Grand Teton Mall Skylights

• Location: 2300 E 17th St Idaho Falls, ID 83404

  

• Project Type: Consultation
• Project Status: Completed
• Products Used:

Mall Skylight Survey and Consultation

Grand Teton Mall is a single-level, enclosed, regional shopping mall located in Idaho Falls, in southeastern Idaho. It serves a 100-mile radius that encompasses 14 counties and over 350,000 residents. Constructed in 1984, it contains four major department store anchors, Dillard’s, JC Penney, Sears, and Macy’s, and a total of 75 tenants.

A mall skylight onsite inspection was made August 27, 2010 by Skylight Specialists, Inc, represented by Rob Packard. Jeff Mitchell, Operation Manger of Grand Teton Mall, was present.

The mall skylights of concern are the Acrylic Barrel Vault, Pyramid, and Unit Skylights at various locations on the site:

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1. (4 ea.) Clear, Acrylic Low Rise Barrel Vault Skylights, dual glazed, bronze finish frames, curb mount, 5’ x 12’ nominal size.
2. (1 ea.) Clear, Acrylic Pyramid-Shaped Structural Skylight, dual glazed, bronze finish frames, curb mount, 20’ x 20’ nominal size.
3. (4 ea.) Clear, Acrylic Pyramid-Shaped Structural Skylight, dual glazed, bronze finish frames, curb mount, 12’ x 12’ nominal size.
4. (2 ea.) Clear, Acrylic Ridge With Hipped Ends, structural skylight, dual glazed, bronze finish frames, curb mount, 14’ x 18’ nominal size.
5. (13 ea.) Clear, Acrylic Unit Skylights, dual glazed, curb mount, mill finish frames, 8’ x 8’ nominal size.

What We Found:

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1. (4 ea.) Clear, Acrylic Low Rise Barrel Vault Skylights, original to mall construction, have out-lived their lifespan. Crazing, holes in acrylic, leaks, etc.
2. (7 ea.) Clear, Acrylic Pyramid-Shaped Structural or Hipped Ridge Skylights are constructed by applying unit skylights on top of structural members and then joining them with a compression bar. A little unusual, sort of like a homemade skylight. Signs of previous repairs but no reports of current problems or leaks.
3. (13) Clear, Acrylic Unit Skylights, six units have cracked inner lenses; one unit poses a threat to the public below. Three broken units over the Barnes and Nobles ceiling/attic space. (Not visible to the public inside the store) Other two have cracks in corners, which could cause leaking. Picture shows inner dome sagging in which causes the large space in the acrylic.

Recommendations:

Replace (4 ea.) low rise barrel vault skylights.

Replace (1 ea. minimum) Unit Skylight. Inner acrylic is liable to fall into the interior of the mall with the possibility of striking a person.