Walgreens Builds with Tilt-Up Concrete

The picture here taken by NRMCA Senior National Resource Director Vance Pool shows a new Walgreens under construction in League City, TX.  "Tilt up construction is nothing new, but surprisingly many parts of the U.S. have not developed a market," Pool said. "Most think it is only economically viable for warehouses and that it is ugly. There are many retail centers in Texas which have ornamental details rivaling the best Venice, Italy, has to offer at a fraction of other material costs."

"With advantages on first cost and resilience in tornado and hurricane prone areas, it is amazing that people’s misconceptions have slowed tilt-up construction's growth in so many places," Pool said. "Naysayers argue it can’t be insulated easily, but that argument also holds no water. Many engineers don’t take advantage of the structural properties of concrete and put steel columns just inside the walls, adding cost and reducing competitiveness. With our markets still recovering from the recession, tilt-up construction is a great place to grab market share from competing materials."