Est. 1979 · 47 years in practice St. Paul (651) 292-1123
Reigstad Engineers, Inc.

Parking Consulting Services

Reigstad brings 47 years of structural and parking expertise to new construction, renovation, and adaptive reuse projects across the country.

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Parking Consulting Services

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Structural Parking Consulting That Goes Deeper

Parking consulting services at Reigstad means structural engineering judgment applied at every phase of a parking project, from feasibility through construction documents. Gordon Reigstad, PhD, PE, SE and the licensed engineering team at Reigstad Engineers, Inc. have delivered parking consulting on projects across the United States since 1979, working alongside architects, developers, and contractors who need more than a code-compliant layout. If the structural system behind your parking structure hasn't been evaluated by an engineer with real construction-site experience, you're carrying risk that a floor plan alone won't catch.

Parking structures are among the most demanding building types to design correctly. Load distribution, post-tensioned slab behavior, drainage slope, vehicular impact loads, and long-term durability all interact in ways that generic consulting misses. Reigstad approaches each project with the same process: understand the site and program constraints, evaluate structural feasibility, coordinate with the design team, and deliver a system that works in the field, not just on paper. Cost drivers on parking projects include structure type (cast-in-place versus precast design), number of levels, site constraints, seismic or wind exposure, and the condition of any existing structure being renovated. Every job is different. Contact Reigstad Engineers for an accurate estimate.

Engineering desk with parking garage blueprints, load calculation tables, foundation design sketches, technical manuals, and

What Parking Consulting Services Cover

  • Structural feasibility evaluation for new and renovation parking projects
  • Coordination with architects and owners on program, layout, and system selection
  • Post-tensioned and precast concrete structural design for parking decks
  • Assessment of existing parking structures for deterioration, capacity, or adaptive reuse
  • Construction-phase support and inspection coordination

Core Capabilities

Where Reigstad Adds Value on Parking Projects

Parking consulting isn't a single deliverable. It runs from the first feasibility question through the last inspection.

Feasibility and Structural System Selection

Before schematic design locks in a direction, the structural system choice determines cost, schedule, and long-term maintenance. Reigstad evaluates cast-in-place post-tensioned, precast prestressed, and structural steel options against your program requirements and site constraints so the team makes that decision with engineering data, not assumption.

New Construction Structural Design

From concept through construction documents, Reigstad produces the structural drawings and specifications that contractors build from. The firm's 47-year track record on demanding schedules, including casino resort expansions and large mixed-use developments, means the design is buildable and the documentation holds up in the field.

Renovation and Structural Assessment

An existing parking deck that shows surface deterioration may have compromised post-tensioned tendons, corroded reinforcing, or compromised connections. Reigstad evaluates the actual structural condition, not just the visible surface, and provides the analysis needed to determine whether repair, rehabilitation, or replacement is the right path. See related exterior structural repairs work for context.

Adaptive Reuse Structural Analysis

Converting a parking structure to occupied floor area or adding a vertical load to an existing deck requires a full structural re-evaluation. Reigstad's engineers analyze existing load capacity, review original construction documents when available, and provide the analysis an architect needs to design responsibly.

Architect and Owner Coordination

Reigstad works directly with the design team throughout the process, not just at submittal deadlines. That means structural input during schematic design, early identification of conflicts, and clear communication that keeps the project moving. It's the same collaborative model the firm has used with architects and owners for four decades.

Construction-Phase Engineering Support

Design doesn't stop at permit. Reigstad provides RFI responses, submittal review, and construction inspection services support during the build phase to make sure the structure that goes up matches the structure that was designed.

How We Work

The Reigstad Consulting Process

  1. 01

    Evaluate

    Every engagement starts with a clear-eyed look at what the project actually requires, whether that's a structural feasibility study on a proposed site or a condition assessment of an existing deck that hasn't been evaluated in years.

  2. 02

    Design and Coordinate

    Reigstad develops the structural system in active coordination with the architect and owner, using current design technology and 47 years of field-informed judgment to arrive at a solution that's both structurally sound and constructible within the project's real constraints.

  3. 03

    Support Through Construction

    The firm stays engaged through the build, reviewing submittals, responding to field questions, and providing the documentation contractors and inspectors need to close out the structural work correctly.

