Hillis-Carnes provided Construction Materials Testing and Inspection Services during the site work, paving, and construction of a mixed-use development in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Meridian is East Pittsburgh’s newest destination for shopping, dining, and living, located at the highly desirable intersection of Shady and Penn Avenues in Pittsburgh. The mixed-use development includes a 36,000 SF Market District grocery store operated by Giant Eagle, complemented by an additional 38,000 SF of ground-level retail, restaurant, and service space. A three-story parking garage with 423 spaces supports both residents and visitors. Rising above the commercial podium is Ophelia, a five-story residential component consisting of 231 apartment units, including 35 units designated for the City of Pittsburgh’s affordable housing program.

Services included observation and testing associated with mass grading and engineered fill placement, utility trench backfill, controlled modulus columns (CMCs), conventional footing foundations, and screen wall soldier piles with precast lagging. Structural inspections included testing of cast-in-place concrete, placement of reinforcing steel, field inspections of structural steel, light-gauge framing, precast concrete erection, sprayed-applied fire-resistive materials, structural load-bearing masonry, and pavement installation to verify compliance with project specifications and applicable standards.

Hillis-Carnes also performed certified third-party inspections for the Exterior Insulated Finish System (EIFS), conducting regular site visits to monitor substrate preparation and system installation, ensuring quality and adherence to manufacturer requirements and project specifications.