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Best of California 2007

1 California Construction 12/2007

A panel of 10 contractor,

architecture, developer and

association professionals

selected 36 projects as the best

in California during the past year.

Additionally, this year we are

honoring other firms and

individuals that have contributed

greatly to the California

construction industry in the

past year.

This year’s impressive lineup of

projects includes a super-green

museum, an innovative learning

complex, a sleek and highly

efficient bridge, a sustainable

animal services center and a

whole downtown neighborhood.

These and all the other winners

are the result of outstanding

teams of professionals overcom-

ing daunting challenges to

achieve a successful project.

Judges

Roger O. Williams,McCarthy Building Cos.

Robert J. York, JCM Group/Heery International

Hraztan Zeitlian, LEO A DALY

Andrew Wiktorowicz, WesternCouncil of Construction Consumers

J. Guadalupe Flores, Flewelling & Moody Architects

Mark Gudenas, Swinerton Builders

Brett Young, Cahill Constructors

David Avila, Avila Design

Russell Snyder,Associated General Contractorsof California

Larry Hollis, Rosendin Electric

California Academy of Sciences, San FranciscoTop Overall Project

Outstanding Architectural DesignWinner

Green BuildingWinner

Best of 2007 Northern California


Everything about the new academy isbig – from its 409,000 sq ft of research, exhibi-tion, educational and office space, to the 60,000photovoltaic cells on the “living roof ” that alsofeatures 1.7 million native California plants,from its $400 million price tag to the seven milesof pipe in the Steinhart Aquarium.

But what the owners really want to promoteis the facility’s sustainability – it will be the coun-try’s first LEED platinum museum and it willdefinitively express the academy’s mission toexplore, explain and protect the natural world.

This world-renowned natural historymuseum will house the Steinhart Aquarium(the oldest such facility in the U.S.), MorrisonPlanetarium, millions of scientific specimensand thousands of live animals. It consists of afive-story structural concrete research/collec-tions/administration building with floor-to-

ceiling glass walls; three-story structuralsteel/concrete African Hall exhibit; three-story structural concreteretail/restaurant/auditorium space; glass-enclosed rainforest dome; planetarium dome;53,000 sq ft of radiant floor exhibition hall;split-level basement housing aquarium life

support systems; and a concrete-toppedstructural steel frame topographical gardenroof.

The main sustainable features include:• Energy efficiency – 5% of the building’s

total energy use will be supplied through thephotovoltaic cells installed in the perimetercanopy system of the roof.

• Daylight – 90% of all spaces occupied forcritical visual tasks (research, collection andadministration) will be provided with a min-imum daylight and view factor of 2%.

• Innovation – exhibits to promote sus-tainability will be showcased within themuseum, including displays of the buildingitself as an example of sustainable prac-tices. Modern programs for alternativetransportation will also be incorporatedfor employees and visitors.

Judges’ Comments

“Totally unique.”

“The top project of the year,no doubt about it.”

Northern California—Best of 2007

cooling. The openings in the roof domes willcreate a stack effect on the exhibit floors,drawing in fresh cool air from below andexhaling warm air out the roof. Academystaff will enjoy operable windows in theiroffices.

• The living roof – the largest in the nation(2.5 acres), with the 1.7 million plants pro-viding a thermal insulating layer for thebuilding while reducing storm water run-off(estimated at 2 million gallons per year).

San Francisco; Deck West Inc.,Stockton; Environmental Tree &Design, Tomball, Texas; Geo GroutInc., South San Francisco; JosefGartner USA, Schaumburg, Ill.; ISEC,Fremont; Irwin Seating Co., Camino;Irwin Telescopic Seating Co.,Altamont, Ill.; Jensen Corp.,Cupertino; Kadee Industries,Cleveland; KHS&S, Concord; BTMancini Co., Milpitas; Martin M. RonAssociates, San Francisco; McGillErection and Welding, Hayward;Monterey Mechanical, Oakland;Northstar Fire Protection, Egan,Minn.; Otis Elevator, San Francisco;Partition Specialties, San Rafael;Peninsulators Inc., San Jose; PacificStates Environmental, Dublin;Regional Steel Corp., Tracy; RosendinElectric, San Jose; Rana CreekHabitat Restoration, Carmel Valley;Rite Hite Corp., Milwaukee; ReynoldsPolymer Technology, Grand Junction,Colo.; Ralto Inc., San Leandro;Service Metal Products, Oakland;Sheedy Drayage Co., San Francisco;SME/Steel Contractors, West Jordon,Utah; Systems Concepts Inc., SouthSan Francisco; Sky Rider EquipmentCo., Anaheim; CE Toland & Son,Benicia; Tera Lite Inc., San Jose; Tuan& Robinson Structural Engineers, SanFrancisco; United California Glass &Door, San Francisco; Valley SheetMetal Co., South San Francisco;Visual Acuity Ltd., Virginia Beach, Vir.;Won Door Corp., Salt Lake City;Weatherly Striping Co., San Carlos;Webcor Concrete Group, San Mateo;Xypex, Novato

• Water efficiency – the use of high-effi-ciency irrigation technology, such as micro-irrigation systems, moisture sensors, andweather database controllers will be incor-porated to reduce water usage.

• Indoor Air Quality – a permanententryway system will be installed to capturedirt, particulate matter, and other pollu-tants from entering the building at all highvolume entryways. The new building willrely on extensive natural ventilation for

Project TeamOwner

California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco

General Contractor

Webcor Builders, San Francisco

Architects

Designed by Renzo Piano BuildingWorkshop in collaboration with StantecArchitecture (formerly ChongPartners), Genoa, Italy, and SanFrancisco, respectively. Landscapearchitect is SWA Group, San Francisco

Engineering and Sustainability Consulting

Arup, San Francisco

Major subcontractors: Alcal Roofing &Insulation, Hayward; Architectural Glass& Aluminum, Oakland; Jos. J. AlbaneseInc., Santa Clara; ACCO EngineeredSystems, San Leandro; AD-In Inc.,Fremont; Andrew M. Jordan Inc. (dbaA&B Construction), San Francisco;Alliance Roofing, San Jose; AvarConstruction Systems, Campbell; BiggeCrane & Rigging, San Leandro; Blue’sRoofing Co., San Jose; Big DMetalworks, Dallas; COMTEL, SantaClara; Concourse Landscape, SanFrancisco; Control Air ConditioningCorp., Hayward; Dees Hennessey Inc.,San Carlos; Dolan Concrete, San Jose;D&J Tile, San Carlos; Stuart Dean Co.,


• Wood use – at least 50% of the wood isForest Stewardship Council-certified.

• Insulation – the buildings walls are insu-lated with recycled cotton fiber from bluejeans.

• Reduced heat island effect – in additionto the living roof system, a minimum of 30%of non-roof impervious surfaces (includingparking lots, walkways, and plazas) will beunder shade. <<

Berkeley City College, BerkeleyHigher Education

Winner



Project architect Mike Matson ofRatcliff says expansive, high performanceglass curtain walls were used to conveytransparency and openness to the commu-nity while admitting northern light andviews of the nearby hills.

This new $46 million, six-story collegebuilding houses 20 lecture rooms, 15 labsand a 250-seat auditorium.

A challenge for a single building on a

landlocked, tight site was replicating suchdesirable campus amenities as courtyardsand plazas that offer sunlight, air and com-mon gathering ground. The oval six-storyatrium is the campus quad and social gath-

ering spot, a circulation hub and centralentryway with elevators and open stairsarriving and departing at all six floors. Theatrium is crowned by a monumental 80-ftby 50-ft skylight, which floods the buildingwith natural light. And an exhaust grilleringing the skylight turns the atrium into avery efficient ductless air return system forthe entire building.

The U.S. Green Building Council recentlyawarded the building a LEED Silver desig-nation, earning the honor by its promotionof urban redevelopment and incorporationof various energy-efficient design elements.

In addition to the life-cycle savings of itsenergy-efficient design, the new buildinghas already earned the district $129,000 incash incentives from Pacific Gas & ElectricCo.’s Savings by Design program.

Other green elements include:• Energy Efficiency -- The building is over

40% more energy efficient than the base-line. The keys to this accomplishment areintelligent building controls, and energy-efficient mechanical systems, lighting, andbuilding “envelope” design, such as whiteroofing to reduce the “urban heat islandeffect.”

• Water Efficiency -- Berkeley CityCollege is 34% more water efficient than acomparable building, due to low-flow sen-sor-controlled plumbing fixtures.

• Indoor Air Quality -- Indoor air con-

taminants were reduced through a rigor-ous selection process of interior finishes,adhesives, and sealants that limit the emis-sion of volatile organic compounds(VOCs) and the design of mechanical sys-tems that respond to heightened carbondioxide levels.

• Construction Waste Diversion -- Thisproject diverted 998 tons (77%) of con-struction waste from landfill.

• Recycled Content and Local/RegionalMaterials -- Ratcliff says it selected build-ing materials and finishes with high recy-cled content and 30% of those materialswere manufactured from raw materialswithin the region. <<

Project TeamOwner

Peralta Community College District,Oakland

General Contractor

SJ Amoroso Construction, Redwood City

Architect

Ratcliff, Emeryville

Project Management

Swinerton Management & Consulting,San Francisco

Key subcontractors: Forell/Elsesser(structural and civil engineers), San Francisco; Taylor Engineering(mechanical engineer), Alameda; The Engineering Enterprise (electricalengineer), Alameda; SJ Engineers(plumbing engineer), Oakland

Judges’ Comments

“It’s unusual that in a tight site a totally vertical building can provide so much natural daylighting.”

North Tower Addition, Memorial Medical Center, Modesto

HealthcareWinner



Located at the heart of the existingMemorial Medical Center campus, thisproject consists of a seven-story, 376,000-sq-ft surgical center with a below gradebasement and a fully enclosed mechanicalpenthouse.

In addition, the North Tower Addition issupported by a new 33,000-sq-ft centralutility plant connected to the North Towerby a 300-ft precast utility tunnel.

In order to fit up the addition, there was

remodeling of the existing dietary buildingrequired as well as complete campus utilityupgrades.

Due to the positioning of this addition,all demolition and construction occurreddirectly adjacent to the active dietary facili-

ty, labor and delivery unit and administra-tion services. Although just a few feet awayfrom these services, general contractorSkanska USA Building was able to not onlysuccessfully orchestrate the work, it self-

performed the erection of 3,300 tons ofstructural steel with the support of thefirm’s Washington division without inci-dent (and very little staging).

Additionally, the recast utilidor wasplaced without any impact to the existingfacility while relocating or rerouting morethan 72 unidentified utility services. <<

Judges’ Comments

“Understated, subtle blending of form and function.”

Project Team

Owner

Sutter Health, Sacramento

General Contractor

Skanska USA Building, Oakland

Architect

Chong Partners, San Francisco

Main Engineers

KPFF, San Francisco; Ainsworth &

Associates, Sacramento; Mazzetti &

Associates, Sacramento

Key subcontractors: Anning Johnson,

San Francisco; Bergelectric,

Sacramento; Solecon, Modesto; Conco,

Concord; California Drywall, San

Francisco; Apex Painting, Modesto;

Capitol Builders Hardware, Sacramento;

Clark Pacific, West Sacramento; Kings

Roofing, Patterson; Trane, Sacramento;

Otis Elevator, North Highlands; J.S.

Perrott and Co., Portland, Ore.

Hilton San Francisco Financial District

HospitalityWinner


The goal of this renovation projectwas to reposition the hotel from a tourist-based property to a four-star business prop-erty. The scope of work encompassed par-tial exterior renovation of the hotel’s base

and a complete remodel of the publicspaces.

