Project Description
Whitestone Associates, Inc. completed an exploration and evaluation of the subsurface conditions for the approximately 52.7 acre Canon USA, Inc. North American Headquarters office building and parking garages located in Melville, Suffolk County, New York. Whitestone also provided environmental due diligence and remediation management services for the site.
The subject site is former agricultural land located within an area of glacial outwash sand/gravel and moraine deposits. The moraine deposits at the site are the constituent material of the Ronkonkoma Moraine (which marks the maximum advance of this Wisconsinan-age glacier) for the western 37 miles of its length, where it merges with the Harbor Hill Moraine near Huntington Station.
Whitestone performed preliminary and final subsurface explorations and geotechnical evaluations for the development and construction of the 740,000 square feet, five-story office building complex with full basements, two multi-level, approximately 82,852 square feet, at-grade and below-grade, parking garage structures, recreational areas, stormwater management (SWM) facilities, and associated utilities, driveways, and landscaped areas. Cuts of up to 13 feet and fills of up to 10 feet were required to achieve design grades.
Whitestone evaluated subsurface information relevant to the feasability of shallow foundations and below grade structures as well as soil re-use options and impacts of potential problematic subsurface conditions. Whitestone’s concurrent environmental investigations identified soil contaminants above regulated standards. Whitestone’s findings led to revising site plan concepts to minimize impacts due to export of contaminated soil and mitigation measures for poor subsurface bearing conditions associated with loose soil conditions and topsoil mitigation. Whitestone developed cost-effective recommendations including:
– topsoil blending and on-site re-use options to minimize off-site management; and
– foundation subgrade stabilization to utilize conventional shallow foundations;
Whitestone was an active part of the civil and structural design team and provided specific analyses to substantiate cost-effective mitigation measures that were accepted by the regulatory agencies.
In accordance with Suffolk County Department of Health Services (SCDHS) guidance, Whitestone prepared a workplan for the remediation/management of contaminated soils at the site. The workplan included options for soil blending, soil capping, and soil relocation. During the implementation of these corrective actions, Whitestone performed full-time air monitoring and health & safety oversight. Whitestone also monitored compliance with the site’s approved workplan.