Case Study: Velocity Condominium Complex, Hoboken, NJ
Concrete Facts
- Total Precast Concrete Structure
- 202,300 square feet of Luxury Condominiums
- 3 Floors of units with enclosed parking at ground level
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- Total of 128 units
- Thin set brick exterior panels
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Products Used
- 190,000 s.f. of 12" hollow core plank
- 12,300 s.f. of special bay window slabs
- 657 l.f. of precast columns
- 1,320 l.f. of precast beams
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- 50,000 s.f. of interior bearing wall panels
including stair and elevator walls
- 78,000 s.f. of brick faced precast wall panels
- 36 precast stairs and landings
- 6,800 l.f. of roof cornices, window heads & sills
were included in the precast work
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Owner
KAWOZ, LLC
Hoboken, NJ
General Contractor
REMI Companies, Inc.
Hoboken, NJ
Architectural Firm
Bodnar Architect & Associates
Union City, NJ
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Engineering Firm
Christie Engineering, P.C.
Chester, NJ
Precast Architecture
Equus Design Group, Inc
Belmont, MA
Precaster
Oldcastle Precast Building Systems Division
Morrisville, PA
PCI Certified Erector
J.L. Erectors
Blackwood, NJ
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“Velocity” Speeds Through Construction Thanks to Precast
 Robert Armando is no stranger to precast concrete, having used over
10 million square feet throughout his career. So it is no surprise the senior project manager chose precast for the REMI Companies' upscale condominiums in one of Hoboken’s newest, fashionable neighborhoods. The design idea for the Velocity Condominium Complex is steeped in history and serendipity. Long before precast, Dutch architect Carl van der Rohr conceived and rendered the plans for a structure he called “Velocitus.” An idea ahead of its time, van der Rohr was mocked and widely criticized, and the plans were lost for decades until finally ending up in the visionary hands of the REMI Companies.
Taking van der Rohr’s design and applying 21st Century building knowledge and materials, the REMI Companies proceeded to make
“Velocitus,” with the help of precast building systems, a reality.
The structure itself, renamed in English “Velocity,” consists of twin,
four-story buildings which use precast plank for floors and ceilings,
precast components for walls and thin brick precast wall panel exterior facades. The roof line, window frames and entrances all use ornamental precast accents. The components were manufactured in Pennsylvania by Oldcastle Precast Building Systems, Inc. and transported to the Hoboken site. Precast not only accelerated construction from months to weeks per structure, but it also allowed the structure to go together easily. “It's like using an erector set,” as Erik Kaiser, the founder of the REMI Companies puts it. The factory-made precast wall panel components were so precise, the contractor literally dropped the windows into the special treated lumber openings, which were cast into the concrete, for a near perfect fit. It was the precision of precast components and the fact that precast can be erected
in almost any weather that allowed the project to move forward, completing
the first 4 story structure in just 5 weeks, and the second twin building
took only slightly longer.
 As Robert Armando puts it, “Precast is a full featured product for the luxury housing market. The pricing was right, and the quality control was better than we could have achieved onsite.” Armando also pointed to sound attenuation as a prime factor in choosing precast. “We achieved an STC (Sound Transmission Class) rating of 55 using 12" plank as part of our floor assembly, and with
precast, the interior of the structure has 40' clear spans with no bearing walls. That makes customization of the individual units very easy,” adds Armando.
It’s taken over 100 years, but van der Rohr has finally been vindicated. His
architecture stands as a testament to timeless design thanks to a twist of
fate, visionary builders and the versatility of precast components.
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