From the beginning of the project and continuing through construction, Gibbs' performance has been exemplary. The outcome of our team effort has been well received by the City of New Orleans and the residents of the Marigny and By-Water neighborhoods.
Pat Tobler, The Tobler Company
Often assumed as simply a vertical structure general contractor, some of Gibbs’ most prized GC roles are anchored along the New Orleans Mississippi riverbank. Gibbs Construction has left its mark on nearly three miles of the Crescent City’s water edge over the last thirty years as one of the leading outdoor parks and supporting space contractors.
Our part dates back to the early 1980s when Gibbs constructed the Korean Pavilion at the New Orleans-hosted World’s Fair. A decade later, Gibbs was awarded the contract by the City of New Orleans for the construction of the iconic Woldenburg Park. This outdoor park has become a favorite local biker and jogger trail, a tourist attraction to enjoy open-air live music performances during French Quarter Fest, and the host of many city events, such as the New Orleans Saints Super Bowl Champion celebration ground.
A fortune stroke of serendipity led Gibbs back to the riverfront to construct Mandeville Crossing, a pedestrian bridge providing access to the river’s newest public park. This 167-foot pedestrian bridge, assembled of 38 tons of weathering steel, ties this new structure to the city’s industrial and maritime past. The project features 30,000 square feet of indigenous landscaping, 4,500 square feet of new pedestrian sidewalks, a monumental staircase, two 40-foot elevators enclosed in a precast concrete shaft, and an elevated walkway crossing over the active Public Belt Railroad and Mississippi River floodwall.
As the quintessence of coordination experience, the Mandeville Crossing project required immense strategic planning. Because of the site’s unique restrictions, typical land surveying equipment could not be used. We worked with advanced scanning and optical technology for field data collection to correctly premanufacture and install this significant structure.
Preliminary work began with in-house engineering staff who determined coordinates in GPS technology to establish anchor bolt placement for the out-of-state manufacturer, as well as for field coordination to identify proper placement between the concrete footings and the bridge.
Precision and accuracy were paramount for the crew’s limited window of opportunity to lift, place and secure the structure. Both active railroad companies required timely notification for planning purposes to close the tracks for a six-hour period to allow for the installation. Scheduling was critical in order to receive this pre-manufactured bridge concurrently with the shutdown of the tracks and the power shutdown of Entergy’s high-voltage lines located directly above. The bridge was suspended 20 feet in the air by a 600-ton hydraulic crane, leaving no time for mistakes.
This elevator tower and bridge now stand as a sculptural invitation to explore what lies on the other side of the imposing floodwall that has long separated the city from one of its most beautiful and impressive features.
Project Facts
Budget
$2.3M
Size
30,000 sf
Owner
City of New Orleans
Architect
Eskew+Dumez+Ripple
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