The Situation
Located in the heart of Portland’s boutique NW 21st Street shopping area, “The Almr” is a 65,000 square-foot, four-story mixed-use building recently designed by Emerick Architects. During construction, it became apparent that the 215 mm hot rubber membrane specified for a section of precast decking would exceed the clearance needed for the deck doors to open and close.
Also, each deck contained an expansion joint around its perimeter. This, combined with the specification tolerances, resulted in an unsupported gap on three sides of the deck which could move and become problematic over time. A unique detail was needed in order to support the gap for long-term durability as well as prevent water intrusion.