Philadelphia’s First Mass Timber Office Building Complete

Image source: Ellispreserve.com

The Mass Timber Office Building project at Ellis Preserve in Newtown Square, PA, is Philadelphia’s first mass timber commercial office building.

This $44.3 million, five-story building was completed on schedule and within budget, integrating mass timber with conventional steel and concrete, and requiring extensive coordination. Mass timber was used for the above-ground structure, sequestering 720 metric tons of CO2, while traditional materials were employed for the below-ground components, including a precast concrete garage.

Did you know? Mass timber construction is a building technique that uses large, prefabricated, multilayered panels of solid wood to create floors and walls that are typically 5 to 12 inches thick. These panels are made from engineered wood products.

Mass timber is a strong, low-carbon alternative to concrete and steel that’s valued for its natural beauty, strength, and versatility. It can be used as a load-bearing structure and an interior finish material in large-scale infrastructure projects like buildings and bridges.

Image source: Ellispreserve.com

The project faced several structural design challenges, such as integrating mass timber with steel-tie rod braces for lateral resistance and addressing structural complexities like cantilevered elements. Foundation hurdles included the use of helical piles due to unsuitable soil conditions, but these were overcome to maintain the schedule. Fire rating requirements demanded specific considerations for mass timber elements, and permitting involved educating stakeholders about mass timber’s properties.

Bohler’s Chalfont, Pennsylvania, team has provided master planning, site civil engineering design, permitting, and construction administration services at Ellis Preserve for more than a decade. Spanning 218 acres and more than 2.6 million square feet, the town center includes multifamily residential units, 800,000 SF of office space, retail shops and restaurants, and a hotel.

This latest mass timber office project demonstrates the potential of mass timber in commercial construction, offering aesthetic and environmental benefits despite higher costs compared to traditional materials.

Read more in Engineering News Record.