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Creating a lush oasis atop a parking garage roof requires creativity and attention to detail.
People rarely think of a hospital as an oasis—a place to receive needed care, yes, but oasis, no. But with the help of an event planning company in Little Rock, Ark., an oasis is exactly what Mahaffey Fabric Structures created atop St. Vincent Hospital’s parking garage roof. The second annual fundraising gala took place in May 2008 in a chic, innovative clearspan structure. All pieces of the 66-by-100-foot structure were crane-lifted to the roof. Once the frame was assembled, extra precautions were necessary since, due to its elevated location, the tent would be exposed to excess wind.
To create a stylish space for the donors and guests to enjoy the gala event, it was important to the customer that the tent look more like an upscale venue rather than a tent on the inside. In order to accomplish the feeling of a chic retreat, Mahaffey provided the client with the large, clearspan structure complete with fabric sides, a stage for the band, parquet wood dance floor, creative carpet design and an aura of oasis-like elegance.
Among the installation challenges was the fact that the customer wanted the carpet laid without flooring, in a striped pattern. Mahaffey’s crew cut thick lengths of green and white carpeting, and attached them directly to the concrete. The precision required to line the carpet segments up with each other along with the added safety measures necessary to prevent tripping hazards was an added challenge, but the team quickly resolved the issues and remained on schedule. Ultimately, it took less than three days to complete the setup.
The event was deemed a grand success and was the talk of the town for several months. The customer was so pleased with the outcome that they hired Mahaffey to provide services for a grand opening in August 2008, and have already contracted with the company to provide services for the hospital’s third annual gala fundraiser in 2009.