Construction Today

EDITORS LETTER
Be Careful When Being Green

Its not easy being green, Kermit the Frog once sang. And judging from recent news, that statement can be truer than some might think.
For instance, The Zweig Letter recently reported that legal claims over sustainability promises versus the performance of certified green buildings are growing. According to ZweigWhite, a provision in a professional design services contract relates to the standard of care in which a design professional is required to render its services. Unless there is language to the contrary, professionals are held to the common law standard of care commensurate with others providing the same services to a geographically similar community. But that does not entirely protect a designer. As construction and real estate attorney Stephen Del Percio told Zweig Letter, owners may hire a designer firm because of its sustainable expertise and attempt to hold them to a higher standard of care than usually found. The standard of care has shifted, he said. In the spectrum of liability, legal challenges to green construction are making people more careful in what theyre promising. Additionally, certain language can cause problems in a standard of care provision if the insurer believes that the designer has given the equivalent of a warranty, ZweigWhite says. It may be easy to overlook such issues, but as Del Percio advises, owners and designers should keep a close eye on contracts. And its not hard to understand why not only may it mean a better situation for the designer, but also the environment itself. In the latter case, the world wins.
adorich@businessmediapublications.com Construction Today Editor
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MAY 2011 CONSTRUCTION-TODAY.COM
VOLUME 9
ISSUE 5
EDITORIAL
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
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ASSOCIATE EDITORS
Kathryn Jones, Jamie Morgan

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Patrick Genovese, Greg Gidez, Chuck Herb, Leigh Jasper, Ron Mrozek, Ann Schiffers, Salvador Simao, Ronald A. Street, John Tutera, Geoff Zeiss ART
GRAPHIC DESIGNER Erin Hein ADVERTISEMENT DESIGNERS
Vida Soriano, Kelsey Stegner PRODUCTION

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Victoria Nodal PRODUCTION COORDINATORS Christina Pedersen, Tracy Pilarczyk
RESEARCH
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CONSTRUCTION-TODAY.COM MAY 2011
MAY 2011 | CONTENTS
On the Cover
Overaa Construction For more than a century, Overaa has stayed in business by abiding by its closely held values. The Richmond, Calif.-contractor strives to stay old fashioned where it matters the most. For example, We value blue-collar ethics, President Christopher Manning explains. Were not afraid to roll up our sleeves and dive into the work. It has rounded us out to be a true builder. Its a great accomplishment when you can rise to the challenges and be successful.
COVER PHOTO: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Advanced Light Source User Support Building
Departments
28 Commercial It sometimes is hard to establish best practices. 58 Institutional Traditional project delivery can be inefficient. 96 Civil Contractors and owners are looking at project risks. 124 Residential Streamlining projects requires project management firms. 152 Industrial The recession has transformed the work force. 160 Last Look GHA solely designs retail environments.
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Columns and Features

6 Managing Finances Strategic cost cutting has helped in the economic storm. Social Media Mastering search engine optimization can help your contracting firm compete.
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10 Best Environmental Practices Construction recycling practices are being updated for LEED. 12 Water Management With supplies in danger, its obvious that we need new methods to manage water. 14 Industry Trends Today, everyone is talking about light-emitting diodes.
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CONTENTS | MAY 2011
Company Profiles
NORTHEAST FOCUS:
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Woodstone Builders Inc. Woodstone Builders excels in its niche of building casino resorts for tribal communities. Linbeck Group Embassy Suites Hotel CBD Linbeck Group demonstrated its knack for out-ofthe-box thinking on the Embassy Suites Hotel, the first LEED Silver hotel in Houston. Lippert Brothers Inc. The Lippert family has built many of Oklahomas landmarks over its history and continues to do so. Urbacon Building Group Pickering Town Centre With no real town center, Pickering, Ontario, builds one, starting with a 10-story office tower next to the town hall.
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Brasfield & Gorrie ButtsMehre Heritage Hall Brasfield & Gorrie successfully completed an athletic facility for the University of Georgia football team. Camosy Construction Camosy is concentrating its efforts on providing professional construction management services for clients. Hoffman Construction 41st Infantry Division Armed Forces Reserve Center The center will honor a historic infantry division. Lakeshore TolTest Corp. Lakeshore TolTest says it is keeping busy in 2011. M.A. Mortenson Co. Ralph L. Carr Judicial Center Mortenson is building a Colorado judicial center. Hensel Phelps Construction Co. Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine Hensel Phelps is nearing completion of a stem cell research facility. Robins & Morton Auburn University Recreation Wellness and Sustainability Center Robins & Morton has a significant presence at Auburn University as it works on four projects. Rudolph and Sletten UCSF Smith Cardiovascular Research Building Lean construction techniques helped Rudolph and Sletten deliver a facility 10 weeks early. Triangle Associates Fremont High School The Fremont High School project will be a boon for Newaygo County, Mich. Winter Park Construction University House Central Florida University House will offer an all-inclusive environment when it opens next year.
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The Donaldson Organization After 105 years, Donaldson proves it still has what it takes to be a leader in the Big Apple. Turner Construction St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center Turner Constructions expertise guides it through a hospital project in Connecticut. J&J Contractors Inc. Armed Forces Reserve Center J&J Contractors Inc. is at work on a new Armed Forces Reserve Center.
COMMERCIAL: Profiling retail, office, hospitality, entertainment and mixeduse construction.
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Graber Post Buildings Inc. Graber Post Buildings not only builds metal post buildings, but also manufactures all their components. Q.B. Construction Q.B. Construction says it enjoys turning its clients visions into realities with its projects. GHA Design Studios GHA Design Studios recently used its expertise on the new Times Square location for Aropostale. Wensley Architecture Ltd. An architectural firm founded by a legend who is renowned for retail developments is increasing both its residential and senior care businesses substantially. The Weitz Co. The Veterans Memorial Auditorium Weitz is underway on renovating a convention center that has been anything but conventional.
INSTITUTIONAL: Profiling healthcare, education, places of worship, laboratory, military, library and museum construction, and related business.
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Turner Construction Owensboro Medical Health Center OMHS & Turner Construction are utilizing integrated project delivery to build a new home for healthcare to serve the Owensboro, Ky., region. Burns & McDonnell Battlespace Environment Laboratory Burns & McDonnell demonstrates its skill on a new research facility. History Colorado Center Trammell Crow and Hensel Phelps are working together to bring the new History Colorado Center to life. Overaa Construction Overaa Construction has been building within the Bay Area for more than 100 years.
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McPherson Contractors BEST Building McPherson is constructing the BEST Building for Kansas Universitys Edwards Campus.
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Clark Dietz Inc. Concentrating on the most profitable projects has kept Clark Dietz going strong. Panama Canal Authority Panama Canal Expansion The Panama Canals $5 billion upgrade will be a boost to its country. Schmueser & Associates Inc. Mercator Minerals teams with Schmueser & Associates to bring Mineral Park Mine online, despite distractions along the way. D.P. Electric Inc. D.P. Electric has earned a base of loyal customers.
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Derr Flooring Co. Derr Flooring Co. has made a name for itself through customer service and a reputation for quality. Home Creations Home Creations quality and customer service put it at the top of the Oklahoma market, but its extensive marketing efforts keep it there. Neighbors Construction Co. Inc. 60th anniversary Reaching 60 years of business in the construction industry is the evidence of a company that has earned the trust of a community. Van Metre Cos. Burke, Va.-based Van Metre Cos. says it has coped well with the downturns in the economic recession.
CIVIL: Profiling heavy/highway, utility, water/sewage treatment plant and airport construction, and related business.
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GO Transit/McCormick Rankin Corp. (A member of MMM Group) West Toronto Diamond Grade Separation Project GO Transit and its partners tackle a difficult railway grade separation project. DOnofrio General Contractors Corp. DOnofrios expertise will carry it through the tough economy. Capital Signal Co. Ltd. Capital Signal is outdoing the rest. Western Water Constructors Inc. Western Water is proud of two water treatment projects. HOK NOAA Pacific Regional Center HOK designs a remodeling of historic hangars at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. McCoy Grading Inc. McCoy Grading is using the latest technology to improve site productivity by 30 percent.
102 106 109 112 114
RESIDENTIAL: Profiling multi- and single family homes and buildings.

DKI A unique business model and solid reputation have ensured DKIs success and made it the largest restoration contracting organization in North America. Onni Group of Companies The family-owned and operated Onni Group of Companies is one of Canadas most established full-service real estate firms. Shaddock Homes Going north and sometimes east and west of the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex has kept Shaddock Homes prospering through four recessions.
INDUSTRIAL: Profiling factory, warehouse, power plant and energy-related construction and related business.
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T.N. Ward Co. T.N. Ward Co. embraces new projects in the industrial sector while it continues to keep finding work in gaming, housing and other areas. Jacobsen Construction Merit Medical Production Building Jacobsen Construction says its strong relationship with a client has led to steady work.
MANAGING FINANCES
CUTS
Strategic cost cutting has helped development and construction professionals weather the economic storm. BY RON MROZEK
MAKING THE
financial efficiencies will enable those same firms to look forward to a more efficient and effective future. The following is a brief overview of some of these common construction cost changes during the recession, as well as a look ahead at what is likely to be in store for the industry in 2011 and beyond.
Run Lean
From suppliers to vendors, prices have come down pretty significantly across the board. But while competitive pressures have been responsible for some broader overall construction cost changes during the recession, perhaps the most important and most common strategic shift on the part of construction professionals has been to reduce their own costs in-house. At a time when every penny counts, it is not enough to reduce fees, bid competitively and cut cost estimates for clients to facilitate more job opportunities. The most successful contractors and developers have learned that they also need to keep their pencils sharpened and be vigilant when it comes to cutting costs . These do not have to be huge, dramatic reductions; a series of small-scale precision cuts and modifications to things like office staffing and operational excess can have a significant cumulative impact. Some firms that have been able to adapt and reduce internal costs have found that even when gross revenues may be down by as much as 20 to 30 percent, their profits have actually gone up 5 to 10 percent.
hile the recent recessionary cycle may have started with a subprime mortgage crisis in the residential marketplace, the ripple effects of the slowdown have been felt across a range of industries. For the commercial construction and development industry, the impact may have been a little slow to materialize at first, but the result has been equally comprehensive and profound; the economic challenges of the last few years have been significant. In response to broader economic uncertainties, the availability of credit has been affected and many retailers across the nation have responded to slowdowns in consumer spending by putting expansions and renovations on hold, and in some cases consolidating their assets. As a result, large-scale commercial development has slowed and, in some markets, virtually come to a standstill. While there are still potentially valuable niche opportunities out there for those who know how to look and work for them, business as usual is not an option for most firms. Developers, contractors and other construction professionals have been subsequently forced to tighten their belts, reevaluate their people, processes and payments and make the kind of logistical, procedural and financial changes necessary to adapt to this new financial reality. The Darwinian realities of a free market have made it abundantly clear that change is a necessity rather than an option, and those developers and construction professionals who have thus far been the most innovative, flexible and successful when it comes to cutting costs and making thoughtful changes within their organizations have given themselves a leg up on the competition. The good news is that things are beginning to look up. As the economy turns the corner and continues to move in a positive direction, it is quickly becoming evident that strategic cost-cutting and reducing overhead has not just helped development and construction professionals weather the economic storm. The renewed emphasis on operational and
Change your Expectations

The phrase the new normal applies during times like these. Continuing to struggle because of an inability to change your expectations can be damaging both to morale and to the financial bottom line. A contractor that may have operated with 5 percent overhead and 5 percent profit when the industry was booming may need to change to something closer to 3 percent overhead and 3 percent profit now just to remain competitive. Much of the economic slack has been reeled in, particularly when it comes to service prices and labor costs. This is where the contributions of hands-on, knowledgeable and insightful upper management is particularly important.
Be Strategic
Cost-cutting is not just an internal exercise. Working with existing and prospective clients and professional partners can help them understand how they can trim some of the fat from a design, focus less on what they want and get what they need out of a project. Digging into the details and engaging in committed value engineering can often make a significant difference when it comes to getting a project approved. In many cases, significant savings can be realized by making seemingly subtle materials and design changes that may have little or no aesthetic or functional impact. Even a small modification to their overall space needs by as little as 50 square feet or so can potentially make a big impact on the bottom line. Many design, development and construction professionals are finding that time spent working on more efficient and cost-effective design strategies with prospective clients is one of the best investments they can make in lean economic times.
and2008 when the pipeline of jobs began to dry up. While things are looking up today and 2011 looks much better, the last couple of years have been rough for many. It seems likely that the industry still has at least a year or two of treading water or sluggish growth before things really improve. Those industry professionals who have made the strategic decisions they need to keep moving forward stay lean, be flexible, be adaptable have discovered firsthand how a recession can help get you back to good basic principles of running an organization. Those are the firms who are poised to see the evolving recovery not as a life preserver, but as a springboard to bigger and better things ahead.
Ron Mrozek is president of Huntington Construction Co. He can be reached at 248-353-0500. For more information about Huntington Construction, visit www.huntingtonconstruction.com.
Flexibility Is Key
In general, the limited number of construction jobs and the lack of readily available capital has created a dynamic where there is much more competition for what used to be considered routine opportunities. Where five to 10 companies used to compete for a small job, you might see 30 or 40 firms vying for that same job today. As a result, some firms are changing their entire approach and being more flexible about their business model. A firm that was primarily a first-party provider, for example, now may be more willing to collaborate with other entities and work out a 50/50 split in lieu of spending all of its time seeking additional work. In-house flexibility is important as well, and some full-service real estate development firms have been creative about physical and conceptual boundaries to save a little extra cash. From employee sharing across departments to space sharing and other adaptations, the infrastructural and intellectual efficiencies that can be realized with a little flexibility are a great way to trim costs. The economic uncertainty that began in 2005 really took hold in the commercial construction and development industry in 2007
SOCIAL MEDIA
AT THE VERY TOP

Mastering the art of SEO can help your contracting firm compete. BY PATRICK GENOVESE
earch engine optimization (SEO) is the process of improving the positioning of a website or web page in the organic or unpaid rankings of search engines (e.g., Google, Yahoo, Bing and others). In general, the higher on the page and more frequently a site appears in the search results list, the more visitors it will receive from the search engine. This gives a website web presence. Since consumers, business owners and professionals are increasingly using the Internet to find products and services, web optimization is an essential strategy for any business. The reality is a website alone is of little value if it cannot be found online by anyone except perhaps existing customers. The science of SEO depends on research to determine what services and service categories potential customers are looking for and within which defined geographic and market areas. But remember, the search engine providers make the rules and change them frequently. Therefore, there is no one-time solution. Ongoing research, testing and some trial and error are required to maintain desired positions on the Internet.
Search Terms and Drop Sites

Many construction companies are operating without an SEO plan, and the few that have one usually try to cover too much ground. It is more beneficial to narrow the site to only a few crucial key search terms instead of being too broad or general with the optimization. For example, if a construction business creates a home page with too many topics,
trying to attract those searching for general construction, remodeling, commercial and home improvement, this weakens the initial page. As a result, it falls off the top of the search engines and ends up several pages away from page one. Relevancy to the search term on the companys homepage is the key to having the site rise to the top of the search engines results. Another alternative to this approach is to use drop sites, which are secondary web sites specific to each key part of the business. Searchers are taken to the drop site that has the one unique feature they are searching for and then seamlessly connected to the companys main site. The searcher perceives they were taken to the companys main site with no indication they were actually dropped into the other site first.
The Art of SEO

Its not enough to have a great website for effective SEO. Companies constantly need to verify if the search engines are changing the
way they seek out web pages. Previously, if a company wanted to emphasize that it installed aluminum siding, the words aluminum siding would appear in the copy numerous times on the homepage. In this way, if someone on a search engine website typed in aluminum siding, the search engines would lock on websites that included those words embedded in the copy multiple times on the homepage. However, this approach doesnt work anymore. Search engines now use disqualifiers that may push the website down to a later page on the results. Its an art and a science to understand how the search engines are listing web pages. Companies have to keep up with the changes on a weekly and monthly basis to remain at the top of the results. There are many degrees of how well a site can be optimized, but the tactics all start with thorough research. Research identifies what prospective clients are searching for and how strong the competition is that currently comes up first in those searches. Ultimately, this research helps companies decide on which phrases to target for their websites to show up on the first page of the search engine results. Then, the websites can be optimized in such a way to allow search engines to understand where to list the businesses.
to see how the search engines are reviewing and positioning the website. Examine the companys website. Is the content updated regularly using frequently searched keyword phrases? Are pages within the website linked back to the important pages? After a few changes have been made to the companys web page, run more searches to see where the web page ranks. If it is higher than before, and preferably on page one, then this process is complete for now. If not, revise and retest until the desired results are achieved.
Where to Get Help

SEO is a time-consuming process. Many companies do not have the time to do this or are not well-educated on the analytics of SEO. In these cases, it may be more cost-effective to seek outside help. Inexpensive SEO providers, such as Go Daddy, sell domain names and do-it-yourself kits for companies to build their own websites. Yet if the company is not confident about building a website, then a do-it-yourself kit will not be of much value. There are other vendors that will build websites for companies inexpensively. The downside to this is they also provide little to no service. At the other end of the scale are the larger companies that provide every conceivable service but are extremely expensive. Construction businesses will have access to great benefits but will pay a very high rate for their professional services. Some of these SEO providers include Think Profits, WSI and Graphically Speaking. Midrange SEO services provide affordable packages closer to the do-ityourself providers yet include direct and comprehensive services like the more expensive companies. One example of this is Gogiro Internet Group. In any case, thoroughly interview the SEO company before making a hiring decision. Ask to see examples of their work and success stories. Check their references. Determine their expertise in the companys industry and in the companys location. Most importantly, understand exactly what the SEO company is proposing to do and what they will charge for their services before signing any contracts. Also be sure to understand the contractual commitments as most require a minimum one-year contract. Its possible that after 90 days the SEO company is not meeting expectations and the business is stuck with nine more months of service fees.
The Science of SEO

Search engine optimization takes time. It usually takes 90 days or more before new websites show up high in major search engines results. In the meantime, business owners can do the following steps to increase the effectiveness of their websites: Keep track of website statistics and the search rankings position. Ask new customers where and how did you find us? List the company within the relevant Internet directories. Once a companys website is appearing in the search engine results, it is crucial to continually check where the companys website appears on the results. It may be that one week it is on page two but the next week it is listed on page eight. That is because search engines constantly change the rules as to how pages are ranked. Determine why this happened by reviewing the other websites to see what phrasing they are using to place higher. Check
Patrick Genovese is senior project manager with Global Resources LLC. Located in Northbrook, Ill., Global Resources provides comprehensive business consulting services and business valuation services to companies in the United States and Canada. For more information, call 855-338-0266 or visit www.gr-us.com.
Increasing Internet Presence

Optimization is only one of many things that can influence search engine rankings. In a competitive environment other measures are required to improve online presence. One tactic is to provide a link to the company website in one or more of the hundreds of local, regional and national directories that list businesses by market area, SIC category or NAICS code. Another method is to submit informative, ready to copyand-paste articles to online publications to draw attention to the firms expertise. Finally, use social networking, such as creating and contributing content to a Facebook page and a Twitter account. By clearly stating the companys purpose on the home page, keeping web content interesting and updated, and fine-tuning relevant search terms, the companys web presence will be maximized. With this strong online presence, search engines will take note. As a result, the company is likely to garner a more prominent position in web rankings, getting much closer to the top than your competitors sites.
BEST ENVIRONMENTAL PRACTICES
Greening Up The Garbage

Construction recycling practices are being updated for the LEED era. BY CHUCK HERB
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ecycling is not a new concept. For years, we have separated glass, paper and plastic refuse into their designated bins for trash pick-up it is something we understand. Partly because of this awareness, many construction industry professionals now feel that recycling is one of the most visible steps that can be taken toward sustainable building. A new process has taken shape, one in which builders are working closely with facility owners and managers, architects, engineers and waste disposal experts to enhance the environmental benefits associated with their projects. One of the main factors driving this new sense of environmental stewardship is the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building certification systems. Started by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) in 1998, the LEED certification process already has made an impact on construction waste management. Companies at the forefront of the sustainability movement are actively looking for ways to reduce, recycle and reuse materials, and these actions can lead to decreased costs, increased customer satisfaction and compliance with growing government regulations.
ment company, I see the effects of these efforts daily in the form of tons of construction and demolition materials rerouted to processing facilities vs. taking up space at the landfill.
What are the Benefits?

