Engineering Beneath the Surface: Fortis Arena Blends Innovation and Flood Protection at Christ Presbyterian Academy
When Christ Presbyterian Academy (CPA) in Nashville set out to expand its campus with a new athletics facility, school leaders envisioned a landmark venue that would enhance the student experience and serve the growing community for years to come. There was just one challenge: the ideal location for the new arena was already occupied by a critical piece of stormwater infrastructure.
The site designated for what is now Fortis Arena sat directly atop the campus’s existing detention pond, a key component of the school’s flood protection system. While the pond is typically dry, it stores and manages stormwater runoff during heavy rainfall events, protecting the campus from flooding.
Rather than forcing a compromise between development and drainage, Pape-Dawson worked closely with the project team to deliver a solution that accomplished both.
“We made a concerted effort to relocate the detention pond, however, we ultimately developed a solution that accommodates both the pond and the building within the same footprint,” said Senior Vice President Brad Slayden, P.E.
Designing a detention system beneath a major athletic facility required careful coordination and creative engineering. The team had to maintain the pond’s stormwater storage capacity while working within tight site constraints created by existing roadways, planned infrastructure, and the arena itself.
Because detention ponds are volume-driven systems, engineers adjusted the pond’s dimensions below grade to preserve its ability to capture and slowly release stormwater. The result is an innovative underground solution that remains largely invisible to visitors while continuing to protect the campus during significant storm events.
In addition to managing stormwater, the project also had to meet Nashville’s Low Impact Development (LID) requirements, which focus on improving water quality through natural filtration processes. Pape-Dawson incorporated bioretention areas and underdrain systems that filter runoff before directing it to the detention facility, adding another layer of environmental stewardship to the design.
During construction, the team developed temporary stormwater management measures to safely divert runoff away from the building footprint, allowing construction activities to proceed without compromising the site’s drainage needs.
Success required close collaboration among architects, structural engineers, contractors, and civil engineers from the earliest stages of planning. Through ongoing coordination and multiple design iterations, the team balanced aesthetics, functionality, regulatory requirements, and long-term performance.
Pape-Dawson’s efforts were led by Brent Drexler, P.E., Evan Foster, P.E., Brad Slayden, P.E., and Ted Stevenson, PLS, who contributed expertise across planning, design, and delivery throughout the course of the project.
Today, Fortis Arena is serving students, athletes, and visitors as a centerpiece of the CPA campus. Beneath the excitement of games, events, and cheering crowds lies a carefully engineered stormwater system that continues to protect the campus from flooding while remaining completely out of sight.
The project demonstrates how innovative civil engineering can help transform site constraints into opportunities, creating infrastructure that supports both community goals and long-term resilience.