CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY
GATES CENTER FOR COMPUTER SCIENCE



Architect: Mack Scogin Merrill Elam
Construction Manager at Risk: P. J. Dick Incorporated
Subcontractors:
Abate-Irwin, Incorporated
Amthor Steel
Cuddy Roofing Company, Incorporated
Easley & Rivers, Incorporated
Franco
Giffin Interior & Fixture, Incorporated
H.B. Reynolds, Incorporated,
Hanlon Electric Company
J. P. Phillips, Incorporated
Maffei Strayer Furnishings, Incorporated
McKinney Drilling Company
Mendel Steel & Ornamental Iron Company
Miller Electric Construction, Incorporated
Noralco Corporation
Otis Elevator Company
P.J. Dick Incorporated
T.D. Patrinos Painting & Contracting Company
Tri-City Steel, Incorporated
Ruthrauff/Sauer, LLC
SimplexGrinnel LP
Three Rivers Floor Covering, LLC
Tom Brown Contracting, Incorporated
Wyatt Incorporated

This nearly 210,000 square foot computer science complex on the campus of Carnegie Mellon University includes the construction of two contemporary structures that will be set around an outdoor winter garden connected by a four-story lobby containing pedestrian walkways between the upper floors.

The complex will contain 318 offices as well as labs, computer clusters, lecture halls, classrooms and a 250-seat auditorium.

The buildings’ exteriors are angular and non-uniform to maximize exterior office space. Several large cantilever sections of the buildings project over the parking deck and landscaping, which will consist of geofoam, engineered soil, and numerous exotic trees and plants. Construction was particularly challenging given an approximate 70-foot drop in elevation from one end of the site to the other and a building footprint consisting of solid rock. Constant ground water flowing during garage foundation work further challenged project construction.

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WPXI BROADCAST FACILITY




Architect: Rees Associates, Incorporated
Construction Manager/General Contractor: Mascaro
Construction Company, LP
Subcontractors:
Abate-Irwin, Incorporated
A.G. Mauro Company
American Ornamental Iron Corporation
Braden & McSweeny, Incorporated
Bunting Graphics
Compu-Site Technologies
DGI-Menard, Incorporated
DomenAlex Landscape Contractor
Easley & Rivers, Incorporated
H.B Reynolds, Incorporated
Harris Masonry, Incorporated
J.K. Foster, Incorporated
J.P. Phillips, Incorporated
Master Woodcraft Corporation
McKamish, Incorporated
Mendel Steel & Ornamental Iron Company
Miller Electric, Incorporated
MKD, Incorporated
Overhead Door of Greater Pittsburgh
T.D. Patrinos Painting & Contracting Company
Pennsylvania Roofing Systems, Incorporated
Peter J. Caruso & Sons, Incorporated
R.J. Bridges Corporation
Schindler Elevator
Seech Industries
Tri-City Steel
Tri-State Lockers & Shelving
Wright Contract Interiors

This 67,200 square foot, two-story building with a helicopter landing pad is situated on a 17-acre site a few miles north of Downtown Pittsburgh. With exterior features of alternating bands of brick and cast stone, the facility includes an airy, two-story lobby with seating and cherry wall panels; a café and kitchen area; broadcast operations center, production control, audio and main equipment rooms; and two levels of office and support space. The center of the building features a single story, highbay area for the newsroom, production and news studios.

To accommodate its operations, 650 miles of cable were installed and two fuel tanks supply the facility’s generator for five days of continuous operation. Grounding requirements were extensive to minimize static that could result in noise being transmitted through the building’s digital equipment. In lieu of an on-site antenna tower, microwave equipment was built into a 40-foot tower that relays the signal to the station’s existing 800-foot tower in the Fineview section of the City of Pittsburgh.

To reduce the project’s overall construction costs and schedule, Deep Dynamic Compaction was used to make the ground suitable for the building’s foundations. An existing wetlands was also relocated so the new micro-environment could remain untouched and environmentally friendly.

“From Mascaro’s initial involvement, their construction professionals met every challenge with a can-do attitude and excelled in every category: design and craftsmanship, project teamwork, innovation, and most importantly, client service,” said Edward Hughes, WPXI’s Construction Manager.