Most people dont realize that if a structure isnt being built for LEED certification, contractors can dispose of building debris in whatever way they see fit. The good news is that because of increased environmental awareness and the existence of more efficient and economical recycling options, many contractors are motivated to consider the benefits of reprocessing. In most cases, the cost of recycling is lower than the cost of throwing materials away. When these costs are spread across an entire construction project, the savings can amount to thousands and often tens of thousands of dollars. This is critical, because if recycling costs more than disposal, there will always be a good reason not to recycle. But if its cost-competitive or less expensive, then it will be considered as a practical part of every job. Additionally, because millions oftons of construction and demolition materials are unnecessarily disposed of inlandfills throughout the country every year, construction and demolition material rebate programs are providing a financial incentive for builders to recycle debris.These programs are designed to encourage contractors to have their mixed-materials waste such as wood or metals hauled to designated material-recovery facilities, where theyre given a per-ton discount on each ton delivered. In addition to the obvious benefit in helping to reduce refuse, other perks of incorporating a more sustainable approach to construction waste management include: Reducing waste disposal costs and material expenses; Providing contractors with experience in waste prevention and recycling this can be an essential marketing tool to the growing number of potential clients interested in participating in LEED and other green building certification programs; Helping the project team earn points towards qualifying for LEED and other green building certification programs; and Giving contractors the option to declare a tax deduction when they donate reusable building materials to a nonprofit organization. This lessens the buildings environmental impact by: Reducing depletion of natural resources such as trees and minerals; Creating less pollution by reducing manufacturing and transportation-related emissions; Using less energy and water compared to many virgin material product manufacturing processes; and Decreasing greenhouse gasses by using less energy for manufacturing and transportation. Green building represents an opportunity for contractors to minimize waste and maximize material costs with numerous benefits. In addition, customer requirements have changed recycling has evolved into something that carries much more weight among builders. Everyone wants to do the right thing, and if contractors can turn recycling into a shared vision that heightens camaraderie and teamwork, they and the communities in which they build can derive benefits that go far beyond a rebate or reduced haul rate.
By the numbers
According to a recent report released by McGraw-Hill Construction, 61 percent of construction contractors rate waste management plans as the second most important aspect of green building, behind only energy efficiency. The United States generated 143.5 million tons of building-related construction and demolition debris in 2008 alone. Of that, 28 percent (40.2 million tons) was reused, recycled or sent to waste-energy facilities. According to a Greener World Media study, LEED buildings have recycled or reused a total of nearly 25 million tons of waste so far. These figures are expected to mushroom to more than 400 million tons by 2020 and 780 million tons by 2030. By 2013, McGraw-Hill Construction projects that the green building market will represent 25 percent of all new construction projects by value, equating to a $140 million market. These numbers illustrate the growing importance that recycling and green building will have on the future of the construction industry. As the co-owner of a waste manage-
Chuck Herb is the coowner of Sunshine Recycling Inc., a refuse and recycling hauling company in central Florida. For more information, call 407-843-7990 or visit www.sunshinerecycling.com.
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WATER MANAGEMENT
With supplies in danger, its obvious that we need new methods to manage water.
CRYSTAL CLEAR
BY GEOFF ZEISS
he risk that water supplies will not be able to keep pace with human demand is increasing in many parts of the United States. The projected increases in freshwater withdrawal are greater than 25 percent in some places, including populated areas in the South Atlantic region, Florida, the Mississippi River basin, Washington, D.C., and surrounding regions. In 2007, heavy droughts (drought level D4) extended from Alabama and northern Georgia into the Carolinas, Tennessee and even Kentucky. Photographs of Lake Lanier showed marinas that had become dry land. Even now, the La Nia developing in the eastern Pacific is expected to mean drier conditions for the southeastern United States, at a time when southern Florida is already on a drought watch. In the longer term, climate change may mean more rain, but evaporation also will increase. A recent analysis suggests that the southeastern United States could experience significant decreases in available precipitation by 2050. Rapid population growth is an important contributor to water shortages in the Southeast. Georgias population has increased almost 50 percent in just 17 years, and the population in the Southeast is projected to increase 50 percent by 2040. Heightened electric power demand also increases the pressure on water resources because approximately twothirds of the freshwater withdrawn in the Southeast is used by thermoelectric power-generating plants. There will be increased pressure on public officials and water users to manage demand and supply in areas such as the Southeast that are facing higher risks of water shortage. But while utilities are facing an increased workload, they are simultaneously facing a work force crunch. Experienced workers are retiring faster than they can be replaced with trained younger workers. All utilities now have one key objective: improving the productivity of their engineers, designers and construction contractors so they can design and deliver projects faster and at lower cost. To help address these challenges, utilities are turning to new technologies to help improve water quality, upgrade wastewater treatment and develop intelligent networks (smart grid) that optimize water management. One such technology is model-based design, which is helping designers, engineers and construction firms automate tasks such as clash detection, quantity takeoff and project scheduling. For example, 4D and 5-D modeling enables construction companies to model the entire construction process and facilitate scheduling crews and material delivery. New data capture techniques, such as laser scanning and highresolution oblique imagery, are being adopted by utility companies to help develop 3-D models of existing facilities. In the water and wastewater sector, utilities are adopting new tech-
nologies to improve collaboration among design teams. Large facilities design/redesign projects can involve upward of 10 different design teams, often at different locations. Working with numerous people across different geographic locations increases the risk of budget and schedule overruns. In a more traditional approach, each design discipline works in a silo, communicating his/her specific design at specific milestones. Using modelbased design, teams can work in parallel, while 3-D visualization allows nontechnical stakeholders such as city councilmen, county commissioners and area residents to be involved in the project every step of the way. A great example is the city of Tallahassee, Fla., where they streamlined their water treatment plant redesign through a state-of-the-art model-based design solution that enabled a close collaboration between the contributors the Hazen and Sawyer Environmental Engineers and Scientists design team, design subcontractors and the citys program management team and construction manager to help ensure the project stayed on time and on budget. During the construction, the 3-D model was integrated with the construction logistics models and the project schedules to create a 4-D model for project sequencing and construction simulation. As utilities ramp up deployment of new water treatment technology, they also will use this new technology to design intelligent transmission and distribution networks. In the past, utilities struggled by with a relatively low quality of network infrastructure data, but managingand operating smart grids will involve higher volumes of data some estimate a thousand times more will require what one analyst has characterized as 100 percent accurate, real-time data. To prepare for smart grids, utilities will need
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to improve the reliability and timeliness of the information about their existing facilities, as well as optimizing their business processes for records management. These improvements traditionally require a field survey, which is often prohibitively expensive. With the availability of new geospatial imagery capture technologies, such as high-resolution aerial photogrammetry, oblique imagery, mobile street imagery and laser-scanned imagery, it is now possible to dramatically reduce the price of resurveying existing facilities. The high resolution of the new generation of imagery means that much of what used to require field trips now can be done in the office. One important reason the data quality of records databases is low is that similar paperbased, labor-intensive business processes are followed. For example, a major challenge that many utilities face is the as-built backlog (that can stretch from several months to years), which means that the records database is always out of date, making it difficult to provide reliable information about network facilities to the field, management and regulators. To address these data quality issues, utilities are following how information flows within the organization. Many utilities are focusing on the concept of a single point of truth. For example, by enabling designers and planners to store their drawings in a shared, spatially enabled relational database, these drawings are directly accessible to records staff who no longer have to re-digitize the same information from paper as-builts. The result is that the as-built backlog is significantly reduced or even eliminated, the records database is up to date, and the maps provided to the field are more reliable. Las Vegas Valley Water District, for example, which is in an area of prolonged drought and until recently rapidly increasing population, has achieved one of the lowest leakage rates in the country. Records management was one of their areas of focus, and they reduced their as-built backlog from nearly two years to just days. Faced with a shrinking workforce and the massive effort required to upgrade and replace water networks and facilities over the next two decades, water utilities are looking to technology to help them meet the challenge of providing water to the rapidly increasing population in the Southeast.
Geoff Zeiss is utility industry program director at Autodesk. Inc., where he is focused on streamlining the infrastructure management workflow, open source geospatial, the shrinking workforce and impact of new technologies, and converged BIM/CAD/GIS/3-D visualization solutions. Zeiss has more than 20 years experience in the geospatial software industry and 15 years experience developing enterprise geospatial solutions for the utilities, communications and public works industries around the world. To learn more, contact him at geoff.zeiss@autodesk.com.
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INDUSTRY TRENDS
SHINING A LIGHT ON LEDS

Heres what you should know about this popular energy saver.
BY ANN SCHIFFERS
oday, everyone is talking about light-emitting diodes (LEDs). This isnt surprising, given the rampant embrace of the technology by multiple industries and the immense energy and cost savings LEDs provide. However, what generally is removed from the conversation are the best practices surrounding use of this ever-evolving technology, as well as the questions to ask yourself at the onset of a project and of potential LED lighting suppliers to ensure the you receive the lighting you need.
cents and fluorescents do not, including longer life, low maintenance costs, no ultra-violet emissions and lower heat expenses.
Getting LEDucated
Lighting can be one of the biggest energy expenses in a commercial buildings operating budget, so it is essential that the options specified are based on the greatest anticipated return on cost and energy savings. Being armed with information during the lighting selection process will allow you to make a smart and educated decision about the lighting that is right for the installation or project at hand. To ease the selection process, there are standard questions that should be considered when beginning the search for the most appropriate LED lighting solutions: How much of my product budget is allocated for lighting? Will this LED system support the use of a lighting designer? What tasks will be performed within this space? What are the required illumination levels within the space? Is there energy-driven state legislation that must be adhered to?
A Choice Solution
With more and more states enacting energy-focused legislation such as Californias Title 24, which requires all new construction to include energy-efficient lighting to reduce state energy consumption and improve energy efficiency LEDs are becoming the lighting solution of choice. They operate at a reduced wattage, thus offering a great cost savings when compared to incandescent and fluorescent options. The impact on savings afforded by LEDs is not only reflected in the buildings bottom line, but also on a much larger scale. According to the Department of Energy (DOE), use of LEDs over the next 20 years will: Result in savings of about $265 billion; Eliminate the need for 40 new power plants; and Reduce lighting electricity demand by 33 percent in 2027. Energy Star also notes commercial LED lighting offers an unprecedented opportunity to save energy, maintenance and cooling costs and is a natural fit for cutting-edge renovation (and) new construction projects. Not only does this illumination solution provide a positive impact on a buildings bottom line and the environment because of its energysavings properties, it also offers numerous other benefits that incandes-
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Will there be a need to integrate LEDs with other light sources? If the budget supports the employment of a lighting designer, it is well worth the investment. These professionals are knowledgeable on the most up-to-date codes and specifications for each individual state and project, and provide an informed perspective on intricate issues. Designers can also assist in lighting calculations and properly positioning light in the project, another beneficial aspect to consider. If the budget does not support a lighting designer, its crucial to research various manufacturers and sources, and to ask the manufacturers questions and compare their answers. Visit the DOE website for information about manufacturers and standard practices. When in doubt, always follow the most stringent codes to ensure the project will be approved.
Manufacturer Partnerships
The same preparation involved in mapping out a projects lighting needs is also necessary in pinpointing the right manufacturer to partner with on the job. With a market saturated by options, and with the technology being fairly new, the importance of asking the right questions to navigate towards the most appropriate LED
lighting manufacturer cannot be understated. To pinpoint a manufacturer partner it is critical that extensive research be done and questions asked, specifically about the following : Product offerings Photometrics Lighting Facts Light Engine Warranty Drivers. Additionally, manufacturers should be certified by a third-party organization, such as Lighting Facts, to verify their environmental and performance claims. Also, closely review the products lumen packages or total lumen outputs. Some manufacturers may report the products raw lumen output instead of their delivered lumen output, which is what the output will be after the LED is integrated into the fixture the more important metric. Verify this information through reliable websites such as LightingFacts.com to ensure the products being purchased meet the standards expected. Other items to inquire about include: The brand of the LED being used on the light engine; If the LED products are easily compatible with emergency and dimming equipment; If the manufacturer offers a full product family of LED solutions, which will allow for the ability to layer light and contribute to a more eye-appealing aesthetic and optimal illumination; and If they provide samples to test the fixture in the given application. Learning background information early on is beneficial to the project and will save extra legwork in the end.
Ann Schiffers is vice president of specification sales for USAI Lighting. She has worked with many of the top lighting design and architectural firms in the country, including Fisher Marantz Stone Partnership, Horton Lees Brogden Lighting Design, Cline Bettridge Bernstein Lighting Design, and served as principal of her own design firm, Ann Schiffers Lighting Design LLC, for eight years prior to joining USAI Lighting. She can be reached at anns@UsaiLighting.com.
The Last Lesson on LEDs

As energy-efficient light sources increasingly become the first choice for new construction, it is essential that those leading the projects become familiar with their range of function, and how to utilize these sources in the proper application of light. This practice provides a great deal of flexibility in meeting lighting requirements. An ever-advancing technology, new LED discoveries continue each day as the light source becomes more frequently utilized in a number of different and new construction projects spanning industries from commercial to residential to industrial and civil. Several lighting experts predict LEDs will be the preferred choice within a few years, making it crucial to establish additional best practices. It is important for your company to arm those in the field with the education necessary to make smart and informed illumination choices.
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Northeast Focus | THE DONALDSON ORGANIZATION

Donaldson Organization The completed the interior work for New Yorks Silver Towers Residences.
D
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Tried and True

. Robert Donaldson has seen many changes since entering the family business in 1968. The 1970s marked the companys focus on New York City construction work, which was followed by new management and communication processes spurred by the computer age. In 1996, Donaldson became sole owner, formed an executive committee and inducted his son, Douglas R. Donaldson into the business. Through organic and strategic growth, The Donaldson Organization has become one of the largest interior contracting firms in the United States, comprised of four companies. Despite the plethora of changes, the company maintains several core aspects that have not changed and its not just the name. Were growing through acquisitions, growing through joint ventures and growing through international ventures, CEO D. Robert Donaldson says. But our major growth is still developed due to the day-to-day personal relationships that we produce through tried and true ways of Donaldson, which is to produce value to our customers. During a time when everyone is forced to stretch their dollars, Donaldson says that value added is an even bigger player in todays mar-
AFTER 105 YEARS, THE DONALDSON ORGANIZATION PROVES IT STILL HAS WHAT IT TAKES. BY JAMIE MORGAN
The Donaldson Organization

www.donaldsonorganization.com Headquarters: Hauppauge, N.Y. Employees: 500 Specialty: Drywall, acoustics, interiors, woodwork and wood products
Our major growth is still developed due to the day-today personal relationships that we produce.
D. Robert Donaldson, President and CEO
ket, and for this company its not just a buzzword. Although The Donaldson Organization is an interiors-focused company, it thinks like a do-it-all contractor. Two years ago, it added a preconstruction division that services all four companies Donaldson Acoustics Co. Inc., Donaldson Interiors Inc., Allcraft Fabricators Inc. and Donamo International LLC. With the preconstruction services, each company is able to do what it does best. Our own preconstruction division zeroes in on the latest technology and research and development in the market, Donaldson says. We certainly focus on that aspect of our company to again afford clients the latest technology that is out there and hopefully supply them with some great cost saving ideas.
In Good Company
Donaldson Acoustics specializes in core and shell construction. The company says it lives at the heart of The Donaldson Organization, being that it is the surviving entity of Robert T. Donaldson Inc., which was orig-
inally founded in 1906. Donaldson Acoustics was reestablished in 1953. In 1997, Donaldson Interiors joined the team. It specializes in interior build out and renovations. It has provided custom corporate interiors throughout the tri-state area. Donaldson says Acoustics and Interiors are the organizations flagship-type companies. However, Allcraft Fabricators, which dates back to 1963 but was acquired by Donaldson in 1999, is also a formidable name. Allcrafts focus is to be a leader in the millwork trade just as Donaldson Interiors is in the interior trade, Donaldson says. It is well on its way to achieving that goal. Allcraft provides architectural millwork out of its recently expanded 40,000-square-foot woodworking facility using a combination of craftsmanship and advanced technology. Donamo International is the newest addition. It was formed in response to our clients expressed need for a company that can effectively manage and control the products that are fabricated in Asia, thereby delivering the best product from the best company for the best value, according to the company. Donaldson enforces its quality assurance
We want to make sure the synergies produce value for our clients.
Robert Donaldson joined D. the company in 1968. He has been sole owner since 1996.
Douglas R. Donaldson joined the company in the 1990s. He is the fourth generation of Donaldsons to work with the company.
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standards through managers who oversee and inspect the work. The products are used for casework and furniture for the high-rise residential and hospitality markets. All four companies are managed through one executive team. It is all linked though executive management, Donaldson says. Different executives are focused on different aspects of the company. Primarily you can say the [companies] leverage each others resources, but also know that each company can work independently of one another, he continues. Together, since the great recession hit, the companies have garnered work on a significant amount of high-profile projects in the New York City area, such as: 11 Times Square Office Tower; 839 6th Avenue Condo Tower; Metro Avenue School Campus; J.P. Morgan Chase Headquarters; MTA Fulton St. Transit Center; Gotham Center;
Stony Brook Hospital; Flushing Towncenter; Rockefeller University; and Silver Towers. In March, Donaldson began renovation
work at New Yorks Aqueduct Racino, the casino at the Aqueduct Racetrack. It is one of the major projects being done in the New York area and also in America, Donaldson says. We are helping to transform
ProBuild ProBuild has been serving contractors since 1854. We supply commercial construction products from steel framing to drywall to acoustical systems. Our integrated services free up resources and ensure a streamlined job. With our national scale, you have access to the products and services you need, when you need them. And our local market coverage makes certain we know your business and your project. Were honored to work with The Donaldson Organization.
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Family Pride Northeast Focus | THE DONALDSON ORGANIZATION

The Donaldson Organization is a rare family owned company with a legacy that has lasted more than a century. We are known as the best in the business, and we keep getting better, President and CEO D. Robert Donaldson states. Robert Tanic Donaldson founded the company in 1906 as R. T. Donaldson Co. Inc., providing ornamental plaster moldings. His son and WWII veteran James C. Donaldson Sr. later joined the business and grew the company to add lathing, spray-on fireproofing, drywall and acoustical ceilings to its specialties. D. Robert Donaldson joined the company in 1968, and within a 10-year period it became one of the largest interior contractors in the New York City metropolitan area. He became the companys sole owner in 1996. Today, The Donaldson Organization is comprised of four companies: Donaldson Acoustics Co. Inc. Donaldson Interiors Inc. Allcraft Fabricators Inc. Donamo International LLC. Now the company is in its fourth generation, as D. Robert Donaldsons son, Douglas R. Donaldson has joined the business as partner and COO of the company. Donaldson says his familys involvement in The Donaldson Organization will not end any time soon. Instead, he predicts that the company will extend its legacy to a fifth generation. [Our focus is] to keep this family spirit abounding, not only within the Donaldson family, but within our organization, he says. After 40 years, Donaldson says he remains passionate about his familys business. It is in my blood, he says. I love all the personal and interpersonal contact [and] the machinations of running a business. It inspires me every day. the Aqueduct Racetrack into a racino through a joint venture of Donaldson and KHS&S out of California. The joint venture will produce all of the finishes in the entire interior project except lighting formats. Donaldson says whether it is a joint venture or acquisition, the partnership must be mutually beneficial. We look for what type of support the acquisitions and/or partnerships can bring, he says. We want to make sure the synergies produce value for our clients and ensure that there is growth potential. For the Aqueduct Racino project, Donaldson says KHS&Ss vast experience in racino and
CEO of The Donaldson Organization The says Allcraft Fabricators is focused on being a leader in the millwork trade.
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We make sure that the employees are happy to keep the clients happy.
casino construction combines well with Donaldsons more than a century experience in the New York construction market. The partners will conclude their portion of the work in September.
Through it All
Recession or no recession, Donaldson affirms that the company will retain its key growth strategy of building relationships. One way it achieves this is through valuing employees, who in turn value the clients. We always depend on our great employees, he says. We make sure that the employees are happy in order to keep the clients happy, he continues. We keep our clients needs in focus no matter the market. It comes about due to our great length of time being in this business. We use that experience to help our clients in good times as well as in bad times. He says he has enjoyed watching longtime employees develop their careers at Donaldson. Many of them have started their tenures as workers and moved their way into management positions. Watching them succeed and become true pillars of the community is very satisfying for me now, he told Construction Today in May 2008. In return for the organizations caring and honest culture, the employees show their gratitude by excelling in the workplace. Everybody is trying to do right for the company because the company is doing right for them, Donaldson says. Alan Dorich contributed to this article.
Sign of the Times

Donaldson says the Aqueduct Racino project is a good indication of a market ready for a comeback. We see the evidence happening right now, he says. We see it through the new projects that have been contracted. The prices are still well depressed, but while they are depressed, there is actual work now. There is more work, which should reflect positively on the return of a stable construction market. As it awaits the construction markets turnaround, Donaldson says that the company has been extremely lucky in this great recession. The credit goes to Donaldsons longevity and creativity which has weathered economic storms worse than the current one. He says the management team addressed the problems early. Forming its preconstruction services to bring more value to its clientele was a direct result of that effort. Weve been blessed not to be affected by it too much, Donaldson says. Our hope is that the worst is over and construction will start increasing in the area and that the company will be back to its record levels in the very near future.
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Northeast Focus | TURNER CONSTRUCTION CO. SAINT FRANCIS HOSPITAL AND MEDICAL CENTER
Construction is nearing completion on the John T. OConnell Tower at Turner Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center in Hartford, Conn. The 10-story, 318,000square-foot facility consolidates several hospital functions into one building.
Healthcare Specialists
TURNERS HEALTHCARE EXPERTISE GUIDES IT THROUGH A LARGE HOSPITAL PROJECT. BY CHRIS PETERSEN
hen it comes to building largescale, high-profile healthcare projects, few builders are as respected for their bedside manner as Turner Construction Co. The company is one of the leaders in the healthcare sector, averaging 125 healthcare projects annually. In fact, healthcare represents nearly 25 percent of all Turners projects on an annual basis. With this dominant position in the healthcare sector, its no surprise that Turner would be called on for a project such as the one nearing completion on the campus of Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center in Hartford, Conn. Turner is putting the finishing touches on the John T. OConnell Tower, a 10-story patient care facility that modernizes many of the services provided at the hospital. The new tower contains a new central sterile, emergency department, operating rooms, CT Joint Replacement Institute, main mechanical room, medical surgical unit, two orthopedic patient care units and a heliport. Existing departments at Saint Francis will move into the new facility. Certain departments already have begun moving into the 318,000-square-foot building, and Project Manager Mike Heller says it is one of the more significant healthcare projects Turner has been involved with within the last few years in the state of Connecticut.
Turner Construction Co. Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center

www.tcco.com Total project cost: $184 million Location: Hartford, Conn. Employees on site at peak: 275 Scope: 318,000-square-foot hospital
concrete fill for added stability. Needless to say, that was a critical part of the schedule, so wed be working 12-hour days six days a week on that portion, Heller says.
Building Teamwork
Careful coordination was crucial on the John T. OConnell Tower project, as it is on every healthcare project. Heller says the use of BIM software between Turner, project designers TRO|JB, and subcontractors proved to be a huge advantage in terms of keeping the project on schedule. With it being a hospital project, mechanical systems were very complex, so we had to make sure that all fits, Heller says. The other advantage was that we had meetings with the owners facilities staff to go through access control, he adds. This involved arranging access points to allow technicians to service mechanical equipment through the ceilings so as to avoid disrupting hospital services. The use of BIM was instrumental in coordinating these access points before construction began, Heller says. The presence of advanced medical equipment provided Turner with another area of challenge, according to Heller. Coordinating time for manufacturers to get into the building for a look around was very important. Hospitals such as Saint Francis want the very latest tech-
We had a great team approach on this. Mike Heller, project manager

Overcoming Challenges
Because of Turners extensive experience in the healthcare sector, a large-scale project such as John T. OConnell Tower isnt anything the company hasnt seen before, Heller says. However, a few aspects of the project required a little more attention from crews on site. One of those aspects was the foundation system, which due to the presence of Hartford clay under the entire site and the varying density of the ground, a number of different foundation systems were utilized on the project. These included H piles, drilled micro piles, jacked piles and earth retention systems. Heller says part of the structure also sits on low-density
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Northeast Focus | TURNER CONSTRUCTION CO. SAINT FRANCIS HOSPITAL AND MEDICAL CENTER
Hospitals want the latest technology. We are always trying to stay flexible.
The use of BIM was crucial in coordinating the work on the John T. OConnell Tower.
nology available, he says. We are always trying to stay flexible and not commit to a particular piece of equipment until the very last minute. Overall, Heller says, the combination of BIM and strong collaboration among the entire project team, consisting of Saint Francis user and facilities groups, TRO|JB, subcontractors and vendors, city of Hartford Building Officials, and others made for a relatively smooth construction process on the John T. OConnell Tower. We had a great team approach on this project, Heller says. Turners approach on the project has resulted in some accolades, including a community service award from the Connecticut Construction Industry Association for the companys involvement in the community and its commitment to hiring women- and minorityowned businesses. Additionally, the company received a Liberty Mutual Silver Award for the projects safety record. On this project, we take safety very seriously, Heller says.
Measuring Success
Turners reputation for healthcare work is well-established, and the company says its expertise in this highly complicated field is the reason for its success. Healthcare facilities are one of the most difficult building types to construct, requiring the understanding and application of unique and highly complex systems, the company says.
Turner has complemented our century of construction management experience with many value-added services in order to offer our healthcare clients a one-source solution for all of their facility needs, the company continues. Working closely with clients to maintain clear focus and control during all phases of a project, our leading experts in the fields of medical technology, mechanical, electrical, architectural, medical equipment procurement and facilities management deliver a true value to our healthcare clients. When it comes to measuring Turners success with healthcare projects, the company says one needs look no further than the number of successful projects and repeat clients it has accumulated. Over the last 10 years, Turner has completed hundreds of acute care hospitals, academic medical centers, medical research facilities, cancer centers, heart centers, ambulatory surgery facilities and housing facilities for seniors, the company says. More than 60 percent of Turners healthcare projects are repeat business from clients, a great indication of the companys ability to deliver projects successfully to our clients. One such successful project the company completed recently was a major cancer center in New Haven, Conn. The 14-story, 497,000-squarefoot facility features 112 inpatient beds, five MRIs, expanded operating rooms and radiation oncology services. It also features a five-story, glasswalled bridge between the new building and the existing building.
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Northeast Focus | J&J CONTRACTORS INC. ARMED FORCES RESERVE CENTER
Theres a lot of peop industry that make itle in this while. Jon Braley, vice presid worthent
m Project budget: $6 Location: Ayer, M7 million+ Scope: Seven build ass. ings totaling 290,000 square fe et
J&J Contractors I Armed Forces Reser nc. ve Center www.jjcontractor.co
Entirely Under Control
J&J CONTRACTORS IS AT WORK ON A NEW ARMED FORCES RESERVE CENTER. BY ALAN DORICH
any general contractors/construction managers do not selfperform their own work often, but J&J Contractors Inc. is not one of those companies and is all the better for it, Vice President Jon Braley says. That ability has been a huge asset over the years, he says. I think thats been key to sustaining control and schedule. That philosophy has kept J&J on track as it builds the new Armed Forces Reserve Center in Ayer, Mass., for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). The project consists of seven buildings that cover 290,000 square feet on a 60-acre site. The majority of it is a vehicle maintenance center for the Mass Army National Guard, Marines Reserves and Army Reserves, Braley says, adding that one of the structures will be a training facility for soldiers.
Out of the Box

