Warehouse Adapted to Accommodate More Loading Docks

Suburban Management Company’s 143,092-square-foot warehouse spans 16 acres and is conveniently located less than 35 miles from the Philadelphia International Airport. The single-story facility started with only 4 loading docks, but with the new addition, now boasts twenty-four (24) loading docks, 8 drive-in bays, and a 31’ ceiling height.

Twenty (20) new Blue Giant overhead loading dock doors and dock levelers were designed and installed by our team, with modifications to the existing building structure and the underpinning of the existing footing as required. The scope of work also included adding concrete retaining walls with fall protection, and site modifications to lower the existing grade at the new dock positions to a height to allow warehouse equipment to access the trucks.

Our firm provided design documentation for the new 20 docks, detailing of site/interior modifications for a proposed tenant, architectural design, structural engineering services, and civil engineering design assistance. We were also on hand to answer any questions that building code officials and contractors may have had during the process.

The first step in the project was to conduct a field survey to verify existing conditions and update the schematic plan based on those field conditions. On one side of the warehouse, the design for eight (8) of the new loading docks would need to accommodate the existing steel structure behind the facade. The solution was to space the docks in this section further apart to avoid the need for expensive structural changes. A bulk pour foundation and concrete wall were constructed to encompass and underpin the existing building foundation.

Keeping water away from the loading docks is a design imperative. At this location, site and grading issues needed to be addressed to get the proper slope back to the loading docks, making certain that the correct angle for the trucks coming towards the building is maintained. With no sanitary or stormwater lines on one side of the building, the interior work included putting in a pump to get the sanitary lines over to the other side of the building.

Existing docks that were renovated received updated dock levelers, dock bumpers, and wheel locks. A lighting system that interfaces with the wheel locks tells drivers when they can pull in and out - green means go!

New Blue Giant Loading Docks Added to Warehouse in Pennsylvania