Schaefer was the structural engineer for the renovation of University of Cincinnati’s Scioto Hall. The residence hall stands 16 stories, 13 of which house students. The renovation consisted of a new aluminum curtainwall exterior envelope, new roofing, elevator upgrades, and mechanical, electrical, and plumbing replacements. Each apartment has its own bathroom and kitchen.

Scioto Hall’s renovations reflect Morgens Hall’s renovations, for which Schaefer was also the structural engineer. Schaefer performed a seismic evaluation analysis on both residence halls prior to the renovation of Morgens Hall. The analysis was based upon ASCE 31-03 (Seismic Evaluation of Existing Buildings). A Site Specific Response Spectrum Analysis was used in order to more accurately evaluate the seismic risk of the existing building compared to owner selected performance criteria. The extent of the floor extensions and weight of the new curtain wall had to be carefully reviewed to avoid adding wind or seismic load to the building that would trigger code upgrades to the lateral system.