Fleet feat

Masonry Construction, April, 2004 by Diana Granitto

The City of Clovis, Calif., Public Utilities Corporation Yard used concrete block to combine aesthetics and function. The seven-building complex situated on 14 acres incorporates the administration facility and offices for utilities, solid waste, streets, parks, general services, and fleet maintenance. Each building had its individual design requirements.

Masonry also was used as fencing for site security on the $20 million project.

Design concept

In particular, the fleet maintenance building demanded exceptional structural integrity to support the heavy machinery and equipment used to work on vehicles ranging from police cars to transit buses and waste disposal trucks. Block was chosen because of its inherent strength, ease of maintenance, and long-term durability.

However, the City of Clovis was concerned about the potentially monotonous appearance of block on such a large facility. Architect Simpson and Associates addressed this concern by making block the focal point via the creative use of patterns, module sizes, colors, and textures.

Construction challenge

The task for Bratton Masonry's crews was to assemble the puzzle of split-face, ground-face, precision, and fluted block in four colors and various sizes. The rough-hewn, highly textured masonry surface provides contrast with reflective metal panels and tinted glass.

"It was a challenge to interface the masonry with the structural steel," said Bratton Project Manager Greg Reed. "The different block heights had to be coordinated with all of the rebar and the embeds."

Project Participants

Masonry Contractor: Bratton Masonry, Fresno, Calif.

Architect: Simpson and Associates, Fresno, Calif.

General Contractor: Harris Construction, Fresno, Calif.

Structural Engineer: Wood-Wiley and Associates, Fresno, Calif.

Masonry Supplier: Blocklite, Fresno, Calif.