New 3-Story YMCA

IMEG provided structural, civil, surveying, and geotechnical engineering design and services for the new 73,000-sf three-story YMCA in Davenport, Iowa. The new facility includes community rooms, clinical spaces, and lap, therapy and play pools. The upper levels of the new YMCA have a competition gymnasium, racquetball courts, fitness spaces, suspended running track and outdoor terrace. The running track and terrace overlook River Drive and provide sweeping views of the Mississippi River.

The fitness and outdoor terrace are located above the natatorium which are supported by 90’ long custom trusses design and detailed for the high humidity environments. The gymnasium and running track are supported above a tenant space on the first floor so limiting vibration and sound transmission was a key point of the design.

Complex geometries in the building featured a sloping column at the main entry, 20-ft-tall cantilevered screenwalls, floor-to-floor offsets in exterior walls, and exposed chevron bracing.

IMEG developed a structural/civil design package in five weeks to meet the owner’s deadline of opening the facility by the end of the year. Structural design was far ahead of architectural and other disciplines’ designs, so design and detailing needed to adapt throughout steel shop drawing review.