The existing architectural base, accord-ing to the architect, Gensler, was “fortress-

like”: dark, uninviting and disconnectedfrom the interior. The design team respond-ed by capturing a portion of the existingoutdoor area as a glass enclosed transitionfrom the valet drop-off to the registration

desk. New aluminum cladding on the under-side of the existing bridge entrance extendsto this new area, as does the paving, creatinga seamless transition from outside to in.

The entry feature is a millstone that floatsbetween the elevator masses, incorporating awater feature, and setting the tone for theAsian-inspired interior.

The existing lobby interior was wide open,dominated by a set of escalators. The designteam’s objective was to zone the expanseinto smaller, discreet nooks, creating a moreintimate experience for the guests. Seatingalcoves were placed against the escalators,redirecting guests’ attention to the restau-rant and bar.

An “infinity box” was placed to separatethe restaurant and bar, becoming an archi-tectural anchor for the new fireplace. ThisMascassar Ebony wood enclosure withbronze mirror creates a dramatic backdropfor dining. The dining room is clad in butter-scotch colored glass panels, complimentingthe red, bronze and oak palette. <<

Judges’ Comments

“The challenge was taking a rather dumpy former hoteland re-energizing it. Well done.

Project TeamOwner

Justice Investors LP, San Francisco

General Contractor

Cahill Construction, San Francisco

Architect

Gensler, San Francisco

Major subcontractors: KPFF (structuralengineers), San Francisco; Marx-OkuboAssociates (construction consultant),San Francisco; Revolver Design (lightingconsultant), San Francisco


Bay Street EmeryvilleMixed Use

Winner



Bay Street Emeryville converts anunderutilized infill site – a vacant industrialbrownfield on the edge of San FranciscoBay – into a lively mixed-use district.

Sited on a 5.67-acre site, the $100 millionproject combines three blocks of mainstreet retail with a mixture of 284 rentalapartments and 95 for-sale townhomes.

The project features 387,000 sq ft of resi-dential space atop an eclectic mix ofground-floor retail shops that were com-pleted several years ago; the owner of thisretail phase is Madison Marquette, JerdePartnership/Charles Group was the archi-tect and DPR Construction was the generalcontractor.

The residential design team, led by SBArchitects, faced the challenge of creating anew community above the podiums, withlittle connection to the retail or street lifebelow. In the new design, the team createdsmaller-scale buildings, with numerouscourtyards of different sizes, as well as trel-lised overlooks and raised bridges that cre-ate a physical and psychological connectionto the street below.

The design team employed a panelizedtube steel bearing wall system, pre-fabricat-ed then assembled on site, which allowedthem to redirect and spread the weight ofthe new structures across the existing sup-port system.

By locating the residential podiums oneither side of the main street on differentlevels, the design team maximized access tovaluable bay views from residences on bothsides of the street.

These residential podiums offer anopportunity to create a sense of communityabove street level, providing quieter, semi-public spaces for residents – larger, sharedcourtyards for the rental units, and moreintimately-scaled, private courts with indi-vidual entries for the townhomes.

At street level, broad sidewalks and alandscaped plaza provide opportunities togather. <<

Project TeamOwner

MacFarlane Partners, San Francisco

General Contractor

Devcon Construction, Milpitas

Architect

SB Architects, San Francisco

Structural Engineer

KPFF Consulting Engineers, San Francisco

MEP Engineer

Flack + Kurtz, San Francisco

Landscape Architects

April Phillips Designworks, Sausalito,and The Guzzardo Partnership, San Francisco

Interiors

CDC, Costa Mesa


Upon the approval of the new MungerGraduate Residences, Stanford Universitybegan working with Hathaway Dinwiddiein relocating and renovating five historicalhouses (Rogers, Mariposa, Serra, Owen andDrell) that were located on the site. The fivehouses were all constructed as student resi-dences between 1890 and 1925 in an area ofthe Stanford campus known as The Row.

Preparing the houses for the move was alengthy process in itself. The five structureswere dislocated from existing utilities andcut from their foundations. Bracing andunder-building support systems were putinto place and the houses were jacked up.The Serra House had to be cut in half and atemporary interior frame was put in placeat the seam.

Determining the path of travel for thehouses was the biggest challenge. While the

Owen and Drell houses had to move only afew hundred ft, the Rogers, Mariposa andSerra houses had to move 1.4 mi to theirfinal resting place. A temporary road had tobe built in a swampy lawn area along thedetermined path. While students wereaway on spring break, Hathaway Dinwiddiebegan to make room for the new MungerGraduate Residences. Light posts and signswere removed, and shrubs along the path oftravel were trimmed down to 3 1/2 ft tall toallow the houses to travel over them. Onceall the prep work was completed, the hous-es were hoisted onto trailers and hauled totheir new locations.

Once the structures were set onto theirnew foundations, the renovation workbegan. The effort included constructionand site prep, foundations, seismicupgrades, interior improvements, land-

scaping and additional associated sitework. The intent of the renovation workwas to preserve the architectural qualitieswhile bringing the buildings up to code.Ramps and elevators were added, makingthe houses ADA accessible. Samples of theoriginal paint were chipped off, studiesdone and new paint made to match theoriginal. The original hardwood floors wererestored and hand rails were raised to cur-rent standard height. A few pocket doorsthat had been previously covered werefound hidden in the walls and restored totheir original functions.

Construction on the new MungerGraduate Residence has since begun, mak-ing Stanford the only university in thecountry to guarantee three years of apart-ment style housing to its law students. <<

Munger House Relocation, Palo Alto

RestorationWinner


Project Team

Owner

Stanford University, Palo Alto

General Contractor

Hathaway Dinwiddie, Santa Clara

Architect

Cody Anderson Wasney Architects,

Palo Alto

Engineers & Consultants

BKF Engineers, Redwood City; DCI

Engineers, Bellevue, Wash.; SWA

Group, Sausalito

Theatre SquareResidential

Winner


After the closure of Petaluma’s lastmovie theater, a group of local teenage girlspetitioned and campaigned for a new com-munity cinema. Responding to the chal-lenge, Basin Street Properties became thevanguard of Petaluma’s urban redevelop-ment in the downtown core.

Immediately following Basin Street’sopening of a new cinema, the TheatreSquare project broke ground, planned tobecome a vibrant mixed-use development.While the historic portion of downtown

has been preserved, the six blocks of theTheatre District has become a new area forresidential, commercial, retail and enter-tainment establishments. Among the proj-ects is Theatre Square.

Completed in April 2007, TheatreSquare contains 46,000 sq ft of retail spacealong the first floor with 56 apartments

above and a separate office building of34,500 sq ft.

BDE Architecture and Strauss Architects(planner) were presented with the oppor-tunity to turn an urban brownfield site intoa successful development. Once a used carlot, the Theatre Square site was a challengefrom the beginning. A passively ventedvapor barrier was used under the founda-tion to mitigate the condition of the soil.The design also called for making theground floor plan as flexible as possible for

the retail component while includingfuture connections to plumbing, gas andelectrical systems. Residential unit planstook into consideration the tenant’s priva-cy from the public atmosphere of thecourtyard and surrounding streets and atthe same time, providing adequate naturallight and ventilation.

One of the development’s main featuresis a courtyard plaza flanked by a clocktower and fountain at one end and the cin-ema at the other. The design allows for allretail spaces to open onto the courtyard,creating outdoor dining and gatheringareas. A project of the Petaluma Chamberof Commerce, the “Faces of Petaluma”fountain was created by members of thecommunity. <<

Judges’ Comments

“An attractive recreation of an entire downtown.”

Project TeamOwner

Petaluma Theatre District LLC (c/oBasin Street Properties), Petaluma

General Contractor

Midstate Construction, Petaluma

Architect

BDE Architecture Inc., San Francisco

Project Manager

Conversion Management Associates,Petaluma

Structural Engineer

ATM Engineering, Rancho Cordova

Mechanical Engineer

Cal-Air Inc., Santa Rosa

Electrical Engineer

E&L Electric, Windsor

Plumbing Engineer

The Engineering Partnership, SantaRosa

Civil Engineer

Brian Kangas Foulk, San Jose

Landscape Architect

Sasaki Walker Associates, Sausalito



The Placer County CommunityDevelopment Resource Center wasdesigned to bring together several differentagencies that had previously been housedseparately. The two-story, 97,400-sq-ft centeris one component of the county’sComprehensive Facilities Master Plan.

Located in the Dewitt Center, the $22 mil-lion resource center’s tenants are theBuilding Department, PlanningDepartment, Public Works, Administration,Environmental Health and Air PollutionControl.

The design of the building focuses onfunctionality for the users and the flexibilityof the space for the lifetime of the building.

Longevity, durability and ease of mainte-nance were important criteria.

The character of the building reflects thespecial environmental qualities of PlacerCounty itself. Much of California’s historywas written by the immigrants’ trek overthe Sierra Nevadas, through the foothillgold country and into the fertileSacramento Valley. This rich historyinspired the question: Could a buildingdevoted to land planning and building serv-ices become an example of how the PlacerCounty-built environment should develop?

Sustainable design considerations wereimportant, including energy-conservingfeatures in all facets of the building’s con-

struction and operation that resulted in abuilding that exceeds the state’s Title 24Energy Efficiency Standards by 44%. Under-floor air distribution, extensive daylighting,generous perimeter (low-emissivity) glaz-ing, high insulation levels and an advancedHVAC system utilizing evaporative pre-cooling of outside air all contribute to thehigh performance. <<

Placer Co. Community Development Resource Center, Auburn

Civic/InstitutionalWinner


Project TeamOwner

Placer County, Auburn

General Contractor

HMH, Sacramento

Architect

Williams + Paddon Architects +Planners, Roseville

Construction Manager

Turner Construction, Sacramento

Mechanical Engineering Consultant

Capital Engineering Consultants Inc.,Rancho Cordova

Electrical Engineering Consultant

Glumac, Sacramento

Structural Engineering Consultant

Buehler & Buehler, Roseville

Civil Engineer

A.R. Associates, Auburn

Landscape Architect

Yamasaki Landscape Architecture,Auburn

CCP-2 Manufacturing Expansion, Vacaville

Industrial/ManufacturingWinner


At 450,000 sq ft, the expansion ofGenentech’s facility in Vacaville makes itthe largest biotechnology fermentationfacility of its kind in the world. The projectadded a new manufacturing facility and anew infill building. It doubled the size ofthe central utility plant, added an existingwarehouse and extended the spine.

To meet the aggressive June 27, 2007

contractual delivery date set in late 2005,when DPR Construction started as thegeneral contractor, sticking to an aggres-sive schedule was imperative. To accom-plish it, 3 million craft and managementhours were worked in just 65 weeks withsome work going on 24 hours a day, sevendays a week for a full year. In all that time,

there was only one lost-time safety inci-dent.

In addition to the accelerated schedule,part of the project was constructed withinan operating facility and had to be per-formed without disrupting ongoing opera-tions. The central utility plant, whichaffects all of the systems Genentech uses toproduce its validated biopharmaceutical

drugs, had to double in size. DPR accom-plished this without a single un-plannedshutdown.

Throughout the entire project, there was a70% overlap of construction crews andGenentech start-up and validation staff. Bothcontractor and owner fostered an extremelycollaborative and cooperative effort.

Maintaining operations and meeting theschedule required creative phasing.Innovation and flexibility were a must. Aunique approach was necessary to accom-modate Genentech’s request that DPR’sfirst order of business on site be the re-bidof the entire build-out. The re-bid needed tobe done while all the equipment remainedon schedule for fabrication and delivery,which occurred prior to the interior build-out start. Because the equipment hadalready been procured and fabricated, DPRdeveloped and executed a plan to install itfirst; then built out the facility around it.

