our work
Drake I & II/First Baptist Church
The Project
The Drake project incorporated an existing church and apartment building into one large development, including office space, between the Scott and DuPont Circle areas of Washington, DC. Based on previous successful projects completed together, Keener Management selected Steele Foundation to design and build the sheeting, shoring, and underpinning systems needed to complete the project.
year
2021-2022
Location
1328 16th St. NW, Washington, DC
Scope
Sheeting, Shoring, and Underpinning
Category
Mixed Use
General Contractor
Keener Management
Consultants
Architect: Eric Colbert & Associates
Structural Engineer: Ehlert Bryan
Geotechnical Engineer: MTI Engineering and Testing
Challenges and Results
For the first phase, Steele hand-dug a combination of interconnected underpinning, structural shoring, and soldier beams with internal steel bracing to allow for installation of a new elevator and tunnel within the existing church. All concrete was pumped, and all steel was set, by hand and chain-falls, due to restricted access within the existing church.
The second phase, Drake II, involved the demolition of the church annex and the construction of a new 7-story mixed-use building with apartments, church space, and parking. Steele utilized hand-dug underpinning to support the existing church and internal steel braces bolted to the existing basement walls to allow for the existing basement’s slabs, columns, and foundations to be demolished. Existing and new footings were incorporated into the design for use as heel blocks due to existing soil and groundwater restrictions encountered.