Elmer A. Henderson: A Johns Hopkins Partnership School

EBA provided geotechnical investigation and engineering services for the new Henderson-Hopkins Partnership School, a $42 million, 90,000-square-foot facility located on a 7-acre campus in East Baltimore. This K-8 school is the cornerstone project of a $1.8 billion effort to transform the community with new businesses and homes.

The investigation revealed the presence of existing fill to depths of 10 feet containing miscellaneous materials. As a result, EBA recommended ground improvements including installing aggregate piers to improve soil conditions, support the building foundations, and control settlement.

EBA’s geotechnical engineers encountered an unusual challenge during the construction phase involving a 100-year-old concrete arch sewer under Collington Street that could be affected by the construction. EBA’s condition assessment found the sewer to be in questionable structural condition.

EBA designed an auger-assisted, pressed-in, sheet-pile shoring system; provided an emergency action plan; developed a vibration monitoring program; and monitored the sewer condition during construction. The project required expedited engineering services due to a tight, 6-month school delivery deadline. EBA met the challenges and completed the project on time and under budget.

This project received the 2015 Outstanding Project of the Year award from the American Council of Engineering Companies of Maryland (ACEC/MD).