Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center features Smith-Midland Soundwall

MIDLAND, Va. – Smith-Midland Corporation has announced its involvement in the construction of the high profile Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center on the Potomac. Upon its completion, the Gaylord Complex will be the largest private development in the Washington DC metropolitan area.

Smith-Midland will construct a precast concrete Soundwall and retaining wall to surround and support the center’s loading dock area. The wall will provide a visual screen for surrounding residential neighborhoods allowing them to retain their quiet beauty. The wall will also act as a noise barrier providing insulation from associated loading dock noises. The contract is valued at more than $1 million.

What makes the project unique is that the wall is a combination retaining wall and Soundwall. The bottom portion of the wall is designed as a retaining wall used to support a section of the loading dock area. In this area, the wall has to support the weight of the tractor trailers using the loading dock as well as be designed to withstand the impact load if a tractor trailer should drive into the wall. The retaining wall will have a formliner finish that looks like a hand-laid stone wall. The upper part of the wall, the Soundwall, will have a high-end architectural precast concrete mix to match the Gaylord building itself. The wall will average 20 feet high with its highest points peaking at 30 feet.

The strength, permanence and weather-resistant qualities of concrete make it the best material for retaining walls. The Soundwall provides unmatched strength and durability of precast concrete with a variety of finishes to provide effective Soundwall, security, attractiveness, versatility and be economically priced.

Panel production of the project began in late January 2008 with completion projected for early March.The wall was installed in Less than 4 weeks, making the precast concrete system fast, efficient and cost effective.

The Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center is the cornerstone of the exciting new National Harbor project in Prince George’s County, Maryland. The National Harbor is a 300-acre development that includes nature settings, retail and office space, a marina, residential units, and the Gaylord Center. Sitting on the banks of the magnificent Potomac River, the entire project will have cost more than $2 billion when complete.

Smith-Midland Corporation is a publicly traded company (OTC BB: SMID, SMIWC; Boston Stock Exchange: SMM, SMM/W). Smith-Midland develops, manufactures and sells a -broad array of precast concrete products for use primarily in the construction, transportation and
utilities Industries. Smith-Midland has three manufacturing facilities located in Midland, Va., and Reidsville, N.C. Easi-Set Industries, a wholly owned subsidiary of Smith-Midland Corporation, licenses the production of Smith-Midland developed products around the world. For more information please call (540) 439-3266 or visit www.smithmidland.com.