Award of Merit - Sports/Recreation
The LakeView RecPlex Aqua Arena project is a new, 42,036-sq-ft pool addition. It adds an Olympic-size 50-meter pool capable of hosting lap swimming competitions and triathlon training, in addition to swimming lessons.
It features a mezzanine with seating for 1,000 spectators and space for concessions, as well as a public entrance that opens to a two-story lobby that includes space for a host desk, office space and locker rooms.
Construction of pool within 15 ft of a 110-acre, man-made lake provided a unique set of challenges. The RecPlex site sits atop the deepest drop of what was once a gravel pit – estimated to be 45 ft deep. The close proximity of the lake challenged the construction project team, with a water table depth between 7 to 9 ft, varying by location.
The team had to install a dewatering system to manage water infiltration in order to excavate for 15-ft-deep footings. The system used five wells with 1,000 GMP pumps at a depth of 30 ft.
The 15-ft footings were required so the construction team would not undermine the new footings during pool excavation.
Additionally, because the water table varies at the site, more concrete than expected was necessary for the pool slab to provide sufficient thickness and weight to prevent uplift due to buoyancy.
Key Players
Developer/Owner: Village of Pleasant Prairie, Wis.
GC: Riley Construction Co., Kenosha, Wis.
CM: Riley Construction Co., Kenosha, Wis.
Architect: Partners in Design Architects, Kenosha, Wis.
Civil Engineer: Nielsen Madsen & Barber, Racine, Wis.
Structural & MEP Engineer: Arnold and O’Sheridan, Madison, Wis.
