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The Plunge Renovation Project
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Project Overview
The historic Urho Saari Swim Stadium "The Plunge" was a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project and originally opened in 1940. At over 80 years old, the Plunge was in need of a renovation to continue to meet the community's aquatics and recreational needs. This project upgraded all code compliance issues and ADA requirements, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and aquatics components, and incorporated architectural enhancements that improve the overall appearance and feeling of the facility.
Project Schedule
May 2025 Updates
- Locker rooms
- In the men’s locker room, two coats of paint were applied on the ceiling.
- In the women’s locker room, tile has been installed on the floor, showers, lavatory,
- The contractor has installed the flashing for the windows on the lower floor in the locker rooms, windows will be installed this week.
- Mechanical room
- The equipment pads were framed and poured. Pool mechanical equipment has been delivered and is being installed.
- Pool
- The change order for the pool tiles was approved by City Council on May 20th, so the tiles in the small pool have been removed.
- Scaffolding in the large pool to paint the ceiling, but the scaffolding is coming down this week to start work on the large pool.
- Other work
- Installed conduits going to the switchgear.
- Sprinkler system in the building has been installed and passed inspection.
- In the lobby, the foundation and framing for the ADA lifts on both sides of the building has been installed.
- The roof replacement is still ongoing.
- Continued to build the HVAC unit platforms on the lower roof at the back of the building.
April 2025 Updates
- Locker rooms
- Resurfacing the concrete walls in the men's locker room to receive paint.
- In the women’s locker room, installed the mortar bed in the shower area.
- Installed Schluter’s, which is the metal trim for the new tiles to be installed in the women’s locker room.
- Floor tile and wall tiles are in the process of being installed.
- Mechanical room
- Framed the backwash pit which will be poured this week.
- Framing also done for the equipment pads in the mechanical room and will be poured this week. Delivery of equipment will occur over the next 2-3 weeks and be fully installed within the next month and a half.
- Pool
- Installed the remaining skimmers and return lines on the main pool.
- Installing anchor bolts, unistruts and junction box for scoreboard.
- Other work
- In the lobby, installed the foundation for the ADA lifts on both sides of the building.
- Installed the CMU blocks and mortar for the ADA shaft. Still need to pour the concrete into the walls to strengthen them.
- Removed the upper and lower roofs to be replaced. Replaced deteriorated wood roof planks.
- Continued to build the HVAC unit platforms on the lower roof at the back of the building.
- Mounting junction boxes for data, installing conduit for motion sensors at the back door of the building, and ongoing electrical and fire alarm installations. The fire sprinklers are also being installed.
- Excavating a trench at the northeast corner of the building for the installation of conduits going to the switchgear.
March 2025 Updates
- Locker rooms
- Installed drywall and insulation in the men and woman's locker room.
- Installed waste and vent line from the men's locker room to upper roof area.
- Hang drywall at the north side of the building near the small pool.
- Realigned the handrail in the men's locker room for the wheelchair turning space.
- Mechanical room
- Setting and tying rebar in the mechanical room.
- Coring in mechanical room for circulation plumbing for main and small pool.
- Installed gas supply line in the mechanical room.
- Installed and secured new water supply line in mechanical room.
- Pool
- Removed form work for skimmers at the main pool.
- Insulated existing hot water line underneath pool deck of main pool.
- Laid out and installed water line material for skimmers, return and main drain underneath the main pool deck.
- Roof
- Removed form work for skimmers at the main pool.
- Insulated existing hot water line underneath pool deck of main pool.
- Laid out and installed water line material for skimmers, return and main drain underneath the main pool deck.
- Other work
- Backfilled open trench between building and school property.
- Removed existing anchor bolts from the west side seating area.
- Installed scaffolding in view terrace area.
- Excavated and exported soil for the installation of new lines for data and power to the switch gear.
- Installed frame work for bleachers at the west side of building.
February 2025 Updates
- Locker rooms
- Continued framing the walls in both locker rooms.
- Installed the insulation and backing on the walls.
- Ran conduit for rough electrical.
- Installed the water supply for the plumbing fixtures and lavatories.
- Installed steel framing for the doors.
- Mechanical room
- Installing floor sink drain lines.
- Installing lateral lines and vent lines on the new waste line.
- Backfilled and compacted soil.
- Installed dowels and poured the concrete slab.
- Pool
- Continued coring for the new return lines in both pools.
- Roughed up the concrete walls in the pool to prepare for shotcrete application.
- Forming and positioning of skimmers, and new stairs to access the pools.
Shotcrete was installed in February.
- Other work
- Removed existing bleachers on the west side of the building.
- Installed conduit and boxes for data, power, and switches for the new offices at the back of the building.
- Installed new steel ladders on the rear of the building for roof access.
- Installed uni-struts for HVAC duct support.