Validation was another issue. There weremore than 300 subsystems to complete,start up and validate. Looking at theprocess from a purely mechanical perspec-tive, Genentech and DPR developed a planto begin validation of specific systemsbefore final completion of the overall proj-ect. Thus, the facility was turned over sys-tem by system, piece by piece not by area orbuilding as would occur during a normalconstruction turnover process. <<

Judges’ Comments

“An amazingly complex project coupled with an aggres-sive schedule.”

Project TeamOwner

Genentech, South San Francisco

General Contractor

DPR Construction Inc., Redwood City

Architect/Engineer

Fluor Corp., Irving, Texas


Dougherty Valley High School, San RamonK-12

Winner



This massive, 54-acre high school proj-ect utilized a little-used constructionfinance alternative – a developer-builtschool. This novel approach addresses thelengthy cost and process of building aschool in California. It’s the result of a col-laborative effort between the city, schooldistrict, developer, community and thestate. It was financed by Shapell Industriesand Windemere BLC, local developers andhomebuilders, and was designed to com-plement the homes around it and the over-all feel of the community.

The $130 million Dougherty High Schooloccupies 349,000 sq ft and was built tohouse 2,200 students and will eventuallyexpand to 2,400 students. This is the firstnew high school in the San Ramon ValleyUnified School District in 32 years and the

start-to-finish construction was completedin 16 months – five months less than origi-nally budgeted.

There are 80 high-tech classrooms, a per-forming arts center with a 600-seat audito-rium and multiple athletic facilities, includ-ing a gymnasium, softball fields, tenniscourts and Olympic-size swimming pool.The school also has a commons building,library, cafeteria, all-weather field and2,800-seat outdoor stadium.

Construction manager Roebbelen says itwas challenged to keep up with the speed of

the fast-track construction while utilizingthe multi-prime delivery method. None ofthe trade contractors on the project used itbefore. The wood framing required wasenormous and required crews of 150-plusas well as considerable overtime. Structural

steel was erected within 90 days afterreceiving a notice to proceed and pre-detail-ing the steel was necessary.

This compact work schedule forcedmany site work activities to occur out ofsequence, which required continuousadjustments to the team’s schedule.

Roebbelen says everyone pulled togetherto keep things moving, adjust schedulesand accommodate the fast pace. <<

Judges’ Comments

“This project impresses us with its developer-builtapproach and completion five months ahead of schedule.”

“Visually, it has a nice presentation up front.”

Project TeamOwner

San Ramon Valley Unified SchoolDistrict, San Ramon


Roebbelen Construction ManagementServices, El Dorado Hills

Architect

Akol & Yoshii Architects and Engineers,Walnut Creek

Structural Consultant

Tipping-Mar & Associates, Berkeley

Civil Engineers

Carlson, Barbee & Gibson Inc., SanRamon

Key subcontractor: John Nichol &Associates (landscape architect), WalnutCreek; WHM Inc (electrical consultant),Moraga; Mechanical Design Studio Inc.(mechanical consultant), Walnut Creek;ValleyCrest (landscape), Pleasanton;Urata & Son’s Cement, Rancho Cordova;McClone Construction (wood framing),Shingle Springs; Armour Steel Co.(structural steel), Rio Linda; CupertinoElectric, San Jose; F.W. Spencer & SonInc. (mechanical), Brisbane


This complicated conservatory proj-ect incorporates three efforts – new con-struction, adaptive re-use and historicpreservation - and succeeds grandly with allthree.

Swinerton Builders, as general contrac-tor, converted the six-story, steel-framed1920s-era building into a modern educa-tional facility. There are three state-of-the-art performance spaces, with the largestseating 450; recording studios; rehearsaland practice rooms; classrooms; a library;and rooftop courtyard. All of the finishesare Class A, with hardwood and limestone

flooring, hardwood and limestone walltreatments, full theatrical and acousticcomplements, acoustic drapes, sounddoors, stage lifts, state lighting, seating and

high-tech audio-visual and lighting sys-tems.

With the help of structural engineerForell/Elsesser, the main challenge ofshoring the existing historic structure(façade and ballroom) and the transfer ofloads of the existing historic plaster ceilingwere accomplished without a hitch.

In order to create outstanding acousticalperformance, the engineers used heavyCMU (concrete masonry unit) partitionsthroughout the building as well as specialtreatment of the historic plaster cavity withacoustic fill.

Construction innovations on the projectalso included the use of metal stud framingas formwork and screeds for taperedacoustic shotcrete walls.

Forell/Elsesser notes that the largestspace is the concert hall, which incorpo-rates the historic ornate plaster of the for-mer ballroom. Since the existing exteriorwall of the ballroom occupied spacebetween the planned seating area and stageof the new concert hall, a large transfertruss was engineered to resupport the exist-ing ceiling and create a large, column-freespace. <<

San Francisco Conservatory of Music

Performing ArtsWinner


Judges’ Comments

“An incredible use of space.”“An excellent, beautiful performance building.”

Project TeamOwner

San Francisco Conservatory of Music

General Contractor

Swinerton Builders, San Francisco

Architect

SMWM, San Francisco

Historical Architect

Page & Turnbull, San Francisco

Structural Engineer

Forell/Elsesser, San Francisco

Project Manager

Oppenheim/Lewis, San Francisco

M/E/P


Major subcontractors: Morrow-Meadows(electrical), South San Francisco;Critchfield Mechanical, Menlo Park;Raymond Drywall, Concord; StrocalSteel, Stockton

New Benicia-Martinez BridgeTransportation/Bridges

Winner



The new Benicia-Martinez Bridgeis built to withstand earthquakes in ahigh-seismic zone and is a lifeline struc-ture for Bay Area residents – meaning itmust remain open to emergency trafficimmediately following a major earth-quake.

The new $800-million, five-lane tollbridge is more than 83 ft wide and isal igned with the exist ing B enicia-

Martinez Bridge and Union Pacif icRailroad Bridge. Despite prior expan-sions, the existing bridge was prone tocongestion from the 100,000 vehicles thatcross I-680 daily.

The new bridge is 7,400 ft in length andencompasses 22 spans, with 12 overwater. The post-tensioned concrete box

girder structure was primarily construct-ed by a balanced segmental cast-in-placeconstruction technique.

A significant portion of the bridge wasconstructed using high-performance light-weight concrete to lower mass and reduceseismic demand. The lighter the segment,the less the impact is on the piers during anearthquake.

The design was originally for a 528-ft-

long span, but the Coast Guard required656 ft for navigation. The result: a light-weight, extra-long span length structurethat pushes the boundary for any segmen-tal span.

For a bridge of this size to endure a seis-mic event, it required using concrete thatweighed approximately 20% less than nor-

mal structural concrete. At the same time, ahigh concrete strength was required for thesegmental portion. After months ofresearch and more than 100 test mixes, aconcrete mix meeting all of the require-ments was developed, but with one compli-cation. The lightweight mix did not dissi-pate heat very well, resulting in unaccept-ably high internal concrete temperatures.The team worked closely with the owner todesign an internal cooling coil system toreduce internal concrete temperatures toacceptable levels.

One of the significant features of thebridge includes the two moment-resistingmidspan hinges between the three-spancontinuous frames, a unique applicationespecially in a high-seismic zone.

The combination of features, innovativeconstruction methods and seismically-tough design makes this bridge a world-class structure and the largest of its typebuilt in California. <<

Judges’ Comments

“Functional, streamlined – an excellent solution to congestion.”

Project Team

Owner

Caltrans

General Contractor

Kiewit Corp., Omaha, Neb.

Engineer-of-Record

T.Y. Lin International/CH2M Hill, a JointVenture

Key subcontractors: SDI, San Jose; V-Structural, Hanover, Md.; D.S. Brown,North Baltimore, Ohio; Sika Corp.,Lyndhurst, N.J.; Parsons, San Francisco

Pacific Ethanol Plant, Madera

Industrial/ManufacturingAward of Merit



Proactive management techniquesincluding an on-site pipe fabrication facilityand an impeccable safety record that,together, saved the owner months in theconstruction schedule, highlight the PacificEthanol Production Plant project.

Originally, the owner, Pacific Ethanol,contracted general contractor W.M. LylesCo. to complete work on the fully automat-ed, five-building, 60,000-sq-ft facility onApril 30, 2007, but later changed the com-

pletion date to have the plant on-line andoperational by the fourth quarter of 2006,five months ahead of schedule.

The $68 million project includes a four-story steel structure suspending five major

processing vessels housing three large dis-tillation columns. Other structures includea cooling tower, a final ethanol storage area,cold-lime water softening treatment plantand 15 other storage tanks with a 3-milliongallon storage capacity.

W.M. Lyles says construction materialsconsisted of approximately 750 tons of vari-ous steel, 10,000 cu yds of concrete,500,000 ft of wire and more than 45,000lineal ft of pipe.

Once the new construction deadline wasannounced, W.M. Lyles managed an accel-erated schedule that contained more than2,000 activities and covered everythingfrom design to owner milestones, delivery

and eventual start-up and performancetesting.

It was apparent that the acceleration inconstruction with the available design wouldcomplicate and challenge Madera County’spermitting process and available inspectionservices. W.M. Lyles says it immediatelybecame the owner’s agent in preparing andsecuring permits for all design review andeventual fast-tracking of construction activi-ties.

The project also received the CaliforniaOSHA Golden Gate Partnership RecognitionAward for Safety Excellence. <<

Judges’ Comments

“This is a state-of-the-art design-build project that alsoshows a strong commitment to safety.”

Project TeamOwner

Pacific Ethanol Inc., Sacramento

General Contractor

W.M. Lyles Co., Fresno

Designer

Delta T Corp., Williamsburg, Va.

Key subcontractors: Boyle EngineeringCorp. (civil), Newport Beach; T.E.Ibberson Engineers (structural),Hopkins, Minn.; Collins Electrical Co.,Stockton; F. Rogers Specialty Contractor(pipe and equipment insulation),Livermore; Olson & Co. Steel, SanLeandro; Jerico Fire Protection, Fresno;Ford, Bacon and Davis (additionaldesign work), Baton Rouge, La.; U.S.Water Services (additional design work),Cambridge, Minn.; Valley Steel Corp.,Bakersfield; Winbco (tank constructor),Ottumwa, Ia.

The Odeon, San FranciscoRedevelopment

Winner

Mixed-UseAward of Merit



The Odeon at 150 Powell is a six-storymixed-use project of approximately 104,000sq ft that includes a two-story H&M flag-ship store, 29 residential units, 12,000 sq ftof office space and a basement storagespace. The $30 million project retained thestreet fronts of a historic four-story cornerbuilding and married its volume into a six-story horizontal extension.

The original four-story building was builtin 1906 and designated as the “ElevatedShops.” Dwarfed between the “ElevatedShops” and a city parking garage sat three

small buildings containing dilapidatedrestaurants and offices. The historic façadeof the “Elevated Shops” was shored, savedand the adjacent smaller buildings wereremoved. A new six-story horizontal addi-tion took place on the footprint of thedemolished O’Farrell Street buildings.Behind the historical façade and in place ofthe missing smaller buildings, a six-storymixed-use development was created. Thefirst two floors (plus basement) became asingle 45,000-sq-ft retail space. Floors threethrough six were converted into market-rate townhouse lofts that range in size from981 sq ft to 2,100 sq ft.

The project is located on the southeastcorner of Powell and O’Farrell streets in thebusy Union Square shopping district.Adhering to the city’s downtown retail con-struction laws, deliveries and lane block-ages could only occur at night. The densesite requirements and historical nature ofthis restoration project made off streetparking and staging areas non-existent. Totackle these restrictions, the builders used asystem called Conxtech to temporarilyshore up the building. The structural sys-tem is made from pre-cast planks andbeams, which were manufactured by anoutside source and dropped in one at atime. Concrete was then poured on top to

make the structure solid. This system isquick and not common for a housing proj-ect.