Structural engineer in hard hat and safety vest inspecting concrete columns and beams inside a multi-story parking garage str

Licensed Engineering Backed by Field Experience

Reigstad Engineers, Inc. is licensed as an engineering firm in Minnesota and Mississippi, and the firm has worked on parking and structural engineering projects across the country. Gordon Reigstad, PhD, PE, SE founded the firm in 1979 and has spent decades on active job sites, not just at a drafting table. That field exposure is what separates Reigstad's consulting from firms that produce drawings without ever having stood on a post-tensioned deck during construction and worked through a problem in real time. We won't tell you a system works on paper when the construction sequence makes it impractical. We won't specify a material that isn't available in your region on your schedule. And we don't hand off a completed permit set and disappear. If you're evaluating parking consultants and one of them can't tell you who will actually be on your project and what they've built, that's the question to press.

Parking Consulting: Common Questions

What does a parking consultant actually do on a structural project?
A structural parking consultant evaluates the engineering requirements specific to parking structures: vehicular loads, post-tensioned or precast concrete systems, drainage slope, impact protection, and long-term durability detailing. At Reigstad, that work covers feasibility analysis, structural design documents, coordination with the architect and owner, and construction-phase support. The consultant's job is to make sure the structure performs safely under the loads it will actually see, for the life of the building.
When in the design process should a parking consultant be brought in?
Earlier than most teams think. Structural system selection, which affects cost, schedule, and coordination requirements significantly, should happen before schematic design is finalized. Bringing Reigstad in at feasibility means the system is sized correctly from the start, rather than re-engineered after the architect has committed to a layout that doesn't support the original structural assumption.
What's the difference between cast-in-place and precast for a parking structure?
Cast-in-place post-tensioned concrete is poured on-site and allows more geometric flexibility, but requires formwork and curing time that can extend the schedule. Precast prestressed concrete is fabricated off-site and erected quickly, which benefits projects on tight construction schedules. Each system has different long-term performance characteristics, maintenance requirements, and cost profiles depending on project size and site constraints. Reigstad evaluates both options against your specific program before recommending a direction.
Can an existing parking structure be evaluated for additional floors or new occupancy loads?
Yes, and it's a more involved analysis than most project teams anticipate. The original design documents, if available, establish the baseline capacity, but actual structural condition, connection details, and any deterioration in the post-tensioned system have to be assessed in the field as well. Reigstad provides the structural analysis required to determine whether the existing deck can carry the proposed new loads and what modifications, if any, are required.
What drives the cost of parking structure structural engineering?
Number of levels, structure type, site constraints such as subgrade conditions or tight footprints, seismic design category, the complexity of the program (mixed-use above parking, for example), and whether the work involves a new structure or an existing one all affect scope significantly. Renovation projects add the variable of existing structural condition, which can't be fully quantified until assessment work is complete. Every job is different. Contact Reigstad Engineers for an accurate estimate.
Does Reigstad work with projects outside of Minnesota?
Yes. Reigstad Engineers has delivered parking consulting and structural engineering on projects across the United States since 1979, including projects in Mississippi, Wisconsin, and other states. The firm is licensed in Minnesota and Mississippi, and coordinates licensure requirements for projects in other jurisdictions as needed. National reach with consistent project involvement from the same experienced team is part of how Reigstad operates.
Does Reigstad work on parking projects outside of Minnesota?
Yes. Reigstad Engineers has delivered parking consulting and structural engineering on projects across the United States since 1979, including work in Mississippi, Wisconsin, and other states. The firm is licensed in Minnesota and Mississippi, and coordinates licensure requirements for projects in other jurisdictions as needed.
Is parking structure engineering different from standard structural engineering?
In practice, yes. Parking structures carry moving vehicular loads, require specific drainage slopes to prevent long-term concrete deterioration, and rely heavily on post-tensioned or precast concrete systems that behave differently from conventional floor framing. The detailing for durability, particularly chloride exposure from deicing salts, is a discipline within structural engineering that requires specific experience to get right. Reigstad has worked on parking structures specifically for over four decades.

In the field

A look at our work

Engineer's desk with construction blueprints, steel structure models on screen, and drafting tools overlooking a cityscape
Interior of concrete parking garage showing structural columns, beams, and multiple levels with city buildings visible throug

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Parking structures demand engineering judgment that goes beyond layout and code compliance.

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By submitting this form you agree that we may contact you about your request and share your name and email address with partner companies for email marketing. We never share your mobile number or text message consent with third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes.