Upper Arlington Community Center

By Cindy Riley CEG CORRESPONDENT

As one of the largest investments in Upper Arlington, Ohio, history, the $85 million Bob Crane Community Center will provide a much-needed indoor community recreation and gathering space when it opens in 2025.

“The lack of a centrally located community center in Upper Arlington has long been an issue,” explained Parks and Recreation director Debbie McLaughlin. “A 2018 Parks and Recreation comprehensive plan study process brought this issue back into focus as a top priority for the city. The

results of a statistically valid survey identified several unmet needs for recreation facilities and the relative importance residents placed on having those facilities available to them.”

A priority list included fitness and exercise facilities; a multi-generational recreation center; aquatics; a running/walking track; meeting and community gathering space; and basketball/volleyball courts. A similar list of priorities emerged for programs that require indoor facilities, including adult fitness and wellness programs; senior fitness and wellness programs; water fitness; family open gym; and learn-to-swim programs.

“The Upper Arlington community had considered options

for a community center on several occasions over the past 30 to 40 years,” said McLaughlin. “In every case, a variety of associated challenges brought the issue to a close. Knowing this history, city leadership recognized the importance of resident involvement and input. City Council members formed a resident task force to lead this most recent study initiative. In turn, the task force crafted a study process that included extensive community engagement at all stages, to ensure the resulting recommendations were a true reflection of resident sentiment and community need.

“We believe the Bob Crane Community Center will serve

Gov. Announces Investments for Silicon Heartland Projects

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) on July 17 announced $90 million for transportation investments in the area surrounding Intel’s future campus, known as the Silicon Heartland. This is the latest in a long list of funding commitments and investments in this region.

The bulk of the investment, $66 million, will fund projects on local roadways in Delaware, Franklin and Licking counties. This investment includes reconstructing roadways; improving the safety and efficiency of intersections; and making sure the local roadway network has the capacity to address the demands of this rapidly growing area of Ohio.

“Much like everything we do in Ohio, economic development is a team sport. We are committed to working together with our local government partners to make sure we’re all meeting not only the demands of today, but tomorrow as well,” said DeWine.

The remaining $24 million will be used by ODOT to advance projects that create safer intersections and expand key corridors in this rapidly growing area of Ohio.

“Our team has worked diligently to evaluate our existing system and speed up plans for growth,” said ODOT Director Jack Marchbanks. “These new projects are a direct result of local feedback, but our efforts don’t end here. We’ll continue working with our local partners to evaluate the transportation needs throughout the region.”

Soon after Intel announced its plan to spend $20 billion to construct two manufacturing facilities in Licking County, Gov. DeWine directed ODOT to accelerate a project to add a third lane in each direction to State Route 161 between Interstate 270 and U.S. Route 62 to support the increase in traffic expected along the corridor. That project is under way.

“Infrastructure is the backbone of economic development and has a cascading effect leading to increased productivity, job creation, and improved quality of life for residents,” said Lt. Gov. Jon Husted. “Investment in infrastructure is vital for

promoting long-term economic growth and prosperity.”

In all, the state of Ohio is committed to ensuring the transportation system can handle the explosion of growth and development in the area. 

Celebrating Aggregates, Industrial Minerals Awareness Week

Limestone blocks for the outside of buildings; gravel and crushed rock for the bed of new roadways; pulverized limestone for cement — they are all products of Ohio’s aggregates and industrial minerals industry, and all essential to the state’s ongoing economic development.

To celebrate the industry’s contributions to Ohio, the Ohio General Assembly designated July 17-21 as “Ohio Aggregates and Industrial Minerals Awareness Week” to help educate the public and raise awareness of the industry’s invaluable contributions to job creation and growth.

Today more than ever, the sector is playing a crucial role in Ohio’s construction boom by providing the materials needed to

build facilities for job creators such as Intel, Amazon Web Services, Honda, Amgen and many others. The industry is valued at more than $1 billion and employs more than 5,000 Ohioans.

“Ohio’s economic success is the envy of many states across the nation, and that progress is an exciting time for Ohio’s aggregate producers, who are helping literally build the future Ohio,” said Pat Jacomet, executive director of the Ohio Aggregates & Industrial Minerals Association. “It’s easy to take for granted the remarkable good fortune we enjoy in Ohio with abundant mineral deposits that are critical to our daily lives and our future prosperity.”

According to Jacomet, Ohio’s career technical centers offer exceptional programs that effectively equip students with the necessary skills and knowledge to thrive in the growing construction and aggregate industry, which has been a driving force behind the state’s recent economic prosperity and helping build the new Ohio that the DeWine Administration, JobsOhio and regional economic development agencies are creating.

By designating this special week, Ohio aims to foster a better understanding of the essential role that aggregates and industrial minerals play in various sectors, including construction and transportation. It also highlights the industry’s commitment to

responsible resource management and environmental sustainability.

Throughout Ohio Aggregates and Industrial Minerals Awareness Week, the Ohio General Assembly encourages citizens, businesses and communities to explore and appreciate the indispensable contributions made by the aggregates and industrial minerals industry.

The Ohio Aggregates & Industrial Minerals Association represents the interests of Ohio’s aggregates and industrial minerals industry. The association is committed to promoting sustainable practices, supporting economic growth and fostering collaboration within the sector.

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Center Construction Includes Aggregate Piers, Footings

Early construction tasks have included installation of ram aggregate piers, footings, storm structures and reinforcement and placement of shear walls.

CENTER from page 1

as inspiration to other fully developed communities that are grappling with how to find new ways to meet their residents’ recreation and leisure needs through creative partnerships and reinvestment in aging commercial districts.”

Several challenges could have easily derailed the project. For example, identifying a suitable location that would not take away from park land within a fully built-out community was an issue that needed to be addressed early on by the task force.

“The opportunity to locate the community center as part of the Kingsdale redevelopment project was a game changer, providing the ideal, central location within the community, while presenting a new set of challenges that had to be addressed through the design process, due to the limited available footprint.”

McLaughlin also noted the project has been accomplished without the need to increase taxes.

“The city has issued $62.05 million in bonds and is using $14 million in existing city cash. A capital campaign has successfully met its goal of raising $8 million in private funds in support of the project. A state grant has also been secured.”

Site preparations began in early April 2023. Construction began immediately following the official groundbreaking.

see CENTER page 6

Elford/Continental Building photo

The project requires 8,900 cu. yds. of concrete.

City of Upper Arlington photo

Site preparations began in early April 2023.

Elford/Continental Building photo

A total of 6,000 cu. yds. of soil will be excavated for the foundations.

Elford/Continental Building photo

Crews to Excavate 6,000 Cubic Yards of Soil for Foundation

CENTER from page 4

“Despite it being a windy, rainy day, the ceremony was a great success,” said McLaughlin. “The inclement weather did not dampen the spirit and excitement of community members in attendance, many of whom have been waiting for several years for this day. The groundbreaking was a celebration of many successful components that have coalesced to make this project possible.”

Cincinnati-based MSA Sport designed the structure in partnership with Perkins+Will. The building is being constructed by ECBC, a partnership between Elford and Continental Building Company. According to Upper

Arlington’s Park Development and Arts superintendent Jeff Anderson, the biggest construction challenge involves trying to construct a 134,500-sq.-ft. structure on a 1.4-acre site.

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“The small site was a driving force in the design of the facility, resulting in a stacked design with a variety of recreation amenities provided on different levels. It also required a detailed logistics plan to deal with the tight routing of construction traffic and a limited amount of laydown space.”

Early construction tasks have included installation of ram aggregate piers, footings, storm structures and reinforcement and placement of shear walls. The construction tower crane has also been erected.

Current and upcoming activities include continued installation of footings, MEP underground installation and first floor slab on grade. Work also will begin on the concrete superstructure for the building mezzanine. The structural steel top out is scheduled to be completed in early 2024.

“For the swimming pool, the logistics of excavating the pool after the structure is in place will be the most challenging aspect,” said Anderson. “This approach is necessary, so the concrete shoring activities are performed from a suitable surface, but this requires us to provide multiple different openings in the façade to allow for incoming and outgoing trucks and equipment during the pool construction. This forces us to engage almost every subcontractor on the project to understand how each trade is impacted.

“For the basketball courts, we’ve already begun the

Elford/Continental Building photo The Bob Crane Community Center is the third of three projects built on a 7.5-acre campus.

City of Upper Arlington photo The $85 million Bob Crane Community Center is one of the largest investments in Upper Arlington, Ohio, history.

New Bob Crane Community Center Due to Open in 2025

CENTER from page 6

coordination effort. This includes ensuring all structural accommodations for the basketball hoops are in place during the placement of the adjacent concrete structure, as well as understanding the tolerances of the concrete placement and how this impacts the recess in the concrete to ensure a flush transition from the wood floor profile to the adjacent floor finishes.”

Anderson described the job assignment as unique, as it’s the third of three projects built on a 7.5-acre campus where all the site utilities are accounted for and already in place.

“The coordination required to accommodate this project was considered back in the fall of 2021, during the initial installation of the utilities to make certain only minor tweaks would be needed, based on the final layout of the building’s hardscapes. Furthermore, this project required just shy of 500 rammed aggregate piers for ground improvement measures to ensure the necessary bearing capacity of the foundations was achieved.”

A total of 6,000 cu. yds. of soil will be excavated for the foundations. The project requires 8,900 cu. yds. of concrete, although crews are still determining the amount of concrete in the footers.

Some of the larger capacity pieces of equipment include a 50k trackhoe; a 75k trackhoe; an SK415 tower crane; and a PC138 excavator.

Concrete is the main material used throughout the project, and MSA has ensured to integrate this concept into the overall building finishes by maintaining exposed columns, ceilings and polished concrete floors. For the façade, a mixture of Ironspot brick, curtain wall and terracotta paneling is needed to complete the building’s skin.

McLaughlin added, “This is a great source of pride for the many members of the administration, city council and the community, who have been part of an extensive, three-year process. For many, the Bob Crane Community Center represents one of the last big puzzle pieces needed to assure Upper Arlington’s health and vibrancy in the coming years and decades.”  CEG