Blast analysis and design for adaptive reuse and restoration of historic post office to comply with GSA security criteria. Addition of US Bankruptcy Court and Attorney's Office. 585,000 sf.

Weidlinger Associates provided blast analysis and engineering services for the hardening of an existing historic post office undergoing modernization and upgrade to house both US post office and courthouse facilities. The conversion to add a US Bankruptcy Court and Attorney's Office presented unique structural engineering and protective design challenges. The post office required public access and an active loading dock for truck drive-through at the ground level, while the US Attorney's Office required secured entrance, parking, and shuttle service to the federal courthouse across the street. The multi-functional budget-conscious program combined hazard reduction and landmark appearance requirements. Separating walls and hardened existing slabs were used to isolate the courthouse from the postal area. An interior blast curtain was developed for the wood-framed windows to limit potential hazards in courthouse areas.

Completion Date: 2006
Location: Brooklyn, New York
Owner or Client: General Services Administration (GSA)
Prime Consultant(s): RM Kliment & Frances Halsband