Greater Richmond Aquatics Partnership

Groundbreaking Ceremony, June 2011. 

The Hourigan Construction team poured more than 480 cubic yards of concrete, requiring approximately 50 concrete trucks. The pouring process takes about 10 hours, at 10 concrete trucks per hour. 

Jeremy Motsinger, Site Superintendent, discusses the precast panel installation process and project status.  

Community involvement. 

Water going into main competition pool. Photo and caption courtesy of Baskervill.

View from grandstand of starting blocks. Photo and caption courtesy of Baskervill.

View of grandstand from opposite side of competition pool. Photo and caption courtesy of Baskervill.

View from starting block side of pool to other end. Photo and caption courtesy of Baskervill.

Locker room / Restroom facilities. Photo and caption courtesy of Baskervill.

Main entrance, exterior. Photo and caption courtesy of Baskervill.

Therapy pool. Photo and caption courtesy of Baskervill.

Lobby. Photo and caption courtesy of Baskervill.

Exterior, Southwest corner. Photo and caption courtesy of Baskervill.

Exterior, Northeast corner. Photo and caption courtesy of Baskervill.

Lobby. Photo and caption courtesy of Baskervill.

Lobby. Photo and caption courtesy of Baskervill.

50-meter pool. Photo and caption courtesy of Baskervill.

50-meter Pool. Photo and caption courtesy of Baskervill.

Architecture students on tour. Photo and caption courtesy of Baskervill.

Entry lobby from stairs. Photo and caption courtesy of Baskervill.

Bleachers at 50-meter pool. Photo and caption courtesy of Baskervill.

Warm-up pool. Photo and caption courtesy of Baskervill.

50-meter pool. Photo and caption courtesy of Baskervill.

50-meter pool. Photo and caption courtesy of Baskervill.

Entry lobby interior. Photo and caption courtesy of Baskervill.

Entry lobby exterior. Photo and caption courtesy of Baskervill.

Exterior – South Elevation. Photo and caption courtesy of Baskervill.

Entrance, prior to brick and glass installation. Photo and caption courtesy of Baskervill.

Window, looking into the Community Room. Photo and caption courtesy of Baskervill.

Competition Pool...The concrete slab is poured and fall protection scaffolding is in place, to ensure safety onsite. Photo and caption courtesy of Baskervill.

Duct work and sprinkler system installation is happening in the Community Room. Photo and caption courtesy of Baskervill.

In the Grand Stand corridor, workers are caulking joints in the precast concrete. Photo and caption courtesy of Baskervill.

Mezzanine Lobby – looking out the front entrance. Photo and caption courtesy of Baskervill.

25-yard warm-up pool perspective from the Competition Pool doorway. Photo and caption courtesy of Baskervill.

Mechanical Yard on the backside of the facility. Supply Air Duct is being installed. Photo and caption courtesy of Baskervill.

Cast Stone at the Mechanical–Electrical rooms. Photo courtesy of Baskervill.

Installation of the Locker Room dividing wall. Photo courtesy of Baskervill.

Front elevation. Photo courtesy of Baskervill.

Painting of the Competition Pool roof and trusses. Photo courtesy of Baskervill.

Exterior Wall being erected for the Community Room. Photo courtesy of Baskervill.

Men prepare to lift the roof trusses. Photo courtesy of Baskervill.

A crane prepares to set the roof trusses over the main pool area. Photo courtesy of Baskervill.

Scaffolding around the stair tower of the locker room / admin area. Photo courtesy of Baskervill.

Scaffolding is set for mechanical work on roof structure in the main competition pool area. Photo courtesy of Baskervill.

Man–lifts welding the roof trusses over the main pool. Photo courtesy of Baskervill.

The wall to the left is the north end of the main pool building. The roof trusses are now being set for the warm up pool area. Photo courtesy of Baskervill.

Warm up pools in the foreground and main competition pool in the background, as the crew sets the roof trusses. Photo courtesy of Baskervill.

Welding of the roof trusses. Photo courtesy of Baskervill.