- Mounting junction boxes throughout the building for lighting control.
- Installing vent lines and supply lines for the drinking fountain on the pool deck.
- Office and storage space at the back of the building have been framed, have rough electrical and data installed, and drywall and steel door frames have been installed.
January 2025 Updates
- Locker rooms
- Poured curbs in the locker rooms and started framing the walls.
- Mechanical room
- Installed new gas line.
- Pool
- Coring for the new return lines in both pools.
- Installed the main drains in both pools.
- Other work
- Demo’d brick wall under the backside of the Plunge to make way for new footing. The new footing was formed, rebar installed, and concrete poured in January.
- Installation of junction boxes and electrical conduit in terrace area.
- Installation of conduit for fire alarm system.
- Remove existing lighting throughout the building.
December 2024 Updates
- Locker rooms
- Installed floor drains and adjusted to grade.
- Installed pipe wrapping on plumbing as required.
- Backfilled and compacted soil around plumbing.
- Dowel to existing concrete in locker rooms in preparation for new slab.
- Layout formwork for stairs and ramps in locker rooms.
- Poured concrete in both locker rooms.
- Relocated and reconnected the hot and cold water supply to locker rooms.
- Installed drain line, vent line and new point of connections.
- Setting formwork for curbs, ramps, and stairs in preparation for a future concrete pour.
- Mechanical room
- Excavate to find existing drain lines and vent lines.
- Installed new roof drain in the mechanical room.
- Installed new supply water lines, including for new mop sink.
- Demolished electrical cabinet in mechanical room.
- Pool
- Demolished the pool gutters. Sawcut for the placement of new pool skimmers in the main pool.
- Hand excavated a 4-ft trench at the bottom of the main pool and small pool in preparation for the installation of the new main drain water line.
- Removed vacuum and return lines from main pool and small pool.
- Installation of new hangers to support existing water supply lines.
- Other work
- Completed seismic upgrades on the lower roof (rear of building). Additional structural upgrades on roof to prepare for the placement of new HVAC system.
- Started repair on deteriorated roof plates on upper roof.
- Installation of junction boxes and electrical conduit in terrace area.
- Installation of new vent lines (HVAC) in terrace area.
- Saw cut and removed the existing concrete cutout at the location of the new window on the second floor office area.
- Pour and finish the concrete on the terrace deck area.
November 2024 Updates
- Continue repairing the concrete spalling on the exterior of the building.
- Continued on seismic upgrades:
- Finished the FRP (fiber-reinforced polymer) wrapping on the columns.
- Installed structural blocking (6x12, 4x12, and 2x12).
- Installed expansion anchors on lower roof.
- Installing A-35 Strong ties.
- Installation of the Hold Down Connectors.
- Continued on plumbing upgrades:
- Exposing existing sewer line in the locker rooms. Existing sewer lines were in bad condition and were ultimately replaced.
- Hand trenching and installing shower drains, floor drains, lavatory sweeps and branching for the water closets in both locker rooms.
- Final inspections completed on plumbing in both locker rooms, started backfill and epoxy doweling.
- Upcoming work:
- Epoxy doweling, getting ready to pour the slab on grade. Pour estimated for December 16th.
- This week finished with exhaust fan strengthening.
- Pool starting this week in running the underground piping.
- Electrical starting this week, running conduit. Demo crew is back to finalize the remaining demo items: pool gutters, electrical cabinet, bleachers, and pool backwash pit.
October 2024 Updates
- Continued hand excavating and leveling the soil in preparation for the new concrete floor to be poured in the locker rooms. Removed ramps in the locker rooms.
- Performed demolition work underneath the pool deck consisting of removing existing electrical lighting, conduit, and various sizes of water supply lines. Removed the concrete curb on the small and large pool.
- Removed a section of the pool floor in the small pool and large pool for the installation of the new main drain plumbing.
- Performed demolition work on the second-floor office area as part of the preparation of the column retrofit work. Column retrofit work included installation of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) wrapping.
- Started installation of seismic upgrades on the upper and lower roof areas.
- Removed existing stairs on the pool deck area adjacent to the bleachers on the east side of the building.
- Installed diagonal steel stud bracing in the viewing terrace area above the east locker room.
- Demolished the seating area (bleachers) on the west side of the building.
- Continued demolition of the pool equipment and concrete pads in the mechanical room.
- Started the repair of the concrete spalling on the interior and exterior of the building.
- Started the plumbing work of the sanitary sewer in the locker rooms.
View photos of the renovation project here.
Project Documents
- City Council Agenda Packets
- City Council Presentations
- Notice Inviting Sealed Bids
- Needs Assessment and Feasibility Study
- Historical Resource Evaluation Report
- The Plunge Diagrammatic Floor Plans
- The Plunge Renders
