The first tenants of the 255 Fillmore multi-use building in the North Cherry Creek neighborhood of Denver, Colorado, were welcomed in October 2023. PENETRON ADMIX SB, a crystalline waterproofing admixture, won the contract over a competitive product to protect the below-grade concrete structures from high groundwater levels.
Denver’s Cherry Creek North neighborhood is a popular tourist destination with many shops, art galleries, boutique hotels, and restaurants nestled along tree-lined streets. With limited sites available in the area, the 255 Fillmore building is projected to be one of the last Class A office buildings built in the neighborhood for some time.
Designed by 4240 Architecture, an award-winning Denver-based architectural firm, the seven-floor 255 Fillmore offers six floors of office space (90,000 ft2 / 8,182 m2) and over 9,540 ft2 (870 m2) of ground-floor retail space, with Le Colonial, a fine dining Vietnamese / French restaurant as the anchor establishment. The below-grade, two-level parking garage provides space for 105 cars.
“Originally, Haselden Construction, the builder, had specified a competitive waterproofing product for the below-grade concrete structures of the parking garage,” explains Patrick O’Brien, Regional Sales Manager for Penetron. “After working with Brannan Ready-Mix, the ready-mix concrete supplier, we were able to provide a superior – and more cost-effective – concrete waterproofing solution for 255 Fillmore.”
PENETRON ADMIX SB, a crystalline waterproofing admixture in pre-measured soluble bags, was used to treat the concrete used for the below-grade shotcrete walls, pad foundation footings, and elevator pits. PENEBAR SW-55, a swellable waterstop, was installed along the construction joints and around penetrations in the elevator pits.
Once mixed into the concrete, the proprietary chemicals in PENETRON ADMIX SB react with moisture and concrete minerals to form insoluble crystals throughout the entire concrete matrix. The insoluble crystals forming within the cracks and voids of the concrete matrix reduce long-term shrinkage cracking, seal existing microcracks, and provide self-healing abilities to seal hairline cracks over the service life of the structure.
“The self-healing capability of the concrete mix used for 255 Fillmore virtually eliminates the need for any future maintenance,” adds Patrick O’Brien. “Once added to the mix, PENETRON ADMIX SB has been proven to extend the service life of concrete structures by up to 60 years!”
“We specified Penetron thanks to the degree of protection of the PENETRON ADMIX SB admixture and the ease of use of the soluble bag format,” adds Anthony Winters of Brannan Ready-Mix. “The project turned out flawlessly and the builder was very happy with the results!”
Impermeable to high groundwater levels: All below-grade concrete structures at the 255 Fillmore office building were treated with PENETRON ADMIX SB, a crystalline waterproofing admixture.
