Vail Front Door

BCER Engineering provided the Fire Protection Engineering and Life Safety Code Consulting services to Vail Resorts for The Vail Front Door project. The Vail Front Door project consists of the five following facilities: Skier Services & Vista Bahn Plaza is a 15,000 SF state-of-the-art skier services facility to include the lift ticket sales office, ski & snowboard school, equipment rentals, lockers and storage, coffee shop and Great Room. The Lodge at Vail Chalets is a four-acre site located adjacent to the Vista Bahn Express Lift and is home to The Lodge at Vail Chalets ranging in size from approximately 3,700 to 5,700 SF providing a full complement of services including a spa. The Vail Mountain Club is Vail’s most exclusive club and is located just steps from the Vista Bahn Express Lift offering a slope-side clubhouse, member lounge, private locker rooms, showers, and spa and fitness facilities. The Lodge at Vail is one of Vail’s flagship hotels with a new 7,700 square foot spa and 2,100 square foot fitness complex. The Founders Garage was constructed increasing the amount of neighborhood parking from zero spaces to 114.

The fire protection engineering and life safety code consulting services provided are as follows:

• BCER provided Building and Fire Code Consulting through life safety reports and direct contact with the architect.
• Coordinated architectural, mechanical, electrical and civil disciplines for compliance with the Town of Vail and adopted codes and standards.
• Engineered fire protection (sprinkler and standpipe systems) in this large above and below grade facility
• Engineered fire alarm system for new mixed-use facility while incorporating the new fire alarm system with an existing building.
• Engineered smoke management system including below grade tunnel and stair enclosure smoke management system.
• Developed alternate methods for building and fire code modifications including:
  • Fire apparatus access mitigation
  • Smoke management system
  • Use of exterior combustible materials on non-combustible building
  • Natural gas emergency generator
  • Grand stair communicating space became non-atrium space

• Commission and testing of fire protection and life safety systems.
• Developed and implemented phased occupancy of facility to permit sales of units and opening of critical phases of development for occupancy.

BCER’s expertise was critical in negotiating engineered solutions while never compromising the integrity of the building fire protection systems or the life safety of the users.