Technical Description:
• Keystone Compac
® III
• Walls: 5
• Total Wall Area: 5,729 sf
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Keystone’s retaining wall systems have been used on several childcare center projects in Colorado for Children’s Learning Adventure USA. For the new center in Parker, two of the walls surrounding the building and elaborate playground area were designed and built with Keystone Compac® III straight split units, on which a fieldstone veneer was anchored, resulting in a unique two-layer wall. The unique wall design was not intended for fortification or preventing intrepid children from breaking out; instead it was a cost-effective way to accommodate a specific stone wall element specified for aesthetic purposes and required for approval.
Children’s Learning Adventure is a growing, upscale childcare operation with large, impressive centers having state-of-the-art classrooms and robust play and adventure areas both indoors and out. An aspect of their branding is a high profile, visually stimulating physical presence that appeals to children as a place to find excitement and action, at the same time conveying a sense of safety and quality to parents.
The wall contractor/installer was Pinnacle Structures, Inc., which secured the project when project manager Jason Neppl teamed with Keystone to tackle the wall/veneer requirement with a segmental wall system rather than cast-in-place concrete walls.
Of the five walls – a total of 5,729 square feet – built on this project, the two with veneer are in the front of the building with the stacked fieldstone on the outside wall face. A poured concrete leveling pad, extending 12 inches in front of the Keystone wall, supports the stone veneer wall. Stacked stones were mortared to finished grade at the wall base, then dry-stacked and secured with 3 ½-inch split-tail anchors to the Keystone wall face. A natural stone cap extends across both walls, grouted in place for a stability-enhancing finish.
Commenting on the project, Neppl said, “When I put together the bid, I contacted Keystone knowing that if we came at the project from a different angle and proposed one of their retaining wall systems rather than the approach in the RFP – cast-in-place concrete – there would be a significant cost savings yet we’d maintain high quality standards and there wouldn’t be a negative impact on the schedule. That’s the way to win projects and impress clients.”
Technical Description:
• Keystone Compac
® III
• Walls: 5
• Total Wall Area: 5,729 sf
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