The $67 million-plus project is not J&Js first project for USACE. We have worked with the
Recognizing J&J
J&J Contractors has won numerous awards for its work, including: The Construction Management Association of Americas Public Project of the Year Award (Projects from $20 Million to $50 Million) for its work on the Swampscott High School in 2008; The Rhode Island National Guards Gold Metal Excellence Award for its work building an aerial port and security communications facility in 2008; and The Massachusetts Historical Commissions 1999 Preservation Award for its work on the North Billerica Commuter Rail Station.
Armed Forces project J&J consists of seven buildings on a 60-acre site.
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New England District for the last 12 years, Braley explains. One of the unique features of the center, he notes, is that it is being built on a former Army base. It was a deactivated base in the 90s, he explains, noting that the base was active during World War I and II. As J&J performed site work on the Armed Forces Reserve Center project, We discovered 100 items of explosives, he recalls. That was definitely a hurdle we had to overcome. Every other day, because of site work, we had to shut down. However, Only four of those items were actually live, he notes. The state police had to come in and detonate them on site.
Responsible Builders
Shifting the Risk

J&J Contractors is providing design/build services on the Armed Forces Reserve Center project, which is an area where the company excels. We hold the master contract, with all architectural and engineering disciplines contracted to and managed by J&J, he says. The D/B project delivery method essentially shifts all project risk from the client to J&J, the company continues. Additionally, clients often benefit from an accelerated schedule and cost savings. The design/build contract includes a lump sum from J&J early in the process, allowing the client to obtain favorable project financing terms.
Going for the Gold

The seven structures are aiming for LEED Silver certification. However, Were on pace to be Gold-certified, Braley reports, explaining that J&J is exceeding the Silver standards in such areas as HVAC and energy conservation. Weve had to [think] a little bit out of the box. This was due to the use groups of the buildings and the amount of impervious surfaces the project entails. As such, the company had to focus on regional and recycled materials, as well as debris recycling. Currently, 92 percent of all construction debris has been recycled.
Based in Lowell, Mass., J&J specializes in general contracting, design/build and construction management services for federal, school and healthcare projects. Over the years, the company has completed projects for numerous U.S. federal government agencies, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and local municipalities. The one thing we take pride in is client satisfaction, Braley says. Were responsible for our work and [acting responsibly] to our clients and owners. Braley joined J&J in 1997. Although the construction industry can be difficult, What has kept me [here] is some of the relationships I have gained through the years with owners, clients, architects and designers, he says. Theres a lot of people in this industry that
make it worthwhile. Braley says he sees great things ahead for J&J Contractors. Although the company has primarily concentrated on federal and public clients, Weve started to venture into some private work, he says. Weve got a lot of avenues open. Thats the one thing thats allowed us to be successful our diversity. He believes the company will work again with USACE. We have a few proposals [for their projects] out there right now, in fact, he says.
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Commercial
By Leigh Jasper
Online
Productivity Goes
tions lack key capabilities and pricing models that lead to effective collaboration, which is essential for successful project management. Fortunately, software-as-a-service (SaaS) based online project collaboration, specifically designed to facilitate collaboration among all stakeholders in a multiparty project, is now a viable choice to augment and improve the usefulness of project information and systems already in place to manage projects.
Limitations of Traditional Software

Most traditional software is purchased by a single company and then installed and managed on site. This raises immediate problems when it comes to providing partners, contractors and other stakeholders with access to project information. Many solutions dont have sophisticated remote access capabilities, and many companies dont let non-employees through the firewall. Typically, these solutions lack the functionality, transparency, and security to support multi-organization collaboration, and even if multiple companies get access to the system, it is rarely used to its full capabilities because the hosting organization cant afford to offer sufficient training to other project team members. Purchasing and deploying onsite software is also time consuming and expensive. In addition to the purchase price, there are yearly maintenance fees. Also, theres often the cost of an additional physical server and storage. Finally, costs may well ramp up in the data center as administrators focus on keeping the system running optimally. The privacy and security of data is critical in a collaborative environment. All participants must feel confident in the system before they will share their proprietary information and many will never feel confident putting their information behind another companys firewall. This is especially true in the construction industry, where a partner on one project will likely be a competitor on another. As soon as one stakeholder begins to withhold vital information from the collaborative environment, the benefits to the project rapidly disappear. Theres another aspect of security to consider network and physical security. Many organizations still consider an enterprise-based software implementation to be more secure than a cloud-based solution, but today, this is often not the case. Few construction companies can create a data center with network and physical security that matches the level provided by cloud service providers. Even if other project stakeholders trust your ethics, they are still unlikely to put their data on your systems if they fear the data is vulnerable to network breaches and physical attacks.
Every construction company recognizes the value of project management, but the ongoing evolution of project technologies and the sheer volume of project documentation generated across a project makes it difficult to establish best practices for online project, information and process management.
Despite investments in document management software, many companies still suffer from poor communication, project delays, conflicts with partners and subcontractors, and significant risk of lawsuits. The truth is that despite the technical sophistication of traditional collaboration and document management software, these soluLEIGH JASPER is CEO and co-founder of Aconex, one of the worlds largest providers of online collaboration solutions to the construction and engineering industries. For more information, visit www.aconex.com.
Advantages of SaaS
The benefits of SaaS-based online collaboration and document management begin with an independent third-party vendor that manages the platform outside each project team members firewall. Designed for multiparty collaboration, the system is easily accessible by all registered participants, anywhere, anytime. Thanks to the neutrality, each organization retains full ownership of its data, and the neutral third party pro-
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IN THIS SECTION
tects the rights and privacy of every participant. Because the application is maintained by the third party, participating organizations dont need to deploy and maintain new software or hardware. In most cases, the SaaS service is offered for a flat fee, which includes unlimited access, data hosting, training and ongoing support for all project participants. In this way, the fee can easily be absorbed by one or more lead organizations. Better yet, vendors recognize that an effective training program leads to broad user adoption, which increases the likelihood of project success. As a result, the vendor will typically make it very easy for all participants to get trained on the system, no matter where the users are or when they join the project. Another critical advantage of the SaaS model is the systems are designed to be compatible with most installed enterprise information management systems. Participating organizations can use their existing internal design, scheduling and document management systems to update project documents while collaborating outside the firewall to review, approve and process the documents with other members of each of their project teams. This approach provides the best of both worlds: all the benefits of true global, multiparty collaboration in the cloud without disruption of existing business processes. Todays SaaS vendors typically offer extraordinarily high levels of network and physical security in professionally managed data centers that provide advanced networking tools and environmental protection, including around-the-clock monitoring, controlled access, closed circuit video surveillance inside and out, and fire control systems.
GHA Design Studios
g p.40 GHAs designs bring new energy to retail centers and standalone stores.
Woodstone Builders Inc. g p.49

Woodstone is known for quality casino projects.
Company Profiles
30 36 40 43 46 49 52 54 56 Graber Post Buildings Inc. Q.B. Construction GHA Design Studios Wensley Architecture Ltd. The Weitz Co. The Veterans Memorial Auditorium Woodstone Builders Inc. Linbeck Group Embassy Suites Hotel CBD Lippert Brothers Inc. Urbacon Building Group Pickering Town Centre
Selecting a Vendor
When selecting a SaaS-based online collaboration vendor, look for the following in a potential vendor: The SaaS model should promote adoption The fee structure should not be based on the number of users, participating companies, or software licenses, or the amount of data stored. These fee structures easily lead to serious budget overruns. Only a flat feebased model will encourage universal adoption while providing the lead organizations with predictable costs. Data ownership rights must be protected The system must ensure each organization has complete control over its own data and that proprietary data cant be accessed by other parties. The system must be designed for the construction industry If the system doesnt follow standard industry processes so teams can intuitively complete their tasks, adoption will be slow, limiting the systems usefulness. The system should offer all key functionality including project correspondence and documents; allow for flexible workflows; and be globally robust enough to support high data volumes and file sizes. The vendor should be able to demonstrate its commitment. The vendor should be able to implement projects in days, not months. If the vendor cant implement the project in a matter of days, you may start using other tools, reducing the value of the sys-
tem while increasing complexity and costs. The vendor should support you where you are Only a vendor with multiple offices around the world can provide inperson training in multiple languages where and when you need it. Todays online collaboration systems offer contractors tremendous benefits over traditional software when it comes to fostering teamwork and collaboration, controlling costs, and ensuring security. The right vendor with the right experience, the required capabilities and the right commercial model, can dramatically increase project efficiency and productivity, speed projects to completion, and save money to deliver higher margins.
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Commercial | GRABER POST BUILDINGS INC.
Posting Success
GRABER POST BUILDINGS MANUFACTURES ALL ITS COMPONENTS AND BUILDINGS. BY RUSS GAGER
That has grown considerably for us. raftsmanship sometimes is considGraber Post Buildings has a sister plant in ered a value that is long gone from Versailles, Mo., that President Glen Graber modern companies, but in the heart www.graberpost.com bought. Previously named Martin Metal LLC, the of Amish country, it still survives 2010 revenue: $ 50 million company sold Graber buildings. Now as Graber and prospers. That is where Graber Post Headquarters: Montgomery, Ind. Post Buildings, it also manufactures portions of Buildings Inc. has been located since 1973. Employees: 130 the buildings and is enabling the company to The companys largely Amish workforce in Specialty: Manufacturing and obtain business from as far west as Colorado. Indianas Daviess County still provide that installing pole buildings Their business has just grown in leaps and craftsmanship in their production of the combounds since we made that purchase a few years panys post buildings. ago, Director of Marketing Keith Doades asserts. Inside the companys 8.5 acres that are Its a nice situation for us because it gives us an under roof, Graber Post produces buildings for extension of our own company in another part 125 national wholesale customers in 25 states Don Graber, executive vice president of the United States. and Canada. Its employees erect buildings within 100 miles of its plant. Another thing that has become pretty big for us in the past three to four years has been Building Uses reroof projects on houses as well as other buildings, and that has really We manufacture and distribute every piece of material needed for a been growing for us, because people see the advantage in a metal roof post frame structure or metal roofing project, Doades insists. Our comover the asphalt, Executive Vice President Don Graber emphasizes. plex includes a custom manufacturing facility. We have a new show-
Graber Post Buildings Inc.
We feel that if we cant do as good or better than anybody else, then we need to clean up our act.
Post Buildings Graber specializes in manufacturing and installing post buildings.
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Family Business Commercial | GRABER POST BUILDINGS INC.

Family employment is strong at Graber Post Buildings. Besides President Glen Graber and his brother Don Graber, executive vice president, another brother, Steve, joined the business to purchase steel. Glens son Jonathan is vice president of operations, and his wife also works at Graber Post. Other Grabers in the business include Bill, who is operations manager; Mark, sales manager; Elmer, fleet manager; Omer, building estimator; Rich, building estimator; Kenny, building and roofing estimator; Sam, who handles wholesale accounts; Norm, who oversees retail sales and hardware along with Leon; Marty, who inspects construction; and Dave, who handles truss sales.
post buildings serve a variety of uses, and can be used as equipment and machine sheds, airplane hangars, Metal chicken coops, churches and other functions, according to Graber.
room and office facility. If youre a do-it-yourselfer and can put up a small building yourself, you can call us and we can deliver it to you. A lot of folks will pick the materials up. We have a hardware store right here where they could pick up any accessory items or ancillary items to get the job done. The uses to which metal post buildings are put include agriculture, equipment and machine sheds, poultry, airplane hangars, churches just about any use. For instance, Graber says when poultry prices are good, the market is good for poultry buildings. It just kind of follows the demand, he says. Farmers have done well the last couple of years, and so farmers are spending money with us. Wed like for other people to make money, because when they make money, theyll probably be buying something from us. We like it when other people make money. Doades thinks the sky is the limit for post building applications. The number of applications of our post frame buildings is too numerous to count, Doades emphasizes. It could be something as small as just a little lean-to to cover up a pile of wood for a customer. It could be something that could be a new garage, or it could be a storage shed or an outbuilding. It could be a community center, a new church or it could be a commercial building or something as simple as a pole barn for storage and residential use. We have more and more people that seem to be getting back into livestock and horses for hobbies, Doades notes. Equestrian buildings are some things that are fairly popular in different parts of the state
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and country, but in terms of the number of applications and uses, they would almost number the stars in the sky.
Quick Service
Graber Post Buildings became vertically integrated to serve its customers better. Doades says the company is unique in that it is a national company that handles every item a customer needs for a post frame structure or a metal roofing project. When it comes to service, we feel like we have set a standard a lot of people have had to follow in order to hold onto their customer, Graber insists. A lot of the things were doing weve done out of necessity, because we could not get the service that we needed. The big thing was to get these deliveries in a timely manner. In a lot of the type of construction we are involved with, you cant wait two to three weeks for a shipment you need it now. So thats where we really come through for the customers. The company can produce some buildings in as little as three or four days in various sizes, Graber maintains.
We dont have a standard-sized building, but each person that calls in, we custom-size it and design each building for the customer, Graber explains. Theres no such thing as an odd-sized building for us. Grabers in-house drafting staff can assemble plans for buildings, and outside engineers are consulted when necessary. The company plans to hire an in-house engineer in the future. For public access buildings, then the whole project has to be mainly overseen by a certified engineer, where they follow the job from start to finish, Graber points out. Every truss thats built is built to engineering specifications, Graber emphasizes. The same with those posts. All those posts we manufacture, theyre certified, and so we need to know something about the building, the height of the sidewalls and the spacing of the post. Also needed is the required wind load and roof loading. The quality of our product is as good as the best, he insists. Probably not everybody can say that theirs is equal to the best, but we are.
Roll-forming Competitors
Companies that roll-form steel supplied on coils are prevalent throughout Grabers sales area. Theres upwards of a dozen in the state of Kentucky alone thats just south of us, and we still supply customers in that state, Graber points out. Theres a lot of those all throughout the Midwest some bigger, some smaller. We actually dont feel threatened by anybody that does it, because we feel that if we cant do as good or better than anybody else, then we need to clean up our act. Competition from other countries is being felt in the materials markets, such as price increases for steel and lumber that necessitate Graber Post Buildings to raise its prices. Like everybody else, you cant sell something for less than what you have to pay for it, Graber points out. We try to be sure that all our customers have the opportunity to get one last order in before the price increase if they so choose. You treat the customers the way you would like to be treated if you were on the other end. Lumber prices may increase this summer,
Commercial | GRABER POST BUILDINGS INC.
Graber says all of its trusses are built to exacting engineering specifications.
manufactures and Graber distributes many of its components from this complex.
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You have to pay more of a premium all the time to get the better grade.
Graber thinks. A lot of lumber is being exported from Canada over to China is what Ive been hearing, so that naturally makes a little bit more of a shortage, he reports. What they like to export is the high-end grade, so its getting more and more difficult you have to pay more of a premium all the time to get the better grade. Lower quality lumber has more knots in it, and sometimes the edges of planks still have bark on them. Southern pine from southern states and spruce from Canada is used by Graber. Southern pine is more dense its a harder wood, which has more strength, he notes. The company is overcoming the loss of quality in wood supplies by laminating its own beams from 2- by 6-inch planks. You piece them together to make a post so you can see what the laminated post looks like and be able to get better quality lumber into this post, Graber notes. The engineers know more for certain what they have to work with as far as strength in the post. with him in the company, Graber recalls. We were putting up buildings for other people that sold buildings, and eventually Glen discovered that he could sell the building we could pick up the supplies from different suppliers locally to build the building and the people would buy a building from him just as well as from some more established company, he continues. Because the roll-formed metal for the buildings had to be obtained from some distance away in Greenfield, Ind., neighbors wanting the metal for roofing, siding or a farm shed would ask Graber to bring it back for them. So that kind of led us into supplying metal to other people as well as our own buildings, and then it just grew from there out of necessity, Graber remembers. The same basic situation also happened with trusses. The time came when we couldnt get trusses in a timely manner because people were getting too far behind, and so we went into truss manufacturing, and that led to supplying trusses to other people as well, Graber recounts. Finally, the company switched metal suppliers a few times but ended up doing its own roll-forming.
Slowly Built Up
The family-owned Graber Post Buildings was founded by Glen Graber in 1973. When my brother Glen started out, very early on I went to work
says its vertical Graber integration helps it better serve its customers.
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Q.B. Construction specializes in general contracting and construction management.
Commercial | Q.B. CONSTRUCTION
Customer Favorite
Fulfilling Its Clients Dreams
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Q.B. CONSTRUCTION SAYS IT ENJOYS MAKING ITS CLIENTS VISIONS INTO REALITIES WITH ITS PROJECTS. BY ALAN DORICH
fter nearly 25 years, Q.B. Construction has gained a strong reputation in Puerto Rico as a contractor that keeps control over the quality of a project, President and partner Paul Lavergne says. He adds that the company has a loyal base of repeat clients that includes the Puerto Rico Port Authority. Weve probably done five projects [for them] in our lifetime, Lavergne says. We create ever lasting relationships with the customers here. Based in Santurce, Puerto Rico, Q.B. Construction specializes in general contracting
Q.B. Construction
www.qbconstruction.com 2010 sales: $95 million Headquarters: Santurce, Puerto Rico Employees: 150 Specialty: General contracting
We create ever lasting relationships with the customers here. Paul Lavergne, president and partner
While a large percentage of Q.B. Constructions projects are from repeat customers, the company also has received a number of referrals from satisfied clients. Q.B. Construction is sensitive to the owners needs and we understand that when we commit to complete a concourse with six airplane gates in 11 months, with the owners commitments made way in advance, opening dates simply must be met, the company says. For instance, as general contractors and construction managers, the companys projects have included an air traffic control tower, regional shopping malls, elevated roadways, a crossfield runway connector, and coordinating a baggage claim expansion for American Airlines. That particular project lasted six months. Afterward, American contracted Q.B. Construction to manage all their San Juan Hub expansion, a project that would last six years for a total construction cost exceeding $150 million, it says. Equally rewarding was the fact that when we finished our first McDonalds restaurant, Q.B. Construction was contracted to do seven more.
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Establishing Common Goals Commercial | Q.B. CONSTRUCTION

Q.B. Construction says it does not underestimate the importance of planning and phasing each of its projects. A construction team, featuring an architect, engineers and trade contractors will work together with the owner towards a common goal, it says. Because we recognize just how important this team is to the projects ultimate success, one of Q.B. Constructions two partners will act as the teams leader as to insure proper communication among all team members and a fast and effective decision making process, it says, noting that it employs a staff of professional engineers and project superintendents with extensive experience. Normally, our workers perform [in] all general conditions, reinforced concrete work and we select the best subcontractors for all other specialty work. In addition, during the design process, the company will work closely with the design team, providing engineering consulting, preparing construction budgets and protecting the owners interests. We also will make recommendations for the projects phasing sequences and bid packages, it says. During the construction phase, Q.B. Construction will coordinate and supervise all construction activities, manage change orders and monitor itineraries.
Constructions most recent projects include a 280,000-square-foot terminal at San Juan Luis Muoz Marn Q.B. International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
and construction management for a broad base of clients, Lavergne says. His father, Luis Lavergne, founded the company with partner Francisco Bechara in 1987. Previously, the two earned extensive experience in the construction industry. My father worked for a construction company here in Puerto Rico for 25 years, the younger Lavergne says. Bechara worked as a small contractor and developer for many years. After the two decided to join forces, Q.B. Construction grew quickly, Paul Lavergne says, noting that his father decided to offer construction management services, which many did not provide in Puerto Rico. At the time, there was a growing need for owners, particularly government clients, to have an expert that managed the construction and oversaw its interests. Ultimately, Lavergne purchased the company in 2003 with Becharas son, Vice President and partner Frankie Bechara. We [build] anything that goes up, Bechara boasts, noting that the companys recent projects have included pier work at San Juan Bay
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Its very exciting to see something from somebodys dream [become] reality.
and a 280,000-square-foot terminal at San Juan Luis Muoz Marn International Airport.
Exciting Work
Lavergne joined Q.B. Construction in 1991 and says he still enjoys the business. Its very exciting to see something from somebodys dream and have it turn into a reality, he says. I grew up as a kid seeing these big things being developed, he recalls, noting that it gave him a lot of excitement. I didnt hesitate when I went to engineering school. It brings me a lot of joy. Along with its focus on quality, Lavergne says the company has stayed strong by focusing on the type of people it hires. The quality of our employees is just excellent, he says. We hire, maintain and train a group of people [like no] other. [We hire people with] leadership and teamwork; people who are not afraid to take risks and think on their own while at the same time engaging with others; people who are openminded to continue learning. Among them is Executive Project Manger Carlos Archilla, who recently was promoted to his current role. Hes been with the company for 15 years, Lavergne says. Hes now become our right-hand man. He oversees many of the projects that were building.
Lavergne also has praise for CEMEX Puerto Rico, which has provided concrete for many of the companys field projects. Theyve always complied to their requirements and [done] a good job, he says, noting that the firm also has given awards to Q.B. Construction. For instance, at a ceremony in Mexico in 2007, CEMEX recognized Q.B. Construction for its work on the Pier Three project for Royal Caribbean. We were selected as the best infrastructure project, Lavergne says, noting that CEMEX also recognized the company for its longevity in the industry.
Meeting Demand
Like its counterparts in the United States, Q.B. Construction has been affected by the economic downturn, Lavergne says. For instance, the company is seeing a decrease in the desire for housing projects. In the coming months, most of the companys projects will be in the institutional sector, including schools and jails. I think we can do whatever the market is [demanding] as far as the work is concerned, he says. We have the [ability] to survive in this down market. Hopefully, it ends within the next year or so. Weve been successful with the last two, he adds. We can adapt to anything that comes out, and I think were in a position that we can, hopefully in a year or so.
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Commercial | GHA DESIGN STUDIOS
Grand Designs
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in Montreal and Detroit, GHA Design Studios specializes in creating the Based interior design of shopping malls and stores.
GHA USED ITS EXPERTISE ON THE TIMES SQUARE LOCATION FOR AROPOSTALE. BY ALAN DORICH
here are firms that design buildings, and then there are those that design the environments within them, like GHA Design Studios. Based in Montreal and Detroit, the firm specializes in the interior design of shopping malls and stores, Director of Retail Development Debbie Kalisky says. We exclusively design retail environments, she says. Were often hired by developers and by architects to give a stronger retail energy to shopping center and retail projects. GHA was formed in 1985 and initially focused solely on designing stores, Kalisky says. However, the company branched out when one developer was impressed with GHAs knowledge of retail and its ability to look at design from a consumers point of view. They entrusted us to basically design our first mall, Kalisky says. It has basically just ballooned into an area of expertise for us. For instance, today, when GHA is hired to revitalize a shopping center, it will perform leasing and programming studies based on the communitys needs. In addition, the firm can design some of the stores within the center, including its food court. Its very much A to Z in terms of our area of focus within retail, she says. GHA also focuses heavily on the clients needs balanced with designing an impressive looking environment, Kalisky says. In the end, a shopping center can be an architectural marvel, she says. But if the tenants are not thriving, then the center is a bust, she continues. [We focus on tenants] so that traffic will be increased and sales numbers will be up for the landlord.
Distinctly New York

