The Prudential Parking Garage, located in a heavily congested area of Newark, New Jersey, was completed in April of 2007. Of the many challenges presented during the construction processa tight schedule, restricted and small site, and sequencing between galvanizer and fabricator - the decision to re-specify from a zinc/urethane paint system to hot-dip galvanizing was a challenge that required a sophisticated presentation to the decision makers. 

The x-factor was the utilization of life cycle costing analysis proving hot-dip galvanizing was more cost effective and useful over the inorganic ioz/urethane in a 35-year time period as its corrosion protection system. In addition, it was determined HDG will be a far superior corrosion barrier in the harsh Northeast winters and the frequent contact with the salt and sand. Other factors in the decision to use HDG over the originally specified ioz/urethane system include a low maintenance budget, the durability of the coating, and the ease of specifying HDG over a paint system that is subject to interpretation and substitution. In all, 1,008 tons of steel was hot-dip galvanized with all structural steel (beams and columns) being immersed in the zinc galvanizing bath. The easily adaptable, effective, and self-sustaining HDG system will provide true maintenance-free corrosion protection that will last for the many generations to follow.