When space is tight but demand is high, building up is often the smartest move. Parking structures aren’t just about squeezing in more cars—they’re about making the most of every square foot, solving site challenges, and keeping things structurally sound from the ground up. That’s where ATMI Precast comes in.
Our precast systems bring strength, efficiency, and good design to every project. And when we’re brought in early, we’re able to collaborate closely with the general contractor, developer, and design team to plan smarter from the start. Understanding the nuances of each site up front means fewer surprises later—and a more efficient build overall.
From a multi-level deck with unique needs on every floor, to a tight site just inches from a glass tower, to a dual-use garage built over a stormwater system—these projects show how no two parking decks are ever the same. ATMI adapts to each challenge with tailored precast solutions that solve problems and get the job done. As Promised.
In this blog, we’re spotlighting three standout parking deck projects that pushed limits, solved tough challenges, and delivered big results.
Project A
When land is limited but parking demand is high, there’s only really one way to go—up! Project A was designed with that in mind. This deck spans four bays across and rises four levels above a below-grade parking area just for employees. That lower level even has its own entrance, stairwell, and elevator to keep staff access completely separate from guests.
Because of the size and flow of the garage, this project called for something you don’t see every day: two full sets of ramps to keep traffic moving smoothly across all levels. In addition to that, the deck required an entrance as grand as the entrance of the adjacent building, which felt open and inviting but could still handle the weight and wear of a fully loaded parking structure. Add in a sloped site and another building being constructed right next door and you have all the ingredients for a project that demands precise coordination and planning.
Cast-in-place concrete foundation walls were used to create two separate but tightly aligned structures. And because of the potential for future expansion, the parking deck was designed with horizontal expansion in mind.
Architecturally, the garage was finished with care—featuring one look for the spandrels and another for the columns to give it some visual variety. Exterior shear walls were used to manage wind and seismic loads while keeping the interior open and uncluttered.
Thoughtful fieldwork, including fencing, pour strips for drainage, and water-shedding slopes, ensured long-term durability and safety.
From concept to completion, Project A was about balancing technical demands with thoughtful design. And ATMI was proud to deliver both As Promised.
Rush University Parking Garage, Chicago, IL 900 parking spaces
This multi-level parking garage was first awarded to ATMI Precast in 2019, with plans to get it off the ground in 2020. Then COVID hit. Like a lot of things during that time, the project was paused—delayed for over a year. Full erection finally kicked off in 2022 and wrapped up in 2024. It was worth the wait.
Spanning four bays in width and three elevated levels, the garage was designed with more than just functionality in mind. To disguise the typical appearance of precast concrete, the structure was wrapped in architectural cladding—requiring extensive coordination for embed plates on the exterior panels to support the added facade. The result: a parking deck that doesn’t look like a parking deck at all.
One of the toughest challenges came from the garage’s close proximity—just 18 inches—to a 15-story glass medical office tower under construction at the same time. This required meticulous planning and execution to safely erect the structure without damaging the adjacent building. Adding to this complexity was a precast concrete canopy along the side closest to the tower, designed to shield the office from potential fire hazards from vehicles parked in that area.
On the safety side, the structure featured a unique cable barrier system instead of standard precast barriers. These tensioned cables are built to stop vehicles from going over the edge—each cable holding up to 30,000 pounds of force. The garage incorporated thicker, reinforced topping and upsized structural elements to handle these forces. It’s a rare, innovative approach in precast, and one we’re proud to have delivered.
Accessibility was also a major consideration. The garage needed to accommodate medical and handicap-accessible vans on all levels. That meant creating more vertical clearance without compromising strength. The solution? Post-tensioned beams. These beams are thinner than traditional precast but just as strong. This deck required the use of post-tensioned beams in approximately nine different areas to make sure everything met the specs.
This project showcased ATMI Precast’s ability to adapt, innovate, and coordinate under complex conditions—all while delivering a structure that is as visually discreet as it is structurally demanding.
Metro 19
Located in a vibrant western suburb of Chicago, Metro 19 shows what happens when smart design and close collaboration come together. This new mixed-use development centers around a residential complex offering market-rate apartments—seamlessly integrated with a multi-level parking structure built by ATMI Precast. But Metro 19 is more than just another parking garage—it’s a carefully engineered solution to a complex site challenge.
Located right across the street from a Metra commuter rail station, the project needed to balance parking for both commuters and residents. The developer teamed up with Metra in a public-private partnership to make it work. The first level of the garage is dedicated to commuters, while the upper levels are for residents. Each has its own entrance, which keeps things secure and easy to navigate. It’s a thoughtful solution that replaces lost surface parking and makes life a little easier for residents and commuters alike.
Below the surface, ATMI Precast’s innovation continued. With no space for traditional above-ground stormwater detention systems like ponds, the team worked with the developer to design a cast-in-place detention basin located beneath the parking garage itself. Precast components were used to build the structural surface above it, so drivers never even know they’re parking over a hidden water management system. It’s a smart way to handle runoff without sacrificing valuable space or affecting neighboring properties.
Because the residential building is connected to the garage in a few key spots, extra care went into making that connection safe and comfortable. The team added solid concrete firewalls and fire-stopping materials to meet code. Careful consideration was also given to reducing sound and vibration transfer using slip connections and expansion joint materials to ensure residents aren’t disturbed by any activity happening in the garage next door.
