Fairfield, CT
Sacred Heart University, Linda E. McMahon Commons
Scope/Solutions
The new Linda E. McMahon commons building at Sacred Heart University offers a central meeting facility for students and faculty. The 65,000 sq ft, three-story building incorporates a student bookstore, a cafeteria, a boardroom, an interactive video conference center, and a bar. Two stories of the building cut into the hillside to accommodate the sloping terrain, and a partial basement below the water table required a completely waterproofed structure. SGH performed structural engineering services for the design and construction and also provided building enclosure and waterproofing design consultation to the architect.
Highlights of SGH’s work on the project include:
- Structural design that included design of concrete shear walls and structural steel framing and metal deck floor slabs.
- Design of cast-in-place concrete foundation walls around the building’s mechanical room
- Design of integrated structural curtain wall mullions to support the glazing and structure to provide maximum visibility and minimal structural impact
- Design to support hung stone rain screen system
- Development of a three-dimensional Revit model (BIM) to coordinate with architecture, civil, and MEP designs
Project Summary
Solutions
New Construction
Services
Structures | Building Enclosures
Markets
Education
Client(s)
Sasaki Associates, Inc.
Specialized Capabilities
Building Design | Facades & Glazing | Roofing & Waterproofing
Key team members
Additional Projects
Northeast
Bowie State University, Center for Natural Sciences, Mathematics, and Nursing
Bowie State University wanted a new home for their STEM and nursing department that would engage students, promote collaboration, and offer program flexibility. SGH consulted on the building enclosure design, which focuses on building energy performance and daylighting.
Northeast
University of Massachusetts, Massachusetts Medical Device Development Center (M2D2)
As part of the M2D2 renovation for the University of Massachusetts, SGH evaluated the adequacy of the heavy timber structure to support new office and laboratory space.






