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REDCOM's Innovative Solution to Tackle Metuchen, NJ's Unique Water Table and Soil Conditions

Everbrook Academy - Metuchen, New Jersey

In November 2023, REDCOM completed the Everbrook Academy, a 12,870 SF ground-up daycare center in Metuchen, New Jersey. This build is part of a larger campus constructed by REDCOM that includes a Starbucks, Sportsplex and a dispensary. Construction in this area came with unique challenges due to Metuchen’s high water table, located just 3–5 feet below the surface.

REDCOM solved the challenges with a combination of teamwork, technical expertise and innovative solutions. Overcoming Metuchen’s unique water table and soil conditions required close collaboration and problem solving, ensuring that Everbrook Academy and the other structures on the campus succeed in this environment.

Managing High Water Levels with the Filterra System

To address the challenges posed by the ever-rising water levels on-site, REDCOM installed 12 Filterra systems to pump water away from the area. The systems feature a small footprint ideal for highly-developed sites such as the campus with Everbrook.

A city street stormwater flows into a tree pit planter containing mulch, debris, and a drainage pipe, with water entering from the curb—typical of urban soil conditions in New Jersey.

Stormwater runoff is directed into the system via a curb-inlet opening.

Cross-section of a stormwater filtration system showing water, surface debris, soil layers, gravel, and arrows indicating water percolation downward—adapted for varying soil conditions in New Jersey.

It then flows through filter media housed in landscaped concrete containers—in this case containers with trees.

Cross-section illustration showing a tree with roots above a perforated drainage pipe system embedded in gravel, with arrows indicating water flow through the soil and pipe—ideal for managing soil conditions in New Jersey.

The treated water is then safely discharged from the area, maintaining low water levels and protecting the site

Young trees planted along a divided street median near a parking lot under clear skies, reflecting soil conditions in New Jersey; a white truck and a mound of dirt are visible in the background.

Installed Filterra System On-Site

Strengthening the Foundation with Dynamic Compaction

Initial surveys revealed that the soil was too soft for the required structural integrity to support Everbrook’s foundation. To remedy this, the team employed dynamic compaction—a process that involves repeatedly dropping a heavy weight on the soil to compress it. This straightforward yet effective technique reduces air and water voids in the soil, ensuring a stable foundation.

Given the loose soil and the proximity to neighboring structures, REDCOM opted for rapid local compaction over a 13,000 SF area to minimize disturbances to the surrounding community.

A large yellow and blue drilling rig is parked on asphalt near a construction site in New Jersey, ready to assess soil conditions, with another excavator visible in the background.

Rapid Dynamic Compactor

A fenced construction site with uneven dirt ground and holes, reflecting typical soil conditions New Jersey experiences, with trees and a cloudy sky in the background.

Compaction in Progress

A yellow excavator sits on gravel at a construction site in New Jersey, where soil conditions are being assessed, with a worker standing in the background and buildings and trees surrounding the area.

Reinforcing Unstable Soil with Mirafi Fabric and Stone

Despite the local compaction, the ground remained too unstable to bear the building’s weight. REDCOM’s next step was to remove 65,000 cubic feet of compromised soil and replace it with Mirafi fabric and stone.

Mirafi fabric, a woven polypropylene material, offers ground stabilization by providing separation, filtration, and reinforcement. This solution ensures a solid base for the structure while accommodating for the soft foundational conditions of the area.

Supporting the Landscape with a Retaining Wall

In addition to the daycare center, Starbucks, Sportsplex and dispensary, REDCOM’s team constructed a 16 ft. x 14 ft. retaining wall. This wall holds back Starbuck’s bordering hillside, ensuring long-term stability of the campus.

A stone retaining wall features colorful murals of animals—like a ladybug, owl, bird, and turtle—with young shrubs planted in front to suit soil conditions in New Jersey. Time and location watermark is present.