Despite the extremely limited andrestricted construction zone, the projectwas successfully completed. <<

Project Team

Owner

Union Property Capital Inc.,

San Francisco

General Contractor

Suffolk Construction Co., San Francisco

Architect

MBH Architects, Alameda

Structural Engineer

Magnusson Klemencic Associates,

Seattle

MEP Engineer

Critchfield Mechanical, Cotati

Civil Engineer

Luk + Associates

Key subcontractors: Decker Electric,

San Francisco; Clark Pacific, West

Sacramento; Broadway Mechanical,

Oakland; Olson & Co. Steel, San

Leandro

Judges’ Comments

“Takes redevelopment to anew level.”

sequencing and improved system applica-tions, relationships between FCI/Pavex, thesubcontractors, the Santa Clara ValleyTransportation Authority, Caltrans and thecity have been strengthened. <<

I-880/Coleman Avenue Interchange, San Jose

Transportation/BridgesAward of Merit



The 880/Coleman Avenue Interchangeproject included the realignment andwidening of existing ramps, adding a newdirect connector ramp from AirportBoulevard to southbound I-880, and widen-ing Coleman Avenue to six lanes from northof Airport Boulevard to Heddin Street.

The scope and schedule of theseimprovements were directly linked to theplanned expansion of Mineta San JoseInternational Airport.

Santa Clara Valley TransportationAuthority and the city of San Jose workedclosely together to develop a scope anddesign to meet the needs of freeway traffic,the adjacent operating airport and privateproperty owners. VTA’s design consultant,URS Corp., developed a creative solutionthat provided a new freeway ramp connec-

tion for vehicles coming from the airport todirectly access southbound I-880 via anunderpass, thus removing one-half of thehistorical traffic that clogged a critical inter-section providing airport access.

The VTA awarded the main constructioncontract to FCI/Pavex, a joint venture, inMarch 2004, which quickly identified avalue engineering construction methodapproach for the new direct connectorunderpass.

Despite many challenges – including afast-paced schedule, strict airport and FAAheight regulations and high water table –the project was successfully completed safe-ly and within the expected time frame andbudget. Through thoughtful planning,close coordination, careful selection ofequipment, innovative construction

Project TeamOwner

Santa Clara Valley TransportationAuthority (with Caltrans and the city ofSan Jose)

General Contractor

FCI/Pavex, joint venture, Benicia andSan Jose

Design Consultant

URS Corp., San Jose

College of San Mateo Science Building &Planetarium, San Mateo

Higher EducationAward of Merit



The Science Building and Planetariumproject was one of five community collegefacility construction projects allowed underthe design-build pilot program created bythe passage of Assembly Bill 1000. Thedesign-build team on the project wasMcCarthy Building Cos. and LPA Inc.

The 62,000-sq-ft, three-story, $24 millionbuilding serves as the anchor to the cam-

pus’ north entrance. It features a planetari-um and an observatory with a retractableroof for several fixed telescopes and houseslecture halls, offices and laboratories.

McCarthy/LPA say they dedicated theeffort to following the legacy of world-renowned architect, John Carl Warnecke.The new facility’s design is consistent withthe campus’ architectural signature of largewindows and stately vertical lines. The proj-ect team ensured that the final design hadWarnecke “DNA,” but also suggestedimprovements. For example, instead of

cast-concrete, synthetic plaster was used.The ceiling tiles also have high light reflect-ing capabilities that lessen the need forenergy-consuming mechanical lighting.

Additionally, the ceiling panels are madefrom recycled and non-petroleum basedmaterials.

Sustainable elements include a reflectiveroof, auto flush valves to reduce water use,low VOC products, rainwater retention,“direct/indirect” evaporative cooling sys-tem, occupancy and daylight sensors, highefficiency glazing with shading to reducehead gain and natural lighting in all occu-pied spaces.

To accommodate CSM’s schedule,McCarthy used a multi-stage “fast track”approach. Since the facility is located in thecentral part of the campus, the project teamimplemented a construction and site specif-ic plan that overcame the obstacles ofpedestrian traffic and other safety issues.

The excavation occurred on a hillsidethat featured large pieces of bedrock,requiring a comprehensive removal and sitelandscape restoration strategy. The planincluded the replacement of 40-year-oldutilities and the relocation of the main utili-ty lines running directly beneath the loca-tion of the new building. <<

Project TeamOwner

College of San Mateo

General Contractor

McCarthy Building Cos., San Francisco

Architect

LPA Inc., Roseville

Structural Engineer

Rutherford & Chekene, San Francisco

Judges’ Comments

“An innovative campus project with green elements anda neat planetarium.”

Alameda County Juvenile Justice Center, San Leandro

Green BuildingAward of Merit


Alameda County officials and the proj-ect team who delivered the highly success-ful new juvenile justice center received thenews recently that the facility has been cer-tified LEED Gold, making it the first andonly detention center in the nation to

achieve this status. It has also exceeded thecounty’s goal of a LEED Silver building.

Opened in April, the Juvenile Hall (pro-viding capacity for 360 minors), adminis-tration building, and courts building cover379,000 sq ft.

The United States Green BuildingCouncil awarded the project 43 points (outof 45 submitted) towards the certification,with a perfect score in the categories of

Energy and Atmosphere, and Innovationand Design Process.

Exceptional levels of efficiency wereachieved in the following areas:

• Water-efficient irrigation technologyreduces site water consumption by morethan 50%; saving over 5,000,000 gallonsannually.

• Waterless urinals and water-efficientplumbing fixtures reduce water consump-tion by 41%; saving more than 2,000,000gallons annually.

• The building complies with Title 24requirements (more stringent than nationalstandards), but is nearly 66% more efficientthan the baseline; saving 500 kW annually.

• An 850 kW solar panel array on therooftop provides over 60% of the buildingenergy demands, over 1000 MW annually.

• The project contracted to purchase100% of the building energy needs equiva-lent to 2,629 MWh from wind generation.

• 93% of construction waste was recycledand diverted from landfill disposal.

• 23,800 gallons of bio-diesel fuel wereused in the site grading equipment saving200 tons of CO2.

Along with meeting LEED requirements,additional challenges with the projectincluded the availability of specified prod-ucts, unforeseen site conditions, andinclement weather. The team provided

sound direction to minimize these impactsand the project was delivered 57 calendardays ahead of schedule.

In addition, the project was completedwithin budget; the original contractamount presented by the design-buildteam was $135 million. An additional $7.1million (5.3% of the contract) was originat-ed in change orders, with 1.3% of thechanges being owner requested, 1.2%material escalation costs, and 1% in differ-ing site conditions. <<

Judges’ Comments

“The builders fought hard to get green elements in whatis essentially a prison.”

Project TeamOwner

County of Alameda GSA, Oakland

Construction Management

Vanir/Cornerstone, San Francisco

Design-Builder

Hensel Phelps, San Jose, and HOK,San Francisco

Key subcontractors: Beverly PriorArchitects (associate architect), SanFrancisco; Gerson/Overstreet (consult-ing architect), San Francisco; KPAGroup (structural engineer), Oakland ;Telemon Engineering (civil engineer),San Francisco; MCT Engineers(mechanical, electrical engineer), SanFrancisco; Taylor Engineering (mechan-ical engineer), Alameda; MarelichMechanical (design-build mechanicalengineer), Hayward; Rosendin Electric(design-build electrical contractor), SanJose; Loisos + Ubbelohde (energy con-sultant), Alameda; Keller Mitchell & Co.(landscape contractor), Oakland.


Photo by John Swain

Grace Episcopal Church Phase II, St. Helena

RestorationAward of Merit


The original 1,118-sq-ft stonesanctuary, which was built in 1885, waspartially dismantled and reconstructed tocomply with current building code

requirements, according to the generalcontractor on the project, James NolanConstruction, part of Hearn Pacific Corp.

The work involved pouring new foot-ings against the stone foundation and

stripping off the interior stone so a shot-crete structural wall could be added tostabilize the exterior stone walls.

The existing redwood trusses were rein-

forced with tube steel frames. All of thenew structural work was carefully hiddenby the addition of new finish carpentrywork crafted to match the existing red-wood trim.

The original stained glass windowswere removed, cleaned, re-framed andinstalled in the now seismically stabilizedstone structure.

At the same time the church recon-struction was taking place, James Nolanwas adding a 4, 228-sq-ft expansion,which houses additional sanctuary spacewith a balcony, a kitchen, restrooms andclergy support rooms. The limestone andredwood building materials used on thisexpansion were hand selected to matchthe materials used in the original build-ing.

James Nolan says the quarry where the1885 stone was mined was reopened tem-porarily to furnish material for the interi-or and exterior stone veneers. <<

Judges’ Comments

“This was a small, but intricate, project that resulted in abeautiful restoration.”

Project Team

Owner

Grace Church, St. Helena

General Contractor

James Nolan Construction, Napa

Architect

Lemmon/Woodruff Architecture, Santa

Rosa

Key subcontractors: Ahlborn Structural

Steel, Santa Rosa; R. McClure Electric Co.,

Cotati; Leduc & Dexter (plumbing), Santa

Rosa; J.M.S. Mechanical, Rohnert Park




San Francisco State University’s newdowntown campus opened in January at835 Market Street, part of the newWestfield San Francisco Centre develop-ment.

The campus includes office and adminis-trative space, classrooms, and commonareas, many built around the WestfieldCentre’s historic glass-enclosed atrium.

A portion of the fifth floor, and the entiresixth floor, are devoted to university activi-ties and programs related to business, con-

tinuing education and community out-reach. Two of the university’s nine collegesare present at the campus: the College ofExtended Learning, and all graduate pro-grams in the College of Business are nowlocated at the new facility. Together, theprograms serve approximately 7,700 stu-dents per year at that location.

The new 107,000-sq-ft campus boasts 33classrooms, nine computer labs, five break-out rooms, and wireless Internet accessthroughout.

The downtown campus offers more than25 programs, most leading to professionaland academic certificates. Extended learn-ing students include mid-career profession-als seeking to enhance their career poten-tial, as well as lifelong learners pursuingpersonal development and enrichment.The College of Extended Learning offers avariety of programs including financialplanning, paralegal studies and humanresource management.

As this was a San FranciscoRedevelopment Agency project, SwinertonBuilders, the general contractor, did out-reach to the community in terms of con-tract work and local labor pool. <<

SFSU at Westfield Centre, San Francisco

Higher EducationAward of Merit

Project TeamOwner

Westfield Corp., Los Angeles

General Contractor

Swinerton Builders, San Francisco

Architect

Huntsman Architectural Group, SanFrancisco

Engineer


Key subcontractors: Cupertino Electric,San Jose; Marelich Mechanical,Hayward; Anderson Rowe & Buckley,San Francisco; Raymond Interiors,Concord; Paganini Communications,San Francisco

Donahue SchriberBest of 2007 Private Owner of the Year


Costa Mesa-based DonahueSchriber’s innovations have transformedthe experience of shopping for millions ofpeople – not only in California, but all overAmerica.

Founded in 1969 byTom Schriber and thelate Dan Donahue, thePrivate Owner of theYear Donahue Schriberowns or operates 91retail centers in the U.S. with more than 15million sq ft of space.

Over the years, the company has trans-formed the regional mall as it is knowntoday into what is considered a destinationor lifestyle center, such as Anaheim Plaza,an enclosed regional mall that was demol-ished and redeveloped into a successfulpower center, and the three-year, $100 mil-lion renovation of Fashion Island inNewport Beach into a lifestyle center.

While a major financial success (as ofJanuary 2007, its development pipelineexceeded $500 million), the company’sleaders also maintain a strong commitmentto charitable giving in the community.

Furthermore, they exercise great sensitivityto the preferences of residents where thecompany operates centers.