GHAs recent projects include a new flagship store for Aropostale in Times Square that is designed in collaboration with Sargenti Architects, a firm based in Paramus, N.J. Kalisky says that the finished store stands two stories and covers 18,000 square feet. Because its in New York, it had a distinctively New York theme to it, she says, explaining that www.ghadesign.com rooms within the store emulate the citys SoHo and Greenwich 2010 sales: Between $5 million and $10 million Village neighborhoods. The store also features a Denim Library, Headquarters: Montreal and Detroit which is modeled after the New Employees: 50 York Public Library. Specialty: Retail design GHA enjoyed partnering with Sargenti on the Aropostale project, Kalisky says. Theyre very easy [to work with], she states. Debbie Kalisky, director of retail development Theyre very respectful of our creative role in the project, and
GHA Design Studios
We would like to be on the speed dial of all the American and European developers.
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GHA designed the new flagship store for Aeropostale in New York Citys Times Square.
Commercial | GHA DESIGN STUDIOS
The philosophy of our company is that it has a very casual approach.

they are the ones who make the vision become to a reality.
At the CORE
GHAs recent work also includes the renovation of CORE, a multistory shopping center in downtown Calgary for 20 Vic Management Inc. GHA acted as retail consultants on the project designed by MMC International Architects. The centers new features include a skylight that needed to be constructed over its old roof. The new roof has a wider span, Kalisky says, adding that general contractor EllisDon often had two levels of rooftops up at the same time. Its the largest [roof] of its kind. It spans three city blocks. When you look up, theres no [appearance of a] ceiling, Kalisky explains. All you see is sky, so you really have the impression that you are outdoors.
Another distinctive feature storefronts in the center that are two levels high. It gives a very imposing appearance to the pedestrian walking in the mall, she says.
On the Speed Dial

Kalisky has been with GHA for more than 13 years. She notes that she has enjoyed the experience of growing the firms reach from Canada into the United States, Italy and Scandinavia. The expansion of our network is really exciting, she says, adding that this is largely due to GHAs approach to dealing with clients. The philosophy of our company is that it has a very casual approach, not intimidating, she says. Were very open with the clients. Id say that kind of approach makes [it have] a feel-good atmosphere. She adds that the company is seeing a change in its clientele, which seems to be growing more
aware of the international retail design trends. [They are more] educated as to products, choices and quality, she says. The Internet has certainly made a huge impact on that. Kalisky praises members of the companys staff, including Designer Jonathan Knodell, who worked on the Aropostale project. Hes extremely creative, she raves. He understands merchandising and he understands apparel. Other critical associates include partners Frank DiNiro and Paola Marques, who worked on the CORE project and brought experience as tenant liaisons, Kalisky says. They worked with each tenant to improve their submissions, she says. GHA is planning for continued growth and wants to spread out even further internationally. We would like to be the people on the speed dial of all the American and European developers, she says.
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Branching Out
Commercial | WENSLEY ARCHITECTURE LTD.
THIS ARCHITECTURAL FIRM IS INCREASING ITS RESIDENTIAL AND SENIOR CARE BUSINESS. BY RUSS GAGER
he legacy of preeminent western Canadian architect B. James Wensley is being carried forward by Wensley Architecture Ltd.s principals Barry Weih and Neil Banich. He set some pretty high standards and values, and the current company is a continuation of these values, Weih explains. Wensley Architectures tradition is to focus on high quality, design and client service. Both Neil and I worked with Jim for over 10 years prior to becoming owners. We had the good fortune of having him as our mentor, as someone we could learn from as we were developing our craft. In 2001, the pair bought the company, which is now celebrating the 25th anniversary of its establishment in British Columbia. Weih joined the company in 1991, and Banich in 1988. Wensley Architecture has an excellent reputation for retail and commercial design, and we continue to have a strong emphasis on that, Weih notes. The firm has designed more than 1 million square feet of retail space in recent years. Over the last 10 years, the company has diversified, becoming a significant player in the development of residential, senior care and mixed-use projects. From our point of view for a straight business model, were happy to see that kind of diversity, because strength in one sector can offset market weakness in other sectors, Weih says. On the residential side, we have designed and seen construction completed on somewhere around 800 units of housing over the last 10 years, and we continue to see growth in that market, Weih estimates. A recent mixeduse project is Via, which was nominated for a Georgie Award. Laurel Place is a recent senior care facility Wensley Architecture designed for the LARK Group that is operated by the Ahmon Group. Theres a real need for high quality senior care facilities, Weih points out. He estimates that in
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Wensley Architecture Ltd.

www.wensleyarch.com Headquarters: Vancouver Employees: Less than 20 Specialty: Architecture, planning and interior design
We had to turn London Drugs over in a space of time that seemed impossible initially.
Barry Weih, principal
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Garibaldi Village is a mixed-use development in British Columbia on the Sea Sky Highway.
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Commercial | WENSLEY ARCHITECTURE LTD.
recent years, Wensley Architectures number of senior care projects has doubled, and its number of residential projects has tripled. Were anywhere between 40 and 50 percent residential and senior care design, Weih says.
Use of local materials is reflected in this private residence in West Vancouver.
Retail Development
Completed in September 2010, Wensley Architecture Ltd. designed Garibaldi Village, a mixed use development in Squamish, British Columbia, located on the Sea Sky Highway that linked Whistler with Vancouver for the 2010 Winter Olympics. The 86,000-square-foot project consisted of 66,000 square feet of retail and 20,000 square feet of office on a second floor above the retail space. The developer saw the need in the Squamish marketplace to build some highquality office space, so it seemed like a good opportunity here, Weih recalls. We didnt want a bunch of stucco boxes there, and both the owner and developer, Wesbild Holdings Ltd., were pretty clear on that. We wanted to reflect the mountains in the backdrop, so we had the idea to use inverted roof forms. We used local timber and stone and some fairly simple steel and concrete to create a building that reflected the topography of the area. The centers roof overhangs its sidewalks to help protect the walls from wind-driven rain or moisture. Its pretty important to have those kinds of overhangs in this climate to protect the integrity of the building envelope, Weih points out.
Storm Sewer Assistant

A bioswail is essentially a planted area that is generally part of the landscaping. The parking lot is sloped so that the water drains into these landscaped areas, and they are excavated and then backfilled with gravel, sand and soil. At the base of the bioswail is often a perforated pipe, which collects the water but is not necessarily connected to the municipal storm sewer system. The water percolates through the gravel, and that is how the storm water is dissipated gradually into the substrata, Principal Barry Weih explains. The substrata must be permeable clay soil, for example, just fills up with water. In this case, the soil permitted us to use the bioswail because its quite porous soil, so it drains well, he continues. Where the soil allows, a bioswail is a good addition to the standard storm water system. Rarely does it exclusively take all the water, but it can take a good percentage. Weih. Although not a LEED project, Garibaldi Village has many sustainable features. Its not LEED-certified, but it is an example of how you can design a sustainable project or include a high level of sustainable design that is appropriate for the type of project it is, Weih maintains. Working with the city and the developer, we were able to come up with a pretty good menu of sustainable features.
Sustainable Design
These include extensive use of daylighting and indigenous wood and stone. We use local materials where we can, Weih says. We have highly reflective roofing that allows us to reduce the heat island effect that is typical of these types of buildings where you have large roof areas. A series of bioswails and water retention ponds are used to drain groundwater from the parking lot. This takes away pressure from the municipal system and cleans the water before it filters down into the ground, Weih explains. Besides architecture, Wensley Architecture Ltd. also does planning and interior design. We offer all three, but our focus is on architecture, Weih stresses. In terms of residential, we have one of the most talented residential designers Ive ever met. My partner, Neil Banich, brings to the table a really strong sensibility around residential design. The companys philosophy is to understand its clients needs. Every client has a different set of requirements, Weih emphasizes. Our key philosophy is to understand what it is our clients are trying to achieve and help them to achieve it the best way possible, and come up with an architecture or planning or interior design solution that will work.
Fast Track
The project was definitely on the fast track in two phases construction of a large drug store and then completion of the rest of the center. It was on an extremely tight schedule, Weih emphasizes. We had to turn London Drugs over in a space of time that seemed impossible initially, but with a lot of good teamwork, we were able to get London Drugs open in time and complete the balance of the project. The mostly vacant site between existing commercial buildings only required clearing of one small building. The soil needed to be preloaded with heavy materials to compact it for approximately 90 days. That kind of slowed us up in terms of being able to start when we wanted to start, Weih notes. The contractor was Norson Construction Ltd. of North Vancouver, British Columbia. The company is a member of the Canada Green Building Council and has three LEEDaccredited professionals on staff, including
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Commercial | THE WEITZ CO. THE VETERANS MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM
Convention Comeback
WEITZ RENOVATES A CONVENTION CENTER THAT IS ANYTHING BUT CONVENTIONAL. BY JAMIE MORGAN
ite restrictions are a common inhibitor on any construction project, but they can prove particularly challenging when a contractor is performing massive construction in an entirely enclosed building. In October 2010, The Weitz Co. began interior demolition on one such project the Iowa Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Des Moines. Were not making many changes to the exterior of the building, says Weitz Project Manager Chad Halupnick. But when you walk in, it will be a drastic change from what it used to be. The exterior will retain its nostalgic charm for Iowans who have affectionately dubbed it the barn. The 1954-built structure played host to everyone from Elvis Presley to Ozzy Osbourne, and offered its floor to high school athletes competing for state titles. It was once a formidable arena, comparable to facilities in Los Angeles, Chicago and New York. However, when the Wells Fargo Arena was built in 2005, Vets Auditorium lost some relevance, though it remained in use until construction began. Polk County, the building owner, believes it can restore the site as a valuable team player to the downtown Des Moines convention sector. After all, it is joined to HyVee Hall and connected to the Wells Fargo Arena via a skywalk and tunnel. Together with the Polk County Convention Complex, the facilities make up the Iowa Events Center. In a 14-month schedule, Weitz will transform the single-floor, bowl-configuration auditorium into a two-floor center with more than 27,500 square feet of meeting space on the first floor and a nearly 28,500-square-foot multipurpose ballroom on the second floor.
Weitz Co. is providing interior The renovations to the Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Iowa.
Entirely New Interior

The first floor will house a 35-by-150-foot space to honor Iowas participants in the military. At the west entry, we are creating a space called Memorial Hall, which is a museumquality exhibit that will pay tribute to the Iowa veterans and current forces, says project manager David Hill, AIA, of OPN Architects. The county has been very supportive of the design, and were all excited about the tribute to Iowa veterans. OPN Architects designed the space in conjunction with Atlanta-based TVS Design, which Hill says is one of the foremost groups in
convention center design. The new design will bring light into the formerly dim auditorium. A group of 12 large windows on the east side will provide natural light to a new two-story pre-function space. Hill says new ballroom space creates opportunities for the creative use of artificial light. The ballroom and pre-function space have very high ceilings and there is a lot of attention paid to lighting design to create a very inviting space for different types of events, he says. For instance, a combination of down-lighting and up-lighting along curved ceiling clouds and a series of lights will give the effect of a starlit night.
The Weitz Co. The Veterans Memorial Auditorium

www.weitz.com Construction cost: $32 million Location: Des Moines Employees on site at peak: 175 Scope: Remodel of historic auditorium
The coordination amongst trades and working with the architect is very critical.
Chad Halupnick, project manager
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Commercial | THE WEITZ CO.- THE VETERANS MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM
The new design maximizes the space and creates flexibility for a multitude of event types. The second floor is the biggest change, Halupnick says. When you used to walk in it was one big open area and you could see 100 feet up to the roof. Now, when you walk in there are meeting rooms on level one that can be set off with partitions or opened up for larger convention space.
Inside Out
Prior to construction, Weitz performed extensive structural demolition, even using a remote-control demolition machine to extract concrete risers. Halupnick says its not the typical equipment on such a project, but the team had to get creative due to site restrictions and to ensure worker safety. We used a machine called a BROKK because it is a small versatile machine that we could get up to the risers, he says. [We also used it] for the safety of our guys to not have them on jackhammers daily. The machine had other benefits, as well. Demolition has been a little different of a process because there is a basement, and you have to consider the floor loading to determine what type of equipment you can bring in, Halupnick says. The construction team adapted to the changing work environment as demolition progressed. For instance, when it demolished an approximate 60-foot riser that extended from the roof to the basement, it was able to access more of the remaining work. With demolition complete, Weitz is now pouring concrete and erecting steel in an enclosed building, which limits the amount of equipment and number of workers it can use. Halupnick says meticulous coordination is required, especially in regards to upper-level construction work involving barrel ceiling structural steel, ductwork and paint. If the company built the second floor first, it would not be able to move in the tall equipment needed to complete the ceiling. Instead of building up floor by floor, it is working from the top down. It has taken a lot of detailed scheduling with our subcontractors to work through the details so we did not miss anything prior to the second floor going in, Halupnick says. Halupnick says this type of creative problem-solving is a company strength, and the team has been able to answer every challenge while remaining on schedule. The coordination amongst trades and working with the architect is very critical to make sure there are no snags or delays, he says. To date were right on schedule, and things are going very well.
considered the equal of similar facilities in New York or Chicago, Des Moines Veterans Memorial Auditorium Once had lost some of its relevance until a recent construction and renovation program.
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Commercial | WOODSTONE BUILDERS INC.
Builders says Woodstone tribal development projects like casinos are thriving.
WOODSTONE EXCELS IN ITS NICHE OF BUILDING RESORTS FOR TRIBAL COMMUNITIES. BY KATHRYN JONES
Among the Tribe

Woodstone Builders Inc. Building buildings is easy, but what counts in life is building relationships.
look at Las Vegas, thats probably one of the he economic downturn has been diffihardest-hit places in the country, if not the cult on contractors across the nation world. But when you look at tribal gaming, its working in nearly every building secwww.woodstoneinc.com very regional and very rural. tor. Even though Woodstone Headquarters: Bloomington, Minn. At the height of the recession, most tribal Builders Inc. excels on a number of projects Employees: 15 gaming facilities were only down 15 percent from ranging from multifamily residential to light Specialty: General contracting where they were at their peak, he remarks. Some manufacturing, its decision to target a unique were doing better than ever because they were niche has enabled it to grow and prosper durcatching the traffic no longer going to Las Vegas. ing the recession. People still gamble in a poor economy. But Las The Bloomington, Minn.-based company Vegas relies on critical mass getting a lot of peohas earned a reputation among Native Doug Niesen, vice president and co-owner ple in one spot. Regional tribal gaming does not, American communities in Minnesota, but they still have to make their gaming faciliWisconsin, South Dakota, Montana, ties more appealing. Weve been fortunate to be Washington and Idaho for the quality it puts the contractor to do some of that. into tribal development projects such as resort casinos, says Doug Niesen, vice president and co-owner. Despite the economic downturn, such tribal development projects actually are thriving, Meeting Unique Needs he explains. In October 2010, Woodstone Builders broke ground on the $25 million Gaming has suffered, there is no doubt about it, Niesen notes. If you Legendary Waters Resort Casino for the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior
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Chippewa in Bayfield, Wis. The project includes a 70,000-square-foot, three-story hotel resort on the banks of Lake Superior with an indoor/outdoor pool, lounges, a full-service restaurant and caf, retail spaces, an entertainment facility for shows, a convention center and a campground. The project is slated to be completed in August 2011. Constructing a full-scale resort in 10 months has been Woodstones biggest challenge, Niesen says, but it is doable. We set up a master schedule at the beginning, and we have touch points to make sure our construction process is being adhered to, he states. Were in good shape, but whats hard with gaming development projects is that a casino is nearly as complicated as a hospital. We need certain things at certain times in order to keep the train moving on the tracks. He says the company has an excellent relationship with the members of the Red Cliff tribe because it understands the unique needs of the tribal community. When youre working with tribes, economic development is a huge part of a project, Niesen notes. Tribes want you to employ their people and their local tribal tradespersons. We have a very detailed compliance program where we sit down with subs and set a goal for how much labor can go back to the tribal workers, he continues. We like to bring people from the tribe right onto the Woodstone team in administrative roles as well as trade roles. The object is to have people that understand the entire construction development process rather than just doing work in the field. In fact, we have two people from Red Cliff on the Woodstone payroll.
the unique Understanding needs of tribal customers is one of Woodstones strengths.
Commercial | WOODSTONE BUILDERS INC.
New and Traditional

retail facilities and a swimming pool in the shape of Red Lake Woodstone showed its appreciation by completing the project in seven months. A few months after the project was started in April 2009, Niesen was vacationing with his family when he came across a giant steel eagle sitting on a post. We were able to buy that eagle and fit it into the casino project for the Red Lake tribe, and it just meant the world to the tribe. The company also held a fundraiser and bought more than 100 bicycles to give to local children. We just try to get involved in the community as much as we can, Niesen says. To me, thats how relationships are developed. Building buildings is easy, but what counts in life is building relationships. President Greg Johnson a third-generation contractor whose grandfather, Gunnar Johnson, was a legendary Norwegian contractor in the Midwest established Woodstone Builders in 2002. Niesen joined the company in 2006 after serving as director of gaming and entertainment for a large Midwestern contractor. The two partners prefer to take a hands-on approach to projects. The organizational structure is very flat, Niesen says. Weve gone out and done final cleans ourselves. Were proud of that, and were very proud of our people. Were an upstart company with old-fashioned values. We pay our subs quickly. When you have subs that are happy to work with you, it usually means your pricing is better. These things add up as to why we might be getting some work while others may not.
Building Relationships
The Crow tribe enlisted Woodstone to build the first piece of a phased project that will consist of a gaming floor with 200 machines, as well as a retail area and sit-down restaurant at Apsalooke Nights Casino in Hardin, Mont. The $2.5 million project broke ground in August 2010 and was completed in February 2011. We hadnt worked with them before, but we established relationships where well be friends for life after this project, Niesen says. Establishing close-knit relationships with the tribal communities sets Woodstone apart from other contractors, he says. When the Red Lake Nation awarded the company a $25 million contract to build the Seven Clans Casino in Red Lake, Minn. which included a 40-room hotel, gaming floor, entertainment center,
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Commercial | LINBECK GROUP EMBASSY SUITES HOTEL CBD
Building A Houston First
LINBECK THOUGHT OUTSIDE THE BOX ON HOUSTONS EMBASSY SUITES HOTEL. BY KATHRYN JONES
Embassy Suites Hotel CBD in Houston built by Linbeck Group not only is the first LEED Silver hotel in the The city, it also is the first LEED-certified hotel for the Embassy Suites brand.
ne distinguishing factor that sets Linbeck Group apart from other contractors is its innovation. The Houston-based construction firm pioneered TeamBuild and core elements of the construction manager-at risk delivery method in 1967, and in 1997, it became a charter member of the Lean Construction Institute. Linbeck implements these innovative construction techniques on cutting-edge projects in the healthcare, education, corporate, cultural, life science and government realms. In July 2009, Linbeck broke ground in more ways than one when it started construction on the 262-room Embassy Suites Hotel CBD (central business district). The 21-story, 270,000square-foot hotel is the first LEED Silver hotel in Houston, as well as the first LEED-certified hotel for the Embassy Suites brand. In fact, when Linbeck completed the $50 million project in January, the hospitality chain was so impressed with the end-product it could become the prototype for future Embassy Suites hotels, Linbeck Project Manager John Lavino says.
Modern Hotel
Designed by Houston architecture firm Mitchell Carlson Stone Inc., the poured-inplace concrete structure features structural metal studs and an exterior faade consisting of an exterior insulation finishing system (EFIS) with stone on the first level. We get a lot of comments on the look of the building, Lavino notes. Its very pleasing to the eye not overbearing but contemporary looking. The hotel also features a new, more spacious room layout with contemporary interior design. All of our spacious two-room suites consist of a private bedroom with a separate living room with a sofa bed, an armchair and a well-lit dining/work table, Embassy Suites says. Other amenities include a wet bar, a refrigerator, a microwave, a coffeemaker, an
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iron with board, a hairdryer, high-speed Internet access and two televisions. Its green features include energy-efficient mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems; low-water-usage fixtures; use of locally sourced and/or recycled materials; and an HVAC system that turns on the heat or air conditioning when it detects motion in the room. Linbeck has a significant amount of green building experience; more than 70 percent of its current projects meet U.S. Green Building Council or other environmental standards for sustainability, it says.
Linbeck Group Embassy Suites Hotel CBD

www.linbeck.com Budget: $50 million Location: Houston Employees on site at peak: 300 Scope: 21-story, 270,000-squarefoot, LEED Silver-certified hotel
We get a lot of comments on the look of the building.