Visually, Metro 19 is anything but typical. The garage features a clean architectural finish, utilizing one concrete color treated with two levels of surface blasting. This created a subtle two-tone effect that complements the aesthetic of the adjacent residences and elevates the structure’s overall appearance.
Though compact in footprint, Metro 19 is packed with smart design moves. From water management to fire safety, commuter convenience to resident comfort, this project exemplifies how ATMI Precast brings engineering expertise and thoughtful collaboration to every layer—above and below ground.
Designed and Built to Do More
As cities grow and space gets tighter, parking structures are being asked to do more than ever before—blend into neighborhoods, serve multiple user groups, and stand up to the elements, all while looking good doing it. At ATMI Precast, we approach every parking deck with the same mindset: combine smart design with solid performance to create structures that work hard, last long, look good and meet the needs of today’s evolving spaces. From technical challenges to architectural finishes, we deliver parking solutions that go beyond the basics. As Promised.
Adequate and efficient space for parking is an essential component of a successful building design. For most of our clients, standard surface parking is not an option. The solution is usually a multi-level parking structure that is both functional and complements your building design. There are a few options when it comes to the type of concrete you can use for parking structures: precast concrete or cast-in-place (CIP) concrete.
The Precast Concrete Institute (PCI) publishes a variety of resources that provide guidance on designing, fabricating and constructing precast concrete structures. We’ve drawn from PCI’s Parking Structure System Comparison publication to highlight how precast concrete and cast-in-place concrete differ when building parking decks. Specifically, we’ll discuss how these materials compare when it comes to the construction schedule, cost, site considerations, constructability and quality, interior and exterior aesthetics, maintenance, and sustainability.
Your Schedule, The Cost & Site Considerations
For the sake of comparison, let’s define a typical parking structure as a 4-story garage with 1,000 stalls. When working with precast concrete, the average construction schedule is 6 to 8 months. Cast-in-place concrete requires a bit more time, averaging 10 to 12 months. The timeline is a big deal. Less construction time potentially means less financing costs and a shorter time to revenue. Furthermore, a reduced schedule greatly impacts site considerations. For example, using cast-in-place concrete has the greatest site impact as more labor (and more space for lay-down) is necessary. A precast concrete construction site means less workers, less space and minimal to zero construction waste. All of these factors impact your bottom line.
Material Constructibility & Quality
The biggest variance when it comes to material constructibility and quality is how the products are created. Precast concrete products are produced at a PCI certified facility – like ATMI Precast – under stringent audited guidelines and procedures. Cast-in-place concrete products are cast at the job site. Naturally that means varying conditions could affect the quality of the products dependent upon the weather conditions during placement and curing as well as availability of quality labor.
Additionally, precast concrete is stronger. Typical precast concrete holds up to more than 6,000 psi whereas CIP holds anywhere from 4,000 to 5,000 psi. Bonded prestressed strands (associated with precast concrete) are more protected from corrosion. When structural damage does occur, due to corrosion, it is localized to an individual precast concrete member. On the other hand, unbonded post-tensioning (associated with CIP concrete) creates the potential for future corrosion when water gets into the sheathing – eventually making large areas of the garage structurally deficient.
Interior & Exterior Aesthetics
While the inside look of a parking garage may not seem important, an open, well-lit space is conducive to safe driving – and less accidents. Interior features of a precast concrete parking structure include fewer columns, which leads to a more expansive view and lots of natural light. The floor is more likely to stay uniform throughout with very little shrinkage and temperature cracking. Of course, on the flip side, CIP concrete requires more columns and due to fewer floor joints, shrinkage and temperature cracks are to be expected.
A parking garage is expected to look like it’s part of the building it serves. Therefore, exterior aesthetics are a big part of the overall design plan. This is another area where precast concrete takes the lead. Precast concrete architectural finishes can be integrated into the precast concrete elements from the get-go at a minimal cost. Essentially, this means the exterior design is baked into the product and ready to go once constructed. CIP concrete parking structures typically require a secondary system like architectural precast concrete, EIFS coating, metal panel screening systems, or painted spandrels to achieve the desired aesthetic.
Maintenance & Sustainability
Surface upkeep for both materials is relatively the same. CIP concrete is most likely to get corrosion of load-carrying capacity reinforcing steel and post-tensioning strand due to potential poor concrete cover – leading to severe spalling over time. While it’s very rare for precast concrete to deteriorate, the CIP concrete topping slab could have problems if poured with low-quality concrete, if the joints are not tooled properly, or if it is not protected from wind or temperature during the curing phase.
As mentioned above, working with precast concrete delivers the smallest possible construction footprint – which leads to overall better sustainability. Additionally, precast concrete products can be re-used. Since the components are individual, they could be deconstructed and used elsewhere. This isn’t the case with a CIP concrete parking garage.
Precast concrete elements may include reinforcing as well as supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) which replace some of the cement content of the concrete – helping to lower the carbon footprint of the structure. SCMs are easier to use in precast concrete since the primary curing happens at the manufacturer’s plant before structural loads are placed on the components.
Of course, the type of concrete you use all depends on your desired outcome in your location. But we can make a case for precast concrete parking garages all day long! Take a look at some of our parking deck projects and let us know what you think.
To read all of the technical details, download PCI’s Parking Structure System Comparison.