Recurring water intrusion at an occupied property can be difficult to resolve when the visible leak is only a symptom of a larger waterproofing or drainage problem.
That was the challenge at VUE Newport in Newport Beach, California, where historic and recurring leaks affected the property’s amenity deck and areas above parking and occupied spaces.
Allana Buick & Bers, Inc. (ABB) was retained by Third Palm Capital LLC to investigate the existing conditions and develop a remedial waterproofing approach. ABB’s involvement ultimately extended from investigation and design through testing, construction administration, construction monitoring, and project closeout.
Project Overview
Project: Allen Matkins VUE Newport
Location: Newport Beach, California
Client: Third Palm Capital LLC
Project Type: Existing Building / Remedial Waterproofing
Primary Challenge: Historic and recurring water intrusion
ABB Services: Investigation, remedial design, waterproofing consulting, testing, construction administration, construction monitoring, punch list, and final walkthrough
The project involved waterproofing assemblies over existing concrete amenity decks located above parking and occupied spaces.
What initially appeared to be a waterproofing problem required a broader evaluation of the deck, drainage, garage areas, windows, façade, and surrounding building conditions.
The project demonstrates an important principle of remedial building enclosure work: before determining how to repair a leak, the source and path of the water intrusion need to be understood.
Investigating the Source of Recurring Water Intrusion
ABB began with a visual investigation to document existing conditions, map potential sources of water intrusion, and develop preliminary repair recommendations.
The investigation determined that additional evaluation was needed in several areas, including:
- Amenity deck waterproofing
- Parking garage areas
- Interior spaces
- Windows
- Exterior façade conditions
This broader investigation was important because the location where water becomes visible does not necessarily identify where the water entered the building.
Rather than moving directly from a reported leak to a repair detail, ABB’s process began by establishing a more complete understanding of the existing conditions.
Existing-condition investigation → Water-intrusion mapping → Repair recommendations → Remedial design → Construction → Monitoring
Why Was the Amenity Deck Waterproofing So Challenging?
The existing building created several significant constraints for the repair design.
The Existing Concrete Slab Was Essentially Flat
The original amenity deck slab had been constructed essentially flat, making it difficult to create the slopes needed to properly manage water.
Because drainage depends on directing water toward appropriate collection points, the existing deck geometry became an important part of the waterproofing design.
Post-Tensioned Cables and Conduits Limited Drainage Locations
The concrete slab also contained numerous conduits, post-tensioned cables, and other embedded obstructions.
These concealed conditions restricted where drainage infrastructure could be installed and complicated modifications to the existing slab.
The waterproofing repair therefore could not be designed independently of the structure and drainage system beneath it.
Developing a Remedial Waterproofing Design
Following the investigation, ABB provided remedial design services for damaged finishes and waterproofing assemblies over the existing concrete decks above parking and occupied areas.
ABB’s scope included preparation of details and specifications to guide the repair work.
The design needed to respond to several existing conditions simultaneously:
- A flat amenity deck slab
- Existing waterproofing assemblies
- Parking and occupied spaces below
- Embedded post-tensioned cables
- Conduits and other slab obstructions
- Existing drainage conditions
- Water intrusion affecting multiple areas
Unlike new construction, where waterproofing, drainage, structure, and other systems can be coordinated before installation, remedial design must work within conditions that already exist.
At VUE Newport, the repair strategy therefore had to respond to the building as it was actually constructed, rather than relying on an idealized new-construction detail.
Coordinating Waterproofing and Drainage
Drainage became one of the central technical challenges of the project.
An initial drainage solution recommended by the civil engineer could not be executed because of existing conditions. The drainage approach therefore had to be reconsidered after the actual site and structural constraints were evaluated.
The flat slab made developing adequate slope difficult, while embedded conduits and post-tensioned cables restricted potential drainage locations.
This illustrates why waterproofing and drainage should be evaluated together on an existing amenity deck.
