Architectural Precast to Give Baltimore Harbor Tunnel Vent Buildings New Life
October 5, 2023 | Architectural Products
MIDLAND, VA – October 5, 2023 – Smith-Midland Corporation (NASDAQ: SMID), a provider of innovative, high-quality proprietary and patented precast concrete products and systems, will begin production on a $6.8M architectural precast panel project for the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel for Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA).
The existing vent buildings, built in 1957, will have their existing cladding removed and then re-clad with Smith-Midland’s architectural precast concrete panels, designed with thin-brick cast into the face of the panels. These buildings provide a valuable service to the tunnel and the project requires a large amount of coordination of resources, starting with the removal of the existing cladding. As the contractor uncovers the existing structure, our new design/drawings will have to ensure that our panel connections match with them seamlessly. Another element is the installation location, which is restricted and difficult to get to, which will require a crane with a 150’ reach. All of these requirements are something Smith-Midland has successful experience with. Delivery and installation will begin in 2024.
The ventilation buildings, with 16 fans per building, are instrumental in ensuring dangerous vehicle fumes are filtered out of the tunnel and replenished with fresh air, creating another layer of safe travel. Working with JMT Architects, Carroll Engineering, and W.M. Schlosser, the General Contractor, the buildings will be renovated one at a time to make sure that normal business and function of the tunnel is not disrupted.
“Our precast architectural panels are perfect for the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel project and we are looking forward to being a part of revamping the vent buildings which are such an important component of the tunnel system,” said Ashley Smith, Chief Executive Officer and President of Smith-Midland. “It’s an honor to be a part of a project that sees more than 27 million vehicles pass through it annually, and we anticipate many more high-visibility and complex projects like this in our future.”
About Smith-Midland Corporation
Smith-Midland develops, manufactures, licenses, rents, and sells a broad array of precast concrete products and systems for use primarily in the construction, transportation, and utility industries.
Smith-Midland Corporation has three manufacturing facilities located in Midland, VA, Reidsville, NC, and Columbia, SC, and a J-J Hooks® Safety Barrier rental firm, Concrete Safety Systems. Easi-Set Worldwide, a wholly owned subsidiary of Smith-Midland Corporation, licenses the production and sale of Easi-Set products, including J-J Hooks and SlenderWall®, and provides diversification opportunities to the precast industry worldwide. For more information, please call (540) 439-3266 or visit www.smithmidland.com.
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