Retaining Walls Bring New Look to Apartment Community

Location: Sandy Springs, GA
Solution Type: Maximizing Land Use
Product Type: Retaining Walls

Challenge::

Economically replace aging timber retaining walls with a strong, attractive product.

Solution::

Trinity™ Wall produced by Block USA, Georgia Division.

Project Details:

The new owners of a Sandy Springs, GA apartment complex had a problem. Their latest acquisition was built with retaining walls made of treated timbers. These original wooden walls, first installed in the 1970s, were a frequent maintenance issue.

As the walls decayed, various fixes were made, including removing the rotted wood and replacing it with hand-placed stone and concrete. Other repairs were makeshift, including driving unattractive steel bulkheads into the ground to hold up the deteriorated areas.

The new property developers embarked on a lengthy and expensive campaign to rid themselves of the problematic wooden retaining walls for good. They turned to Block USA for expertise and advice on the best way to achieve their goal.

Working with Timber Ridge Contractors, of Cumming, Georgia, Jim Kelly of Block USA's Georgia Division examined the situation and determined that Trinity Wall, a heavy duty segmental retaining wall unit manufactured in the Georgia market, would be perfect for the complex renovation project. The Trinity Wall System offers three different installation methods: frictional, mechanical or structural. Because of existing buildings and well-established trees, excavation for geogrid in the reinforcement zones was not possible. That meant a structural anchorage connection was necessary for wall stability.

The Trinity units are able to stand-up to the challenge of providing support for parking and recreation areas. They also provide a high-end aesthetic to improve the appearance of the entire residential community.

After months of painstaking work, The Reserve at Sandy Springs is now entering the final stages of its transformation. Most of the old timber walls are gone for good leaving behind a series of beautiful, long-lasting walls in a Toccoa Blend color ready to support this renovated complex for decades to come.