Meramec Bluffs
Design-Build Saves Time On Scenic Senior Center

by Sheila Bacon

For Lutheran Senior Services, the design-build procurement method was a perfect way to save time and money.

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From initial design discussions in 1999 to the near-completion of the multiphase Meramec Bluffs retirement community project six years later, early collaboration between owner, design team and general contractor has resulted in considerable success for the $75 million "age-in-place" community.

Perched on a 50-acre site above the Meramec River in Ballwin, Mo., in west St. Louis County, the Meramec Bluffs project includes a nine-story, 223-unit independent living apartment building; 25 patio homes; two-story assisted living facility; and 88-bed skilled nursing facility under construction. The community also offers a heated indoor swimming pool, fitness center, beauty salon, bank, ice cream parlor, an eatery and a country store.

The first two phases of the project are currently occupied, and the final phase is expected to be complete in the spring.

By using the design-build process and allowing construction to start before fully engineered drawings were in-hand, three months were shaved from the timeline, said

Mark Schoedel, administrator of construction for Lutheran Senior Services of St. Louis, the owner. And change orders were greatly reduced, further moving the project forward.

"Time is money," Schoedel said. "Whenever you can do something a little quicker and get it going a little sooner, all the better."

Early Involvement

Design-build contractor Paric Corp. of O'Fallon, Mo., joined the project team at the onset. Builders helped the owner evaluate several campus layout options and provided pricing options for each.

Value-engineering efforts throughout the design and construction phases of the project were implemented, further refining the process.

By rearranging the initial site layout and testing existing soils, Paric was able to eliminate the need for $300,000 in retaining wall systems at portions of the site perimeter, said Steve Meeks, Paric project manager. Original plans had specified use of a retaining wall in some areas, but soil testing indicated that a steeper, 2:1 slope could be implemented and a wall was unnecessary.

Paric crews were also closely involved in examining several siding options for the first phase's nine-story apartment structure; an exercise that would not typically be performed in a conventional design-bid-build situation.

Paric leaders joined members of the design team on visits to resorts, lodges and other assisted-living facilities throughout New England to gather ideas for the campus' look. Several alternative facades - including EIFS, steel, masonry and precast panels - were eliminated before the project team settled on a sturdy-yet-attractive cement siding.

Paric remained highly involved in the application of the cement siding long after its use was confirmed, said Steve Meeks, Paric's project manager.

Crews came up with diverse uses of the material, including lap siding, panels and trims in varied colors. They also worked with the manufacturer to identify an optimum fastening system. Crews used a self-tabbing pan-head screw instead of traditional shot nails to ensure that the siding would remain in place under heavy winds.

"We were a big part of not just deciding on the product, but also how to use the product and make it work," Meeks said.

The contractor's early involvement in discussions with land reviewers, fire marshals and other agencies allowed Paric to make alterations to building systems that would accommodate additional phases or additions in the future. Coordination with these entities also paved the way for a phased permitting system, which allowed certain work packages to proceed before permits were granted.

"We started at ground zero two years ago and 24 months later we have (the $50 million first phase) completed and in use," Meeks said. "There would have been no way to achieve this speed of construction without design-build."

Lutheran Senior Services has developed 10 senior living properties in St. Louis and surrounding communities but has not used design-build on any projects until Meramec Bluffs. This project's size and the site's complexities led to the decision, Schoedel said.

"Design-build reduces finger-pointing and makes the whole project go a lot smoother," he added. "With a single point of accountability, we [the owner] don't have to act as a referee. The lines of communication are simplified when the contractor controls the project's performance."

A Superb Site

The Meramec Bluffs campus occupies approximately half the site, which was formerly owned by a local utility company and used as retreat for its employees.

There were several structures on the site, as well as a baseball diamond and amphitheater.

Railroad tracks run past the property at the base of the bluffs, and a portion of the nine-story apartment complex's units have views of the Meramec River 150 ft. below. The entire campus overlooks forested Castlewood State Park to the west and residential neighborhoods to the east.

The project's architects took advantage of the forested area surrounding the site, designing walking trails around the campus.

Designers also kept nature in mind when laying out interior spaces, said Nancy Rodney, principal with ACI Boland of St. Louis, the project's architect (in association with Perkins Eastman of Pittsburgh). The dining room - located on the ground floor in most assisted living projects - is on the sixth floor of the apartment complex to capture views of the river.

The chapel - an extremely important part of the campus for the mainly Lutheran residents - acts as a "knuckle" between the independent living, assisted living and skilled nursing areas, Rodney said. It shares its central location with the campus' administration areas and "main street" activities, forming an active social hub.

Considerable sitework was required before the project could start. Crews lowered approximately 15 percent of the site by 30 ft., performing approximately $500,000 worth of rock blasting, rock removal and grading at the site of the patio homes. A chain-link fence was installed behind the homes, the structures closest to the edge of the bluff.

The entirety of the originally rough site was regraded to remain at or below a 6 percent grade to accommodate leisurely strolls throughout the campus, Meeks said.

While a great deal of work went into the preparation of the Meramec Bluffs site and the construction of the retirement community, it's more likely the residents will notice the amenities and sweeping vistas.

"The location on top of a bluff gives older adults an experience and a view they might not have been able to afford before," Schoedel said.

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