SHOWCASE : Parking Ramps

The Perfect Balance of Durability, Aesthetics, Economy, and Maintenance.

Parking owners and developers realize that first impressions play a major role in repeat business. Parking structures need to exude a comfort, reassurance and ease of use. No longer are they drab gray boxes hidden away. Instead, they're a major visual element in commercial construction and their architectural design is just as important as their function. Building the best parking structure for a site requires a careful balance between design, budget, function and aesthetics.

At Wells Concrete, we understand the importance of finding that balance by making it easy to plan, budget, design and erect your parking structure. Our design/build team works closely with you to build a durable, long-lasting attractive parking structure that will mean more money for your bottomline. No single construction material can rival precast concrete's design, function, durability and cost effectiveness.

Durability
Building a durable, corrosion-resistant parking structure begins with quality concrete. At Wells Concrete, our precast parking structures are built to last and are engineered to withstand the abusive forces of Mother Nature and even the occasional careless driver. Our precast concrete members are produced and cast under tight controls to ensure a low water to cement ratio. The lower the water-to-cement ratio, the more impermeable the concrete will be and the more strength it will have to prevent shrink-related cracking.

Best of all, our factory conditions allow for temperature and humidity control during the curing stage, helping the concrete attain its strength to ensure durability and resistance to chemical attack. Our heat-cured concrete results in a minimum 6,000 psi of compressive strength to help it withstand thermal contraction and expansion, preventing surface scaling and cracking.

Aesthetics
When it comes to aesthetics and design flexibility, Wells Concrete precast concrete gives the designer a wide palette of colors, shapes, textures and materials to choose from. And because precast concrete requires fewer columns than other systems, you can design an appealing, naturally lit, open-look garage to help deter would-be criminals.

To achieve the greatest visual impact, cost effectiveness and efficiency for your parking structure, take a look at what architectural treatments precast concrete offers:

A wide array of colors and textures using aggregates and cements
Contours and shapes to achieve rounded and unusually shaped profiles
Panels with decorative reveals
Brick veneers to replicate brick masonry
Best of all, these architectural details are all fabricated at our plant, saving you valuable on-site finishing time

Economics
Worrying about weather conditions and labor delays are a thing of the past when you build with Wells Concrete precast concrete. Our precast components can be erected under most any environmental conditions with minimal labor requirements, without compromising concrete strength or turning a carefully planned construction schedule into a logistical nightmare.

That's because production moves forward at our indoor manufacturing facilities rain or shine. A quick turn-around translates into an earlier occupancy than with cast-in place concrete or other construction methods?saving you money by reducing financing costs and providing an immediate return on your investment.

Why Precast?
Building a durable, corrosion-resistant parking structure begins with quality concrete. At Wells Concrete, our precast parking structures are built to last and are engineered to withstand the abusive forces of Mother Nature and even the occasional careless driver.

Our precast concrete members are produced and cast under tight controls to ensure a low water to cement ratio. The lower the water-to-cement ratio, the more impermeable the concrete will be and the more strength it will have to prevent shrink-related cracking.

Best of all, our factory conditions allow for temperature and humidity control during the curing stage, helping the concrete attain its strength to ensure durability and resistance to chemical attack. Our heat-cured concrete results in a minimum 6,000 psi of compressive strength to help it withstand thermal contraction and expansion, preventing surface scaling and cracking.

		Design Flexibility	Construction Costs	Drainage	Curing Conditions
Poured		Minimal. A typical poured concrete parking ramp looks like a gray cube.	High. Each and every part has to be formed and cured on site, drastically increasing construction cost and time	Unpredictable. The skills of the laborers are required to achieve optimum slopes	Outdoors. The mixing and pouring of concrete takes place at the job site where temperature and humidity is unpredictable resulting in less quality control over the water-cement ratio.
		Design Flexibility	Construction Costs	Drainage	Curing Conditions
Precast		Greatly increased. A precast concrete ramp can use panels, which mimic more costly facing materials such as: limestone, granite and terra cotta. Precast concrete also has the capability for more architectural details like stone veneers, reveals, joints, sills and curved elements.	Lower. With many identical panels and structural members, only a few molds are made and the repetition of forming many precast parts creates efficiency, reducing cost of labor and time of construction.	Reliable. Exactness of precasting ensures that all slopes will allow for proper drainage—avoiding the nuisance of pooling, which allows concrete to absorb chlorides increasing oxidation (rusting) of steel and deterioration of concrete.	Indoors. All concrete fabrication takes place at one facility. Tight controls ensure optimum temperatures, humidity and proper water-cement ratio, resulting in maximum strength and corrosion resistance.

Grand Forks, North Dakota : University of North Dakota Parking Ramp

Grand Forks, North Dakota : Grand Forks County Parking Ramp

Minot, North Dakota : Parking Ramp

Grand Forks, North Dakota : Corporate Parking Ramp

Edina, Minnesota : Centennial Parking Ramp

Bloomington, Minnesota : Orthopaedic Center and Parking Ramp

Onalaska, Wisconsin : Gunderson Lutheran Medical Center Parking Ramp

Mankato, Minnesota : Cherry Street Parking Ramp