When CAT Financial began a major interior renovation at its downtown Nashville headquarters, the team at Charter Construction was brought in to tackle one of the project’s most technically complex scopes. Over the course of just a few months, Charter helped accomplish a complete interior overhaul on the eighth and ninth floors by providing structural modifications for new slab openings for a new monumental stair. And from June to August 2024, Charter’s restoration and repair team planned, designed, and executed slab demolition and reconstruction, showcasing a level of expertise that few contractors in the Nashville area can match.
A Specialized Scope with High Stakes
Charter’s scope involved scanning and locating existing post-tensioned cables, detensioning the cables, demolishing the existing slabs for the new openings, and then retensioning the cables that remained in service —all while ensuring the integrity of the surrounding structure.
“That’s really where our expertise came into play,” said Project Manager Alex Nance. “Not everybody can do this kind of work. A lot of people get nervous when they hear detensioning and retensioning existing cables because it is dangerous. Those cables are under a lot of force. If something goes wrong, it can do real damage.”The team also handled delegated design responsibilities in collaboration with our suppliers, working through a detailed sequence of operations and coordinating approvals through DPR Construction, the project’s general contractor.
Solving for Access: The Freight Elevator Challenge
One of the biggest logistical hurdles came down to material handling. With no crane access to the upper floors, over 1,400 reshoring props and shoring material had to be moved by hand through the building’s freight elevator—about 15 props per trip.
“It was a slow, labor-intensive process,” said Nance. “Getting everything to the right floor, forming in between new steel beam framing, removing the slab, and then pouring it back—it required grit and patience.”
To stay on schedule, Charter increased manpower on site and leaned on its field leadership. Senior Superintendent Gaspar Zarate and Foreman Salvador Garcia led the day-to-day charge with an unwavering focus.
“They really ran with it,” said Nance. “The entire crew had an attitude of gratitude. They appreciated the work and approached it with focus and professionalism every single day.”
Innovation in the Field
As with most restoration and repair projects, this one required a flexible problem-solving mindset. When existing plans for formwork under the slab proved too time-consuming, Charter’s field team brainstormed a more efficient way to shore between the new steel beam framing installed below the existing slabs by utilizing aluminum joists and steel C channels in a unique way, which reduced the amount of lumber material.
“Gaspar got creative,” Nance recalled. “You see the challenge, talk with the guys on site, and come up with a better way to get the job done. Revising the shoring method saved us time and improved the final outcome.”
While post-tension cable work always carries risk, the team encountered only a few broken cables, all of which they repaired quickly and safely. “We were able to pull the damaged cables, run new cable in the existing sheathing, and splice onto the existing cable that was good. That kept us from falling behind due to an unknown condition and really boosted the client’s confidence in the process.”
Collaboration from the Top Down
President Richard Wilson was involved early in the project, ensuring that Charter’s approach aligned with the client’s expectations and the design intent. Once on site, Nance coordinated closely with suppliers and the general contractor, managing the submittal and approval of the construction sequence. Charter also relied on Post-Tensioning Specialist Willis Good to support the detensioning and retensioning phases, adding another layer of expertise to the team.
“The collaboration was critical,” said Nance. “It’s not just about doing the work—it’s about detailing the process and then executing it flawlessly.”
A Rewarding and Significant Concrete Repair Project
For Charter, the successful completion of the CAT Financial project is more than just another job—it’s a testament to the company’s ability to deliver on high-risk, high-reward scopes that require true expertise.
“This is custom work. It’s not something you do every day. It takes the right team with the right experience, and that’s what we brought to the table.”
Reflecting on the experience, Nance said the most rewarding part was seeing the sequence he helped detail come to life in the field.
“It was a cool job—something different. Being involved in the delegated design process and coming up with a solution, and then the guys going and building it and seeing it work, that’s what made this one special. ”If you’re planning a concrete restoration project in Nashville, reach out to Charter to schedule a time to talk about your vision.