Hillis-Carnes provided a comprehensive suite of engineering, environmental, and construction services for the development of The Towns at Padonia, a residential community constructed on the 5.5-acre Lorien Padonia property in Timonium, Maryland. The project involved the redevelopment of previously undeveloped land into a modern community consisting of 26 residential flats and townhomes. The development was completed in the winter of 2021 and required careful design and site preparation due to the property’s sloped terrain.

As part of the project, Hillis-Carnes provided structural design and consulting services for retaining wall and slope stability solutions. The development included the construction of five modular retaining walls totaling approximately 24,927 SF using Keystone Compac III systems. These walls were integral to stabilizing the site and accommodating the grading required for the residential buildings, roadways, and utilities. The retaining walls were constructed with Mirafi geogrids to reinforce the soil mass and provide additional structural stability. The tallest wall reached a maximum height of approximately 29 feet, consisting of 43 courses of modular block. The retaining wall systems were designed by Hillis-Carnes in accordance with current NCMA design criteria and tailored to the specific site conditions. Design services were based on grading plans, wall location layouts, utility plans, construction specifications, geotechnical reports, and other documentation provided by the client.

Hillis-Carnes also provided construction materials testing and inspection services throughout the development. Our scope of services included testing and inspection of mass grading and fill placement, underground utility installation, modular and segmental retaining wall construction, spread footings, cast-in-place concrete, reinforcing steel, structural load-bearing masonry, and pavement materials. These services were performed to help verify that construction activities complied with project specifications and applicable standards. All testing and inspection services were successfully completed in June 2022.

Environmental consulting services were also provided by Hillis-Carnes for the project. A Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) was conducted in connection with financing for the redevelopment of the Lorien Padonia property. The assessment included a Vapor Encroachment Screening (VES), completion of a HUD 4128 form, and preparation of a due diligence checklist. The scope of the assessment consisted of site reconnaissance, area reconnaissance, a regulatory database review, a historical records search, and interviews. A few months later, Hillis-Carnes performed a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment update for the property for the same purpose of supporting financing for the residential redevelopment. Both assessments concluded that there was no evidence of Recognized Environmental Conditions (RECs) associated with the site.

In addition, Hillis-Carnes provided geotechnical engineering services for the project. Hillis-Carnes had previously prepared a geotechnical report for the site in March 2008. For the redevelopment project, our services included visually observing the site to verify that site conditions remained consistent with those present at the time of the original subsurface exploration and that no grading or construction activities had occurred that would affect the prior findings. Hillis-Carnes reviewed the previous engineering analyses and prepared an update letter confirming that the evaluations and recommendations contained in the original geotechnical report remained valid. No additional subsurface exploration was required during the course of this work.

Through the combination of structural design, environmental consulting, geotechnical engineering, and construction materials testing and inspection services, Hillis-Carnes supported the successful development of The Towns at Padonia, helping to transform the property into a stable and well-engineered residential community.

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