At the site of the former Pabst Brewery in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a major redevelopment of the property into a diverse, mixed-use neighborhood included the construction of a new $16.5 million parking structure that specified two “blue ribbon” coating systems from Tnemec. “Pabst Brewery is a historical site that sits on top of a hill overlooking Milwaukee,” Tnemec coating consultant Cory Erickson observed. “Given the unique character of this landmark site, planners wanted to build the nicest parking structure possible and they wanted coating systems that offered the longest lifecycle possible. The 20-acre complex is a beautiful place and there are some amazing buildings in the redevelopment.”
The eight level 880-space parking structure is available to the offices, retail businesses, and residences in the downtown neighborhood known as “The Brewery”. The mixed-use redevelopment has been approved by the U.S. Green Building Council for platinum certification for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for Neighborhood Development program, which is designed to recognize large environmentally sustainable developments.
Exterior steel and interior handrails for the project’s two stairways were prepared in accordance with SSPC-SP6/NACE No. 3 Commercial Blast Cleaning and shop-primed with more than 170 gallons of Series H90-97 Tneme-Zinc, an advanced technology aromatic, zinc-rich, moisture-cured urethane. The handrails received a roller-applied intermediate coat of Series L69 Hi-Build Epoxoline II, a polyamidoamine epoxy, which offers low volatile organic compound (VOC) content and excellent resistance to abrasion. The finish coat was Series 1080 Endura-Shield, a waterborne acrylic polyurethane with low-VOC content, and high color and gloss retention. “Both staircases were inside the building, so they fell under LEED requirements,” Erickson explained.
Nearly 120 gallons of Series 73 Endura-Shield, an aliphatic acrylic polyurethane, were roller-applied as the intermediate coat on the parking structure’s exterior steel. Series 73 is highly resistant to abrasion, wet conditions, corrosive fumes, and weathering. The finish coat was Series 1071 Fluoronar, an advanced thermoset solution fluoropolymer, which provides an ultra-durable finish with outstanding color and gloss retention. The project required 100 gallons of Fluoronar, which was roller-applied. “Fluoronar was specified for its longevity,” Erickson added. “The coating contractor was especially pleased with the user-friendly application compared to other coatings.”
Founded in 1844, the Pabst Brewery in Milwaukee was once the largest brewery in America, bottling millions of barrels of Pabst Blue Ribbon and other brands. Pabst Brewing Co. shut down its Milwaukee complex in 1996.