The construction of an innovative cold-formed steel (CFS) framed apartment building is about to begin in the city of Tacoma, Washington. To expedite the timeline, the 11-story DMG Court will be fabricated as fully finished modular units using lightweight steel framing.
A City on the Rise
The city of Tacoma, Washington, is seeing a rise in the number of new apartments being proposed on an annual basis. Over the past two years, 187 pre-development apartment requests were received by the city.
One of the larger projects to be constructed is the 11-story DMG Court, which features lightweight cold-formed steel (CFS) framing. According to the pre-application, DMG Court will include 234-units, commercial space, amenities and structured parking with 51 stalls.
Site area plan for DMG Court in Tacoma, Washington (download complete plans).
The Steel Framing Advantage
Cold-formed steel (CFS) leads the way as the preferred framing material for prefabricated structures for multiple reasons. CFS is:
- A pre-engineered material that can be cut to exact lengths
- Dimensionally stable and does not expand or contract with changes in moisture content
- Lightweight compared to wood and concrete
- Resilient and will not warp, split, crack or creep when exposed to the elements
- Sustainable and 100% recyclable
- Durable and has a high tensile strength
- Non-combustible and is a safeguard against fire accidents
Steel Speeds Construction Up to 75%
DMG Court is being developed by:
- Pinnacle LGS, a steel framing provider
- DMG Capital Group, project development firm
- IHB Architects, designer of public and private projects
In comparison to wood, pre-panelized steel framing accelerates a construction schedule up to 75%, according to the Pinnacle LGS website. All structural components are factory produced by automation with +/- 0.3 mm precision, the company’s website says.
The estimated cost of the modular project is $70 million, with construction planned to start in June 2023.
The same team plans to develop another 252-unit apartment project, says Imad Bahbah, principal of IHB Architects. The project, DMG Plaza in Kent, will use a similar modular format and is currently in the design-review phase.
Article cited from BuildSteel