Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Specialty Contractors Waterproof University Boathouse Practice Tank

  • By Matt Jones
  • 03/24/21

Two Minneapolis contracting firms recently partnered to make some long-needed repairs to the University of Minnesota’s on-campus boathouse.

The university’s Irene Claudia Kroll Boathouse is located on the shore of the Mississippi River and is one of a very small number of on-campus boathouses in the U.S. The facility features an erg room, a locker room, coaches’ offices, boat storage, and a 7,500-gallon indoor practice tank on the second floor.

University of Minnesota boathouse

The structure was built in 2007, and over time, water that splashed or leaked out of the practice tank had begun seeping through the flooring into the first floor. The facility was originally built with a nonstructural topping slab and precast flooring planks.

Western Specialty Contractors – Minneapolis Branch and the Minnesota-based general contractor Gardner Builders teamed up for the repair process, which started in Nov. 2020 and finished this month. Gardner Builders removed the tank and installed a drainage system. Then, the Western Specialty Contractors crew repaired the concrete surrounding the new drains and other cracks in the topping slab.

Before the new tank was finally installed, Western applied a 125-mil Tremco PUMA waterproof coating system to the surrounding concrete floor as a last layer of protection. “The waterproofing is a very heavy-duty and durable system that comes with a 20-year warranty but will actually last much longer than that,” said David Grandbois, Assistant Branch Manager of WSC – Minneapolis. “To ensure that the floor was monolithic and free from variances, Western performed an electronic leak detection test on the floor, which found no discrepancies.”

Due to the pandemic, the facility has been closed, so there were no schedule conflicts between the construction team and the university rowing team.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Campus Safety Requires Using Every Resource Available

    Across the U.S., school and campus leaders are facing a security landscape that has changed dramatically over the past decade. Incidents on school property have increased in recent years, with several consecutive years setting record totals. According to analysis of data by CNN, dozens of shootings now occur on school grounds annually across K-12 and higher education environments.

  • Can AI Help Build Stronger Communities in Student Housing?

    Student housing success is shifting from operational performance to student experience, with belonging now at the center. A recent 2025 report underscores a growing emphasis on student well-being, community, and engagement, signaling that expectations now extend beyond logistics to ensure students feel supported in their living environments. AI is enabling that shift by reducing administrative workload and giving teams more time to focus on meaningful student engagement.

  • Embry-Riddle Completes Construction on Research, Lab Facility

    Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) in Daytona Beach, Fla., recently announced the end of construction on a new research and lab facility on campus. The Center for Aerospace Engineering II (CAT II) will support aerospace research and technology development and broke ground last summer.

  • AAADM Announces Building Safety Month Initiatives

    The American Association of Automatic Door Manufacturers (AAADM) recently announced its support of Building Safety Month as declared by the International Code Council (ICC), according to a news release.