The Customer
A GTA-based third-party logistics operator running a multi-client distribution centre off Highway 407. Inbound volume was outpacing the existing footprint and the operator was leasing offsite trailer parking to absorb the overflow — an expensive and inefficient stopgap.
The Challenge
The operator needed clear-span warehouse cover, fast, on a parcel adjacent to the existing DC. A conventional tilt-up build would have run 12–18 months. The roster of inbound customers couldn't wait. They needed a structure that the City of Vaughan and TRCA would permit quickly, with a roof tall enough for stacked pallet storage and an end-wall opening big enough for 53' trailers to back into.
The Solution
A 120' × 300' × 26' MegaDome on a concrete pier and thickened slab. Clear-span geometry meant no columns in the storage zone — pallet racking layouts were unconstrained. End wall included a 14' × 14' overhead door sized for full trailer access. Side walls included two personnel doors with vestibules. Stamped Ontario engineering and the Vaughan permit went in within three weeks of contract signing.
Why MegaDome Was Selected
MegaDome was selected because it gave the operator (a) a 10-week build window versus 12+ months for conventional tilt-up, (b) full clear-span at 120' width with no column interference for the racking grid, and (c) a capital cost roughly 30% lower than a comparable steel-and-cladding building at the same dimensions.
Construction Process
Construction ran 10 weeks. Site grading and underground services in week one, foundation pours weeks two through four, frame erection weeks five through seven, membrane and end walls weeks eight and nine, electrical and fire commissioning in week ten.
Foundation Construction
Drilled concrete piers around the perimeter carry the MegaDome arches, with a thickened slab in the racking zone designed for forklift wheel loads and standard pallet rack point loads. Anchor bolts were surveyed twice. The slab was poured in monolithic sections with engineered control joints and dust-rated finish.
Installation
MegaDome arches raised in three weeks. Membrane tensioned in the following week. End walls framed in light-gauge steel and clad, with the overhead door installed and commissioned by a specialist door contractor coordinated by Building Depot. Final electrical, lighting and fire detection commissioning by the operator's preferred trade partners on a Building Depot-coordinated schedule.
Building Specifications
| Building dimensions | 120' W × 300' L × 26' H |
|---|---|
| Footprint | 36,000 sq ft, clear-span |
| Foundation | Drilled concrete pier + thickened slab |
| End wall door | 14' × 14' overhead, full 53' trailer access |
| Side personnel doors | Two, with vestibules |
| Frame | Hot-dip galvanized steel |
| Membrane | PVC, 25-year warranty |
Project Results
- 36,000 sq ft of clear-span overflow online in 10 weeks
- Eliminated offsite trailer parking lease
- Inbound dwell time reduced — trailers staged inside
- Capital cost roughly 30% under conventional tilt-up
- Permit issued in three weeks from contract signing
Customer Benefits
- Capacity in weeks, not months
- Clear-span layout means unconstrained rack design
- Single turnkey contract through commissioning
- Engineered for additional bays if volume grows
- Lower per-square-foot capital cost than conventional steel
Project Gallery
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