Bicentenary Unit Square
Indianapolis
Merit Award
Sent by: Shiel Sexton Co. and Weddle Bros. Building Group LLC
Owner: Capital Improvement Board
Main design company: village
General contractor: Weddle Bros. Building Group LLC
Civil Engineer: Shrewsberry and Associates
Structural Engineer: DLZ Indiana
MEP Engineer: Henderson Engineers Inc.
Construction Manager as agent: Shiel Sexton Co.
Manufacturer of metal sculptures: Landscape of events
Subcontractors: Beaty Construction Inc.; Custom manufacturing; Decorative Paving Co.; Masonry Don Purdy; Flag of Eder
As part of a three-year modernization at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, an existing parking garage was transformed into an outdoor all-season plaza. The space serves as a community gathering area with a basketball court during the warmer months and a skating rink in the winter. To make way for the 1.5-acre recreational space, crews demolished a parking structure. The creative sequencing of the schedule ensured that work on the plaza continued without interruption as coinciding construction continued on the cottage. Fixtures and landscaping were established prior to hard landscaping to combat site accessibility issues.
During the design phase, visitor safety was an important consideration. Ramp-proof and bomb-proof barricades were installed outside to prevent vehicles from entering the premises. To elevate the design, the team used a technical sand matrix concrete. Snow-proof pipes were carefully placed before concrete was placed, which required coordination with all subcontractors, as any disruption could damage the delicate system.
Two large-scale public art installations were completed later in the construction schedule. The art pieces were built and then disassembled for shipping, requiring all construction to be completed before the art team arrived. Structural modifications, excavation and re-finishing resulted in the permanent design as pieces were moved more than 500 miles from Eventscape’s Toronto studio to Indianapolis.
