This new 49,000 square foot, one-story facility was designed to both house the Materials Testing Laboratory and eliminate the need for off-site leased office space. The existing laboratory program outgrew its current location in the Administration Building, requiring the construction of a larger, more modern facility.  At that time, DelDOT was also leasing office space for administrative staff at an off-site location, which was expensive and not suitable for their needs.  To address both immediate and long-term concerns, DelDOT wished to consolidate the Materials Testing Laboratory and administrative office functions into a new, central location. 

Located on the south side of DelDOT’s campus, the new facility was delivered to the Owner using the Design-Build method of project design and construction.  Features of the new building include hard walls surrounding the laboratory spaces to mitigate equipment vibration, noise, dust and other industrial hygiene issues.  The office space was designed to allow for future reconfiguration in response to DelDOT’s ever-changing staffing needs. This flexibility was achieved by using modular partition walls and cubical furniture installed on a raised flooring system that would produce under-slab ventilation and allow easy routing of electrical, computer and communication wiring.  Other features include an enclosed passageway to provide access to the adjacent administration buildings, a loading dock and additional surface parking.

• Modifying a previously unsuccessful design to eliminate excessive program space and expensive building systems.
• Guiding the Owner through their first experience of using the Design Build process for a building project.
• Designing an economical steel framing system that would produce large, column-free spaces, and allow future flexibility, while adhering to the Owner’s budget. 
• Acting as the Owner’s Representative during construction to monitor the Contractor’s activities and administer the construction contract.