Project Summary

Midway Music Hall is a live music venue and arcade. It offers a dance hall, live concert performances, food and drinks, and arcade games. The main building has been around for decades, providing memorable experiences. In early 2022, an addition has been made. A modular double-suite structure, made from a converted shipping container, has been installed adjacent to the main building. It is designed to serve as a green room/lounge for performing artists. Lexus Engineering was approached to design the mechanical and electrical system for this compact building.

Project Goals

Although the requirements and the scope for this structure were quite simple; adding power, lighting, HVAC, and plumbing, the project presented a unique challenge. Since this structure is effectively a trailer standing in the parking lot, it did not have its own utility services and instead had to tie into those of the building.

Our Solution

The mechanical design included an all-electric HVAC system comprised of electric unit heaters, a mini split AC system, and bathroom exhaust fans tied to occupancy sensors, for continuous fresh air intake. Hot and cold-water plumbing for the few sinks, showers, and toilets was routed from the building’s mechanical room (located in the corner nearest the addition). Drainage from these fixtures was solved using a compact forced sewer toilet system with a sump and macerating (grinding) pump. The power cables, domestic water piping, and sanitary drainage piping were bundled into a heat-traced conduit (to protect against freezing). This collection of pipes was routed, above ground, through the building’s envelope and into the mechanical room to tie into the existing services. A platform was eventually added to cover this bundle.

Result

Although small, this project was faced with a unique restriction, that was resolved using a simple and functional design. As a result, a new permanent structure has been added to the Midway Music Hall’s property. It allows performing artists to prepare or relax before and after their shows at this popular Edmonton venue.

Codes: NBC2019AE, NPC2015, ASHRAE62