Transwestern TI (Newville, PA)

A Phased Turnover Approach to Construction to Expedite Tenant Occupancy

Meeting crucial tenant occupancy goals was a priority on this 753,000 square-foot custom warehouse and distribution center build. The new site was planned as a major distribution hub for a large international entertainment brand so gaining access to racking areas and supporting inbound offices was critical. To meet the timeline milestones, Penntex executed a phased turnover approach to construction and delivery, allowing specialized tenant operations to get up and running as construction was wrapping up in other areas.

Completing Sitework for the Base Building

To achieve a balanced site, Penntex moved over 1 million yards of material across the site, including accommodating what started out as a nearly 54-foot change in elevation from one side of the lot to the other. The sitework scope also included installation of an injection well system that collects rainwater from the roof and sends it through a UV sanitation system before injecting the water back into the well system for future use.

Constructing with Precision

To accommodate the tenant’s KNAPP automation system, the floor was poured separately to ensure it met tight tolerance requirements (achieving flatness with 15mm across the space).

Overcoming Supply Chain Challenges to Deliver Expedited Occupancy

Because of the long lead times impacting switchgear, Penntex used a 500kw generator to temporarily power 90% of the building, including the robotic systems within the warehouse. It takes a lot of air flow to effectively operate the robotic systems, so a temporary air compressor with a large diesel fuel tank situated outside of the facility was used to support the systems for the tenant’s interim occupancy period. The final delivery includes redundant systems so that if one power source or air compressor goes down there is a backup to supply the entire facility.

Strategic construction planning and close collaboration with the tenant and their representatives were vital to delivering early occupancy and ensuring tenant operations could begin and run smoothly as construction wrapped up around the facility.