Universal

Construction on the Universal Avionics Systems Corp. campus in Tucson, a 225-ft.-wide clear-span structure, is nearing completion.

The 60,000-sq.-ft., one-story building is linked to an existing Universal Avionics structure by three connecting corridors, mirroring the corridor links among other campus buildings.

Ultimately, the new $5.3 million building will house 120 to 130 employees in the Engineering Design Center.

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"This is the second large clear-span building we've built for Universal Avionics, both of them very similar with Butler-type clear-span metal roof structures," said Tom Chestnut, president of Chestnut Construction of Tucson, the general contractor. "This kind of building is unusual in Tucson, but it allows the users total flexibility in how they configure the building because there are no interior columns to work around."

He added that clear-span construction usually is used in manufacturing plants, where "they generally move equipment within the space."

"It is unique to put a clearspan into the R&D setting because we usually see it in manufacturing where they regularly move equipment within the space."

In addition to using the flexibility that comes from having so much open space, Universal Avionics put another twist into the new building, according to Kevin Morrow, principal in the Tucson office of the project architects, Gromatzky & Dupree and Associates.

"Nearly the entire floor of the Engineering Design Center is built on a raised floor platform," he said. "That allows the flexibility to put voice, electrical and data cabling in that space so it can be easily reconfigured in the physical space above it for the offices and laboratories."

Morrow added that the combination of the clear span and raised floor platform is an unusual design element for engineering operations in southern Arizona.

"We generally don't see these configurations in office space very much solely because it's more expensive," he added.

Morrow said the depth of the building frame, part of a pre-engineered structure by Butler Building System, runs between 6 and 8 ft. It was supplied and erected by Cobre Building Systems of Tucson.

The outside walls of the center consist of masonry concrete block with a smooth plaster exterior. The north-facing elevation, which faces Valencia Road, employs the same exterior facings, textured plaster skin, and window systems as the building to the east.

Mike Johnson, Chestnut Construction's project superintendent, said the open height of the roof runs between 21 and 24 ft. high, and once all the offices and laboratories are constructed, ceiling heights will be 10 ft.

"They've placed offices and conference rooms around the perimeter of the building where they'll get natural light from the windows," he said. " Many of the laboratories are located on the interior spaces where the large open areas will be used for testing."

Plans call for approximately 45 offices and conference rooms and 10 laboratories to be located in the center.

The east side of the building is flanked by open courtyards that are pierced by three connector corridors to link the new structure with the nearby existing building.

"The connector walkways are glassed in and exterior doors will give access to the courtyards," Johnson said.

Once the clear span was erected and the exterior walls put up, the interior work proceeded quickly, Johnson added.

"We put the ceiling grid in first, and then laid on the computer floor," he said. "The ceiling had to be done first because we could have damaged the computer floor if we had put any lifts on it."

Erection of the interior walls will complete the interior, along with installation of fixtures.
Johnson said he expects the building to be completed by Nov. 1.

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