A waterproofing membrane can manage water at the assembly level, but the overall system still needs a practical way to move that water toward appropriate drainage points while respecting structural and building-system limitations.
Testing the Proposed Waterproofing Repairs
ABB’s scope also included feasibility and performance testing.
Testing provided an additional step between design and completed construction, allowing proposed or installed conditions to be evaluated before the work was considered complete.
For VUE Newport, feasibility and performance testing formed part of ABB’s broader design and construction-phase services.
Addressing Related Water-Management Conditions
The repair effort extended beyond the amenity deck itself.
ABB also observed repairs associated with dewatering pump areas as part of its construction-phase scope.
Project components included:
- Waterproofing
- Parking garage areas
- Slab repairs
- Injection repairs
- Grout modification
- Dewatering pump areas
The broader scope demonstrates why recurring water intrusion may require evaluation of interconnected building components rather than simply replacement of a waterproofing material at the surface.
Construction Administration and Construction Monitoring
ABB remained involved after the investigation and remedial design were completed.
Construction-phase services included:
- Preconstruction meetings
- Performance and installation review
- Construction monitoring and observations
- Construction administration
- Project punch-list services
- Final walkthrough
This continuity was particularly valuable because the team that investigated the water intrusion and developed the repair design had direct knowledge of the conditions the repairs were intended to address.
Construction-phase involvement allowed that knowledge to carry forward as the repair work was installed.
Why Construction Monitoring Matters for Waterproofing Repairs
Many of the most important waterproofing conditions eventually become concealed.
Once waterproofing is covered by deck finishes, overburden, landscaping, paving, or other assemblies, evaluating the original installation becomes significantly more difficult.
For that reason, ABB’s involvement at VUE Newport did not end when the construction documents were issued.
ABB continued with monitoring and observations during installation and subsequently provided punch-list and final-walkthrough services.
This created continuity from the initial investigation through completion of construction.
What Can Owners Learn From the VUE Newport Project?
The VUE Newport project provides several useful lessons for owners dealing with recurring leakage at occupied amenity decks and similar elevated waterproofing assemblies.
Investigate Before Designing the Repair
ABB began by documenting existing conditions and mapping potential sources of water intrusion before progressing to remedial design.
Understanding why a failure is occurring can be as important as determining how to repair it.
Look Beyond Where the Leak Appears
Water can travel through and between building assemblies before becoming visible.
At VUE Newport, the investigation extended beyond the amenity deck to garage areas, interior spaces, windows, and façade conditions.
Coordinate Waterproofing and Drainage
A waterproofing system still needs an effective way to manage and drain water.
The existing flat slab and embedded obstructions at VUE Newport made drainage a significant component of the remedial design challenge.
Existing Conditions Determine What Is Buildable
A repair that works conceptually may not be practical once the actual structure is considered.
At VUE Newport, an initial drainage concept had to be reconsidered because existing conditions prevented it from being executed as originally proposed.
Continue Building Enclosure Consulting Through Construction
ABB’s involvement progressed from investigation and design through testing, construction administration, monitoring, punch-list work, and final walkthrough.
Maintaining that continuity can help connect the original investigation and design intent with actual field installation.
From Recurring Leaks to a Coordinated Waterproofing Solution
The VUE Newport project demonstrates why recurring water intrusion at an existing amenity deck can require a comprehensive building enclosure approach.
ABB’s involvement followed a continuous process:
The project also demonstrates why remedial waterproofing design must account for the actual conditions of an existing building—including slab geometry, drainage limitations, post-tensioning, embedded utilities, occupied spaces below, and the relationship between waterproofing and surrounding building systems.
For owners experiencing historic or recurring leaks, the first question may not be:
“What waterproofing material should we use?”
A more useful question is:
“What is causing the water intrusion, how is water moving through the existing building, and what repair can actually be constructed within the conditions that are already there?”
At VUE Newport, ABB’s investigation and remedial design process was developed to answer those questions.