Mezzanine Case Studies

Porta-King Designs New Work Environment for Scott AFB

Porta-King has designed new office space for Scott Air Force Base (SAFB) to merge an entire department that was relocating from another building. This unique project required Porta-King to work within the support structure of a very old building to create the mezzanine bays and modular offices required for the new space.

Reusing Older Buildings Reduced Overall Cost

Mezzanines can be installed in buildings at a fraction of the cost and time it would need to build new space. Since there was enough usable ceiling space available in a pre-existing building, there was no need for SAFB to build an entirely new structure to accommodate the move. [Read more…]

Porta-King’s Rooftop Catwalk at St. Francis Hospital Improves Safety

st.francis catwalk St. Francis Hospital in Litchfield, Illinois was concerned that only a ladder was being used to reach HVAC units on their roof. This system posed many safety threats, especially during inclement weather. Porta-King was able to negate these concerns by installing a rooftop catwalk in a timely manner while taking into consideration preexisting structures.

Mezzanines as Catwalks

Mezzanines aren’t just for adding more work space or to create reinforcing structures to support machinery. They can also be used as catwalks. Catwalks are used to access spaces above the ground floor, like along a roof connecting buildings together. [Read more…]

Porta-King’s Thunderdome Mezzanine to Survive San Andreas Fault

Thunderdome In our last blog, we discussed how building modular mezzanines for seismic-heavy areas is an essential and complex step to ensuring employees and materials are safe when an earthquake strikes. Recently, we got to put these tools to the test by building a modular mezzanine for Universal Studios in California that would lie directly on the San Andreas Fault Line.

Size Matters

The larger the structure, the more important its seismic safety becomes. The modular mezzanine in questions would occupy Universal’s Thunderdome Warehouse, so named for one of their vintage rides. This warehouse required a mezzanine that was 50 feet by 58 feet with a top of deck platform that would reach 14 feet high. In order to keep such a large structure seismic-resistant, we combined Type 1 beam to column connections along with other seismic design considerations. This included boxing around existing seismically designed building columns to ensure maximum safety. [Read more…]

Mezzanine Structures from Porta-King Turn Unused Ceiling Square Footage into Usable, Organized Space

Companies needing to expand and organize their usable work space are “looking up” rather than “out” by installing premanufactured mezzanine structures. Mezzanine solutions give facilities the opportunity to expand quickly and affordably, with very little time or capital lost during the installation process. Businesses are also recognizing the opportunity to maximize their usable space without the hassles of on-site construction.

That’s exactly what happened in Orange County, NY when the Department of Public Works (DPW) was in search of a unique workspace solution. “They were looking for a way to take their existing garage and office space and utilize it to capacity without having to expand the building,” said Gregg Pearlstone, Porta-King vice president. “Since the facility houses an automotive center complete with road equipment, tools and tires, DPW needed an efficient, cost-effective way to utilize square footage to capacity. Our mezzanine proposal provided a custom solution that fit the bill for the client’s specific needs.”

According to Pearlstone, mezzanines are especially popular in warehouses and manufacturing facilities with high ceilings that allow for upward growth. “They give companies and government entities like DPW the opportunity to turn existing, unused ‘air’ space into a usable, secure environment for office expansion, production or storage,” he said.

In the case of DPW, the mezzanine unit provides a secure, safe storage area for tires with the inclusion of a specially adapted tire lift. “The key here being,” added Pearlstone, “that they now have the infrastructure in place to manage other related functions in the future including heavy equipment such as motors.”

Pearlstone indicated Porta-King’s pre-engineered mezzanines are designed with the customer’s schedule in mind, with an installation process up to 40% faster than competitive mezzanine systems.

Porta-King’s mezzanine products come with a number of unique features, including a single piece panelized guard rail system that installs directly onto the deck of the mezzanine, as well as fully pre-assembled stairs. Porta-King mezzanines feature pre-installed beam to column and purlin connections. The beam to column mezzanine connections are AISC Type 1 and Type 3.

In addition to the traditional indoor mezzanines, Porta-King also offers outdoor models for use as guard towers, observation towers and elevated platforms. All Porta-King mezzanines meet the 2006 compliance specifications of the International Building Code.

“We’re a solutions provider for our customers,” concluded Pearlstone. “From conception to application installation, our projects are solution-oriented and are custom designed to meet the specific needs and applications of the business at hand. From an economy of scale perspective, we also give business owners the opportunity to better utilize their square footage allocations without the high cost of new building construction or expansion.”

Porta-King has been a leader in prefabricated steel mezzanines since 1969. In addition to a full line of mezzanine systems and solutions, Porta-King manufactures pre-assembled buildings, steel and aluminum shelters and custom modular wall systems. Porta-King pre-fabricated buildings provide shelter, storage and security solutions for virtually any working environment. For more information, visit the company on-line www.portaking.com or call 800-284-5346.

Modular Office and Mezzanine Create Solution in Airport Hangar Remodel – A Case Study

The Company
FBO Air is a company that sells and repairs aircraft for individual and corporate clients. They operate out of a hangar at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport in Avoca, Pennsylvania.

The Problem
The traditionally built office area the company was using in the hangar was in disrepair and out of date, taking up too much square footage and providing too little usable space. It also wasn’t providing the professional atmosphere that their customers expected when they visited FBO Air for a purchase or repair. The entire hangar was in need of an update, so the company made the decision to remodel at the request of the company’s President.

How Porta-King Helped
A big goal of the remodeling process was to determine an efficient solution that provided usable, professional office space, without taking up too much room in the hangar. They priced traditional and modular options and decided Porta-King provided the best option and the most efficient installation process. So they chose to build modular with Porta-King.

Porta-King proposed and built a mezzanine with modular office space on the upper level, and a partially enclosed modular area below. The idea was to provide a professional place for business, as well as a usable space for the mechanics. The upper level of the structure was fitted with FAA office room, management offices and a parts room. Each room has individual heating and air conditioning controls. Carpet and shelving was installed in each. The area left unenclosed on the bottom level was used for tool storage and work space.

Everyone involved was happy with the result, and the president of FBO Air was brought in to review the project. He was thrilled with the product, the price and the speed in which it was installed. The project was finished in the third week of January ’07 and FBO Air has received numerous compliments and inquiries about their modular construction solution from customers and others who have come through and noticed the new space.

The Results
Professionalism – FBO Air has a professional appearance and presence inside their facility to support the image that their customers hold for the company.

Versatility – A big reason the company decided to go with Porta-King is the versatility of the product. Modular building products can be easily uninstalled and moved to accommodate any necessary changes in the future.

Cost-Effective Solution – FBO Air certainly saved both time and money in choosing to implement Porta-King’s modular solution. But because modular buildings are legally considered equipment rather than real estate, the purchase can also be depreciated off the books and save them tax revenue.