Donahue Schriber makes a concertedeffort to engage adjacent property owners,city planners and local government toascertain any aesthetic or functional issuesimportant to community members.

Prior to his death in 2002, Dan Donahuetirelessly supported KidWorks, a nonprofitfounded to improve the future of inner-cityyouth. Tom Schriber, Donahue Schriber’sboard chairman, sits on the board ofKidWorks, which operates the DonahueCenter in central Santa Ana. In addition,the Dan Donahue Keeping Kids on TrackAward is presented annually through theOrange County United Way.

Patrick Donahue, Dan’s brother, servesas president and CEO. <<

Los Angeles Community College DistrictBest of 2007 Public Owner of the Year

As our Public Owner of the Year,the Los Angeles Community CollegeDistrict is currently holding sway over a$2.2 billion building program thanks tothe passages of Proposition A and AA in2001 and 2003, respectively.

LACCD has made tremendous efforts toinvolve local businesses through smallbusiness fairs and community outreachprograms. The district is partnering withlocal economic development organiza-tions and other agencies to sponsor “bootcamps” and seminars to give small con-

tractors the information and skills theyneed to successfully bid and participate inthe program.

These efforts are paying off: to date,small businesses have earned 86% of theconstruction contracts funded throughthe bond program.

Overseeing a program that includes 457projects is Larry Eisenberg, the district’sexecutive director of facilities planningand development.

Additionally, the region’s workforce hasbenefited from the district’s internship

Pat Donahue & Tom Schriber

Larry Eisenberg

and jobs programs.The internship pro-gram has placedhundreds of stu-dents in numerousprofessional fieldswhere they acquirehands-on training

and receive job placement opportunities. Thedistrict is also facilitating the hiring of at-riskadults for construction jobs through the suc-cessful PVJOBS program.

And the district’s sustainability pro-gram aims to maximize its positive effecton the environment by conserving naturalresources through environmentally-soundselection of building materials, landscap-ing, water-smart plumbing systems;developing a plan to produce enough ofits own energy to take its nine campuses“off the power grid” using only renewablesources; and exceeding California’s GreenEnergy requirements by a minimum of20%.

LACCD’s green policies have resulted inan increase in demand for materials andfurniture with a high concentration ofrecycled content. The district has offereda bulk procurement purchasing process toall non-profit and public agencies inCalifornia, giving them the ability to pur-chase sustainable products at discountedrates. <<

The Allied Health and Sciences Building at L.A.Valley College is one of a number of projects ongo-ing in the District.


As president of a small, 10-employeeCapistrano Beach general contractor, DonFischbeck was selected in 2004 to overseethe construction of the J Serra Catholic HighSchool in San Juan Capistrano by PuebloSerra Worship Holdings Group, the school’sboard.

From the beginning, this project was tobe a tremendous undertaking.

First there was issue of a Native Americanburial site on a portion of the project’s 39acres. Then the Army Corp of Engineersclaimed that a small trickle of water that

flowed onto theproperty from a pipeinstalled when thestate built the I-5freeway created a“wetlands,” whichmeant protection ofthe local habitat.Then there was asmall vocal opposi-

tion to the school, which made every citymeeting an ongoing argument.

Fischbeck was instrumental in getting

the project completed, even at one pointgetting into a serious car accident in hisQuad and ending up with a collapsed lungand a bruised back. He was back on the jobthe next day.

Corporate officer Monica Nelson saysFischbeck “oversaw the entire project; hewas not only the project manager, but alsothe general superintendent, tradesman,operator, laborer and designer.” <<

“Very effective,” “strong leader-ship,” “’can do’ attitude,” “calmand professional approach” – theseare just a few descriptions from Pasadenacity officials, consultants, subcontractorsand contractors about Dennis Breen, ClarkConstruction Group’s project executive onthe high-profile Pasadena City Hall SeismicRetrofit project.

Overseeing this challenging project,Breen overcame many obstacles. The retro-fit required work activities to progress in aregimented and highly sequenced manner.Initially a 5,000 activity construction sched-ule was established to provide direction forthe subcontractors. Breen organized a sys-tem with a four-week look-ahead schedulethat was reviewed with the participatingsubcontractors every morning.

Breen made it a point to know everyone

on the project, andthose he knew byname came to himwith ideas and/orproblems. It isBreen’s philosophythat some of the bestideas come from thepeople who actuallydo the work.

Refusing to stay stuck behind his desk,Breen spent much of his time in the fieldand became an asset to the superintendentstaff in the field developing ideas to improveconditions for the workers, make operationsmore efficient and gain productivity. Anexample is his innovative idea for a tempo-rary bridge across the excavation site thatallowed access from two sides instead ofone.

Breen, starting his career as a structuralsteel subcontractor, made a commitmentthat he would create a subcontractor-friendly atmosphere on the project byinsisting that Clark and the onsite subcon-tractors shared office space, a very unusualarrangement on a project site. He knewthat if he created trust on the project, peo-ple would work together, share ideas andhelp each other.

As Clark Construction Group put itwhen nominating Breen as ProjectManager of the Year: “His exceptionalplanning, management and communica-tion skills resulted in an extremely happyclient and a positive impact on the localcommunity, completing the project 2 1/2months ahead of schedule.” <<

Dennis BreenClark Construction Group – California LP

Best of 2007 Project Manager of the Year

Don FischbeckBluefin Construction

Honorable Mention

Best of 2007 Project Manager of the Year

Dennis Breen

Don Fischbeck


DPR Construction’s waste managementdiversion program, its technically complexprojects and a strong safety record areamong the factors that earned the RedwoodCity-based company General Contractor ofthe Year honors from the staff of CaliforniaConstruction.

DPR also reported strong revenuegrowth in 2006 compared with 2005 andthe company has continued to refine its vir-tual building programs to keep up with theconstruction industry’s growing reliance onbuilding information modeling.

In 2007, DPR is having one of itsstrongest years ever, says George Pfeffer,regional manager.

“We’ve overcome industry changes,”Pfeffer says. “We have worked harder tobecome better builders.”

Pfeffer cited a recently completed projectfor biotech company Genentech as one ofthe company’s successes in 2007. DPR tookover the project, which involved the buildingof highly sensitive clean labs and other facili-ties that presented technical challenges,about halfway through the constructionprocess. The contractor finished the job 13

days ahead of schedule despite having tocome up to speed on the project very quick-ly.

“It was absolutely a huge success,” Pfeffersays.

DPR has also begun a waste diversion pro-gram that seeks to better track the amountof waste recycled and/or sent to a landfill onproject sites. In an era where sustainablebuilding practices are becoming moreaccepted, DPR is reporting increased diver-sion of waste from landfills. For example, acorporate office completed in South SanFrancisco in September 2006 reported that93% of its jobsite waste was recycled ordiverted. <<

Anshen + Allen

Best of 2007 Architect of the Year

DPR Construction, Inc.Best of 2007 General Contractor of the Year

of SB 1953 hasallowed Anshen +Allen to pick upsome additionalhealthcare work thisyear, says RogerSwanson, chairmanand CEO of the firm.

“Getting thoseprojects under the

deadline is straining everybody, includingOSHPA,” Swanson says.

One of the advantages Anshen + Allenoffers is its healthcare expertise does give itsstaff something of an edge when designinghospitals, Swanson adds.

“You do pick up skills and a sixth sense

on how to put these things together,”Swanson says.

One of Anshen + Allen’s successes in2007 was the completion of the KaiserPermanente Santa Clara Medical Center.The project, which originally began 12years ago, was a series of buildings on amedical campus; the last building was com-pleted this year.

“It’s gotten a lot of positive reaction inthe community,” Swanson says.

Future plans for Anshen + Allen includethe design of the UC San Francisco MissionBay Hospital and office expansion. Thedesign firm plans to open an office in Ohioearly in 2008. <<

Anshen + Allen’s healthcare work –critical in booming California – combinedwith its continued revenue growth andexpansion in the U.S. and the world hasearned it the designation as the Architect ofthe Year from the staff at CaliforniaConstruction.

As California hospitals rush to meet therequirements of SB 1953, San Francisco-based Anshen + Allen has assembled a staffof nearly 400 employees to help design crit-ically needed medical facilities.

The design firm, which designs both aca-demic and healthcare projects, assignsabout 20 architects to a typical project, withlarger projects requiring more.

Hospitals’ need to meet the requirements

Roger Swanson

Miguel Contreras Learning Complex,Los Angeles

Top Overall ProjectOutstanding Architectural Design

Winner

K-12Winner

Best of 2007 Southern California


The Los Angeles Unified SchoolDistrict’s Miguel Contreras LearningComplex was built to handle overcrowd-ing from nearby high schools. But this $106million project may have trouble keepingcrowds away, judging by the communityresponse to the school.

The 213,000-sq-ft high school can handlemore than 1,700 students, including over-

flow students from nearby Belmont andMarshall high schools.

The 72-classroom, eight-building schoolwas built on 19 redeveloped acres west ofdowntown Los Angeles. The campusincludes two classroom wings, cafeteria,library, parking facility and an administra-tion building. Each building varies in heightfrom two to four stories.

Because the school was also built to han-dle crowds from other high schools, it hasexpanded athletic facilities, including twolarge gyms, an Olympic-sized swimmingpool and a full-feature stadium.

Despite various construction challengesand change orders, the school opened ontime for its first students in September2007.

One of the challenges the project teamencountered when building the school wasworking with various grade differentials.The project team worked with the schooldistrict to value engineer the site retainingwall system and opted to change some finalgrading plans to suit site conditions.

Another challenge the building teamfaced was working with the various struc-tural systems across the project. Some ofthese structural systems included cast-in-place post-tensioned concrete parking decks,slanted reinforced masonry gymnasiumwalls and structural steel frame roofs. Theproject team created a plan to handle the sitelogistics of bringing certain materials on site

and staging. For example, the school’s pedes-trian bridge was shipped in parts and weld-ed and pieced together on the school’s ath-letic field area. The bridge was then moveinto place using cranes, lifts and trucks fromone side of the school to the other.

Another project challenge was changesmade by the district throughout theprocess. The school district issued morethan 950 construction directives through-out the process as well as 15 major bulletins.The changes requested added $13 million tothe original contract value of $81 million.

The general contractor worked seven daysa week – sometimes 12 to 16 hour days – inorder to complete the original contract.

On the design side, the project team alsocreated a school meant to stand out andseem less like a school and more like anurban village.

Project TeamOwner

Los Angeles Unified School District

General Contractor

Clark Construction, Costa Mesa

Architect

Johnson Fain, Los Angeles

Structural Engineer

Nabih Youssef & Associates, LosAngeles

Electrical Engineer

Silver Roth & Associates, Los Angeles

MEP Engineer

William Yang & Associates, Burbank

Civil Engineer

RBA Partners, Los Angeles

On-Site Civil Engineer

John M. Cruikshank Consultants, San Pedro

Landscape Architect

Mia Lehrer & Associates, Los Angeles

Southern California—Best of 2007

The school was designed to feel moreopen and color schemes avoided staid col-ors such as green. Instead, exterior plasterwalls were painted in bright colors to enliv-en the campus. Exposed shear walls wereshaped to give them character.

Classroom wings were made to lookmore distinct by including open-air verti-cal circulation stairs and open-air corri-dors with corrugated steel roof elements.

Butterfly-shaped beams rise above the cen-tral circulation spine of the buildings andprovide protection from the elements.

The courtyard between the classroomwings was designed to enhance the learningexperience of the nearby classrooms. Forinstance, an outdoor music garden wasplaced next to the instrumental classroomwhile an outdoor stage platform was builtnext to the school’s dance classroom. <<

Judges’ Comments

“Very clever design.”“Great architecture.”“Here’s a project thatactually improves the community.”

