CoreSite CH2 Data Center

CoreSite Realty Corporation is expanding its presence in downtown Chicago. The new CH2 enterprise-class data center will be located one mile from its existing CH1 facility. The 175,000 square-foot site development includes the construction of a new four-story building and site infrastructure improvements. In order to comply with the “Chicago Stormwater Management Ordinance,” Eriksson Engineering partnered with StormTrap to design a detention system for this site. The system specified meets the volume control requirements for the new development and will help reduce the flow rate of stormwater leaving the site.

As a lot-to-lot data center, located in a downtown area, space is at a premium. It was challenging to find an available area to install a stormwater management system in this site. Aaron Bruder, Design Engineer at Eriksson Engineering Associates, explained that the underground space available is extremely valuable in this type of development and should be well planned, taking in consideration the existing and new utility infrastructure (i.e., electric, fiber optic, fuel/water storage) and building structural elements that will be installed.

With the spatial limitations, the StormTrap system allowed for the greatest efficiency in meeting the necessary storage volume for this site. “StormTrap’s flexibility in terms of both footprint and height helped to identify the optimal design for the stormwater detention system that was simple to permit and easy to install while maintaining the necessary clearances from other elements of the site’s infrastructure,” affirmed Bruder.

Cast-in-place and other precast concrete options were also considered for this project; however, those would have increased labor cost and time, and they were not suitable to the project’s condensed timeline, mentioned the project engineer.

The 7’-6’’ SingleTrap basin, built with thirteen modular pieces, was installed by Ewing-Doherty in one day. The system was placed underneath the parking garage drive aisle and is capable of storing 8,100cf of water. The system discharges to a municipal combined sewer and meets Chicago’s stormwater regulations, providing storage for a minimum of the 100-year storm event. Capturing and retaining a portion of the runoff that the new development generates helps to reduce the hydrologic modification effects, recharge groundwater and provide water quality.

“StormTrap has a long-standing track record of successful installations in the Chicagoland market, and its unique combination of regional familiarity, design flexibility, ease of installation, and structural capacity made it the ideal solution for the project,” stated Bruder.