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McEuen Terrace
Luxurious McEuen Terrace towers over Coeur d'Alene

If "Frazier Crane" moved to Coeur d'Alene, he might live in a condominium at McEuen Terrace. Dr. Crane is as well known for his sophisticated Seattle condo as his witty conversation. In the heart of Coeur d'Alene, McEuen Terrace brings to north Idaho a level of luxury and sophistication rarely experienced outside major urban centers… or the fantasy world of television. In addition, it offers priceless lake and mountain vistas.

Designed by Miller Stauffer Architects, the 16-story, 100,000 sq. ft. tower features 22 luxury residential units above 15,000 sq. ft. of class 'A' office space and 44 secure parking spaces. The footprint of the building is a triangle anchored at each corner by structural brick towers. DCI Engineers, structural design consultant for the project, devised a unique system to resist wind and seismic forces by anchoring post-tensioned concrete floor slabs to the three stair/elevator towers. Each tower is a combination of grouted structural brick and concrete shear walls.


McEuen Terrace

Garco Construction led the building team in an ambitious 18-month building schedule for the $10 million project. Larry Wiberg, Construction Manager for Garco said that all of those that worked on the project should be very proud of their efforts. While the high-rise experience was a first for most of the building team members, the achieved finished product is of very high quality. And, with the excellent masonry exterior as provided by Spilker Masonry, McEuen Terrace will age very well…..just like some of Dr. Crane's fine wines.

The construction project incorporated the high-end completion of all interior improvements, including the Class "A" office tenant improvements and custom upgrades to many condominium units. The unique penthouse units, which created construction challenges of their own, cap the new "jewel" of North Idaho.

Monte Miller, AIA, Principal at MSA said brick was a cost-effective choice for the towers that also blended well with the existing downtown environment. They chose a red-orange I-XL Industries, structural clay brick exterior, accented with horizontal bands of burgundy brick between taupe-colored, split-faced CMU. Miller explained that the mixed-use concept of McEuen Terrace, combining offices on the lower levels with residences above, conserves land and is a much more effective use of resources. Providing living units in the downtown core where the necessary infrastructure already exists, brings a spirit and energy necessary for a vibrant downtown. A similarly sized project developed independently as single-family subdivisions and office buildings could easily sprawl over 20 acres. The compact Terrace sits on a mere 27,500 sq. ft. of land.
Spilker Masonry Company was the masonry subcontractor for the job. Tim Spilker, President, described the job as "challenging". "It's the tallest job we've ever done," he said.
Spilker described a hydraulic scaffolding system that made the job safer for workers than conventional scaffolding. Still, the angled corners and height required some special scaffolding units and a constant eye on safety, he said. As for using structural brick rather than brick veneer over concrete, Spilker agreed that was essentially a budget decision. Brick provided the strength required at an affordable price.

The building features a diagonal orientation on the site and faces McEuen Park and Lake Coeur d'Alene. Residential units offer 270 degree panoramic views with floor-to-ceiling windows and covered decks. Well-appointed interiors feature custom cabinetry, granite countertops and smart wiring. The multi-level units are easily and subtly adaptable to be fully handicapped-accessible upon request of the owners.

A law firm and other business offices occupy the lower levels that are showcased with brick construction. Large, gently arched and recessed window openings, curved walls, contrast bands and medallions highlight brick craftsmanship at its best. A cantilevered conference room rotunda on the second level overlooks the plaza and park beyond.
The project was financed, in part, through the Compass Group, a collaboration of several building trade unions. Funds are restricted to projects using union labor, thus helping to create work for union members. "It's a project whose time had come," says Miller. "The Coeur d'Alene downtown business district for the most part missed the building boom that other parts of the city experienced during the late 80's and 90's. We knew that any development needed to be very high quality to succeed." McEuen Terrace has changed the skyline of Coeur d'Alene while bringing a new level of quality in design and construction to the city.

For more information on this project take a look at the website at: www.millerstauffer.com

 

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Masonry Industry
Promotion Group
Kevin Krebs
102 E Boone Avenue
Suite 101
Spokane WA 99202
T: (509) 324-2320
F: (509) 324-2489
E: kevinkrebs@qwest.net

 

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