The Background
The Woodmar Development Project welcomed a tri-tenant commercial development to Littleton, Colorado, which featured a Discount Tire, an Advance Auto Parts, and the very first Living Water Express Car Wash. The Aslan team joined the project at the pre-development stage to solve development challenges that, to many, seemed unsolvable. Through creative problem-solving and value engineering, our team completed everything from underground civil-heavy construction all the way to the rooftops.
The site was originally zoned parks and recreation and lacked critical infrastructure. Development would require extensive land work that other developers declined to work on. But our client had their heart set on the site, so they called Aslan to get it done.
The Challenges
The developmental and infrastructural challenges consisted of:
- Missing storm sewer – The development required a retention pond, but the property had no storm sewer nearby to safely convey runoff water.
- 10% grade differential – The land needed extensive grading in order to construct a flat and even pad-ready site.
- Utility issues – The site’s utilities needed to be taken down 5-6 feet, including fiber optics and power for the entire South Littleton area.
- Ingress/egress requirement – The site was positioned directly off a state highway with strict requirements for property entryways and exitways.
- Geotechnical insecurity – Construction presented extensive geotechnical complications, as the rocky soil caused by the Dipping Bedrock Geological District could lead to soil movement without careful mitigation.
Critical and Creative Development
After seeing these issues, most other developers walked away from the project. In fact, other developers advised our team to walk away too! But our team carries extensive developmental knowledge and experience that equips us to get more granular in problem-solving for clients.
Our rule of thumb is to assess and problem-solve critical issues before land acquisition to avoid costly issues later on. For Woodmar, we walked the raw dirt site with a critical eye and an open mind for creative solutions. Then, we communicated transparently with the client about what they were up against, the potential solutions, and estimated costs.
Our Experienced Solution
1. Neighboring storm sewer – The Aslan team identified the storm drain through the street and in a neighboring development, so we advised our client to secure an easement to be able to utilize it.
2. Grade correction – Our team used extensive retaining walls, maximum grade slopes, and creative site layouts to lower the top by 8 feet and raise the bottom by 20 feet to create a flat, pad-ready site.
3. Utility relocation – Our team carefully relocated the fiber optics and power lines down to align with the even pad, using surgical precision to ensure the adjustments did not lead to further complications down the road.
4. CDOT collaboration – We partnered with the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) to construct an accelerate lane, a decelerate lane, and block walls compliant with their easement requirements and access limitations.
5. Foundational safeguards – To secure the final structures, our team constructed substantial drilled caissons as well as a structural floor to mitigate the risk of soil movement below.
Why Value Engineering Made All the Difference
These solutions wouldn’t have been possible without value engineering: our ability to problem-solve at project start. Our client at Woodmar involved the Aslan team even before land acquisition, which allowed us ample time to collaborate on and pursue creative solutions.
READ: Problem-Solving in Advance: Why Value Engineering Makes All the Difference in Commercial Construction
We love working with our clients in any capacity, but when we can value engineer, that’s where we see the most cost-saving, streamlined solutions that exceed expectations. We’re grateful for the development team on this project who trusted us to solve the unsolvable problems and end up with a fantastic development serving the Littleton community.