John Lavino, project manager Lean Operation
Finishing Early
The main challenge Linbeck encountered was unfavorable weather conditions, Lavino says. We had 96 days of weather-related delays, he recalls. Soil conditions in the area called for an 8foot-thick concrete mat foundation going down 35 feet into the ground. However, it rained quite a bit during the excavation phase. Crews lost approximately 30 days due to weather-related delays. The client opted to enlist the services of another architect to redesign the interior of the hotel after construction had already started. As a result, some design issues came up in the field that were costly and a hindrance to the schedule. This is a hard-bid job, but Linbeck is accustomed to performing on negotiated projects where it can exercise its construction manager-at risk skills. Not being involved during the design phase was a slight disappoint-
ment for Linbeck because it enjoys valueengineering and coming up with cost-saving alternatives, Lavino notes. One of the things that Linbeck is famous for is its preconstruction services and helping the owner achieve budgets its one of our strongest suits, he remarks. Nevertheless, Linbeck finished the hotel five weeks early, thanks to its willingness to think outside of the box. We installed a temporary roof on the upper floors so we could do the interior finishes on the lower floors, Lavino says. We water-proofed the entire floor to keep water out of the lower floors so we could do the drywall and interior finishes on the lower floors without the threat of bad weather.
Implementing lean construction techniques also helped speed the project along. We built the project from property line to property line, so we had to rent the adjacent parking lot for deliveries and staging, Lavino says. This was a good example of lean construction since we had no storage or lay-down area. Linbeck saw some new faces among the subcontractors awarded the project and was pleasantly surprised by the quality of workmanship put into the hotel. Lavino credits the projects success to everyone involved. It was a concerted effort by the entire team, he says. Weve gotten tremendous client satisfaction scores from the client.
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Commercial | LIPPERT BROTHERS INC.
90-Plus Years Young
THE LIPPERT FAMILY HAS BUILT MANY OF OKLAHOMAS LANDMARKS OVER ITS HISTORY. BY RUSS GAGER
hether a memorial to the victims of terrorism or a museum for cowboys, a habitat for elephants or botanical garden structures, the worlds largest McDonalds or a copy of a Frank Lloyd Wright tower, Lippert Brothers Inc. has always regarded versatility as its strength and niches as pigeonholes rather than opportunities. Its myriad of projects includes constructing six new structures for $13 million at Myriad Gardens, a botanical garden in the heart of Oklahoma City. One is a restaurant, another is a childrens pavilion, a third is a water stage, the fourth is a new restroom facility, the fifth is an ice rink pavilion, and the sixth is an event lawn pavilion. The project was started in April 2010 and the majority of the structures are scheduled for completion in April 2011. Myriad Gardens was started in the late 1970s, and it was just constructed in phases as money was available, President Rick Lippert explains. The park is being built in the heart of Oklahoma City across the street from the new 50-story Devon Energy building also under construction. Four square blocks were originally razed to make way for it. The four new buildings Lippert Brothers is constructing are all structural steel with fiber cement panel board on the exterior. The decks and some interior walls and ceilings are Ipe wood, which is like a mahogany and comes from Brazil. Insulated bent glass panels 12 feet high and 6 feet wide will be butt-glazed together without mullions on the restaurant to provide an unobstructed view of a lake. The glass had to be transported in these large sheets from its
MILESTONE
YEARS
90
only source in Barcelona, Spain. Up to 30 subcontractors worked on Lipperts portions of the Myriad project. The logistics of being downtown restricted access to the site. We had four gates on each corner, but they were not always available, Lippert remembers. An entrance there one day is not there the next day, and traffic changes.
Pachyderm Project
Another project on which Lippert Brothers Inc. has worked recently is the $13 million Asian exhibit at the Oklahoma City Zoo. This includes an elephant habitat, which was started in fall 2009 and completed in March 2011. Lippert Brothers constructed four paddock
www.lippertbros.com 2010 revenue: $50 million Headquarters: Oklahoma City Employees: 75 Specialty: General contracting, construction management, design/build
Rick Lippert, president
Lippert Brothers Inc.
Were fair and honest with our clients and our subcontractors.
Brothers Inc. recently built Lippert the University of Central Oklahoma Center for Transformative Learning.
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areas and two pools for the pachyderms with artificial concrete rock that looks real and fed by 8-foot and 12-foot waterfalls. Its a beautiful habitat for them, Lippert remarks. The old one was behind three stone walls and a dirt floor. It wasnt all that attractive. Now they can roam freely theyve got an electric fence, but they seem to be adjusting quite well. Its probably 10 to 12 acres. Lippert says a challenge of the project was working in a functioning zoo. We did have an access road that was separate from the main entrance, thank goodness, but it had to be manned to keep personnel and other stray animals out, Lippert notes. To get a dog in the zoo wreaks havoc on the other animals. The Asian exhibit is located next to the ape and chimp habitat. From time to time, one of the chimpanzees would get out of his habitat, but not out of the total cage theres a dry moat around there, Lippert explains. Theyd have to call a code red and stop work, and zoo patrons and our people would get in a secure place, then the zoo staff would lure him back where he should be. The Asian exhibit was built on undeveloped zoo land. Lippert Brothers self-performed the
91 Years
Bombing Memorial
Lippert Brothers Inc. worked on two projects related to the 1995 bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. One was the restoration of the historic Journal Record Building, which is across the street from the site of the former Murrah building which was damaged by the bomb that brought down Murrah. On the actual site of the bombing, the company worked on a memorial that was dedicated in 2000 consisting of a chair for each victim along with two Gates of Time in front of a reflecting pool only 3/4inch deep. Its calm there, and when the wind blows, it hardly makes a ripple, Lippert notes. Until the local ducks and geese realized its true depth, they had some rough landings in the shallow, block-long pool. concrete and worked with approximately 30 subcontractors. A good dozen were specialty subcontractors we hadnt worked with before that did the terrific rock work, the hydraulics for the sliding gates, the electrified fence and steel pipe and cable, Lippert notes.
Founded in 1920 by Lipperts grandfather, Erick, and his brothers, the company was taken over by Lipperts father Donald and Donalds brother Robert in 1964. Now Lippert manages the company with his brothers, Tom, who is senior vice president, and Joel, vice president. Tom and Joel each have a son who has worked at the company during school breaks Joels is in high school and Toms is studying construction management at Oklahoma State University. Hell probably be here before we know it, Lippert remarks. Lippert attributes the companys 91 years of success to trying to maintain a good reputation. Were fair and honest with our clients and our subcontractors, Lippert declares. Our subcontractors perform virtually 70 percent of any construction project in the commercial part of the business. He estimates half the companys business is from repeat customers, and most of its business now is within Oklahoma. I would say our success is due to our employees their dedication to the company, their ability to work together on many different types of projects, Lippert maintains.
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Commercial | URBACON BUILDING GROUP PICKERING TOWN CENTRE
New Downtown
WITH NO REAL TOWN CENTER, PICKERING, ONTARIO, BUILDS ONE WITH URBACONS HELP. BY RUSS GAGER
10-story Pickering Town Centre is a $32 million project connected to the town hall of Pickering, Ontario, The and is part of a larger initiative to create a downtown core for the community.
uilt with an eye to the future, the $32 million Pickering Town Centre being constructed next to the town hall will also connect the center of the city to further development. The parking garage at the second- and third-floor levels of the 150,000-square-foot development will attach to an arcade for another building under construction, a transit station and a pedestrian pathway. Floors 4 through 10 of the center construction of which was started in September 2009 and is due for completion in May 2011 will be devoted to office space. The Pickering Town Centre is concrete up to the fourth floor. Then, only the stairwell and elevator core are concrete from floors 4 through 10, and the rest is structural steel. These materials use recycled content along with the drywall, which will help the building in its effort to achieve LEED Silver certification. The paints, coatings and carpeting all emit low or no level of volatile organic compounds, and the lighting is energy-efficient and uses occupancy sensors. They wanted to have a 33 percent recovery factor, Commercial Division General Manager Errol Dube says of 20 Vic Management, the buildings owner. Its quite high to achieve. We had to redo our initial design. We added more insulation not just your average 2 inches or 4 inches of insulation, its 5 to 8 inches of insulation thats a big factor of heat recovery and no heat loss. The center has a curtain wall exterior made
Urbacon Building Group Pickering Town Centre

www.urbacon.net Construction cost: $32 million Location: Pickering, Ontario Employees on site at peak: 75 Scope: 10-story office building
Were one of the top data center designers and builders.

Errol Dube, commercial division general manager
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up of high reflectance glass for energy savings. It also uses high-efficiency boilers, energy recovery units on the roof and low-flow plumbing fixtures. A green roof is hidden from view but will help reduce rainwater runoff. Other portions of the roof are covered with a light-colored, single-ply thermoplastic polyolefin to reflect sunlight. The ground floor uses masonry and a lightweight architectural glass fiber-reinforced precast concrete that also helps the building meet LEED standards.
Downtown Creation
Because the building will function as a town centre, Pickering officials gave special attention to the project. They are trying to create a downtown core, Dube explains. That building is nearly right beside the town hall. They wanted to have a lot of input into the design. It took a little while to get building permits and sign approvals. Because it was a design/build project, building permits were issued in phases. So we got a foundation permit and started building before the building was completely designed, Dube explains. That is the beauty of it. Its very advantageous to a lot of developers to go that
way even construction management. You can do virtually the same thing get involved at the time of design and get some permits for the foundation so you can get started even before the building is finished being designed, he points out. That eventually caught up with us, and at one point we had to stand still for a couple of weeks. That delayed the parking garage a little bit. Soil conditions required the use of 53 caissons averaging 35 feet long to anchor the building. Urbacon self-performed carpentry and installation of doors and hardware, and approximately 15 subcontractors are being used for the rest of the construction. Among the design decisions still being made at press time were the selection of backlit metal panels to beautify the exterior of the parking garage. Another $2.5 million will be spent in tenant set-up such as partitions, inside offices, meeting and board rooms when the buildings major tenant Municipal Property Assessment Corp. moves into it.
Our company has an incredible reputation for [data centers].

Vancouver was founded in 1984 by Tony Mancini, whose son Marco is CEO. The company develops and builds mostly commercial and institutional properties and has its own inhouse architect. Urbacon has groups for building interiors, power system design and maintenance, custom home construction and management and land opportunities. Were one of the top data center designers and builders, Dube asserts. Our company has an incredible reputation for that. Urbacon also is the first company in Canada to use the Kyoto heat-recovering mechanical system developed in Europe for data centers that the Canadian government has been championing.
Develops and Builds

Urbacon which has four offices throughout Canada in Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and
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Institutional
By Greg Gidez
Dealing With Design/Build

My experience with design/build came fairly early in my architecture career when, in the early 1980s, my architecture firm won a bid for the Colorado Convention Center.
The collaborative approach to problem-solving and the opportunity to work in the field with builders transformed my approach to the work and nipped any egotistical Howard Roark tendencies in the bud, so much so that I now jokingly refer to myself as a recovering architect. Whether inspired by the advent of BIM or the fact that construction labor productivity declined 20 percent between 1964 and 2003, there is a lot of talk about the value that integration can bring to design and construction these days. Traditionally, designers and builders have operated in separate silos and under separate and sequential contracts with the owner. Today, more people in the industry are coming to recognize the inefficiencies of traditional project delivery. contracting entity with a construction contractor as subcontractor. Alternately, the designer and the builder can form a joint venture or create a single purpose entity. Whatever the structure, the design/builder holds the contract with the owner and takes responsibility for the management and performance of both the design and construction teams. Clearly, this entity must have the financial and management resources and expertise to perform the design/build contract. Single point of responsibility contracting doesnt merely change the relationships between owners and design and construction practitioners. Just as importantly, the contract transforms the relationship between designers and builders. The owner is no longer the referee between these two factions. Instead, designers and builders are contractually linked. This early, face-to-face working relationship begins during the request for proposal phase and continues through design, allowing construction to start earlier and affording constant opportunities for innovation and trouble-shooting. This simple but fundamental difference saves money and time by transforming a usually contentious relationship into an alliance. United from the outset, an integrated team more readily adopts BIM and can take full advantage of opportunities to achieve or surpass the owners LEED certification goals.
Full Integration
BIM is an extremely valuable tool for collaboration, but its use does not transform the relationships between designers and builders who are used to working independently rather than collaboratively. It also doesnt get to the heart of the matter the contract. Design/build is the only proven method of fully integrating design and construction. Simply put, design/build is a contractual method that gives owners a single point of responsibility for the delivery of design and construction services. Few firms engaged in major construction projects have both design and construction capability in-house. As a result, the party contracting with the owner under a design/build contract may vary. A construction contractor can serve as the prime contracting entity with the architect/engineer as a consultant to the contractor. A design firm also can be the prime
Many Advantages
Owners derive many advantages from design/build, as they often have little experience in both design and construction. Design/build allows the owner to tap the experience and insight of the design/build team while managing a relationship with one entity rather than separate and distinct design and construction firms. Most importantly, design/build transfers much of the risk associated with the project and the responsibility of managing it to those better prepared to succeed. For example, design management and design control are major risks associated with every construction project. The following risks are typically identified with the design: contractual performance guarantees, functional failure of the design, shop drawing reviews and analysis, coordination of plans and specs, and satisfying
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IN THIS SECTION
Brasfield & Gorrie Butts-Mehre Heritage Hallg p.74
Brasfield & Gorrie delivered a new athletic facility at University of Georgia.
Company Profiles
60 Turner Construction Owensboro Medical Health Center 66 Battlespace Environment Laboratory 69 Hensel Phelps Construction Co. History Colorado Center 72 Overaa Construction 74 Brasfield & Gorrie Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall 76 Camosy Construction 78 Hoffman Construction 41st Army Reserve Center 80 Lakeshore TolTest Corp. 82 M.A. Mortenson Co. Ralph L. Carr Judicial Center 84 Hensel Phelps Construction Co. Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine 86 Robins & Morton 88 Rudolph and Sletten UCSF Smith Cardiovascular Research Building 90 Triangle Associates Fremont High School 92 Winter Park Construction University House Central Florida 94 McPherson Contractors BEST Building
permitting requirements. As part of the contract discussion, risk for both design and construction is appropriately assigned to the party best able to manage, price or insure the risk. Under a traditional design/bid/build framework, the designers work is overseen by the owner. In design/build project delivery, the designers performance is managed by the approved design/builder. When one entity is responsible for conformance to design, cost and schedule, there is no incentive to blame others for errors, overruns and other shortcomings.The focus shifts to fixing the problem so that the project can move forward on schedule.
Know The Risks

Some risks, such as unforeseen site conditions or unknown hazardous materials, are still carried by the owner. Assigning the responsibility for schedule to the design/builder is appropriate risk allocation because that entity has the greatest opportunity to control it. If the owner decides to accelerate a project timeline, however, they may be at risk for cost of acceleration. The responsibility for permitting can be taken on by either the owner or the design/builder, depending on the project and situation. In every case, the owner and design/builder must discuss the various risks early on and come to an agreement about who is best able to manage, price or insure the risk. When risk shifts to those skilled at risk management, the potential for litigation is significantly reduced. There are attitudes and values that facilitate successful integration on a design/build team. Shared belief in interdisciplinary fluency, communication, full disclosure and transparency, and benefits of cultivating an environment of trust are common to high-performance design/build teams. It is important to note that the foundation for these behavioral expectations is the design/build contract that links the team to one another and provides a single point of responsibility for the owner they serve.
GREG GIDEZ, AIA, DBIA, LEED AP serves as 2011 board chair for the DBIA and is the corporate manager of pre-construction services for Hensel Phelps Construction in Greeley, Colo.
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Institutional | TURNER CONSTRUCTION OWENSBORO MEDICAL HEALTH CENTER
A Grand Design
ne of the nations top-ranked hospitals in terms of quality care will soon have an all-new facility courtesy of one of the largest hospital builders in the United States. Turner Construction recently topped off a nine-story bed tower, the highest point of the $276 million, 780,000-square-foot replacement of the Owensboro Medical Health Center in Owensboro, Ky. Crews started construction in April 2010; completion is on schedule for February 2013. Compared to the existing hospital, some of which dates back to the 1930s, the replacement will give owner Owensboro Medical Health System (OMHS) the ability to provide improved care by providing better staff and patient work flows, more efficient program adjacencies, operational and technological improvements, greatly improved patient experience, and a broader service offering. Our mission is to build an affordable regional hospital that provides safe, high-quality care that will meet the healthcare needs of the region and have the ability to compete with any facility in the nation in terms of quality, the owners said.
Construction has used more than Turner 7,000 tons of structural steel on the Owensboro Medical Health Center project.
TURNER CONSTRUCTION AND ITS PARTNERS ARE UTILIZING INTEGRATED PROJECT DELIVERY. BY JIM HARRIS
Building Features
The hospital, located on a 145-acre campus, will consist of three linked buildings: the 400plus-bed, nine-story bed tower, a three-story diagnostic and testing building, and a ninestory spine housing inpatient support and administrative spaces that links the two, Project Manager Merrill Bowers says. Crews have so far used more than 7,000 tons of structural steel on the entire hospital, with that phase of the work set to conclude this spring. The foundation is a concrete spread footings. Rainscreen stone cladding and glazed curtain wall used on the exterior skin. Wet-set masonry and resin wood panels will also be used on the hospitals bottom floor. The bed tower is designed so each floor is composed of two, parallel continuous corridors on either side of a narrow service core, Bowers says. One of the drivers for the campus as a whole is intuitive way-finding and orienting
the elements in a way thats easy for patients and visitors to get navigate the bed tower design greatly minimizes the potential for wrong turns or disorientation, he adds. Each floor of the bed tower will feature twin 24-bed units designed with efficiency and safety in mind. Design features include same-handed rooms, dedicated family spaces in each patient room, and two-leaf room entry and patient toilet doors. The diagnostic and treatment building will include a womens center on the third floor,
Turner Construction Owensboro Medical Health Center

www.tcco.com Construction cost: $276 million Location: Owensboro, Ky. Employees on site at peak: 500 Scope of work: New hospital
All of us were involved from the very beginning.

Merrill Bowers, project manager
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the emergency department, radiology and imaging as well as the surgery suites and lab. The complex is oriented to maximize views to nature and the more interior patient spaces are provided with courtyards which utilize landscaping and large windows to capture natural lighting. Positive exterior views and natural lighting are two elements lacking in the existing hospital building, Bowers says. Although not pursuing LEED certification, LEED guidelines were considered throughout the design. Natural lighting and views was an area of focus, not only for LEED, but for positive impact on patient outcomes. Other green building elements include the use of local materials to the greatest extent possible, green roofs, efficient mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems, and a thermally efficient exterior wall design. Outside of the building, bioswales and native grasses and plants are being installed and an adjacent flood plain will be restored.
Full Collaboration
Through an integrated project delivery approach, Turner is teaming with HGA Architects and Engineers of Milwaukee and engineering design firm Smith, Seckman and Reed (SSR) of Nashville. All of us were involved from the very beginning, Bowers says. With this project, the team has worked together in a much more committed and collaborative manner than experienced through traditional project delivery.
Turner Construction is working closely with engineers, architects and healthcare professionals on the Owensboro Medical Health Center project.
Turner, HGA and SSR had their teams closely examine each portion of the overall budget such as interiors, the building envelope and mechanical systems and created sub/component teams for each of these areas. Each team consisted of a representative from Turner, HGA, SSR and other major trade partners who had design-assist and budget responsibilities, Bowers says. Each element of the building, from the structure to the exterior skin, was fully modeled using BIM software. Turner and its project partners also used SharePoint sites to collaborate throughout the design process, he adds. Bowers calls the relationship between Turner and its project partners and subcontractors very positive. We have a lot of Kentucky-based firms we havent had extensive past experience with before on this project, he says. There are a lot of great subcontractors doing good things on this project. The projects total economic impact on the region is estimated at $139 million. The construction phase alone is projected to create more than 4,000 jobs. These numbers do not include the jobs that come along with new physicians recruited to the region for the new hospital.
Maximizing Efficiency
The integrated project delivery approach helped Turner and its partners overcome what Bowers calls the projects single-biggest challenge.
Construction is on Turner schedule to complete the Owensboro Medical Health Center in February 2013.
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The project has gone really well, and I guess a unique challenge for this particular project is that OMHS is a large provider and this new hospital will not contain all programs that currently operate at the existing campus, Bowers explains. One of the huge advantages weve realized with the integrated team is weve continuously worked to maximize the ability of the owner adjust the program and move as many things as they can to the new campus to be as efficient as possible. The new facility is approximately 2.5 miles from the existing campus.
each of our jobs every day. Corporate safety measures include a zero-
tolerance drug policy and a fall-protection program that includes partnering with insurance
Consolidated Risk Solutions, LLC Consolidated Risk Solutions (CRS) administers wrap-ups nationwide with over 200 projects under management currently. This includes skyscrapers, power plants, sports stadiums, hospitals and more. With the basic premise that a successful wrap-up is driven by the quality of the administration and safety, statistical data has become the most critical element to effective program management. CRS was formed with a single objective; collect, report and sort all data in a real-time environment. As an independent wrap-up administrator, CRS is 100 percent dedicated to wrap-up insurance programs, allowing CRS to cultivate an expertise that is beyond compare. CRS works directly with insurance brokers, general contractors, insurance carriers, and project owners, offering unbundled administration services to its clients.
Safety Measures
Safety is a key organizational value for Turner on all of its projects. At Turner, we have developed a culture that promotes an injury-free environment and provides the safest workplace possible for our employees, subcontractors, clients and others who enter or who are near our construction sites, the company says. Our mantra is: `Every worker goes home from
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new Owensboro Medical The Health Center will improve patient and staff work flow.
By The Numbers OMHC

industry leaders to develop new safety procedures, the company adds. On the Owensboro project, Turner and each of its subcontractors has carried out the companys safety-first credo through the presence of full-time safety managers and dedicated safety personnel on site, formation of a safety committee, and focused idea sharing at regular meetings. Consolidated Risk Solutions administrated the owners wrap-up insurance program, which covers workmans compensation and general liability coverage.
The team has worked in a much more committed and collaborative manner.
At Owensboro Medical Health System we are working every day to heal the sick and to improve the health of our community; its not just our mission, its why we exist, the healthcare provider says. Our vision is to become a regional center of excellence by actively listening to and partnering to meet the individual healthcare needs of those we serve. Owensboro carefully considered community input during the design phase of the new hospital project, and continues to seek user feedback. We always count on the input of our community to help us make decisions that impact the region in a positive way, it adds.
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Total counties served
300,000 3,205
Employees
Total population served
206
Medical Staff
17,466
Admissions
An Honored Pair
This is the first time Turner one of the nations leading healthcare builders for more than 20 years as named by Modern Healthcare magazine has worked with Owensboro Medical Health System, Bowers says. Owensboro Medical Health System was recently named a Distinguished Hospital for Clinical Excellence for the third consecutive year by HealthGrades, a leading independent healthcare rating company. The survey places the hospital among the top five percent in the United States for clinical performance.
18,824 1,766
Births
Surgical Procedures
63,592
Emergency Department Visits
482,222
Total Outpatient Visits

SOURCE: OWENSBORO MEDICAL HEALTH CENTER, WWW.OMHS.ORG. ALL NUMBERS ARE FOR THE PERIOD FROM JUNE 1, 2009, TO MAY 31, 2010.
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Institutional | BURNS & MCDONNELL BATTLESPACE ENVIRONMENT LABORATORY
Proving Grounds
BURNS & MCDONNELL DEMONSTRATES ITS SKILL ON A NEW RESEARCH FACILITY. BY CHRIS PETERSEN
t the new Battlespace Environment Laboratory facility on New Mexicos Kirtland Air Force Base, materials will be put through the paces to determine whether or not they can withstand the harsh conditions of space. The facility also confirmed something that already is well-known that Burns & McDonnell has the expertise and experience to successfully complete a complex project such as this. Project Manager Tom Hawkins says the company felt right at home providing design/build services on the Battlespace Environment Laboratory project, and thats due in no small part to the companys longevity and experience. Burns & McDonnell has been around since 1898, and we have a broad experience in a number of fields, he says. The company specializes in providing design and construction services on complex projects such as airports, power plants, water treatment facilities and refineries. The company says its staff of more than 3,000 engineers, architects, scientists and other professionals give it a diversity and knowledge base virtually unmatched in the industry. In fact, we thrive on the unusual, the complicated and the messy, Hawkins adds. The 145,000-square-foot Battlespace Environment Laboratory has been built to consolidate all Air Force Research Laboratory space vehicle work to a single building. The building consists of research libraries, offices and meeting spaces, with more than a third of the facility given over to laboratory space. Even though the project featured some complex design work, an unusual design/build process and adherence to LEED specifications, Hawkins says Burns & McDonnell and the entire team came together to deliver a successful project. We were very pleased with the project, and so was the client, Hawkins says, pointing to the projects rating of Outstanding from the Federal Construction Contractor Appraisal Support System. Work began in December 2008, and was substantially completed in October 2010.
& McDonnell says it Burns has the expertise to handle complicated projects.
Up to Speed
Burns & McDonnell is highly skilled and experienced when it comes to design/build work, but the nature of working for government clients means making some tweaks to its normal processes. The processes in which the Army Corps of Engineers has to bring these projects to bear is they basically budget them anywhere between three to five years ahead of the time it hits the public sector for response, Hawkins says.
www.burnsmcd.com Project cost: $54 million Base, Location: Kirtland Air Force New Mexico 0-square-foot Scope: 145,00 research facility
nell Burns & McDonnm Battlespace Enviro ent Laboratory
e unusual. We thrive on thager

