City Hall Apron Improvements, Phase II
About The Project
RVE provided professional engineering services for the replacement of the concrete North Apron of City Hall. The project required the replacement of a 10-inch domestic service water line, replacement of the concrete apron, repair and reset of the granite treads, a foundation for the temporary steps and ADA compliance for accessibility in the most cost-effective manner, all while using sustainable products during construction. RVE collaborated with several City of Philadelphia agencies and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) to ensure that the construction had minimal impact on occupants, pedestrians, and vehicular traffic and that the history and legacy of City Hall were preserved. Through its coordination efforts, RVE was able to satisfy all the stakeholders without affecting the project’s scope, budget, and schedule. The project consisted of several positive environmental and community impacts including designs promoting reduction of waste and improved air quality. The economic benefits of material selection included reduced operating costs, enhanced asset value and optimization of life-cycle economic performance. The final design of this work met the requirements of the Philadelphia Historical Commission, the Philadelphia Arts Commission, the Philadelphia Water Department, Philadelphia Department of Licenses & Inspections, PennDOT and Section 17-11 of the Philadelphia Code. An iconic National Historical Landmark, Philadelphia's City Hall has been improved functionally and aesthetically by this successfully completed project.
Project Gallery
Project required collaboration with multiple City of Philadelphia Agencies and Commissions including the Historical Commission, the Arts Commission, the Streets Department and the Water Department
Worked with the Historical and Arts Commissions to ensure that any repairs and replacements on the building grounds were within their guidelines and requirements aimed at protecting the property’s history and legacy.
According to a report from The Center City District, in August 2019, one of the closest measured intersections next to City Hall (16th and Chestnut Streets) received an average 29,503 pedestrians per day. RVE collaborated with multiple stakeholders to ensure the project was completed with minimal impact on pedestrian and vehicular traffic.
One unique design feature was the redesign of an area on the North Apron that contained honorary plaques for fallen Philadelphia firefighters. RVE worked with the Department of Public Property (DPP) to create a new design for this feature. The concrete surrounding the plaques was replaced and the area was indicated and marked by a large stone circle to make its display much more prominent.