Archstone ApartmentsMixed-Use

Winner



Archstone Santa Monica was designedto accommodate residents who don’t wantto drive to the store to get what they need.The mixed-use development was built toencourage pedestrian traffic and de-empha-size vehicular traffic in a busy corridor ofSanta Monica.

The two-building project consists of 133residential units, 15,700 sq ft of retail spaceand a three-level parking garage with 396spaces.

The architect and builders used a varietyof architectural features to blend the projectin with the existing Santa Monica neighbor-hood.

Rather than use a cookie cutter approachto the development, the project team useddifferent materials, varied roof heights andsetbacks and other architectural details to

give the housing styles within the develop-ment their own unique appearance. Morethan 40 different styles of townhome unitswere built in the development.

The retail area was built using steel-fram-ing, the residential built using wood-fram-ing and the parking garage was built usingcast-in-place concrete.

The residential units also received roofterraces, large patios/open spaces and acommon rooftop pool.

Green building techniques were alsoused during the building’s construction. Aphotovoltaic system was installed andmajor building materials used recycledmaterial. A waste management programdiverted nearly 170 tons of waste fromlandfills.

Some of the challenges builders faced

were minimal floor-to-ceiling heights in theparking garage, but it required intense MEPcoordination with the ducted ventilationsystem. The project’s close location to theocean required temporary dewatering toareas such as the below-slab foundationsand structure. Construction of the parkinggarage required extensive shoring with acombination of tie-backs and rakers. <<

Project TeamOwner

Archstone-Smith Operating Trust,Colorado

General Contractor

Benchmark Contractors, Inc., SantaMonica

Design Architect

Howard Laks Architects, Santa Monica

Architect of Record

Alan S. Boivin, AIA

Structural Engineer

Masoud Dejban, Inc., Encino

Mechanical Engineer

Airplus Engineering Consultants

Electrical Engineer

Hanzlik & Associates

Civil Engineer

KHR Associates, Irvine

Geotechnical Engineer

Geotechnologies, Inc., Colorado

LAX Runway 25L RelocationTransportation/Bridges

Winner



Los Angeles International Airport isthe fifth-busiest airport in the world.Eliminating a runway for the airport couldhave a significant impact on operations at anairport with 1,800 flights per day.

However, the project team that completedthe runway 25L relocation finished the job in

eight months, minimizing disruptions to air-port traffic throughout the constructionschedule.

Runway 25L was demolished and moved25 ft south in an effort to minimize runwayincursions.

The $181.6 million project required thedemolition of 316,000 sq yds of asphalt and

276,000 sq yds of Portland cement concretepavement. The project team installed acrusher on site to process the demolishedmaterial to be used as a processed miscella-neous base for the new runway. The abilityto recycle material on site drastically reducedtruck traffic at the job and minimized con-

struction impacts on the surrounding com-munity.

After the demolition, a new 11,095-ft-long, 200-ft-wide runway was built. The newrunway required excavation, grading, stormdrain system and runway lighting, as well assome other steps. Quality control meetingswere held each week during the construction

process to confirm testing requirements, jobmemos and noncompliance notices. Theconstruction manager prepared monthlyreports that outlined cost and schedule sta-tus. Work was done seven days a week on anaround-the-clock schedule to meet the proj-ect deadline.

One of the challenges the project facedwas the discovery during construction of a1,300-ft-long, 100-ft-wide and 12-in-thickexisting runway buried underneath the run-way that was being demolished. The old run-way did not appear on any construction doc-uments and also needed to be demolished.

The demolition of the new runway causeda 23-calendar-day delay. The project teamcreated a recovery schedule to mitigate thedelay. That schedule allowed the projectteam to finish the project eight days late,rather than much later and allowing all fourof LAX’s runways to resume operating. <<

Judges’ Comments

“An extremely complicated, challenging project.”“Lots of activity around this project.”

Project TeamOwner

Los Angeles World Airports, Los Angeles


CH2M Hill, Los Angeles

Architect/Engineer

HNTB, Los Angeles

General Contractor

Tutor-Saliba, O&G Industries, Sylmar

Sub-Consultants: Pinnacle One, LosAngeles; KDG Consultants, Pasadena;Lee Andrews Group, Los Angeles;Parsons Brinckerhoff, Los Angeles


The four-footed residents who waitto be adopted at the Los Angeles NorthCentral Animal Services Center home

now have a much greener place to callhome.

The $7.9 million project consists of a74,200-sq-ft expansion of the existinganimal shelter. Various small animal,bird, and reptile holding facilities were

built in addition to 170 outdoor dog ken-nels. A behavior assessment room wascreated to monitor animals and newtraining yards were also built.

The expansion has allowed the centerto move from a simple warehouse-styleoperation to a facility that can focus onadoptions more.

But one of the key features of the build-ing was i ts sustainable design.Photovoltaic panels provide shade abovekennel aisles. The nearly 800 panels pro-vide enough energy to power the entirefacility.

The center also maximized the use ofrecycled construction waste, used steelwith 25% recycled content and its frontwall is made from 100% recycled wood.

The project team built the facility usingsustainable building practices in an effortto win Gold level certification from theU.S. Green Building Council.

The center was also designed to attractmore visitors by becoming more visitor

friendly. For instance, the western end ofthe building contains an illuminatedglass tower that serves as a landmark.Water fountains were built for appear-ance and to provide a pleasing audiblebackground for when visitors look at ani-

mals. Benches were built near puppy ken-nels to allow young children to view thedogs at a better level. A series of art-glassenclosures with animal images was creat-ed to also improve the facility’s appeal.Kennel runs were designed to draw visi-tors throughout the facility, allowingthem to see all of the animals.

Addit ional ly, each ais le is dist in-guished by a color, animal subject andlandscape palette in order to ensure thatpotential adopters can find their wayback to certain animals. <<

Los Angeles North CentralAnimal Services Center

Green BuildingWinner


Project TeamOwner

City of Los Angeles

General Contractor

Sinanian Development Inc., Tarzana

Architects

Choy Associates, South Pasadena;Tracy A. Stone Architects, Los Angeles

Structural Engineer

Kanda & Tso Associates, SouthPasadena

Civil Engineer

Ashba Engineers Ltd., Signal Hill

Mechanical and Electrical Engineer

Gotama Building Engineers Inc., Marinadel Rey

Landscape Architect

Cornerstone Studios, Inc., Los Angeles

Judges’ Comments

“Nice design.“Creative use for an unusual service.”“Very natural to combine green with animals.”

St. Joseph Hospital Patient Care Center

HealthcareWinner



The St. Joseph Hospital PatientCare Center in Orange was built toaccommodate growth at the nearly 80-year-old hospital, but to also provide a newentrance and public face for the existing St.Joseph Hospital.

The 248,000-sq-ft, four-story care centerincludes a basement and an undergroundconnection to the adjacent Children’sHospital of Orange County. The PatientCare Center has 150 patient rooms, 14operating sites and a central sterile andsupply suite.

A 13,000-sq-ft remote central plant was

built to power the Patient Care Center and agarden was installed on the second floor ofthe hospital

One of the significant challenges of theproject was coordinating with the sur-rounding hospitals about the construction.

The general contractor developed a site-logistics plan for traffic. The project teamcreated re-routed roads, off-site stagingareas for construction materials and sched-uled construction deliveries at opportunetimes. The $130 million project also neededto be built on a tight site, surrounded bytwo operational hospitals.

The Patient Care center is clad in alu-minum, plaster and a fretted glass curtainwall that wraps around three sides of thebuilding. One of the challenges of installingthe curtain wall was the etchings on the 247panels. Because the etchings needed to spell

out a message, the builders had to ensurethat every piece fit in perfectly.

The facility was built using a steel,braced-frame and was designed for zonefour seismic considerations. The projectalso featured several “green” features

including a sustainable wood breezeway inthe courtyard entry, an energy-efficientPVC roof and energy-efficient windows.

One of the reasons for the project’s suc-cess was the project team developed numer-ous mock-ups of the facility’s exterior, inte-rior and MEP systems. The general contrac-tor also implemented an overhead coordi-nation/construction verification program.

Safety was a priority on the project, aswell. The project totaled more than 700,000man hours and had a zero recordable safetyincident rate and a zero lost-time rate. <<

Judges’ Comments

“A complicated project.”“A very tight site with difficult working conditions.”

Project TeamOwner

St. Joseph Health System, La Palma

General Contractor

McCarthy Building Cos., Newport Beach

Architect

NBBJ, Seattle

Engineers

KPFF Consulting Engineers, LosAngeles; Syska Hennessy Group, Inc.,Los Angeles

Landscape Architect

Site Workshop Landscape Architect,Seattle

Key subcontractors: Berger Brothers,Inc. (interior and exterior work), Azusa;Briggs Electric Inc., Tustin; Control Air,Anaheim; The Herrick Co. (steel),Pleasanton; Pan Pacific Plumbing,Irvine

New Music and Performing Arts Center-Santa Monica

Higher EducationWinner



The New Music and PerformingArts Center at Santa Monica College wasdesigned to serve not only the campus butto serve as a centerpiece for the greaterSanta Monica community.

The $32.5 million project was a chal-lenge to build because of the uniquedesign of the 550-seat theater.

The 52,000-sq-ft building includes morethan 2,000 ft of rehearsal rooms, fourdressing rooms and a class and perform-ance practice rooms. An orchestra lift, twolighting bridges and a full-fly space with37 lines of counterweight rigging were alsoinstalled.

The building’s multi-tiered non-orthog-onal structure and the various construc-tion changes were challenging. The projectteam had to convert the design plan into astructurally sound building and use a

number of advanced construction tech-niques.

One of the tools the project team usedwas a 3-D radius track installation system.This process was used to construct theunorthodox-shaped metal stud framingpatterns of the reflector walls in the maintheater hall. The process was also used toplace the sheathing and wood paneling

covering the specialized metal framing sys-tem.

The installation system will allow theproject to install state-of-the-art acousticand lighting systems in the theater.

One of the other innovative techniquesthe project team developed was a localized

heating and cooling system attached toeach seat, allowing cool and warm air tobe circulated to each theater patron.

The building’s design incorporates anumber of exterior materials includingspecial woods, specialized concrete,smooth-coat colored plasters and exposedsteel.

One of the construction challenges thatoccurred was the location of a major sewerline that served the Santa Monica area. Thesewer line was located on the north side ofthe construction site. The project teaminstalled major shoring around the sewerline so construction could continueunabated. <<

Judges’ Comments

“Good use of forms.”

Project TeamOwner

Santa Monica Community CollegeDistrict

General Contractor

FTR International Inc., Irvine

Architect

Renzo Zecchetto Architects, Santa Monica

Structural Steel

Palmer Steel Supplies, Texas

Plumbing/HVAC

Integrated Mechanical Systems Inc.,Irwindale

Soil and Drilling

Anderson Drilling, Chino

Grading/Framing/Drywall/Concrete/

Electrical

FTR International Inc., Irvine

Ivy HotelHospitality

Winner


While the Ivy Hotel may look new, don’t be

fooled.

The $75 million project in San Diego wasoriginally the site of the Maryland Hotel,built in 1913. The owners took the oldbuilding and transformed it into a high-endboutique hotel in the heart of San Diego’s

thriving Gaslamp Quarter.While the inside of the building was

remodeled, little was done to the outside,leaving the original brick structure intact.But because the original brick structure wasin place, the hotel’s architects and contrac-tor had to figure out a way to create a brandnew hotel inside limited space.

The renovations transformed the120,000-sq-ft, six-story building into amodern-looking hotel that fits in with thebustling vibe of the Gaslamp.

The architect and contractor worked toupgrade the existing structure base of theoriginal hotel. For example, structuralcolumns in the lobby were refurbished withbraided leather. Steel crossbraces that pro-vide earthquake support were painted sil-ver and are used to hang silver drapes. Twolightwells inside the building were used tocreate outdoor lounges.

