Salt Dome, Brine Building, and Maintenance Facility

Electrical, Landscape Architecture, Municipal, Planning, Site Design, Structural | Wisconsin | Back

Challenge

The Milwaukee County DPW Yard Improvements project was completed in 2016 as part of the Zoo Interchange project, which was funded through a land swap agreement between Milwaukee County and the State of Wisconsin.

The project was constructed concurrently with the new facilities for the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Department, as well as the reconstruction of Watertown Plank Road, Swan Boulevard, and the north leg of the Zoo Interchange. Therefore, extensive coordination between the design team, the City of Wauwatosa, Milwaukee County, the State of Wisconsin, and contractors was necessary.

The project required building approvals from the City of Wauwatosa Design Review Board and the State of Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services before the design could begin.

Solution

The project features a 150-foot diameter salt storage dome, a conveyor and loading pit to move material into the dome, two storage buildings, and a salt brine building to prepare the salt solution for spray trucks. In addition, there are also 12 outdoor reinforced concrete storage bins and a 238-stall park and ride lot on the property.

The storage buildings had two separate design systems: a vertical system utilizing joists framed into steel columns, and a horizontal concrete system. These were designed to resist the impact of front-end loaders and trucks.

Services Provided

  • Field survey
  • Conceptual design
  • Renderings
  • Site design
  • Stormwater management
  • Structural
  • Building design
  • Parking lots
  • Electrical
  • I&C/Controls
  • Street lighting
  • Landscape architecture
  • Water main & laterals

Industries Covered

  • Planning
  • Municipal
  • Structural
  • Electrical
  • Site Design
  • Landscape Architecture

Results

The facility’s conceptual design and renderings were prepared by Kapur staff. Our site layout, building aesthetics, and ability to hide equipment from view were praised at the review. As a result, the project passed at the first presentation and gained building approval, which is almost unheard of in the design world.