Retro Soul
Standing
outside Ford Field the week after the Lions’ win over the
Saints, Senior Project Engineer Gary Szor (T’85) and Project
Superintendent Mike Zurek (T’86) talk about how they think
that multi-use strategy can build upon the energy the Lions’
return to Detroit has generated.
“The
renovated warehouse is really the heart and soul of the stadium.
It was the major focal point for the whole project,” says
Szor. “The trend in athletic facilities is to not make just
a single-use facility.”
“You
should have seen it down here on game day,” Zurek says.
“It was one big street party. Add to that the attraction
of Greektown just three blocks south and places like the Gem Theatre,
which has been moved, restored, and is a great place to see a
play, and you have the beginnings of a real resurgence downtown.”
Both Zurek
and Szor agree that renovation is harder than building a new structure.
The Hudson’s warehouse was built in 1920 and saw seven additions
over the decades, creating huge challenges for engineers looking
to update all of the building’s mechanicals while maintaining
structural integrity.
“When
you’re retrofitting, you really have to be thinking outside
of the box,” Szor says.
For the
Hudson’s warehouse renovation, they thought way outside
the box. The warehouse was actually two separate structures. The
seven-story atrium that now joins the twin brick buildings and
soars above the stadium rose only after the middle section of
each building was demolished.
Detailing Detroit
The combination
of large-scale project with close attention of detail showcases
the different strengths of the JM Olson Corporation, which has
tackled projects ranging from construction of the 460,000-square-foot
iTek building in Dearborn (which went from conception to completion
in just 16 months), to restoration of the historic Detroit Athletic
Club.
“We
like to say we get big-company results with small-company attention
to detail,” says Tedd Thompson (T’91), director of
business development. Thompson points out another JM Olson job
involving a downtown Detroit landmark.
“We
did a small [$5.5 million], but high-profile job installing the
GM logos on top of the Renaissance Center, which, outside of the
state capital, is probably the most visible building in Michigan,”
Thompson says. “It was quite a challenge working 73 stories
up when everything had to be helicoptered in. I was up on the
roof more than once, strapped into special safety gear. Just looking
over the edge was intimidating. I couldn’t imagine how challenging
it must have been for the workers who had to hang from the building
and install the structural steel.”
For the
Ford Field job, Thompson brought a special, non-construction understanding
to the project; he played cornerback for the Bulldogs for three
years while earning his construction management degree. “I
like to think we ‘laid the foundation’ for the teams
that were real powerhouses from ’92 through ’97, when
they ran off five straight league championships. I’ve gone
from helping to build a football program to helping build Ford
Field. How great is that?”
One of
the similarities between JM Olson and Ferris State is the personal
touch.
Jennifer
Rizzo (B’96), marketing coordinator, echoes comments that
all the Ferris grads working for JM Olson make when talking about
their years at the University.
“I
came to Ferris from Royal Oak, and I live in the metro Detroit
area again now. I’m a city girl, but I enjoyed my time in
Big Rapids,” she says. “I don’t think I could
have gone to a larger university where you’re only a number.
The class sizes were smaller, and I could go see my professors
anytime. I liked that personal contact.”
Szor agrees.
“Ferris
did a great job of giving me the basics,” he says. “Right
when I came out of college I worked on a large project for Great
Lakes Steel, which involved surveying. What I learned in surveying
class
at Ferris State gave me the confidence and experience to do that
job. I can’t tell you how often I relate back to the whole
range of technical knowledge I learned during my Ferris education.”
Szor remained
at Ford Field for several more weeks working on the close-out
process. During that time the retail and office space began to
fill up. The renovated building’s first tenant, NTH Consultants,
has leased 15,000 square feet for its 70 employees, and it’s
hoped that the remaining 335,000 square feet of office, retail
and entertainment space, will be completely leased by spring of
2004.
The last
of the construction details should be completed long before 2006
when Ford Field will be the site of the Superbowl—leaving
plenty of time for the Lions to do their own rebuilding.
