Pike Place Market

Pike Place Market

Pike Place Market

Pike Place Market

Rushing was the Mechanical and Electrical Engineer of Record for this 325,000 GFS campus upgrade to the historic Pike Place Market.

Extensive upgrades where made to the electrical, HVAC, and plumbing systems while the public spaces remained fully operational 24/7; Rushing designed the work with careful phasing in mind to ensure spaces could remain operational and occupied during renovations. Engineering services provided extensive upgrades to the electrical and plumbing systems, fire sprinkler repair and upgrades, new heating and cooling systems for multiple buildings, and a new mechanical central plant . The Market area is a true “multi-use” collection of buildings that include retail and restaurant facilities, office, residential, and common areas.

The extensive renovations focused primarily on the outdated electrical distribution system; the bulk of the electrical distribution systems in seven buildings needed to be replaced due to age and code changes. Others required new digital metering systems to replace the outdated analog readers – a total of 98 new meters where installed, which now individually track each tenants actual energy consumption, including water and BTUHs.

Ventilation, Energy, and Electrical Code compliance was negotiated with Seattle DPD by Rushing. Rushing helped the Market strategize on operable windows, envelope strategies, and optimization of the replacement mechanical and electrical systems.

Energy conservation measures included:
  • High efficiency water to water heat pumps
  • Heat recovery from water cooled refrigeration cases
  • High efficiency gas fired condensing boilers
  • Replace single pane glazing with code u-value glazing  

Each of the market’s three primary transformers needed to be replaced, which meant three new Seattle City Light underground vaults. Space is tight at the market, especially underground, and portions of the market would have had to have been seismically strengthened in order to support the excavation work necessary for an underground vault, so rather than build three separate vaults, Rushing engineers entered into aggressive negotiations with Seattle City Light to allow the market to instead build one large vault to house all three transformers, saving the client money and helping shore up the power grid for the city.

By working closely with the market, its tenants and the other project team members, Rushing was been able to help steer this $73 million dollar construction project to a successful completion.