SUNY Geneseo Merrit Athletic Center Alumni Pool Structural Repair

SUNY Geneseo has experienced leaking and areas of concrete damage at the pool and an adjacent tunnel which have resulted in the emptying of the pool for safety reasons.

Foit-Albert Associates worked with SUNY Geneseo to address a structural deficiency in the existing Merritt Pool that had rendered the pool unusable to their active competitive swimming program and student services. Concurrently, the University was undertaking a pool equipment upgrade that potentially required access to an unused view corridor under the pool deck that was the subject of some of the structural issues. Foit-Albert included ME Engineering on the structural repairs, and Foit-Albert joined on ME Engineering’s team for the pool equipment project to best coordinate the construction between the two complex projects.

Structural issues can arise when pools meant to be filled are left drained of pool water loading for extended periods of time. Rebounding of the pool vessel can occur resulting in shell damage and leaking. Assessment of the pool vessel was required to identify required repairs due to this condition.

The pool mechanical equipment was ultimately sited in an unused squash court over existing equipment space. Though conveniently located, the squash court lacked the available loading capacity for water filled pool equipment. A new intermediate floor level was added to the squash court to accommodate additional equipment and exiting.

Structural repairs were completed and the pool was returned to active use. Phasing of the mechanical equipment replacement was then carefully designed and coordinated so that work could occur during breaks, continually returning the pool to active use for competitive swim and practices.

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