Arlington Heights, a northwest suburb of Chicago, has long been a haven for the business commuter. Located along one of the METRA commuter rail lines, it has for some time had a thriving downtown with a variety of apartments, condominiums, office space, shops and restaurants. Recently, the village embarked upon several new projects to enhance their downtown area including Arlington Town Square; a multi-use project incorporating condominiums, office space, retail and a 500-car underground garage. With their staff stretched thin, they called upon CEG to provide consulting services including: assisting them with the review of the construction documents, planning, material selections and periodic construction overview. These functions have helped the Village optimize the use of the parking garage, improve the lighting, maintain a high level of security for patrons, and improve the construction quality.

The parking garage is constructed of flat concrete slabs supported on post-tensioned concrete beams. Most of the garage is under the various buildings; but there are some plaza areas and a grade level drive lane with parking. The drive lanes have a waterproof membrane with a concrete wearing slab. Since the project is a multi-use development, a variety of situations required review.

Currently the project is 90% complete. Not only will it be a successful project, but also it will be a catalyst for future downtown development.