Three Key Facts:
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- The “rapidly deteriorating” McNamara Federal Building’s garage in Detroit is getting a major upgrade thanks to a $34 million award funded by the Biden-Harris Inflation Reduction Act.
- The renovation will feature the use of low-polluting construction materials that are estimated to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of at least 17 metric tons of carbon dioxide.
- The project will include Project Labor Agreements with the unions that represent the workers who will begin work on the project in spring 2025 and complete it in 2027.
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Thanks to a $34 million federal grant, the parking garage at McNamara Federal Building in Detroit will be getting a major upgrade to make it safer. According to the Government Services Administration (GSA), the project will “complete critical structural and related system upgrades to the parking garage, correcting serious life-safety deficiencies and operability issues of the rapidly deteriorating garage.” The upgrade will feature the use of low-polluting materials and the addition of 22 EV chargers.
During a recent visit to the Detroit Electrical Industry Training (EITC) Center, GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan said that the project, part of a national infrastructure investment, is a “triple win” for the country.
“Thanks to once-in-a-generation investments in our nation’s infrastructure, we’re using over $3.4 billion from the Inflation Reduction Act to get a triple win: creating more American jobs, reducing energy consumption which saves taxpayer dollars, and ensuring healthier communities,” Carnahan said.
Additionally, the federal government is asking for Project Labor Agreements – collective bargaining agreements between building trade unions and contractors – on all major construction projects.
“Why are we doing this?” asked Carnahan. “Well, we’re doing it because it’s not only good for workers having fair wages, good benefits, and safe work conditions. It’s good for us as the government, right? Because we get good quality results. It’s good for taxpayers because the job gets done right the first time.”
The five-level, 216-space, 119,442 square foot parking deck, which the GSA describes as “rapidly deteriorating”, will get complete critical structural and related system repairs and upgrades to portions of the concrete parking decks, as well as replacement of asphalt driving surfaces with concrete surfaces. In addition to the installation of EV charging stations, the project also improves storm drains, exhaust ventilation, and electrical, lighting, fire, and life-safety systems, as well as repairs exterior concrete stairs, and replaces signage.
The project is being funded by the Biden-Harris Inflation Reduction Act. Construction is estimated to begin in the spring of 2025 and be completed in 2027.
During her visit, Carnahan said she had visited a concrete supplier to the federal government. She asked them how much more it would cost for their new concrete with dramatically lower carbon emissions and was told, “It’s not going to cost you any more, and it’s better quality concrete.” When she asked why they had never done this before, they replied, “No one has ever asked.”
“So now the federal government is asking,” Carnahan said.The use of construction materials that produce less pollution during manufacturing means that material selections alone are estimated to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of at least 17 metric tons of carbon dioxide, according to the GSA.
