REV NORTHGATE LIVES OF STUDENTS
College Station, Texas
BEST PROJECT
Sent by: Rogers-O’Brien Construction
OWNER Parallel Company.
LEADING DESIGN COMPANY Rhode partners
GENERAL CONTRACTOR Rogers-O’Brien Construction
CIVIL ENGINEERING Jones and Carter
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING RLG Consulting Engineers
MEP ENGINEERING Consulting engineers V3
INTERIOR DESIGN Levy Architects
Standing 19 stories tall, the $86 million Rev Northgate Student Living high-rise development offers a wide range of housing options, unique services and collaborative features. Now the tallest building in College Station, the project features a different floor plan on each level, from studios to six-bedroom townhomes.
The building’s curved design presented several construction challenges to the project team led by Rogers-O’Brien, including an exposed slab edge in the concrete. An exterior insulation and finishing system (EIFS), surrounded by metal structural studs and dense glass, was chosen for its flexibility to conform to almost any shape, adapting perfectly to the curvature of the structure.
Angular effects are also incorporated into the design of the building, creating geometric shapes through differently oriented windows.
The structure’s EIFS varies in thickness and shape, adding rhythm and pattern to the building’s aesthetics. Project teams aligned the formwork by taking points on the slab and bringing them through the formwork to make the floor plans consistent throughout the building.
Photo by Alex Tice Gray
There was a significant change in scope and cost escalation between the Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) and the construction documents.
All finishes were changed during construction, as were alterations to the exterior finishes of the service deck design. Adaptability was also crucial when sourcing materials, especially when dealing with foreign suppliers.
Additionally, the team decided to use a wire mesh from China for the exterior screen of the garage, and although it required modifications on the fly due to quality issues, and strong winds posed a challenge to when installing the system, the mesh saved money and allowed the team to complete this scope of work on time.
Other innovative strategies included the use of a pile breaker device during the early stages of the structure’s erection, which helped break hundreds of concrete piles and saved significant time off schedule.
Photo by Alex Tice Gray
The team also had to figure out how to move 75 tons of sand from the volleyball court to the rooftop service deck after dismantling the crane. The solution was to use an electric pallet jack to move the sandbags through the lift.
Operating in a densely populated area with constant pedestrian traffic required increased vigilance throughout construction. High-risk activities were strategically timed during school holidays to minimize the impact on students and the community.
Completed on time and on budget by July 2023, this project also served as a proving ground for advanced biometric sensors. All project workers wore the sensors, which allowed continuous monitoring of their vital signs, including heart rate and body temperature.
Real-time data flowed into a central software platform called SafeGuard. If alarming readings were detected, workers were quickly notified and safety supervisors received alerts on their mobile devices, ensuring the well-being of the entire workforce.