Tom Hawkins, project man
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& McDonnell has Burns been providing construction services since 1898.
Institutional | BURNS & MCDONNELL BATTLESPACE ENVIRONMENT LABORATORY
Traditionally, design/build projects get started with the designers, builders and client all involved at the same time. However, with government projects such as the Battlespace Environment Laboratory, the client doesnt get involved in the project again until after the bid is selected. This means part of Burns & McDonnells responsibility is making sure the client is brought up to speed and fully understands the changes that may have been made to the plans since the design work on the project began. Generally, what they remember from five years ago is not the same thing as whats on the page, Hawkins says.
design omissions on the project. Therefore, the owner was able to use their contingency to gain additional square footage and additional features into the project, he says.
LEED Certification
In addition to the complex design demands of the project due to its highly technical laboratory space, Burns & McDonnell also had to take into consideration its LEED certification. In the past, projects from the Army Corps of Engineers only were required to be LEED certifiable, but now they are required to be submitted for certification. Thanks to the cooperation of subcontractors and the work of its designers, Hawkins says Burns & McDonnell was able to complete the project with a LEED Silver certification. This was achieved mainly through measures such as using as little land as possible for staging, carefully controlling construction waste and using sustainable materials. What Im proud of is that, due to the cost restraints, we didnt have to do any exotic HVAC, [for example], Hawkins says.
McDade-Woodcock Inc. McDade-Woodcock Inc. is an electrical/instrumentation and control contractor specializing in high-tech, water, wastewater, high voltage distribution, clean rooms, institutional and industrial projects. With our corporate office in Albuquerque, N.M., and locations in Denver and Colorado Springs, Colo., we can support your construction efforts throughout the southwestern United States. Capabilities and services include: design assist, design/build, conceptual budgeting, building information modeling, LEED, design support staff, Auto CAD, 3D and AutoCAD MEP services. In addition, we have significant financial strength, bonding capacity and have an industry-leading safety commitment.
Careful Coordination
Fortunately, Burns & McDonnell was able to keep the project on track and on budget through some careful coordination. Specifically, the use of building modeling information (BIM) software made it possible for the company to get its subcontractors involved from the very beginning. Early on in this project, because of its uniqueness, we decided to select our subcontractors early and sign them up to a design/assist subcontract, Hawkins says. Through the use of BIM, each subcontractor was able to plot their portions of the work on their own software, and Burns & McDonnell could consolidate it into one working model. This allows the companys engineers to verify and double-check each subcontractors work. If we had any actual conflicts in the field, the foremen involved walked to the job trailer, pulled up the model, found out who was out of place and moved on, Hawkins says. As a result of the close coordination between Burns & McDonnell and its subcontractors, Hawkins reports there were no change orders due to
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$110.8 million History The Colorado Center topped out in October 2010.
Institutional | HISTORY COLORADO CENTER
TRAMMELL CROW AND HENSEL PHELPS BRING THE HISTORY COLORADO CENTER TO LIFE. BY STACI DAVIDSON
A Hub for History

History Colorado Center We have an incredible opportunity to become a premier destination.
of dollars in deferred maintenance. The panel t was nearly 20 years ago when History concluded that the two organizations misColorado the states historical society sions were incompatible on the same block began planning to expand and upgrade the www.historycolorado.org judicial requiring a place of dignity and slightly Colorado History Museum, but it wasnt www.trammellcrow.com removed, with security around its perimeter, until August 2009 that the project actually Project cost: $110.8 million and Colorado History Museum an educational broke ground. Many construction projects fal Location: Denver place that is fun and accessible. ter because of lack of financing, and although Scope: New construction of museum, The ULI recommended that the museum that came into play during the museums projeducational and public space should relocate to another area within Denvers ect, it was not the only factor holding it back. Civic Center/Golden Triangle Museum District, Since it opened in the 1970s, the Colorado which would allow it to be close to other cultural History Museum shared its Denver location institutions, but still within the citys governwith the Colorado Judicial Branch a space Edward C. Nichols, History mental and cultural center. known as the Judicial/Heritage Complex. The Colorado president and CEO In 2006, Trammell Crow Co. (TCC) was museums expansion got fully underway with retained as the project manager for the new its Vision Plan 2000. Then in 2005, the state commuseum and judicial center. In 2008, TCC and the Colorado Historical missioned an Urban Land Institute (ULI) panel, which found the comSociety identified a site at the intersection of 12th Street and Broadway plex was wholly inadequate to meet the needs of both organizations. in downtown Denver as its preferred location for the new museum The ULI study found the complex to be undersized and poorly History Colorado Center. designed, with life-safety code and ADA issues, and in need of millions
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Institutional | HISTORY COLORADO CENTER
The museum in the 200,000square-foot History Colorado Center is expected to open to the public in spring 2012.
Tailored to Clients Needs

We are extremely pleased to have found a museum location that we believe will help showcase Colorados historic treasures while meeting the Colorado Historical Societys goals, said Edward C. Nichols, History Colorado president and CEO. With this, we can deliver a new world-class Colorado History Museum while allowing us to be an even better agent and resource for statewide programs, projects and initiatives. We spent two years in our search for the right location and moving only about one-half block keeps us within the Golden Triangle Museum District and the Civic Center neighborhood with good parking, which was our goal, he said. And, with this new building, we have an incredible opportunity to become a premier destination and place of pride for the people of Colorado and visitors to the state. In 2005, a study by the Urban Land Institute found that Denvers Judicial/Heritage Complex was no longer adequate to house both the Colorado History Museum and the Colorado Judicial Branch. Both organizations needed new facilities, however, and in 2006, Trammell Crow Co. (TCC) was retained to manage both projects History Colorado Center and the Ralph L. Carr Justice Complex. Founded in 1948, TCC is one of the nations leading developers and investors in real estate, having acquired or developed more than 500 million square feet of space, with a value exceeding $50 billion. Trammell Crow Companys teams are dedicated to building value for its clients with professionals in approximately15 major cities throughout the United States and Canada, the company says. The company serves users of, and investors in, office, industrial, retail, healthcare, higher education,on-airport distribution, multi-family residential and mixed-use projects. For those who occupy real estate, TCC can execute the development or acquisition of facilities tailored to meet its clients needs. For investor clients, the company offers large strategic joint ventures, opportunity funds, and other targeted investment options. 2009, and the project is scheduled for completion in Fall 2011, when the staff will move in and exhibit construction will begin. The museum in History Center Colorado is expected to open to the public in spring 2012. When completed, History Colorado Center will house a new museum, education/public programs, the Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, the State Historical Fund, the Stephen H. Hart Research Library and other History Colorado functions. The 200,000square-foot structure will have more than 7,700 square feet of space for future expansion. The $110.8 million project topped out in October 2010 when the final steel beam was affixed to the roof of the four-floor structure. The peak reaches 77 feet above the first floor at an altitude of 5,331 feet, History Colorado notes. History Colorado Center is being constructed to meet LEED Gold specifications. Coloradans are known for their enduring spirit and its the lessons we learn that allow us to build better lives, Nichols said in a statement. The [museum] is an incredible opportunity to inspire visitors and residents to experience the state in an entirely new way.
A Desirable Destination
With Trammell Crow on board as the project manager and Tryba Architects retained as the architect of record, Hensel Phelps Construction Co. was chosen as the projects general contractor. Construction got underway in August
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Institutional | OVERAA CONSTRUCTION
Over and Above

OVERAA HAS BEEN BUILDING IN THE BAY AREA FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS. BY KATHRYN JONES
Overaa was established in 1907 when Carl key reason why Overaa Construction Overaa a Norwegian immigrant and carpenhas been in business for more than ter vowed to help rebuild the San Francisco a century is because it abides by its www.overaa.com Bay area after the Great Earthquake of 1906. values. The Richmond, Calif.-based Headquarters: Richmond, Calif. Today, his grandson, Jerry, leads Overaa contractor maintains its roots as hands-on Employees: 290 Construction as CEO. Manning a 25-year vetercraftsmen, which is evident in its ability to Specialty: General contracting and an of the company recently was appointed self-perform much of its work, including condesign/build president after Peter Kappelhoff retired in March. crete. Although Overaa has evolved into a turnkey solutions provider, it remains oldfashioned where it matters the most. We Technical Expertise value blue-collar ethics, President Overaa is experienced in a variety of building Christopher Manning asserts. sectors including commercial, education, parkChristopher Manning, president When the term blue collar developed a ing structures, energy and power, healthcare, stigma for being tawdry or unsophisticated, the laboratory and technology, religious and culcompany contemplated changing the wording. tural, water infrastructure, transportation, fedBut the truth is, Were not afraid to roll up our sleeves and dive into the eral government and multifamily housing. We have a large and diverse work, Manning admits. It has rounded us out to be a true builder. Its a resume that qualifies us to go after a wide variety of projects in many of great accomplishment when you can rise to the challenges and be sucthe different markets in California, Manning states. cessful. I think thats the foundation of this company. In recent years, Overaa has exercised skill in negotiated, proposal-
Overaa Construction
If you dont have it at the grass roots level, its hard to achieve safety excellence.
portfolio contains projects such as Overaas the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Advanced Light Source User Support Building.
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based delivery methods such as design/build and lease-leaseback. For instance, Overaa was the design/builder for the $22 million, LEED Silver-certified Advanced Light Source User Support Building in Berkeley, Calif., which was completed in October. The three-story, 31,000-square-foot building contains mechanical assembly, chemical and biology labs, conference rooms and offices. It serves as the support space for users of the existing Cyclotron Building, which houses the worlds first linear accelerator and booster for micro-science experimentation. Overaa built the Cyclotron Building in the 1980s. In September 2010, Overaa completed work on a $32 million recycled water plant in Richmond for East Bay Municipal Utility District and Chevron. Treated wastewater from a nearby wastewater plant flows through pipes to the recycled water plant where it is further treated and utilized to provide steam for Chevrons refinery. Chevrons decision to use recycled water saves 3.5 million gallons of fresh water per day for the community to use. It is incredibly rewarding to work on these types of projects that benefit the environment and protect Californias natural resources, Manning says. Overaa would like to see its technical expertise implemented on more green technology projects, he adds. We are very interested in alternative energy and have completed several such projects, Manning notes. We are proposing on a large solar project in Blythe, Calif. in the desert that will essentially use hundreds of mir-
rors focused at a water reservoir to create steam, he describes. Were currently working on a project for East Bay MUD that uses methane gas from their sewage treatment plant to run a turbine generator to produce electricity they sell back to the grid.
Culture of Safety
If an exceptional safety record separates the good contractors from the great, it is clear which category Overaa falls under. The company was one of few builders in California to participate in the Cal/OSHAs Voluntary Protection Program. This is a tremendous accomplishment when taken into consideration the fact that much of the work Overaa completes is self-performed, Manning points out. He says the company is pleased to work with Cal/OSHA and takes great pride in raising the industry bar on safety. Safety is instilled in every aspect of Overaas corporate culture. It starts with a culture that understands the importance of safety and what that means to the bottom line of the company, Manning explains. It means keeping an eye on your fellow worker to make sure he comes home as healthy as he came to work that day. If you dont have it at the grass roots level, its hard to achieve safety excellence. If there is not some context of safety where rubber meets the road or where the hammer hits the nail, I dont think it will work throughout the rest of the organization.
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Institutional | BRASFIELD & GORRIE BUTTS-MEHRE HERITAGE HALL
Having a Ball
T
BRASFIELD & GORRIE SUCCESSFULLY BUILT A STATE-OF-THE-ART ATHLETIC FACILITY. BY KATHRYN JONES
hanks to the construction expertise of Brasfield & Gorrie General Contractors, the University of Georgia in Athens (UGA) has a premier, state-of-the-art athletic facility that rivals all others in the Southeast, Project Manager Will Gaither says. Most of the athletic department coaches and students felt an expansion of this magnitude was long overdue, he remarks. It is a top-notch facility. They are breaking it in and getting their moneys worth. I think our work has paid off. The $40 million Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall renovation and expansion began in July 2009 and was completed by December 2010. The four-story, 83,000-square-foot building is home to the University of Georgia Bulldogs football team and headquarters of the UGA Athletic Association. It originally opened in 1987 and was named after two of Georgias most famous football coaches, Wallace Butts and Henry Mehre. After the 53,000-square-foot expansion and 40,000-square foot renovation was completed, it looks like a completely new building, Gaither says. Designed by Atlanta architecture firm Menefee + Winer, the Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall exterior skin features an open-joint rain screen system consisting of Fiber-C panels, a fiber-reinforced concrete product made in Germany, and a structural glazed curtainwall system with self-supportive laminated glass. It does not require a frame like a typical curtainwall system, Gaither notes. Its about 35 feet tall and looks very seamless. It makes the indoor practice area appear as infinite space. Its features and amenities include: Football team segment and position meeting rooms with state-of-the-art communication technology; An indoor practice field and multipurpose room with synthetic turf for walkthroughs and special event hosting; A 12,000-square-foot strength and conditioning area with brand-new equipment; An 8,500-square-foot athletic training area with four therapy pools, an X-ray area and two examination rooms; New football coaches offices with conference rooms and a video-editing suite; and
& Gorrie recently completed a $40 million renovation and expansion of Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall, home Brasfield of the University of Georgias football program and the schools athletic association.
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with this project. We facilitated the relocation of their weight room and training room after the 2009 season; renovated the existing locker room and the main team meeting room during www.brasfieldgorrie.com the off season; and are currently installing their Obstacle Course Budget: $40 million new natural turf practice fields to be ready in In late September 2009, raging floods through Location: Athens, Ga. time for the 2011 football season. out the Southeast forced the evacuations of Employees at peak: 220 Brasfield & Gorrie ultimately met success on several towns in Georgia and threatened to Scope: Athletic facility renovation the expansion and renovation to Butts-Mehre throw the schedule off course. That hit us realand expansion Heritage Hall because it abided by an internal ly hard, Gaither recalls. We were backfilling rule that proper planning prevents poor perthe stormwater retention vault when it hapformance, Gaither says. Its a slogan that pened. It set us back several weeks, but we were Will Gaither, project manager someone shared with me and Ive taken on able to make up the lost time as the structure through this job. and schedule progressed. Even though you think you have the right Putting in the four hydrotherapy pools two plan in place, its always good to have a plan B, as well, because a job like of which have built-in treadmills was a challenge. Those had to this changes, he points out. That plan you had in place could change be installed at the right time, Gaither recalls. With a 255-day lead every single day or even multiple times throughout the day. Develop a time, advanced scheduling was crucial, he says. Installation of cerdetailed schedule and try to stick to it as much as possible. If you dont tain partitions was delayed in order to give access to the delivery take the time to plan up front, you are setting yourself up for failure in and hoisting, and bringing the pools in too late would delay the finthe end. ishes in that space. There is very little room for error on something He was pleased with the performance of the subcontractors on the like that. job. Given the challenges that we had, I would say they were outstandThe project was carefully phased so that the football team could coning, Gaither says. We had a very diverse team. Some were local subtinue to occupy the existing facility. We were building an addition to an occupied building, so we worked contractors, and for others, this was the beginning of a new relationship. All in all, our team of subcontractors was a very cooperative group and a closely with the football staff and the teams practice schedule, Gaither pleasure to work with. says. There were a number of scheduling changes that were inherent A 1,900-square-foot student athlete lounge with game stations, televisions and home theater-style chairs.
Brasfield & Gorrie Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall
I think our work has paid off.
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Camosy Project Manager Josh Johnson (left) and Boys and Girls Club of Kenosha CEO Wally Graffen pose in front of the job site for the new Boys and Girls Club of Kenosha facility.
Institutional | CAMOSY CONSTRUCTION
Finding A Niche A
Camosy Construction Our environment is professional yet relaxed.
CAMOSY CONSTRUCTION PROVIDES PROFESSIONAL CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT. BY JIM HARRIS

well as selective demolition. In addition to n experienced staff and a focus on perour CM and design/build work, we have been sonal service to clients allow Camosy able to maintain a presence in the general conConstruction to remain successful in www.camosy.com tracting hard-bid market as well as special proja highly competitive market. Revenues: $40 million ects work for our existing clients, he adds. The The company, located on the HQ: Kenosha County, Wis., and Lake ability to self-perform has served us well. Illinois/Wisconsin border, is keeping busy with County, Ill. a number of projects in the heart of the Employees: 100 Midwest. The company has expertise in conFull Workload Specialty: Construction management struction management, general contracting Camosys current construction management and design/build. More than 70 percent of projects include a $12 million, 38,000-squareCamosys work is construction management foot addition to the Glendale Heights Civic projects in the municipal, K-12 education, highCenter in Glendale Heights, Ill., that will serve John Bosman, director of business development er education, hospital, retail and commercial as a new police station, as well as the renovamarket sectors. tion of the existing police station and municiWere well positioned because our primary pal offices. The project will conclude in spring sector has moved to the municipal market, and construction manage2012. In addition, the company was contracted last year as construction ment has become a more accepted delivery market for that marketmanager for an $8 million renovation to the Glendale Heights Sports place, says John Bosman, director of business development. Hub recreation center and aquatic facility, Bosman says. The company self-performs concrete, masonry and carpentry work, as Other projects include:
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An 80,000-square-foot, $22 million new police headquarters in Palatine, Ill., that includes a firing range, forensic labs, defensive training center, fitness center, training classroom and indoor parking. The project is on target for a December 2011 completion. Renovations to the historic 2,500-squarefoot commuter train station in Kenosha, Wis. The $800,000 project includes adding a pyramid steeple, Dutch-style gable end, cedar wood and stone columns, tuck pointing and new windows and doors to the facility. The project is slated for completion this year. A new, $8 million, 80,000-square-foot Boys and Girls Club of Kenosha, that includes an indoor soccer field with artificial turf, a multi-purpose court, a technology room and performing arts area. The building will be complete in June 2011.
Century of Experience
Camosy Construction is now in its third generation of family ownership. Company founder Dominick Camosy, a carpenter and billiard cue maker and Italian emigrant, established the
company in 1910 as a way to practice his woodworking and carpentry skills. Dominick passed ownership on to his son Remo, who in turn passed the operation onto his sons Raymond the companys board chairman and John, its president. The company celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2010. Recent years have seen the company refocus its efforts amid a difficult economy and take on less volume. Weve made the decision to stay a medium-sized company, as we feel this puts us in a better position to provide personal service to all of our clients, instead of taking on just any client, Bosman says. Limiting our size has allowed us to provide more personalized service. All of the companys project managers are certified as construction quality control managers through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. In addition, seven staff members are Certified Professional Constructors by the American Institute of Constructors. When clients have that kind of people working for them, they know theyre dealing with people who know the business extremely well, Bosman says. Bosman credits the companys family-ori-
Giving Back
Camosy Construction closely identifies with the communities it serves and encourages its staff members to participate as volunteers in many local charitable, civic, sports, health care, and educational organizations. The YMCA, Boys and Girls Club, Urban League, Carthage College, University of Wisconsin, Chambers of Commerce, local school districts, preservation organizations, hospitals, and trade associations have often benefitted from the personal services of Camosys staff members. In addition to donating its talent and time to these organizations, the company continues to make benevolent gifts of multi-year cash pledges and many in-kind contributions, including gifts of construction materials and direct trade labor. ented environment and flexibility with employees for its ability to retain staff. Our environment is professional yet relaxed, and that comes across to our clients and subcontractors, he adds. The people here are dedicated to their work; its never `just a job.
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Institutional | HOFFMAN CONSTRUCTION 41ST INFANTRY DIVISION ARMED FORCES RESERVE CENTER
fmancorp.com Project cost: $72 Location: Clackam million Scope: 250,000 as, Ore. -square-foot training and office facilit y
Hoffman Constructio Infantry Division An 41st Forces Reserve Cente rmed r www.hof
One of the things w was how to minimizee identified the risk. Greg Garske, superi ntendent
Preserving Military Memories

HOFFMANS NEW PROJECT WILL HONOR A HISTORIC INFANTRY DIVISION. BY BRIAN SALGADO
W
new 41st Infantry Division Armed Forces Reserve Center will be the largest facility built by the Oregon National The Guard when the $72 million complex opens in September.
hen trying to accommodate 18 different tenants on a fast-track schedule, even contractors with vast experience in military construction might find the task daunting. However, since Hoffman Construction, BBL Architects and the Oregon National Guard used a design/build delivery method for the construction of a new facility at Camp Withycombe, it made planning this massive structure that much easier. One of the key elements we discussed with the owner was our approach to the project and the way we demonstrated intent to manage the project and organize each of the 18 tenants, says Greg Garske, superintendent for Hoffman Construction. We structured getting critical information incorporated into the project, and one of the things we identified was how to minimize the risk. The 41st Infantry Division Armed Forces Reserve Center will occupy more than 250,000 square feet at Camp Withycombe in Clackamas, Ore., making it the largest facility built by the Oregon National Guard. The $72 million project broke ground in September 2009 and is set for a grand opening in September 2011. The Oregon National Guard hired Hoffman Construction and BBL Architects as the design/build team for this project. The scope calls for a steel-framed structure with masonry veneer and a metal roof supported by metal wall panels. There was also extensive site work involved across 17 acres of land to make way for the two-story structure. When completed, the facility will provide space for 18 military tenants and more than 1,300 members of the Oregon Army National Guard and the U.S. Army Reserve.
Getting the Job

