DTE Energy Edison Center – DTE Energy retained SME to provide lead engineering design services for rehabilitation of Beech Street, which is a former City of Detroit street within DTE’s downtown Detroit Headquarters campus. Our services included evaluation of existing conditions and preparation of construction documents.

The DTE Energy Edison Center was a unique project, as it included replacement of a 100 year old water main and reconnection to DTE buildings, which took a significant amount of coordination and planning. The existing water main was a very fragile ductile iron water supply line. An extended loss of city water service would have had a major impact on DTE’s critical equipment and facilities. By planning ahead, SME successfully helped protect DTE’s investment for this major project.

The DTE Energy Edison Center project encountered many underground obstacles including unknown vaults and several layers of old street construction. It became an archaeological dig throughout the alignment. We came across multiple undocumented vaults. One vault was constructed directly over the 100 year old water main. Special handling of a new water main under the vault was provided, as the vault had to remain in service.

Another obstacle was the presence of several combined sewers in the street that were in place, yet no longer functioning. SME used video cameras and grouting to identify and abandon sewers that were no longer in service.

SME’s project team included landscape architects, electrical engineers, and other specialty contractors to complete this high-profile project in accordance with DTE requirements. In addition to our pavement design services, SME provided onsite construction materials services (CMS) during the construction phase as well as construction administration.