ICE® 216D Spruces Up Aged Apartment Complex
Editor: Allison Braswell 

Residents of the long-troubled Sandpiper Cove apartment complex in Galveston, TX have been feeling trapped in their homes with terrible living conditions, yearning for overdue repairs to the building. The 192-unit complex was built in 1971, but its foundation dates back to the early 1900s. 

For the past century, the original, red brick foundations beneath Winnie Street have been reused over and over again for new structures. This may have been the most cost-effective option at the time of Sandpiper Cove's construction, but the infamous soil of Texas is abundant in clay content. As the soil absorbs water from rainfall, it acts like a sponge, expanding and putting pressure on a building's foundation. This can cause foundational cracks and leave the foundation open to sinking water. On the other hand, the contraction of clay-rich soil caused by dryness can create a gap between the foundation wall and surrounding landscape, making it easy for water to collect and settle. Both of these factors could wreak havoc on floors and plumbing in buildings like Sandpiper Cove. The owner of the apartment complex vowed to spend up to $17 million to upgrade the units to more livable conditions. 

One of the upgrades involves remediating the existing foundations. Putnam Builders was selected to construct a sheet pile wall that will prevent any water intrusion caused by storm surge. The contractor's selection of equipment was critical because too large of a hammer would cause more damage to the apartments. They found the ICE® 216D Vibratory Hammer to be the perfect size for driving the $1.5 million-worth of sheet pile material. 25' (ft) sheets were driven 2600' (ft) around the whole apartment block, similar to a storm levee. A storm-water pump station with automatic water control gates will be also installed to move excess rainwater from lower to higher elevation for further protection. On an interesting note, the construction crews made an eerie discovery: 14 empty coffins used as ground fill back when the foundation was first established! 

Sandpiper Cove residents will live with better peace of mind knowing that this upgrade will improve their current living situations. Equipping your property with proper drainage systems can maintain a balanced level of moisture in your soil and uphold your foundation for years to come. Thank you to Putnam for making ICE® a part of Galveston's mission to preserve affordable housing developments for residents needing good-quality, low-cost rental accommodations. 

Learn more about the ICE® 216D.