Ulysses S. Grant High School
Portland Public Schools needed a solution for asbestos that would be safer, as well as, more time and cost effective than standard remediation. They trusted SEMCO to engineer a solution.
PROJECT DETAILS
Preparation: SEMCO Liquid Membrane
Floors and staircases: SEMCO Polished Bond and Satin Stone sealer
Color: Silverstone
Project size: 18,000 sq ft
Project years: 2018-2019
Location: Los Angeles, California
Summary
Portland Public Schools approved a $158 million dollar investment, toward a full modernization of Grant High School, to begin in the summer of 2017. The footprint and exterior facade were to remain the same to preserve the rich history, of the school, built in 1924. The interior of the building was modernized with a focus on indoor environmental quality, sustainability and historic preservation. A challenge faced is a magnesite concrete which contains a form of white asbestos in addition is a soft concrete and ultimately not suitable as a substrate for public traffic. The magnesite concrete was present in the staircases and areas of the structural flooring that cannot be removed, spanning 18,000 sq ft of the 300,000 sq ft project.
Existing magnesite concrete floors.
The overall modern design of the interior included polished concrete wherever possible. Mahlum Architecture was seeking possible options of a finished surface that can be applied over the Magnesite to strengthen it and encapsulate to neutralize the effects of the Magnesite. If all this could be accomplished without damaging the Magnesite they stood to save on the time and cost of asbestos remediation. SEMCO’s Liquid Membrane and X-Bond Microcement delivered on all accounts. X-Bond also had the customization abilities to blend well with the polished concrete on the project and compliment Mahlum’s design.
Exploring Alternatives
Where demolition was possible it was completed, however like all asbestos laced materials uncontrolled contact, disturbance, or removal would begin the process of dispersing asbestos into the air. There were no alternatives to the SEMCO Liquid Membrane and X-Bond Microcement as an applicable topical surface hardener and encapsulation system. No product or company would guarantee their performance where as SEMCO has been known to tackle project of this nature all across the world.
Strategy
Mahlum Architects began collaborating with SEMCO Surface Engineers in 2016 to establish the parameters needed toward a solution. The following parameters and responses were established by Mahlum and SEMCO:
320 psi or greater, no reinforcement fabric and SEMCO Liquid Membrane is required
Between 320 psi and 280 psi, reinforcement fabric and SEMCO Liquid Membrane is required
Below 280 psi, substrate must be removed and replaced
Upon completing site tests of the magnesite concrete the surface averaged between 280 and 320 PSI therefore enabling the SEMCO solution of strengthening the substrate with its X-Bond Seamless Stone to be viable with the use of a reinforcement fabric suspended with the SEMCO Liquid Membrane.
Solution
SEMCO’s innovative surface engineering team were intrigued by this challenge and got to work testing the details of our proposed solution. In the end they drew up a plan that effectively addressed all of the project’s needs:
Eliminate the need for costly asbestos remediation
Avoid any sanding or dust with the existing magnesite, to keep exposure to a minimum
Engineer methods to increase psi of the magnesite so it is prepared to receive a new surface
Provide a finished surface floor to blend with polished concrete on adjacent areas
Provide a finish that would be suitable to apply to stairs
A durable modern finish to compliment their blended design of old and new
An environmentally sustainable product for LEED accreditation
10 Year Warranty
SEMCO technicians applying 1st coat of X-Bond Microcement over existing magnesite concrete substrate.
SEMCO technicians applying Liquid Membrane over X-Bond Microcement.
SEMCO technicians applying X-Bond Membrane over Liquid Membrane.
SEMCO technicians applying Satin Stone sealer over X-Bond Microcement
SEMCO technicians applying Liquid Membrane over X-Bond Microcement.
Liquid Membrane application is complete.
X-Bond Microcement in Polished Bond finish floors before Satin Stone application
Success
The stairs and floors for Grant High School were completed beautifully, and in time, with a ceremonious grand reopening on September 7th, 2019 where over 1800 students were enrolled to attend. This project was part of Portland Public School’s ongoing $482 million dollar school construction bond including 48 schools. While the original budget was projected at $158 million, with the help of SEMCO’s solutions among others, the Grant High School modernization was completed in Fall of 2019 at an estimated cost of only $112 million. SEMCO is currently in discussions with architects of other Portland schools so we can continue to offer safe and cost-effective solutions.
Finished floors.
Grant High School Principal for the past 7 years, Carroll Campbell: “New school is a major upgrade, and the most modern building she has ever worked in as an educator… Here’s this idea that to be modern, you have to erase everything that was history. (But) there are lot of very beautiful things about the historical building. This project taught me how to find that place between history and the new that allows both to resonate.”
Arts building after renovation.