The owner called for a two-step procurement process that started with a qualification process, followed by a review of design propos-
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als from qualified parties. The guaranteed-maxSustainably Designed imum-price contract was awarded based on The construction team is aiming for LEED Gold Honoring Heroes best value, not on price, according to Architect certification for the center. Sustainable features Mark Danielson of BBL Architects. include daylighting that can power the equivaThe 41st Infantry Division Armed Forces Danielson says design/build was the way to lent of 26 three-bedroom homes. The center Reserve Center at Camp Withycombe is go for a facility that required different buildalso will be built with lowVOC materials and named after the 41st Infantry Division, outs for so many tenants. This gave the Oregon fixtures to decrease water consumption, and which was one of the four National Guard National Guard one point of contact throughout crews will recycle all construction trash. Overall, divisions called into federal service in 1943 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to serve in the course of the schedule, and it gave the conthe center is aiming to exceed the code for World War II. struction team milestones to stay on pace with decreased energy use by 30 percent. the work. Hoffman and BBL also added a bioswale and It was an absolute pleasure working on a bioretention system that can store 2.7 million design/build vs. hard bid, he says. I fought [hard-bid] battles for years gallons of water annually. This system will hold enough water to accomand years, and design/build has turned that side of the coin. modate the entire base once it is scrubbed through a series of planting systems, and it will prevent flooding in a sensitive area. Another aspect of the centers LEED credentials is an education comAccommodating the Tenants Building out for 18 different tenants requires a great deal of preplanning ponent. The facility will feature a kiosk where visitors can access information about the centers LEED construction, and the owner will offer and meticulous scheduling. Danielson says this portion of the job tours showing the LEED amenities to civilians. required procuring a range of military finishes, including storage shelving, lockers and weapons vaults. It also included traditional office accoutrements like work stations and furniture. For Those Who Serve The center also will serve as the home for the U.S. Army band, so Danielson says the most rewarding aspect of this project for him is buildacoustic and theater elements were designed into the project, as well. ing a structure for those who serve in the U.S. National Guard. The state of The bands 6,400 square feet includes three large rehearsal areas, indiOregon has had a large number of National Guard troops deployed overvidual rehearsal rooms, a quintet and quartet room, equipment repair seas in the last 10 to 12 years, and many of those troops have died in that room and storage. There is also a sound control booth situated between span. They are absolutely inherent when you think about the National two of the large rehearsal rooms. Guard in general as citizen soldiers, Danielson says.
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TolTest completed renovations at Vanderberg Hall, a dormitory at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Denver.
Institutional | LAKESHORE TOLTEST CORP.
On a Roll
A
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t Lakeshore TolTest Corp., its core values are critical to its survival, Kevin Parikh says. We live and breathe by our core values, for which we have coined the acronym, CPRR, he says. Parikh, who is the executive vice president for its heavy engineering repair and construction division, says the C in CPRR stands for client satisfaction, and the P stands for a positive, can-do attitude. Meanwhile, the first R stands for taking responsibility, where the companys employees are holding ourselves to account, Parikh says. The very last R represents employees being respectful to people within its operations. Without CPRR, we cant live, Parikh says. Based in Detroit, Lakeshore TolTest was
www.lakeshoreeng.com 2010 sales: $600 million+ Headquarters: Detroit Employees: 650 to 700, which includes temporary and contract hires Service: General contracting
Lakeshore TolTest Corp.
If a client calls in the middle of the night, well jump [to assist them]. Avinash Rachmale, president and CEO
AFTER FORMING A NEW COMPANY IN 2010, LAKESHORE TOLTEST IS KEEPING BUSY IN 2011. BY ALAN DORICH
formed last year through a stock transaction of infrastructure construction company Lakeshore Engineering Services Inc., and TolTest Inc., a specialty contractor. [By] combining the two, we created a better company, President and CEO Avinash Rachmale says, noting that the new company specializes in government construction projects. He adds that both firms, which had worked with each other before, brought extensive experience to the partnership. For instance, while the 81-year-old TolTest completed many projects in Japan, Guam and Korea, Lakeshore Engineerings projects brought it to such destinations as Afghanistan and Iraq. Since the merger, The integration has gone well, Parikh reports. Judging by the performance that there was an acquisition involved, it was by far the best year ever. TolTest President Ernest Enrique adds that the merger has made both firms more competitive in todays tough business environment. In Southeast Asia alone, our firms have successfully executed over $715 million of highrisk, challenging projects, and we continue to win new work every day, he says.
Ready to Serve
Along with its values, Lakeshore TolTest is set apart from competitors by the way it focuses on employees, Parikh says. First, [we look closely at] who we bring into our team, he says. We do quite a bit of assessment [and] we form teams that are supposed to work together. Additionally, We focus on the way they operate within a team environment, he con-
tinues, noting that Lakeshore TolTest also sets itself apart with its strong focus on customer satisfaction. For instance, it will not hesitate when it comes to serving a clients needs, Rachmale says. If a client calls in the middle of the night, well jump [to assist them], he says. We are not afraid of taking risks and if you compare [us to] the larger companies, they hesitate in taking risks. One example of a risk was a project in Afghanistan, where Lakeshore TolTest built a three-and-a-half mile runway at Camp Bastion, a British military base located in the Helmand Province. At the time, others told the company it would not succeed. That was a calculated risk from our part, he recalls, adding that the company did not hesitate and recently finished work on the runway.
Experienced Partners
Rachmale, Parikh and Enrique are each longtime veterans of this industry. A civil engineer by trade, Rachmale earned a bachelor of science in civil engineering from the Government Engineering College in Aurangabad, India, and a masters degree in civil engineering from Wayne State University in 1985. He formed Lakeshore Engineering nine years later. In addition, Rachmale is in Wayne States School of Engineering Hall of Fame, and was honored by President Obama at the White House in 2009 for receiving The U.S. Small Business Administrations Champion Award for Entrepreneurial Success. Parikh has more experience in construction, although he is also a civil engineer. I graduated from [S.V. Regional College of Engineering and Technology] in India and went to City University of New York and
Buffalo [afterward], he recalls, adding that he has been a contractor since he was young. Enrique, a native of Venezuela, also received a bachelors of science in civil engineering from the University Rafael Urdaneta and a masters of science in civil engineering from the University of Toledo. In addition, he is a registered professional engineer in 10 U.S. states. After moving to the United States, he joined TolTest. As it was under his leadership, the company won the HQ Air Force Center for Engineering and Environments Small Business Prime Contractor of the Year Award and the Small Business Administrations Prime Contractor of the Year Award. He adds that he enjoys the industry. I like the highs and the lows, the ups and the downs, and the challenges that come with it, Enrique says. While engaged in this business, I have traveled the world, met some very interesting people, made many friends and can honestly say I learn new things every day. Like many, Lakeshore TolTest is coping with a tough market. It is brutal out there in the construction [industry], Parikh says. The imbalance in the economy has brought tremendous competition. Lakeshore sees more growth in its future, Rachmale says. Along with its current workload, We see a lot of projects in the pipeline, he says. Well be growing at the rate of 20 to 25 percent in [the future]. We see ourselves in the market as one of the key federal contractors. Enrique believes that the merger has played a part in this growth. Together, the two companies now have the drive, talent, corporate resume, past performance and infrastructure to grow the company and sustain that growth into the future, he says.
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Institutional | MORTENSON CONSTRUCTION. RALPH L. CARR JUDICIAL CENTER
Here Now, Here Later
MORTENSON BUILDS A JUDICIAL CENTER SUITABLE FOR TODAY AND THE FUTURE. BY JAMIE MORGAN
he Ralph L. Carr Colorado Judicial Center is being built to last as long as the Carr legacy itself. The former Colorado governor held office during WWII from 1939 to 1943. He openly opposed the Japanese-American internment camps an unpopular stance during that time. As this new construction project demonstrates, the former governor is now heralded as a civil rights pioneer. In 2006, Trammel Crow was hired as the owners project manager, and in 2008, the state passed a bill authorizing construction of a new state and judicial complex named after Carr. In July 2009, Mortenson Construction was selected as the construction manager and general contractor for the project. Mortensons international presence consists of 11 offices capable of engraining itself within each community. It introduced itself to the Denver market in 1981 and has since built landmark sites including Coors Field home to the Colorado Rockies and The Denver Art Museums Frederic C. Hamilton Building. We work in a lot of different markets, says Dave Kuntz, Mortenson project manager. We focus on our clients needs. We want to understand our customer and whats important to them.
MILESTONE
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Built to Last
At the Ralph L. Carr Colorado Judicial Center, longevity topped the list. The center consists of a 4-story, 158,000-square-foot courthouse; a 12-story, 441,000-square-foot state department office building; and an 81,000-square-foot, 300-space parking structure. The center occupies an entire city block and is being designed and constructed to last at least 100 years.
All the materials going into the project are being checked against the standard of a 100year building, Kuntz says. Were checking for quality of all the materials, the enclosure and how everything ties together. Previously, the Colorado History Museum and the old state supreme and appellate courthouse called the site home. They were demolished last summer, and the museums resources are in storage as the state constructs a new museum one block south. The courts relocated to a temporary twofloor space at the Denver Newspaper Agency building. In a contract separate from the Carr Center project, Mortenson renovated the first floor to house temporary courtrooms and a
www.mortenson.com Construction cost: $190 million Location: Denver Employees on site at peak: 500+ Scope: Judicial center
Mortenson Construction Ralph L. Carr Judicial Center
We focus on our clients needs. Dave Kuntz, project manager
Ralph L. Carr The Judicial Center in Denver is built to last 100 years.
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2010. It began above ground construction in law library for the states supreme and appellate August 2010, and as of March 2011, it is pouring courts. The eighth floor was renovated for the Trammel Crow Skills concrete for the courtrooms second floor and courts administrative functions. Mortenson laying steel for the buildings seventh floor. began the renovations in February 2010 and Trammel Crow, founded in 1948, is a real The project requires an integrated project completed it three months later. estate development and investment firm that delivery method between Mortenson and In 2013, the court system will move to its new has worked on projects in every sector form Fentress Architects due to the jobs fast pace. 4-story, granite-clad facility, where a four-colcommercial office to industrial to healthcare. The pace of the job doesnt allow for the conumn portico leads into a glass-domed atrium It has an office in Toronto and 14 offices in major U.S. cities, including Denver, where it tract documents to be complete prior to the that creates that lofty courthouse atmosphere. was contracted in 2006 as the project manwork going into place, Kuntz says. In the steel and concrete structure next door, ager for the Ralph L. Carr Judicial Complex. several state departments will neighbor the The site will house a courthouse and office courthouse in this 12-story structure. This Working for the State structure for state departments. building is part of an effort to consolidate its As Mortenson diligently works to complete the For this project, and others it works on, functions, which are scattered around downstructure built to last 100 years in just three Trammel Crow continuously strives to bring town Denver in market-rate spaces. years, it is also renovating the Byron G. Rogers value to its clients. Trammell Crow Company is a real estate development and Both structures are designed for LEED Gold Federal Office Building and U.S. Courthouse in investment firm dedicated to the fundamencertification with environmentally friendly feadowntown Denver. This 620,000-square-foot tal principle of building value, the company tures like the courthouses green roof and conmodernization project started December 2010 states. At the heart of building value is a struction practices such as recycling approxiand will conclude in the summer of 2013. commitment a commitment to create the mately 95 percent of the materials from the Mortenson is the design/builder that will right product in the right market for our demolished facilities. upgrade the structure to bring the federal site to clients while supporting quality economic Mortenson boasts 47 LEED accredited profesa LEED Platinum standard. growth for the community. sionals in the Colorado office and 268 nationThis renovation project will set high stanwide. The company also built the NREL Science dards in regards to taking an existing structure and Technology Facility in Golden, Colo., to LEED Platinum standards, as and transforming it into a highly efficient and sustainable structure that well as Denvers LEED-Platinum 1800 Larimer office building. will meet and exceed expectations, says Bob Hansen, vice president and Mortenson broke ground on the Carr Center with demolition in May general manager of Mortensons Denver office.
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new SCRM building will The consolidate four biomedical research institutions.
Institutional | HENSEL PHELPS CONSTRUCTION CO. SANFORD CONSORTIUM FOR REGENERATIVE MEDICINE
The Science of Success
HENSEL PHELPS NEARS COMPLETION OF A CUTTINGEDGE RESEARCH FACILITY. BY KATHRYN JONES

our of the worlds leading biomedical research institutions will soon collaborate under one roof after Hensel Phelps Construction Co. completes construction on the $82 million Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine (SCRM) in La Jolla, Calif., in November. Scientists from the Sanford Burnham Medical Research Institute, the Salk Institute, the Scripps Research Institute and the University of California, San Diego, formed the SCRM to work side by side to diagnose, treat and cure degenerative illnesses or injuries based on stem cell research. The Sanford Consortium integrates the collective knowledge of these foremost biomedical research institutions, with the support of surrounding industry and local community, to create a global resource for stem cell research, the organization says. According to the SCRM, the individuals who will be working at this facility have a proven track record for scientific excellence, including 95 National Academy Science members and 14 Nobel Prize winners. The four-story, 145,700-square-foot facility will enable scientists to informally share intellectual capital, SCRM explains. As a result, research will proceed faster, smarter and more effectively. In addition to shaping the future of stem cell science, the Sanford Consortium will shape scientific leadership for the region and industry. Top researchers from around the world will work side-by-side with tomorrows leaders in a synergistic environment.
Cutting Edge
SCRM is a cast-in-place structure with four levels above ground and one below. It will feature environmental rooms, laboratory spaces, an imaging suite and a vivarium. An adjoining cafeteria/auditorium facility is composed of structural steel. The exterior is a concrete and composite panel curtainwall system with cantilevered balconies to house the office pods, which will be separated by an exterior corridor. The project also will feature a surface parking lot with approximately 480 spaces. SCRM will seek LEED Gold certification upon completion. The project will utilize an energy-efficient chilled beam system that will cool the air in the laboratories at a slower pace than traditional HVAC systems to conserve energy. Other green features include a stormwater retention system, a cool roof system, reclaimed water for irrigation, photovoltaic infrastructure and the use of recycled or recyclable materials sourced locally, including Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood products.
Team Players
Designing and constructing a cutting-edge institution of this significance requires the skill of a highly experienced project team. This includes developers Phelps Development a subsidiary of Hensel Phelps working with Lankford & Associates of San Diego.; architecture firms Fentress Architects of Denver and Davis Davis Architects of San
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Diego; and general contractor Hensel Phelps Design Changes and its vendors and subtrades. Construction The biggest challenge Hensel Phelps has began in December 2009. encountered on the project thus far is design According to Hensel Phelps Project Manager changes based on the evolving needs of the endJeff Brunswig, Hensel Phelps brings a signifiusers. Similar to a hospital project, configurawww.henselphelps.com cant amount of experience to the SCRM projtions sometimes had to be changed to accommo Budget: $82 million ect based on its reputation and experience of date new technology and equipment that was Location: La Jolla, Calif. doing laboratories of this magnitude across not accounted for during the initial design phase, Employees on site at peak: 150-175 Brunswig explains. the United States, such as the Scripps Research Institute Lab Facility in La Jolla and the This is largely because the equipment didnt Scope: Biomedical research building University of California at Santa Barbara exist yet or was in its infancy at the projects Nanosystems Institute. inception. What you planned a few years ago Jeff Brunswig, project manager The contractor is known for partnering with has to be reconfigured a little bit, he remarks. other members of a project team to come up Hensel Phelps is proud of its subcontractors with innovative solutions to design and confor being flexible and hands-on when it came struction challenges, Brunswig says. Even though SCRM is not a to addressing last-minute design changes. One thing that impresses design/build project, Hensel Phelps treated it as such. When we were me about the subcontractors in San Diego is that its a close-knit brought on board, the design was about 60 percent complete, he recalls. group, Brunswig notes. They are all willing to work with each other We acted as a design/assist partner and gave cost estimates. We grabbed and coordinate without much of a fuss. They are keeping up with the hold of it as a design/build system by working directly with the designschedule and have bought into being team players, which has helped ers on a day-by-day basis. tremendously.
Hensel Phelps Construction Co. Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine
They are all willing to work [together].
They are keeping up with the schedule and bought into being team players.
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Institutional | ROBINS & MORTON AUBURN UNIVERSITY RECREATION WELLNESS AND SUSTAINABILITY CENTER
Contractor on Campus
ROBINS & MORTON HAS A SIGNIFICANT PRESENCE AT AUBURN UNIVERSITY. BY JAMIE MORGAN
recreation center will The blend into the existing Auburn campus.
ince President Obama signed the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), Auburn University has been awarded more than $82 million from the federal government. The Auburn, Ala.-based school has used $43 million of the funds, much of it spent on campus construction projects. The projects have MILESTONE improved and consolidated school functions and amenities all while creating jobs a key purpose of the ARRA. The federal investment has had a positive trickle-down effect on Robins & Morton. The general contracting company with six southern offices has delivered several projects for the university in the past such as its science laboratory center completed in 2005 followed by the 150,000-square-foot district energy plant completed in 2006. The company says its primary focus over the last four decades has been healthcare construction. In the past 10 years, it has completed more than $5 billion in healthcare projects throughout the country. However, with its ongoing work at schools such as Auburn University, it seems the education sector is not far behind. In 2010, the company began three projects and completed another at the school. This year, it was contracted to construct the new 240,000-square-foot Auburn University Recreation Wellness and Sustainability Center. Currently in the design phase, the future center will be a recreational haven for Auburn students, faculty and staff to use in their pursuit of a healthier lifestyle, the school says. After a thorough evaluation process, the school selected 360 Architecture and Infinity Architecture to design the project. Both have previously designed for Auburn University. Proposed amenities for the center include: An indoor track; Cardio and weight training areas; Outdoor leisure pool; Rock climbing wall; Multi-purpose courts; Locker rooms; Golf simulator room;
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Multi-purpose and meeting rooms; and Sand volleyball.
United Campus
As the design team hammers out details, it is tasked with blending the new structure with the existing campus. [A] key consideration will be the ability to provide a facility that corresponds with the overall image and character of the Auburn campus, the university says. Renderings of the Auburn project show large open spaces with clerestory windows and a lush entry plaza lined with canopy trees and
gardens. The centers design provides abundant views and open transitions from one space to another. Its proximity to the new student village housing, intramural fields, the Martin Aquatics Center and tennis courts seamlessly integrate it into the existing school. However, the nearby buildings will also force close coordination as to not interrupt in-operation facilities. Among the many challenges facing the development of the new building will be working with and around the existing site typography and surrounding structures, the school says.
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Construction Alum
ees. The 63,000-square-foot site consolidates OIT operations currently in nine separate This wont be the first time Robins & Morton has buildings. The new Auburn Arena completbuilt on a limited site. In December 2010, it ed in June 2010 also increases the schools broke ground at Auburns $12.5 million multiefficiency, it says. purpose indoor practice facility. The 92,000www.robinsmorton.com The $60 million, 265,000-square-foot arena square-foot project was designed by Infinity Location: Auburn, Ala. was designed by 360 Architecture to accommoArchitecture and complements renovations at Scope: Recreation center date more than just the Auburn Tigers mens the nearby Auburn athletic complex and and womens basketball games. The finished Jordan-Hare Stadium. project includes 29,000 square feet of studentThe project, slated for August completion, athlete spaces complete with lockers, medicine runs east and west along the schools Samford rooms, lounges and meeting rooms. The site Avenue and connects to the Charlotte G. Auburn University also houses a two-court practice facility, coachLowder Student-Athlete Development Center es offices, the ticket office, Auburn team store, and the James T. Tatum Jr. Strength and the relocated Lovelace Museum and two food Conditioning Center. The project includes a 100courts. The arena itself is fitted with 9,600 seats some are chair back yard field that will allow the football, baseball, softball, soccer and track seats and some are bleachers. teams to practice indoors during inclement weather. According to Robins & Morton is the general contractor for all these projects, which Robins & Morton this will consolidate many campus functions. A project also seen at the Auburn University is the new office of infor- only make a partial list of all the work it has done for the school. In fact with at least nine projects either completed or in progress at the school, mation technology (OIT). The approximately $13 million OIT will house it seems Robins & Morton has enrolled at Auburn University for good. office and support spaces for more than 140 staff and student employ-
Robins & Morton Auburn University Recreation Wellness and Sustainability Center
[A] key consideration will be the ability to provide a facility that corresponds with [our] image.
Among the many challenges will be working with the existing site.
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Institutional | RUDOLPH AND SLETTEN UCSF SMITH CARDIOVASCULAR RESEARCH BUILDING
One Big Room
LEAN TECHNIQUES HELPED RUDOLPH AND SLETTEN DELIVER A FACILITY 10 WEEKS EARLY. BY RUSS GAGER
ometimes the hardest aspect of building is getting everyone together in the same space to review, discuss and make decisions. Wouldnt it be nice to have everyone together all the time? That is exactly the technique that Rudolph and Sletten used in its construction of the $190 million Smith Cardiovascular Research Building at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF). Designed by Jim Jennings Architecture and SmithGroup, the collaborative construction environment echoed the buildings function bringing research scientists and clinicians together under one roof in an effort to better understand and treat cardiovascular diseases, the leading cause of death and disability in the United States. Rudolph and Sletten constructed a big room for representatives from all disciplines to work together in a collaborative setting. The 10,000-square-foot construction trailer, which was made up of 14 trailer modules, was only steps from the construction site, allowing for easy access. This provided space for the more than 50 engineers, architects, contractors and consultants who were responsible primarily for design and coordination to be housed in one building during both the pre-construction and construction phases of the project. The freedom of access created a streamlined workflow process, and important questions did not linger and hinder construction. We had mechanical, electrical, plumbing, exterior skin, fire sprinkler, laboratory case work, drywall, the owner, the architect, the construction management, the general contractor and the inspector of records all sharing one large space, Senior Project Manager Danielle Douthett explains. It was one of the key pieces to having such a successful project.
The use of BIM and other techniques were essential to the Smith Cardiovascular Research Building.
A Learning Curve
Douthett concedes there was a bit of a learning curve for the participants because of the closeness of their quarters. Everyone quickly learned the value of being in one trailer, she says. Our ability to easily keep everyone in the loop and gain quick responses helped overcome any apprehension to sharing space.
More often than not, an RFI was generated to confirm a response that already had been developed through a conversation between the various members of the group in the trailer. One-fourth of the projects RFIs were answered the same day they were written, and 95 percent were answered in less than 15 days. The team response rate was just one of the project efficiencies that took place in the big room. Using the Last Planner scheduling technique aided by sophisticated new software simplified communication among project participants. Rudolph and Sletten is always looking for ways to use technology for efficiency, Douthett points out. The software allowed everyone on the team the ability to log in to the system and review or edit their schedule items to create an accurate schedule with promised delivery directly from the installers of each individual task, she says. The ability to commit in a transparent environment made people accountable for each
task. Any issues with delivery of promised activities were brought to attention quickly and addressed with a very fast response time.
Get Smart Board

