The existing rooftop terrace could only accommodate an extremely small crowd. In an effort to stay competitive in the Rittenhouse Square apartment rental market, Kaiserman made the investment and added this very attractive Sky Lounge and Terrace

 The only way to accommodate the additional structural loads was to open up the roof and tie into the existing structural steel columns. Temporary roof curbs with galvanized weatherproof lids were put in place to keep water/rain out of the Penthouse Apartments, while structural improvements took place.

Structural, steel clips and plates were welded and bolted in place in preparation for installation of new galvanized  structural steel “post ups”.

 Once all special inspections were complete the installation of the structural post ups commenced.

Great care was taken by the roofing contractor to make sure that all temporary protection was properly placed.

Here is one of the examples of a structural post up after all roofing and elastomeric fabrics and sealants were in place. Please note the structural post up in the lower left corner of this image against the parapet. Prior to structural steel floor beam installation a new roof will be over laid on the existing.

 A number of the existing building exhaust systems needed to be relocated in order to accommodate the new structural floor beam locations. This required removal and relocation of the existing curb and galvanized turbine head.

In an effort to make the Terrace and Sky Lounge ADA accessible a lift was installed between the 26th floor and the rooftop. This is the new dog house for the lift shaft way.

In order to place the new dog house in the correct orientation from the 26th floor, the cooling tower loop lines needed to be relocated.

This is the final installation of the cooling tower relocation work after all inspections were complete and systems were brought back online. 

Certified Riggers and signalman were on site to safely communicate with the crane operators. Multiple crane operators were required due to the long duration of this lift.

Once all safety meetings were complete and the crane lift plan was reviewed, the unloading, and shaking out of the steel, commenced.

All steel had to be carefully rigged for lifting, assuring that the proper ID number for each piece of steel was followed for sequential installation.

All materials were lifted to the roof. Temporary protection was put in place in the form of wood dunnage and rubber pads.

These are the structural steel stair pans and stringers for the new secondary egress stair tower that is being installed between the 26 floor and the rooftop. .

Once all special inspections were complete for the floor frame, the layout work for the structural decking commenced.

This is a progress photo of the new secondary egress stair tower doghouse that was installed between the 26th floor and the new steel rooftop emergency walkway. 

The new emergency walkway was required to provide egress from the new Sky Lounge and Terrace, due to the high occupancy loads allowed under the new design. This was done to meet all NFPA and Philadelphia codes.

 Chain-link fencing, was installed on each side of the walkway to assure in a smoky condition people would stay within the constraints of the walkway and direct them to the emergency stair tower.

The structural fiberglass decking that was selected for this project allowed for 10 to 12 foot centering of the floor beams which helped value engineer the structural steel work.

Upon completion of installation of the decking, no deflection was noted when loaded with a capacity crowd.

 New powder coated fence panels were installed, connecting to the structural frame, not the parapet.

All mechnical and electrical systems were demolished in preparation for the construction of the new Sky Lounge.

 Cold Formed metal stud walls were framed up to create the new kitchenette and Sky Lounge seating area.

Fire treated blocking was placed for all cabinetry and appliances for the new kitchenette.

Upon completion of the ductwork installation, insulators arrived to wrap all ducts in insulated blankets.

 Linear diffusers were installed and set at the proper elevation to align with the hard ceilings. No acoustic drop ceilings were used in the space.

The highly trained journey men started finish installations once the drywall was hung and finished.

Structural improvements were made to the front facade of the new Sky Lounge, for installation of an 18’ wide accordion glass panel door system.

Specialty Millwrights fabricated and installed this mahogany basket, suspended ceiling. Exacting field take offs and coordination with trades must occur.

Careful planning and ordering of all long lead-time finish materials, plumbing fixtures, cabinetry and lighting fixtures, is critical to tasks being smoothly completed.

COR-TEN steel panels were shaped into planters for the new terrace. Pea gravel was placed with planting soil, new plants and a shredded mulch topping.

Plants were specifically selected for the direct sunlight and winds that are constant in this type of location.

 Once the structural fiberglass deck was installed, the elevator doghouse could be completed, including the new dark bronze store front door entry assembly for the new ADA lift lobby.

 Once the bulk of the heavy carpentry was completed, the accordion door system was installed.

The structural decking was delivered with a factory applied, two component aliphatic polyurethane anti-skid deck paint system. The system required one final coat once all deck boards were installed.

A new exterior solid mahogany pergola with a mahogany basket ceiling was installed just outside of the Sky Lounge to provide some filtered shading during sunny days.

Slate floor tiles and mahogany veneer wall coverings were placed on the interior of the Sky Lounge.

 The Sky Lounge and Terrace creates a new amenities space for tenants to relax, have meetings or entertain.

Two new ADA compliant restrooms were part of the Sky Lounge construction.

The new Garaventa Lift was certified for use by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, once all city inspections were complete.

This is the new elevator lobby on the 26th Floor. This was previously a storage closet. Extensive structural improvements had to be performed to create the roof penetration for this new ADA Lift.

 Upon completion and receipt of the Certificate of Occupancy, the Sky Lounge and Terrace became an instant hit. It has also helped the Rittenhouse Claridge stay competitive with adjacent residential rental properties. 

 Thank you to everyone at KAISERMAN Companies for the privilege of performing this highly technical and logistically challenging project!