Skanska was awarded a $78 million contract to renovate the King County Courthouse in Seattle, Wash. During the course of the project, Skanska shaved five months off the original 27-month schedule and saved the owner more than $8 million.
The renovation of the 90-year-old downtown Seattle structure included structural seismic upgrades. Skanska installed a unique performance frame and outrigger system along with hybrid concrete and steel moment frames.
Despite the renovation's invasive nature, the busy courthouse remained occupied and functioning throughout the project.
The courthouse houses numerous sensitive departments, including the county's 911 center; the sheriff's office; and superior court offices.
Keeping these functions running without interruption was so critical that the county employed three full-time staffers to plan and execute department relocations. Skanska performed noisy work at night and brought steel and concrete into the building using a complex routing system so the courthouse's employees and its users would remain largely unaffected by the renovations.
