SAN FRANCISCO, November 6, 2009, Desai/Nasr Consulting Engineers, Inc. has been selected for the 2009 Best of Business Award in the Structural Engineering category by the Small Business Commerce Association (SBCA).

The Small Business Commerce Association (SBCA) is pleased to announce that Desai/Nasr Consulting Engineers, Inc. has been selected for the 2009 Best of Business Award in the Structural Engineering category.

The SBCA 2009 Award Program recognizes the top 5% of small businesses throughout the country. Using statistical research and consumer feedback, the SBCA identifies companies that we believe have demonstrated what makes small businesses a vital part of the American economy. The selection committee chooses the award winners from nominees based off statistical research and also information taken from monthly surveys administered by the SBCA, a review of consumer rankings, and other consumer reports. Award winners are a valuable asset to their community and exemplify what makes small businesses great.

Two Desai/Nasr Projects were announced as Winning Projects by CAM Magazine. They were:

Book Cadillac Westin (Detroit)
DTE Energy Campus Enhancement (Detroit)

The Book Cadillac Hotel was awarded a 2009 National Perservation Honor Award at the 2009 National Preservation Award Ceremony held on October 15, 2009 at the War Memorial Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee.

The MEMMIC Insurance Headquarters building in Auburn Hills, MI won a 2009 M-Award. The M-Awards recognize exellencein Masonry Design and Masonry Structurl Design were presented at the Masonry Institute of Michigan's (MIM) 34th annual gala evening.

Wayne County Community College District - North West Campus (April 2009)

Desai/Nasr part of the Hamilton Anderson Associates Team was awarded the structural Engineering Design Services for the North West Campus Project for Wayne County Community College District.

USACE - Detroit Arsenal Project (March 2009)

The design/build team of Granger Constuction, Neumann|Smith Architecture, Carl Walker Design, Desai/Nasr and others won the Federal Bid for the New Administration Building and Parking Structure at the Detroit Arsenal Campus. This DPW funded fast track project will include an eight story steel framed office building and a five story precast concrete parking structure.

Westview elementary School -2008 Impact on Learning Award

Desai/Nasr provided structural engineering services to Partners in Architecture on their award wining Westview Elementary School project for fitzgerald Public Schools.

Desai/Nasr is now a member of the US Green Building Council

Desai/Nasr joined the U.S. Green Building Council a 501(c)(3) non-profit community of leaders working to make green buildings available to everyone within a generation. www.usgbc.org

Book Cadillac Hotel Opens (October 2008)

The Westin Book Cadillac Hotel in Detroit was named one of the most oustanding construction projects for 2008. The project was one of 13 recognized by the Associated General Contractors of America for their complexity, innovation, success and significance to the construction community and the nation at large.

The historic Book Cadillac Hotel re-opened after standing empty of over 20 years. Construction work is complete and the Hotel is open after two years of hard work to rehabilitate the historic structure.

Built in 1923 at a cost of over $14 million the Book Cadillac was the shiniest jewel in Detroit's crown. At 33 stories in height and with three basements, the Book Cadillac was not only the tallest building in Detroit, it was the tallest Hotel in the world.

Constructed with a steel column and frame, riveted together, supporting the formed concrete floor slabs and exterior facade. The horizontal beam elements were encased in concrete as part of the floor construction operations. Large built-up steel trusses on the 6th floor (original Duct floor) transferred the column loads from the hotel rooms above to clear span the meeting, banquet and ballrooms below. The structure extends three levels below grade with the basement levels housing the back of house equipment such as laundries, coal fired boilers etc.

The Ferchill Group's $170 million restoration project, undertaken as a preservation tax credit incentive project, was carried out in three parts: Interior Building Stabilization Project, Exterior Facade Restoration Project and New Addition Project.

The Interior Building Stabilization Project began with a detailed condition assessment that included the visual inspection of all walls, columns, beams, slabs and connections. Structural components that were suspected of deteriorations were tagged for further testing or selective demolition for further review. Concrete core test and rebound hammer tests were used to determine the condition of the concrete floor slabs. Test specimens taken from steel beams and columns were analyzed to determine the weldability and the yield stress of the steel.

The Exterior Facade Restoration Project was lead by Sandvick Architects with Desai/Nasr Consulting Engineers providing structural engineering services. A detailed visual review of the exterior facade was carried out from the contractors swing stages. Areas of concern or showing signs of deterioration were identified and investigated. Inspection pockets in the brick veneer were used to assess the condition of the steel spandrel beams, columns and connections buried in the exterior facade. Sandstone and terra-cotta element were removed to review the condition of the existing connections.

Vast lengths of existing terra-cotta water tables and back-up steel support beams were removed and replaced with new galvanized steel members and molded glass fiber panels to maintain the historic appearance of the facade. Over 1000 lintels were removed and replaced with new galvanized steel lintels with proper flashing and weeps. Large areas of brick were removed and replaced with new brick.

The entire north tower was deemed to be structurally un-safe and was completely demolished down to the 29th floor before being re-constructed out of steel framing with brick and stone veneer to preserve the historic architecture.

The New Addition Project included a three story addition to the north side of the existing building. Constructed over the site of various previously demolished building with existing basements and foundations, the new addition is supported by deep drilled piers supporting the steel framed building and reinforced concrete grade beams and structural concrete ground floor slab. The structural ground floor slab supports the new swimming pool, loading dock, restaurants and other back of house facilities for the new Westin Hotel. The upper levels of the new addition house part of the hotels main kitchen and a new banquet areas located above the new swimming pool.

Greektown Casino and Hotel Tower

Work is wrapping up on the 410,000 ft2, 30 story reinforced concrete structure with post-tensioned flat slabs. Construction started in December 2006. The 30 story hotel structure was topped off in July 2008.

The 30 story tower includes 16 hotel floors, 7 parking floors, 2 mechanical floors and 3 lower level plaza floors for restaurants, ball rooms, meeting rooms etc. 3-D modeling was carried out in RAM Concrete and STAAD.

Two main nine feet deep prestressed concrete transfer girders, spanning 50ft over the ballrooms, with staged prestressing, carrying total load of 2800 kips each. Several other smaller transfer girders, six feet deep and spanning 45 feet, located at 6th and 14th levels where plaza level transitions to parking and from parking to hotel respectively.

Post-tensioning was done by 1/2 inch low relaxation un-bonded tendons. Encapsulated tendons were used at the parking levels for durability. PT was arranged in bands at column lines along the width of the structure and uniform along its length.

Unsymmetrical and peripheral layout of shear walls required careful evaluation of volumetric changes from creep, shrinkage, elastic shortening and thermal variation. A step-by-step procedure was adopted to find out additional design actions in transfer girders and columns. Reinforced concrete columns varying in size from two feet square to four feet by six feet were also designed to include effect of secondary prestressing moments.