The hotel makeover added a nightclub,ballroom and meeting space in the base-ment.

The 17,000,000-sq-ft roof was redone toinclude a pool with a private cabana area,rooftop bar and 225-seat outdoor restau-rant.

The 159 guestrooms were redone to add

Judges’ Comments

“Great design, beautiful design.”

Project TeamOwner/Developer

Kelly Capital, San Diego

General Contractor

Krump Construction, San Diego

Architect

SB Architects, San Francisco

Interior Designer

Powerstrip Studio, Hollywood

Civil Engineer

Nasland Engineering, San Diego

Structural Engineer

DCI Engineers, San Diego

MEP Engineer

Glumac International, Irvine

Fire Protection Engineers

Schirmer Engineering Corp., San Diego

Exterior Lighting Consultant

Francis Krahe & Associates, Los Angeles


glassed-in baths and strategic lighting tomake the rooms seem larger. Modern fur-niture and amenities, including flat-screentelevisions were also placed in rooms.

A number of details were added to makethe hotel look ultra-chic. A spiral staircasewas added to take visitors to the basementnightclub. Mezzanines were added in thelounges, restaurant and nightclub. Thehotel’s interior designers have worked on anumber of upscale hotels throughout theU.S.

The hotel’s site, located on a busy corner,allows many hotel guests to peer out theirwindows to the street or onto the twoopen-air lounges in the hotel. <<

Pasadena City Hall RenovationRestoration

Winner



An $80 million renovation hasreturned Pasadena City Hall to its formerglory.

Built in 1927, Pasadena City Hall wasshowing signs of age inside. The building,listed on the National Register of HistoricPlaces, had a large number of deep cracksand two stair towers and the lantern in thebuilding’s dome were damaged. The build-ing also had water damage and severalarchitectural elements had to be improved

to comply with the Americans withDisabilities Act. The building also neededa seismic upgrade.

The project team completely rehabilitat-ed the interior of the building, installingnew MEP and sprinkler systems and didmajor renovations to the building’s plaster

ceilings. Some exterior renovations werealso done.

The seismic retrofit used a base isola-tion system – a construction techniquethat removed the original basement floorslab and required the excavation andinstallation of new foundations and theinstallation of 240 double concave frictionpendulum isolators between the founda-tions and basement floor framing.

The base isolation system permits build-

ing movement during a major earthquakewhile minimizing damage. New shearwalls were installed as part of the seismicretrofit as well as a “moat” to isolate theperimeter.

Working in the basement, the projectteam found they had limited access to

work so they created a third access pointto transport construction materials.Creating a third access point allowed theproject team to shave months off the con-struction schedule.

Installing a new seismic system alsomeant the project team had to limit theintrusion of the seismic upgrade into thebuilding’s historic elements.

The project team also had to integratenew MEP and sprinkler systems into thebuilding without affecting the building’shistoric elements. To accomplish this theteam used a number of innovative tech-niques, including using a significantamount of coring through concrete andsteel to run utility lines where needed.

The project began in spring of 2005 andwas finished a little more than two yearslater. <<

Project TeamOwner

City of Pasadena

General Contractor

Clark Construction Group, Costa Mesa

Architect

Architectural Resource Group,Pasadena

Structural Engineer

Forell/Elsesser Engineers Inc., SanFrancisco


DMJM Management, Los Angeles

Judges’ Comments

“Had to preserve an existing, seismically unfit building.”“State-of-the-art techniques used under the building.”

The Market at Ninth and FlowerResidential

Winner



Like many developments in California,Market Lofts was designed to keep people outof their cars and on their feet.

The six-story condominium project is situ-ated directly above a number of retail shops,including a Ralph’s supermarket.

The $70 million project contains 270 loftson the corner of Ninth and Flower streets. Butbesides offering retail on the bottom floor,Market Lofts was also built with a fitness cen-ter, social meeting area and community the-ater. The one- to two-bedroom lofts havenearly 10-ft-high ceilings and are between 700and 1,600 sq ft in size. The units also feature

such amenities as private residentialentrances, access to Internet and modernkitchens and bathrooms.

The project faced some unusual challengesthroughout the construction process. One ofthe first was the changing of the architect dur-

ing the preconstruction phase. Because of thisarchitect change, the contractor was unablefinalize its work scope with its subcontractors.The contractor and new architect had to workmore closely with the subcontractors tounderstand the scope of the project in orderto minimize costs and avoid delays.

The project team also had to work with

partial design and late changes in the designprocess. The architect and contractor had toremain in constant communication through-out the construction process; at some points,the two worked on site to build without com-plete drawings.

One of the more unique aspects of the proj-ect is that the Lofts pool is located directlyabove the Ralph’s supermarket. The projectteam had to work carefully to ensure that abarrier between the pool and the supermarketwas safe and secure.

Despite the construction challenges, theproject was able to open in July, a few daysbefore the Ralph’s supermarket opened. <<

Judges’ Comments

“A historic project for downtown L.A.”

Project TeamOwner

The Lee Group/CIM Group, Los Angeles

General Contractor

PCL Construction Services, Los Angeles

Architect

KTGY Group Inc., Irvine

Civil Engineer

Kimley-Horn & Associates, Woodland Hills

Structural Engineer

Nabih Youssef & Associates, Los Angeles

Acoustical

VSA n Associates, Whittier

Landscape Architect

ah’be landscape architects, Culver City


Where Los Angeles once shopped, it nowlives.

Eastern Columbia Lofts, once a shoppingdestination for Angelenos, now serves as aredeveloped home in busy downtown LosAngeles.

Built in 1929, Eastern Columbia Lofts is aregistered Los Angeles Cultural Monument

and was one of the tallest buildings in LosAngeles before World War II. The building isone of the city’s best surviving examples ofZig-Zag Moderne, an architectural style thatis identified by such styles as sunburst pat-terns, geometric shapes, zigzags andchevrons.

The 13-story building originally served asthe home for two L.A. department stores,

including Eastern Columbia Outfitting Co.,and later as an office building until its reno-vation.

The office space was transformed into 147-loft-style condominiums; the top stories andclock tower serve as five penthouse units.

Transforming the building into living unitsrequired many interior improvements,including seismically retrofitting the founda-tions, widening and adding footings andbuilding a new concrete shear wall from thebasement to the roof.

The building was gutted with the excep-tion of the art deco passenger elevators andthe lobby floor.

New windows were added to bring lightinto the units and two freight elevatorswere eliminated to add more living spaceusing structural steel and concrete.

Most of the new additions to the loftswere to the roof where a swimming pool,exercise room and sun deck were added.Incorporating those amenities meant

builders had to raise the roof deck by sixfeet.

Redeveloping the project also entailedrestoring one of the building’s most strikingfeatures – its turquoise and gold exterior.The project team worked to restore thebuilding’s glazed terra cotta façade, steel-framed windows and a decorative terrazzofloor in the main lobby. The clock tower

was not left out of the redevelopment either– the “Eastern” and clock features now lightup at night for this long-time L.A. land-mark.

The project earned a “Certificate ofRecognition” from the city of Los Angelesfor the building’s redevelopment. <<

Eastern Columbia LoftsRedevelopment

Winner


Judges’ Comments

“They maintained the beauty and integrity of the originaldesign.”

“Retained the flavor of the era.”

Project Team

Owner

The Kor Group, Los Angeles

General Contractor

Charles Pankow Builders, Pasadena

Interior Design

Kelly Wearstler Interior Design,

Los Angeles

Landscape Architect

Mia Lehrer & Associates, Los Angeles

Façade Restoration

CK Arts, Inc., Los Angeles and Bielski

Services, Anaheim

Structural Engineer

Nabih Youssef & Associates,

Los Angeles

Civil Egineer

Kimley-Horn and Associates,

Woodland Hills

Key design-build subcontractors: RLH

Fire Protection, Bakersfield;

Environmental Comfort Systems, San

Clemente (mechanical); DK Mechanical

Contractors, Inc., Anaheim (plumbing);

Journey Electrical Technologies, Orange

County (electrical)


The Theatre Arts Building at SantaMonica College was designed to not only bea teaching tool, but to also provide spacefor campus events and productions. Thecampus worked with the project team tocreate a building that offered expandedspace for faculty as well as create additionalspace for the theater program.

The $17 million project contains a 300-seat performance theater, box office, class-rooms and faculty offices. The theater offersfly-loft and rigging, lighting and sound sys-tems a backstage prop and set shop, anddressing and costuming areas.

The project team worked with campusofficials to create a building that would pro-

Santa Monica College Theatre Arts BuildingPerforming Arts

Winner


vide the necessary services for the schooland also blend into the existing campus.

The project team used silver-finishedmetal siding and roofing designed toreflect origami-like folding, concrete wallsand columns and expansive glass through-out the building.

The building’s entry plaza is shelteredby two large pre-existing coral trees andprovides access to the two-story lobby.Inside, a grand stairway leads to upper-level theater access and outdoor balconygathering place that can be used forpatrons during intermissions.

The project team also used naturaldetails to enhance the building. For exam-

ple, they added an actor’s garden at theback of the site to allow cast and crew togather. They also added a tree-lined court-yard and outdoor seating around the coraltrees.

The building also features a number ofsustainable elements, including frittedglass and operable windows in the facultyoffices. The fritted glass window maxi-mizes energy efficiency while the facultywindows provide for natural ventilationand energy savings. <<

Project Team

Owner

Santa Monica Community College

District

General Contractor

Turner Construction, Los Angeles

Architect

LEO A DALY, Los Angeles

Structural Engineer

Saiful/Bouqet Structural Engineers Inc.,

Pasadena

Civil Engineer

RT Quinn & Associates, Torrance

M/E/P Engineer

Integrated Engineering Consulting

Engineers Inc., Los Angeles

Landscape Architect

DRY Design, Los Angeles

Acoustical Consultant

Dohn & Associates, Morro Bay


A lack of rainfall in the past two years inSouthern California has some cities lookingfor in-house solutions instead of importingcostly water from elsewhere in the state.

The phase 4 expansion of the West BasinWater Recycling Facility in El Segundo isone of the projects that helps provide an in-house solution.

The goal of the West Basin WaterRecycling Facility phase 4 expansion was toimprove the plant to the point where itcould continue to provide potable waterand manage water resources to encourageconservation.

The $52 million project consisted of adesign-build expansion of two parts of therecycled water facility – a sea water intru-

sion barrier and changes to the Title 22recycled water system. The constructionalso upgraded such systems as solids han-dling, chemical facilities, power supply anddistribution facilities.

One of the major challenges the contrac-tor faced was a change requested by theowner two months into the project. Thecontractor had to add a clarification systemto improve the filtration process. The newsystem increased the contract amount by$5.7 million and added 18 months to theconstruction schedule.

Some of the other challenges the contrac-tor faced was a compact construction site aswell as the facility’s need to remain opera-tional while construction was underway.

The recycling facility expansion alsoneeded 41 tie-ins to the existing facility andthere was a significant amount of under-ground piping and construction.

Some of the innovations of the projectincluded the use of submerged micro-filtra-tion membranes – earlier phases used pres-sure micro-filtration systems. The mem-branes allowed for a slight reduction in cap-ital costs and also lowered the energy needof the facility.

The project is a finalist in the Design-Build Institute of America’s Western Pacificchapter awards. <<

West Basin Water Recycling FacilityPublic Works

Award of Merit


Project TeamOwner

West Basin Municipal Water District,Carson

General Contractor

J.R. Filanc Construction Co. Inc.,Escondido

Architect/Engineer

HDR Engineering Inc., Nebraska

Electrical Contractor

Doty Electrical Inc., Valencia

Concrete Tank Contractor

DYK Inc., El Cajon

Painting Contractor

Parada Painting Inc., Poway

Structural Engineer

Simon Wong Engineering, San Diego

Geotechnical Engineering

Kleinfelder, San Diego

Liberty Station MarketplaceRedevelopment

Award of Merit



A former naval base has been rebornas a thriving retail center and has man-aged to keep much of its sense of historyand architectural style.

