Hawk’s Cay Resort

Constructed in the early 1980’s, Duck Key Plaza (DKP) is a three-story building comprised of concrete piles and pile caps, concrete frame (columns and beams) with CMU infill walls, precast concrete joists and beams for elevated floor framing, cast-in-place concrete floor slabs, and wood-framed roof system. The ground level, like many buildings in the Keys, is mostly open for flood purposes; the exception being the front elevation of the building, which has a CMU retaining wall integral with the ground level concrete frame.

The column repairs at DKP were prompted by visible distress in the form of cracking and spalling concrete. Some of the spalled areas had exposed corroding reinforcing steel. Because the concrete deterioration was concentrated at the exterior ground level perimeter columns, some of the damage was clearly visible, not only to tenants of the building, but also to guests enjoying nearby amenities of the resort. Specialty shoring assemblies were designed by the Engineer and used to secure the building and to facilitate its repair and renovation.

Multiple concrete repair and protection techniques were used to provide for a long-term, successful repair. The project displayed successful implementation of effective solutions to challenging problems. The Project was a model of teamwork, displaying coordination between Owner, Contractor and Biller Reinhart Engineering Group, Inc