Looking across the warm up pools to the main pool area. Photo courtesy of Baskervill.

The main building is now standing. The yellow area is the support building, now under construction. Photo courtesy of Baskervill.

The precast concrete and steel erection team is lowering one of the final panels on the end of the competition pool space. Photo and caption courtesy of Baskervill.

There is a complete circulation aisle through the building and in front of the grandstand, which will tie the pool spaces together, and allow for a very safe building if there is ever an emergency. Any way you go you can get out of the building. Photo and caption courtesy of Baskervill.

This is the main axis between the male and female locker rooms, directly into the center of the competition pool. We have been calling this the "Athlete's Entrance." Photo and caption courtesy of Baskervill.

A photo as they lower a panel into place. Note all the safety gear and care with which they gingerly place a 400-ton panel. Photo and caption courtesy of Baskervill.

This tall opening will have translucent glazing so the pool space is flooded with natural light, but does not blind the swimmers with direct sunlight. This glow from inside the space will make for a much more pleasant space for all of the intense training that will happen here. Photo and caption courtesy of Baskervill.

This concrete is post-tensioned, which means it is very strong, and will resist cracking over time. The inside face is gray concrete, as it will be painted with a colorful high-performance coating. The outside is a custom mix of a warmer-tone concrete with river gravel designed specifically for this building. The mixing and finishing of panels like this is a bit of an art form. Photo and caption courtesy of Baskervill.

This is the sloped bottom of the multi-purpose pool. If you have not seen the level of technology involved in the Myrtha Pool system, check it out at their website: www.myrthapools.com/eng/myrtha-technology.htm Photo and caption courtesy of Baskervill.

The Olympic Trial pool in its original location in Omaha, Nebraska.

History in the making: Olympic qualifiers set world records as they compete to enter the Olympics.

The pool was deconstructed in Omaha and brought to Richmond via a truck caravan.

Excited Poseidon swimmers pose in front of the truck that brought the pool of their future practice site to Richmond.

Safety first: Hourigan Construction hard hats were on hand at the Groundbreaking Ceremony.

Bob Boatwright, from Hourigan Construction, assists visitors with their hard hats as they prepare for a job site tour.

Todd Donaldson of Hourigan Construction and Bobby Ukrop, GRAP board member, chat about the day’s festivities.

The Hourigan Construction team leads curious attendees down to the site area.

The future home of GRAP has been cleared and construction has begun.

Site tours were given during the Groundbreaking Ceremony, while the Hourigan Construction team remained hard at work.

Describing the process and future plans, the Hourigan Construction project team shares details with visitors.

TAKEN AT THE GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY: (L TO R) TED SALADE WITH POSEIDON, BRIAN BUTLER AND JEREMY MOTSINGER WITH HOURIGAN CONSTRUCTION, SCOTT CARSON WITH COLLEGIATE, AND TODD DONALDSON WITH HOURIGAN CONSTRUCTION.

The countdown begins as the site progresses, with pipes and concrete visible on site.

Concrete frame poured to prep the site for construction.

A CHESTERFIELD COUNTY OFFICIAL SPEAKS TO THE IMPORTANCE THE CENTER WILL HAVE FOR THE COUNTY'S YOUTH AND EXCITEMENT AROUND SWIMMING PROGRAMS FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN.

A REPRESENTATIVE FROM MYTHRA POOLS EDUCATED THE GROUP ABOUT THE UNIQUE SPECIFICATIONS OF THE POOL TO BE RECONSTRUCTED IN ITS NEW HOME.

BOBBY UKROP, GRAP BOARD MEMBER, ADDRESSES THE CROWD ABOUT THE GRAP AQUATICS CENTER AND OTHER PLANS FOR THE AREA IN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY.

Christine Branin, GRAP board member, welcomes everyone to the Groundbreaking Ceremony.

Groups of young athletes gathered and enjoyed lunch at the Groundbreaking Ceremony.

Areal view of the GRAP construction site.

Hourigan Construction on the job site beginning the building process.