Liberty Station Marketplace was oncehome to millions of Navy trainees forabout 70 years as part of the Naval

Training Center in San Diego. Like manymilitary bases in the 1990s, the trainingcenter was shut down in 1993.

About 350 acres of the former navalbase was targeted as a place for a mixed-use development. Liberty StationMarketplace represents the retail aspect ofthe project; Liberty Station has areas des-

ignated for residential, office and hotelspace.

The development is one of the few areas inSan Diego that gives residents access to thewaterfront.

The project team transformed historicsleeping barracks and a mess hall into170,000-sq-ft of retail shops, anchor tenants,restaurants and office space. Vons, TraderJoe’s and Starbucks are among the retailestablishments that moved into the site. Thebase’s chapel was completely renovated andconverted into a commercial wedding chapel.

The Marketplace was designed to respectand reflect the military heritage of the formerbase and to blend in with the surroundinghistoric neighborhood.

Much of the design and feel of the trainingcenter was kept and the NTC symbol can stillbe found in certain areas of the Marketplace.

A central plaza was kept and connects to

landscaped courtyards along the original his-toric promenade. Restored chapel bells ringthroughout the promenade and Marketplace.

Some of the challenges the project teamfaced was working with older buildings thatneeded to be brought up to seismic code. Theteam also was faced with the task of convert-ing many of the existing buildings from theirprimarily residential and kitchen uses andmaking them fit for retail use.

The retail development is one of the finalpieces in revitalizing the former Naval baseinto a thriving community. <<

Judges’ Comments

“Still has that naval feel.”“Hip atmosphere.”

Project TeamMaster Developer

McMillin Cos., San Diego (with the cityof San Diego)

Developer

C.W. Clark, La Jolla

Contractor

Legacy Building Services, San Diego

Architect

Nadel Architects, Los Angeles

Historic Consultant

Heritage Architecture, San Diego

Structural Engineer

Curry Price Court, San Diego

Mechanical/Plumbing

Michael Akavan Engineers, San Diego

Electrical

Michael Wall Engineering, San Diego

Civil Engineering

Flores Lund Consultants, San Diego

Landscape

ONA Landscape Architects, San Diego

UCSD Student Academic Services BuildingHigher Education

Award of Merit



The University of California SanDiego Student Academic Servicesbuilding provides a new home for many ofthe university’s academic administrationdepartments.

The five-story, 141,000-sq-ft buildinghouses multiple departments for the uni-versity including admissions, financial aidand graduate studies. A 300-seat multipur-pose room, two restaurants and retail spacewere also added into the $32.2 millionbuilding.

The project team used building informa-tion modeling to detect potential clashesand modify ducts before they wereinstalled; clashes were kept to a minimumusing this process.

One of the most significant challenges ofthe project was the high volume of concretework. McCarthy self-performed the con-crete work, which required delicate and

careful planning as the project went morevertical. The ground floor is covered by atall arcade structure consisting of 114 42-in-square, 28-ft high exposed columns. Levelsthree though five are steel-framed withcomposite metal decking and concretefloors, with steel-braced frames providinglateral resistance.

The L-shaped building was designed tocreate an open airy feel and integrate withthe outdoor spaces. The design also incor-porates natural, unfinished materials, openceilings with exposed mechanical and elec-trical systems and residential-quality finish-es.

The building also has some green fea-tures, including high-performance glazing,low-emitting materials and high-efficiencyirrigation systems. Much of the reusableconstruction waste was donated.

McCarthy worked more than 82,000

man-hours on the project and had zerorecordable safety incident rate and zerolost-time injuries. The project also receivedan “Honor Award’ from the San Diegochapter of the American Institute forArchitects. <<

Project TeamOwner

University of California, San Diego

General Contractor

McCarthy Building Cos., San Diego

Architect

Rob Wellington Quigley, AIA, San Diego

Structural Engineer

KPFF Consulting Engineers, San Diego

Mechanical and Electrical Engineer

Bechard Long & Associates, Poway

Civil Engineer

Boyle Engineering Corp., San Diego

Landscape Architect

Wallace, Roberts & Todd, San Diego

Earthwork

Whitlock Contracting Inc., El Cajon

Structural Steel

Myrex Industries, Houston

Key subcontractors: Progressive Steel,Spring Valley; La Mesa Glass, LemonGrove; Standard Drywall Inc., Lakeside;Bonita Pipeline (plumbing), NationalCity; University Mechanical (HVAC),Livermore; Bergelectric, Escondido


Dos Lagos HeartSports/Recreation

Award of Merit



When it came to building Dos LagosHeart, the team for this award-winning proj-ect came up with a way to mix water bodieswith unique architectural design.

This 10-acre park is located inside the largemixed-use development known as Dos Lagosin Corona.

The $11.2-million project features two four-acre manmade lakes with a built-in biologicalfilter to keep the lakes clean. A nine-foot highwaterfall, illuminated by fiber-optic lighting

flows on one side of the bridge and under-neath the bridge connecting to the other lake.

The bridge also serves as a pathwaybetween the lakes and connects to an outdooramphitheater. A variety of flowers, trees andlandscaping was put in place around the proj-ect, as well.

The most interesting feature of this projectand the most challenging to develop was thebridge that separates the two lakes.

The bridge is covered by a garden trellisconsisting of bamboo, concrete and rolledsteel beams.

Constructing the trellis was difficultbecause of the different materials used. The200 rolled steel beams that provide the basefor the trellis first had to be specially manufac-tured and shipped to the project site. The

beams also had to be specially designed usinga 3-D model so that they would fit togetherperfectly over the curving bridge’s walkway –like a puzzle. The steel beams were thenpainted to give them the appearance of rust-ing metal.

The project team could not find bamboo

big enough and durable enough for the gar-den trellis so they went to Vietnam for thematerial. However, the bamboo wasdelayed in customs for three months. Whenit finally reached the project, the bamboohad to be hand-oiled to weather the ele-ments before each piece was secured hori-zontally for the trellis.

Additionally, the project team had toinstall several poured-in-place concretepiles to ensure the structure will remain sta-bilized. The piles were then connected bysteel tubes. <<

Judges’ Comments

“It has a very playful way of creating circulation.”

“The interplay of shade and shadow is welcome in thisenvironment.”

Project TeamOwner

SE Corp., Corona

General Contractor

Consolidated Contracting Services Inc.,San Clemente

Architect

Nardi Associates LLP, Monrovia

Civil Engineer

Hunsaker & Associates, Irvine

Landscape Architect

Kammeyer & Associates, Corona

Structural Engineer

Costa & Associates, West Covina

Lake Engineer

Pacific Advanced Civil Engineering Inc.,Fountain Valley

Electrical Engineer

OMB Electrical Engineers, Inc.

Mechanical and Plumbing Engineers

ATI Architects & Engineers, Costa Mesa


Employees in San Diego’s DiamondViewTower may be forgiven if they don’t want toleave work when the clock strikes five.

Built near Petco Park, the 15-storyDiamondView Tower was designed with bal-conies that allow tenants to watch the SanDiego Padres play.

The 325,000-sq-ft, $53.2-million officebuilding sits on a corner adjacent to the sta-dium; it’s estimated that the view from thebuilding to home plate is about 550 ft – closeenough that a tape measure home run couldreach the building.

The project features three to four stories ofbrick-clad buildings at the bottom of thestructure while the top stories more closelyresemble offices, being clad in glass andmetal. The top floor is an indoor/outdoor

penthouse and entertainment area that canbe used by tenants of the building if theywant to host events and parties and checkout a ball game while they are at it. The devel-opment features nearly 250,000-sq-ft of officespace.

The development also has a mixed-useaspect and includes an athletic club andrestaurant and retail space. The developmentalso features a three-level parking garage.

Baseball-inspired graphics line the lobbywalls inside the building while the develop-ment also includes floor-to-ceiling glass onevery floor.

DiamondView Tower is among a numberof projects, including the ballpark itself,which incorporates the existing historic EastVillage neighborhood into the development.Project architect Carrier Johnson workedwith several groups and the city to developmaster plan studies. Those studies encour-aged the development of buildings that creat-ed pedestrian activity and views.

DiamondView Tower is one of only a fewoffice projects built in San Diego’s downtownarea; it is located closer to the city’s restau-

rant and retail area, the Gaslamp Quarter,than it is to the city’s more northern officedevelopments. The office building was builtin part to drive more daytime traffic to SanDiego’s East Village area, a portion of the citythat does not receive as much foot traffic dur-ing non-game days. <<

DiamondView TowerOffice

Award of Merit


Judges’ Comments

“Nice-looking”; “Great composition”

Project Team

Owner

Right Field Office Partners, LLC with

Cisterra Partners, San Diego

General Contractor

Reno Contracting, San Diego

Architect/Interior Designer of

public spaces

Carrier Johnson, San Diego

Civil Engineer

Partners Planning and Engineering,

San Diego

Landscape Architect

Michael Peltz and Associates,

Solana Beach

Structural Engineer

KPFF Consulting Engineers, San Diego

Mechanical/Plumbing Engineer

McParlane and Associates, San Diego

Electrical Engineer

MPE Consulting, San Diego

Key subcontractors: VSA n Associates,

Whittier (acoustical consultant);

Curtainwall Design Consultants (curtain

wall consultant); Construction Testing &

Engineering, Riverside (soils engineer);

CA Comfort Systems, San Diego (design

build mechanical contractor);

Dynalectric, San Diego (design build

electrical contractor); Paschall

Mechanical (design build plumbing

contractor); Schmidt Fire Protection;

San Diego (design build fire protection

contractor)

The project team that built the Kelly resi-dence in Los Angeles had to incorporatemany factors, including green design andconstruction, when constructing the home.

The two-story home was divided into twoareas – the bottom floor is designed for pub-lic space, to be used for parties, guests andincludes a family room. The second floor isdesigned for the private side of family lifeand includes the bedrooms. Furthermore,the house has two sides – one designated forchildren – and the noise they bring – andone for adults – and the quiet they seek.

An additional elements of the design wasthat the house was built as a series of

“boxes” that had to be designed and put inplace to maximize views and allow sunlight.

The home also features a number of greenelements, including photovoltaic cells onthe roof, an artificial lawn and a grey-water

reclamation drip irrigation system. Othergreen features included: a reflecting pond atthe face of a glass wall to allow cool air circu-lation, coating on skylights to reduce

heat/cooling loss and a zoned heating andair conditioning system.

Some of the construction challenges theproject team dealt with was the structuralsteel framing of the house, custom-designedsteel rails, fences and gates, and the exteriorconcrete that required specific design specifi-cations.

Installing some of the interior pieces wasalso difficult. Glass doors and windows weregenerally large panes that required specificinstallation and had to be anchored to thestructural supports of the building. Some ofthe green-building elements also posedproblems, such as coordinating times for theelectrician, utility company and solarprovider to meet to discuss the photovoltaicsystem. The grey-water reclamation systemalso had to be coordinated with the land-scape irrigation system.

Despite these construction challenges, thehome was built on time and on budget. <<

Kelly ResidenceResidentialAward of Merit


Judges’ Comments

“I want to live there.”“A beautiful house.”

Project TeamOwner

Undisclosed

General Contractor

Eric Engheben, Topanga

Architect

Abramson Teiger Architects, Culver City

Landscape Architect

Steve Silva, Los Angeles

Panel Walls

Trespa North America, Poway


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