Rudolph and Sletten began construction of the lab in May 2008 and achieved substantial completion on Aug. 13, 2010, 10 weeks ahead of schedule. In addition to the big room, the online scheduling software and lean construction techniques, Douthett attributes the speed of the project to the companys integrated project delivery method, which also included the use of 3-D BIM and financial incentives for the whole team. The big room and Smart Board technology proved to be an invaluable tool for the pull schedule meetings that were implemented as part of the Last Planner methods, according to Douthett. The Smart Board itself consists of a projector and a touch screen monitor user interface that allowed drawings, photographs,
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sketches and other files to be developed and Coordinating Piping altered in a collaborative setting and then Two-thirds of the second, third and fourth floors saved as part of the meeting minutes. are wet labs, and the fourth floor houses a chemPull scheduling is a coordination meeting in istry lab. With the large number of laboratories which all of the trades involved in a short and within the facility, efficient coordination of gas, www.rsconst.com specific portion of the schedule sit in a room water and compressed air piping was necessary Construction cost: $190 million and break larger schedule activities into more to keep the project on schedule. Location: San Francisco specific activities. You start with a final activiThats where BIM comes in handy for all ty and date that you are working towards, and the overhead coordination, Douthett says. Employees on site at peak: 220 you build the schedule backwards from this Rudolph and Sletten functioned as the gen Scope: Five-story research center milestone, Douthett explains. The smaller eral contractor on the project and coordinated activities are properly sequenced through variwith approximately 27 subcontractors. Danielle Douthett, senior ous agreements and compromises made by the Rosendin Electric Inc. was great to work with, project manager trades present. Douthett stresses. By using the Smart Board, the construction I was very lucky all my subcontractors were team displayed schedules, snapshots taken from the subcontractors excellent. Most all I had worked with before, she adds. coordinated 3-D model, and also contract drawings. This allowed the Without our collaborative process and the strong camaraderie in the field crews responsible for installing the work to highlight areas where big room, this project would not have been as successful, Douthett there appeared to be physical access limitations or where some reorderinsists. I was very lucky to have such a strong and devoted team. ing of the schedule was needed. On the UCSF job, it was a perfect mix, Douthett maintains. Rosendin Electric Rosendin Electric is a proven leader in 3-D CAD modeling, The project team also focused on 13 milestones that were set at the both as part of their design/build project delivery and in construction detailing. beginning of the job. Each milestone was tracked and assessed throughWorking closely with Rudolph and Sletten and University of California, San Francisco, Rosendin Electric is staying true to their mission of setting the stanout the process. Being able to track the progress with fixed goal markers dards in the electrical construction industry. One-hundred percent employeehelped immensely. Douthett estimates the team reached approximately owned, Rosendin Electric is ranked as the largest privately-held electrical con80 percent of its weekly goals, a 5 percent improvement over the typical tractor in the nation. www.rosendin.com rate for a successful project.
Rudolph and Sletten UCSF Smith Cardiovascular Research Building
We [built] a collaborative environment.
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Institutional | TRIANGLE ASSOCIATES FREMONT HIGH SCHOOL
Triangles Local Focus

hen it came to selecting vendors and subcontractors for the construction of a new high school in Newaygo County, Mich., construction managers Triangle Associates looked beyond the lowest bids. The school district very much wanted us to incorporate local participation into the project, says Marc Alexa, senior project manager for the Grand Rapids, Mich.-based company. In many cases, we did not award contracts to the low bidder. We awarded to the most qualified bidder that really embraced the local participation mentality. Fremont Public Schools understood that maximum value is not always derived from the lowest price point, but from reputable, quality contractors. The board of education and the building/steering committee placed the onus on Triangle to utilize local participation to the greatest extent possible in building a monument to the community, understanding that local didnt mean entitlement, but merely an opportunity to return an investment to the community, he adds. They fully expect future school districts to look to Fremont as an example of how this type of forGrand Rapids, Mich.-based Triangle Associates is building the new Fremont High ward thinking can provide an economic stimulus to any community School in Newaygo County, Mich. The $40 million project will be complete in 2012. while delivering a superior learning environment. After more than 50 interviews with vendors and subcontractors for the roughly 25 available subcontracts for the project, Alexa feels that through the direction of the Fremont School Board, Triangle truly selected an A Team to build the $40 million, 192,000-square-foot Fremont High School for Fremont Public Schools. Construction started in September 2010 and will conclude in August 2012. Several of the major trades on the project are either based in Newaygo County or are using local tradespeople on the project. More than $6 million will be returned to the local economy as a result. We may have paid a small premium for some of the trades, but the dollars they will return to the community will far outweigh that, Alexa adds. Its important, especially in this economy, to use local forces when you can. The project is approximately 30 percent complete, with one of the schools two wings erected and covered with a roof. Foundation work, www.triangle-inc.com structural steel and masonry are Project cost: $45 million underway on the remaining por Location: Newaygo County, Mich. tions of the building.
A HIGH SCHOOL PROJECT WILL BE A BOON FOR STUDENTS AND LOCAL BUSINESS. BY JIM HARRIS
Triangle Associates Fremont High School
Employees on site at peak: 60 Scope of work: High school construction
A Better Environment
The two-story structure will replace a high school initially built in 1926. The school was renovated in 1960, has had at least five additions, and is out of date. Its not a great envi-
Its important, especially in this economy, to use local forces when you can.
Marc Alexa, senior project manager
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ronment to teach kids in, Alexa says. It may do for the time being, but isnt an ideal situation by a long shot. The new building will include an academic wing with approximately 38 classrooms as well as an athletic wing with competition and auxiliary gymnasiums. One of the gymnasiums features an elevated running track. Joining the two wings together is a core area with a multipurpose cafeteria, media center, and administrative offices. The school, located in a farming community, will also feature a large agricultural science area offering classes in animal husbandry, wildlife studies and agriculture. Major building materials include brick, masonry, precast plank floors, curtain wall, aluminum and glass. Kalwall a translucent building system will be used throughout the schools central corridor, creating a clear story that will provide natural light to the building, Alexa says. Architect Kingscott Associates Inc. of Kalamazoo, Mich., designed the building with a number of environmentally friendly efficient features and a sensitivity to surrounding wetland areas, although formal LEED certification
will not be pursued. Green building features include a white roof, in-floor radiant heating, geothermal heating and cooling systems, lowemissivity glass, bamboo ceilings, sloped ceilings and flooring made with recycled materials.
Project Partners
A number of key personnel within Fremont Public Schools and Triangle Associates are playing key roles in the Fremont High School project. They include: Fremont Public Schools: Superintendent Jim Hieftje Director of Facilities and Maintenance Ryan Ergang High School Principal Scott Sherman School Board President Anita Osterman Triangle Construction: Superintendent Gregg Schievink Project Engineer Matt Novak Project Coordinator Nicole Arthur Vice President of Operations Jeff Jelke management, design/build, and general contracting experience. Past projects include municipal facilities, wastewater treatment plants, and commercial projects, with a main focus placed on educational projects. Were the largest K-12 contractor in western Michigan, Alexa says.
Fired Up
Triangle Associates has maintained close ties with subcontractors, vendors and the client throughout the project. The Fremont Public Schools district in particular has had regular input into the project, its first major building effort since the construction of the original Fremont High School. The school district is fired up and excited about the building, and have been very involved in every aspect of the process, Alexa says. We appreciate the support of the local community and the school district. Theyve been great to work with. We couldnt ask for a better owner.
Bread and Butter

This is Triangles first time working with Fremont Public Schools, but far from its first school construction project. The company, founded in 1918, has extensive construction
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Institutional | WINTER PARK CONSTRUCTION UNIVERSITY HOUSE CENTRAL FLORIDA
near the campus of the University of Central Florida in Orlando, University Located House Central Florida will feature 416 units and include high-quality amenities not often found in student housing, its owners say.
UNIVERSITY HOUSE WILL OFFER STUDENTS AN ALL-INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT. BY JIM HARRIS
A Total Package
tudents attending the second-largest Site Amenities university in the United States will soon The five-story building will feature 995 beds have a high-quality off-campus living in 416 units. Residents will have a choice of option. University House Central nine different apartment styles, ranging from Florida, located a half-mile from the University 480-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bath effiwww.wpc.com of Central Florida campus in Orlando, will offer ciency units up to 1,600-square-foot four- bed Project cost: $34.3 million a number of amenities to students when it room, four-bath units. Each unit is fully fur Location: Orlando, Fla. opens in fall 2012. The development is the latnished and includes a full-sized kitchen Employees on site at peak: 400 est in the University House brand owned and equipped with Energy Star-rated appliances, operated by Inland American Communities Scope of work: Private student housing Pierce says. Group Inc. The idea of this development is to have a University House communities are dedicatplug-and-play kind of environment, he adds. ed to providing high-quality, innovative living Cable, utilities, Internet and wireless (fees) are David Pierce, vice president of development and design and learning solutions to college and university all included in rent; this is a fully amenitized students, says David Pierce, AIA LEED AP, vice environment. president of development and design for Inland. Other amenities on the 10-acre site include four courtyards, a resortConstruction began in December 2010 and general contractor style pool, volleyball and basketball courts, a putting green and a clubWinter Park Construction of Maitland, Fla., is in the process of laying house. The clubhouse includes a fitness center, a multimedia lounge, the concrete slab foundation for the $34.3 million, 386,000-squareinternet cafe and a social lounge. The development is located near unifoot, five-story wood-frame building. Crews are also erecting a preversity and city shuttle transportation systems providing access to and cast, five-and-a-half story concrete parking deck. The facility was from the university. designed by Humphreys & Partners Architects LP, headquartered in From a building standpoint, I think the high quality of the amenities Dallas. will set this building apart from a lot of other student housing developThe buildings height calls for the use of stronger detailing in the ments weve seen in recent years, Pierce adds. materials than normally seen on smaller, wood-frame buildings. From a construction standpoint, five-story construction creates challenges `A Great Partner from a wind standpoint, Pierce says. Weve needed to use more fireInland American Communities Group is a development, acquisition and rated lumber and stronger exterior bearing walls. management organization dedicated to the creation of communities in
Winter Park Construction University House Central Florida
The high quality of amenities will set this building apart.
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urban infill and university markets across the United States. The company, headquartered in Dallas with offices in Atlanta and Tempe, Ariz., was formed in 2007. The companys private student housing projects are strongly market-driven. We maintain a database of major universities across the country and keep up relationships with brokers in those markets, Pierce says. I think we do a very good job thoroughly researching opportunities, understanding the markets we go into and hitting the mark with our developments mix of units and amenities, he adds. With active development projects in multiple markets nationwide, Inland American Communities remains committed to a market driven, customer-focused strategy. The team has been recognized in the student housing arena as innovative advocates, developers, principals and partners in building and operating university communities on and off campuses nationwide. Their strategic approach involves substantial long-term investments in carefully chosen markets, working in partnership with each university and its neighbors to enhance the university
The idea of this is to have a plug-andplay kind of environment.

community environment with innovative, offcampus housing. Inland American Communities student housing developments incorporate the best of residential living units and cutting-edge amenities for the ultimate living and learning experience, with an emphasis on implementation of the latest advancements in technology. Winter Park Construction provides pre-construction, general contracting, construction management, renovation and green building services to clients in the hospitality, residential and commercial sectors. Since its founding in 1974, the company has built more than 20,000 multifamily units, 12,000 timeshare units and 2,500 hotel rooms.
In The House
In addition to the University of Central Florida site under construction, Inland American Communities owns and manages private University House developments across the country. Other Inland American Communities developments are located near: Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, Texas University of Louisiana, Lafayette University of Alabama, Birmingham University of Florida, Gainesville University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
This is (Inlands) first project with them, but they came highly recommended, Pierce says. Theyve been working closely with us on this since its inception, and have been a great partner on this project. Pierce also credits Tri-City Electrical Contractors and Armstrong Air & Heating the electrical and mechanical subcontractors on the project for their assistance in putting together bid packages.
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Institutional | MCPHERSON CONTRACTORS BEST BUILDING
Bringing the BEST

MCPHERSON IS CONSTRUCTING THE BEST BUILDING FOR KANSAS UNIVERSITY. BY ALAN DORICH
connected by a 122-foot, glass-enclosed walkor 18 years, Edwards Campus in way, according to Bray. Overland Park, Kan., has been the Construction on the BEST Building began in evolving campus of the University of June 2010 and is set to finish this December. Kansas, Vice Chancellor Bob Clark says. www.edwardscampus.ku.edu This is McPhersons first project with KU and so Under his leadership, the campus has strived to Project budget: $25 million far, the university is pleased with its work, Bray emphasize that image. Location: Overland Park, Kan. says. They have done a very good job, she Edwards Campus latest initiative is the span states. Theyre very easy to work with. that Business, Engineering, Science and Technology structures Three Scope: 72,000 square feet (BEST) Building, which is being built by McPherson Contractors Inc. BEST will cover Part of the Community 72,000 square feet and consist of three strucClark, who came to KU 14 years ago, says that tures, Assistant Dean and Project Manager Pam one of his major goals at the campus has been Bob Clark, vice chancellor Bray says. the improvement of its role within the comThe first, she notes, will be a conference center munity, which has its home in Greater Kansas that can hold up to 400 people. The second will City. I asked people what they thought of KU be a classroom building with rooms that can hold from 40 to 100 people, and this location, Clark recalls. They thought KU was essentially and the third will feature 30 facility offices, a suite for its IT department thumbing its nose at Greater Kansas City. [We want to] create the cirand four computer laboratories. cumstances where all these people believe KU cares. The third structure will be connected to the Regents Center, the first The classroom building is built in ways that will accommodate new structure ever constructed at Edwards Campus. These facilities will be academic programs, technology and seating, Clark says. The IT building
McPherson Contractors BEST Building
We want to bring as many people to this campus as we can.
The BEST Building is part of an effort to grow the University of Kansas Edwards Campus.
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[also will] be an important place for the students working on multiple projects, Clark says, adding that BEST will feature 30 offices for the faculty. He adds that BEST also will allow KU to grow its role in serving workforce development with its conference center, which will be able to host small associations. We want to bring as many people to this campus as we can, he says.
Unified and Green

Clark also is proud of the walkway between the buildings. It unifies the campus, he says, praising the projects designer, Gould Evans Architects. Visually, its going to look pretty stunning from the road. BEST also will have numerous green features, including a strong use of natural light in the classroom building. In addition, each of its classrooms will have sensors that will recognize when someone enters and engages the heating and cooling when they are detected, he says.
fall this past January. Due to the heavy snow and conditions, the construction team lost 12 days on the schedule. Another issue has been the amount of rock located on the project site. They had a significant amount of rock when they were working on the trenching, she recalls. Other than those things, its gone very smoothly. It has gone so smoothly that both the campus and the contractor have been able to maintain safety during the project. For example, KU installed a metal fence around the outside of the construction site on campus, according to Clark. Additionally, it increased the amount of lighting for people walking around the site at night. From the standpoint of the inside of the construction fence, McPherson is in charge of that, Bray says, noting that the colleges design and construction management associate, John Eye, often goes to the site and checks to see if standards are being met.
Local Success
Based in Topeka, Kan., McPherson says it specializes in general contracting services across the Midwest. Founded in 1972, McPherson Contractors Inc. is a family owned and operated company with loyal employees and successful projects, it says. Along with general contracting, it also provides project management, estimating, and concrete, steel erection and carpentry work. McPherson Contractors Inc. has successfully constructed commercial retail and office space, educational, healthcare, government and sports facilities, and religious, cultural and residential projects, it says.
Growth Strategies Smooth Sailing

A challenge that McPherson and KU faced on the BEST project was the strong winter snowClark believes the Edwards Campus will continue growing. Although we are landlocked, he says, noting that the campus spans 36 acres,
we still have capacity for a fourth building to be built. Clark adds that the campus also hopes to acquire land, as well, but it will need to decide which one it will be doing first. Weve got to think a little more quickly about acquiring more land or what our strategys going to be before the fourth building is conceptualized, Clark explains.
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Civil
Protect Your Projects
By John Tutera
With several rocky years behind them, contractors and owners are taking a fresh look at construction risks. An uninsured loss could have a devastating effect, particularly on companies already weakened by the recession. Given their size and complexity, construction projects are sure to face unexpected challenges. Builders risk insurance should be the foundation of any risk strategy. Understanding the ins and outs of builders risk such as whats covered, as well as exclusions and common pitfalls can help owners and contractors be prepared for adverse events like a building collapse or financing delays. Owners and contractors gain an advantage by viewing their insurance carrier, agent or broker as a partner and resource. They can access the insurers risk engineering advisors and other industry consultants and share information. If a problem or claim arises, the insurer will already be familiar with the project. For their part, the owner or contractor should take the time to understand their projects specific needs and be aware of the factors that go into an underwriters calculations.
Policy Variations
Builders risk is designed to cover property in the course of construction, including materials and equipment that will be part of the completed project. While its the cornerstone of a construction insurance program, theres no standard builders risk form. Many, but not all, are written as all-risk policies. Its important to remember that each policy is specific to a particular project. Coverage typically extends to property at the job site, in storage and in transit and includes temporary structures, such as scaffolding, and common perils like fire, collapse, theft and vandalism. Other coverage may be added separately or may already be included. Some minimum coverage extensions to consider and/or require include expediting expenses, demolition and increased costs of construction, claim-preparation expenses, mold remediation, fire brigade charges and delay in completion coverage. Exclusions cover a broad range, from war and fraud to mold. Faults in workmanship, design and materials are typically excluded, although damage resulting from those faults is covered.
Assessing Risk
The heart of any builders risk policy is the assessment of risk, from the construction means and methods to the clients record on other projects. Catastrophe modeling of construction projects for perils such as earthquake, hurricane and flood events is used to determine the magnitude of the potential loss exposures and overall accumulations. Underwriting considerations for the projects include the type of work,
JOHN TUTERA is construction property vice president at specialist insurer, Hiscox USA. He can be reached at john.tutera@hiscox.com or 646-452-2379.
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IN THIS SECTION
the kind of construction and the measures that will be used to prevent collapse. Most importantly, the underwriting process encompasses a rigorous discussion about quality control/quality assurance measures.
Capital Signal Co. Ltd.

g p.106 Capital Signal has a hometown advantage in the Caribbean Islands.
Means and Methods

Finally, the underwriter will consider the means and methods the contractor will use to accomplish the work. Means and methods can vary greatly as shown by the following example of two ways to construct a bridge across a river. One contractor might construct a temporary access bridge next to the new structure. This provides a stable place to set up a crane and provides access for construction materials. This approximates working on land and diminishes the risk. A different contractor, however, might decide to work from a barge, which presents different risks and potential losses. The crane barge can be struck, loosen from its mooring or sink, among other possibilities. All of the different project components and risks underscore the need for the insurer, owner and contractor to work together closely.
Western Water Constructors Inc.
g p.109 Western Water applies its expertise to two projects.

Company Profiles
98 GO Transit/McCormick Rankin Corp. West Toronto Diamond Grade Seperation Project 102 DOnofrio General Contractors Corp. 106 Capital Signal Co. Ltd. 109 Western Water Constructors Inc. 112 HOK NOAA Pacific Regional Center, Pearl Harbor 114 McCoy Grading Inc. 116 Clark Dietz Engineers Inc. 118 Panama Canal Expansion Project 120 Schmueser & Associates Inc. 122 DP Electric Inc. in master builder coverage that allows them to buy down high deductibles. If an owners policy has a $100,000 deductible, the contractor can buy down the deductible to $25,000.
Completed Value
Cooperation is also essential to determining the projects completed value, the total amount that would be required to rebuild in the event of a total loss. Insurance buyers often underestimate the completed value, meaning they could potentially sustain significant losses. Completed value includes nearly everything that goes into the project including direct and indirect costs such as materials, labor, workers compensation, security services, overhead, profit, change orders and modifications, among other wide-ranging variables. One-time costs, such as permits and land costs, are not included. The best way to assess the completed value is to break down in detail a projects components. In a power plant, the energy-generating portion or power block is the most costly, compared to the balance of the plant, such as the water treatment facility. In a multi-use development, the parking garage has less value than the retail or residential components.
Additional Protection
Given the complexity of builders risk and despite their best efforts, owners can still be inadequately insured. For example, if a project is delayed and owners lack delay in completion insurance, costs can escalate. Contractors can put too much trust in the owners purchasing decisions, overestimating the coverage provided. Even if the owner buys the policy, the contractor can secure additional protection. A master builder policy, which is broad-based and designed to meet varying insurance requirements across multiple projects for a contractor and/or developer, is one option. Contractors can also purchase wraparound coverage to protect against gaps in the owners coverage should the owner elect to use their property policy. The combined coverage gives contractors the same protection they would have if their policy was in place in lieu of the owners policy. Contractors can also take advantage of a coverage option often found
A Solid Foundation
With its broad scope, builders risk offers numerous options. Constructing the right policy is challenging. With so much at stake, owners and contractors must educate themselves on the nuances of their project and their builders risk policy and seek out the most experienced and knowledgeable brokers, risk engineers, claims adjusters and underwriters. Having the right builders risk policy in place creates a solid foundation for contractors and owners; even with setbacks, they can successfully complete their projects and make a profit.
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Civil | GO TRANSIT/MCCORMICK RANKIN CORP. (A MEMBER OF MMM GROUP) WEST TORONTO DIAMOND GRADE SEPARATION PROJECT
Crossing Over Into Success
GO TRANSIT AND ITS PARTNERS TACKLE A RAILWAY SEPARATION PROJECT. BY CHRIS PETERSEN
ne of the things railroads have in common with skiing is that diamonds represent difficulty, whether youre talking about a diamond-rated slope or a diamond crossing of two tracks. Thats why Ontarios interregional public transit system, GO Transit and engineering firms McCormick Rankin Corp. (MRC) a member of the MMM Group and Delcan Corporation have come together to untangle a diamond crossing at the busiest railroad crossing in Canada. The West Toronto Diamond Grade Separation project is part of a larger initiative to upgrade Torontos transportation infrastructure in anticipation of the Pan Am Games in 2015, but the need for this particular portion of the work has been evident for a long time. It is a very complex project, and its been in the planning stages for almost 20 years, explains Michael Wolczyk, GO Transits director of Union Station infrastructure. The project involves separating two railway lines that currently cross each other at grade and relocating one over the other. Once completed, one set of tracks will be moved to a depressed corridor and the other set will be elevated above them on a bridge.
O
tight urban setting of Toronto has made the West Toronto Diamond Grade Separation project more difficult The than similar projects in less-crowded conditions.
GO Transit/McCormick Rankin Corp.

www.gotransit.com, www.mrc.ca Project cost: $310 million Location: Toronto Employees on site: 200 Scope: Railroad track grade separation
It is a very complex project, and its been in the planning stages for almost 20 years.
Michael Wolczyk, director of Union Station infrastructure
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Its like two highways that cross each other and that doesnt work very well.
The crossing has been a less-than-ideal arrangement for the railroads, commuters and nearby residents for a long time, Wolczyk says, making this project a welcome relief. For starters, the diamond crossing often meant trains would have to slow down or stop before crossing the other tracks. The analogy I use it that its like two highways that cross each other at a traffic light, and that doesnt work very well, Wolczyk says. When you have a train full of 2,000 people coming and theres a freight train coming by, we have to stop and wait. That adds up to a lot of delays. Because trains often have to stop at the diamond crossing, they spend a lot of time idling, creating unnecessary pollution and added noise when they start up again. Additionally, the sounds of trains rolling over the diamond crossing irritated nearby residents. With diamond crossings, theres a lot of pounding noise when a train goes over, Wolczyk notes. To help bring this project to completion successfully, GO Transit turned to Delcan as its structural designer and transportation engineering firm MRC as construction managers and contract administrators, each bringing more than 50 years of experience to bear. MRC Project Manager Leon Stambolich says that although the project doesnt seem like a lot of work on paper, theres more to a diamond grade separation than meets the eye, and with this particular project in downtown Toronto especially. Its a pretty common project, its just in a complicated urban environment, he says. It has introduced a number of complexities to completing the construction work.
Driving Force
Building the depressed corridor means the installation of more than 2,300 900-millimeter pipe piles that form the corridors structural walls. Wolczyk explains that the pipe piles were chosen because of the unique site conditions. A lake was on the site millions of years ago, meaning sand from the
Giken America Corp. Giken America Corporation a U.S. subsidiary of Giken Seisakusho Co. Ltd in Japan provided Silent Piler piling equipment to the joint venture who undertook the construction contract. Silent Piler utilizes the pressin method, generating very low noise and very low vibration during piling operations. Because potential damages to the nearby buildings and live railway tracks by conventional pile driving methods was a major concern, the owner of the project and the construction manager represented by McCormick Rankin selected Silent Piler to mitigate the potential ground movements and vibration-induced structural damages.
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Civil | GO TRANSIT/MCCORMICK RANKIN CORP. (A MEMBER OF MMM GROUP) WEST TORONTO DIAMOND GRADE SEPARATION PROJECT
Its a pretty common project, its just in a complicated [location].

lakes ancient shoreline still exists deep underneath the water table. The piles need to be watertight and structurally sound, Wolczyk says. Ordinarily, driving such piles would be done with impact hammers, but nearby residents were very concerned about the amount of noise generated by the work. Crews limited the number of hours the impact hammers were in use to try and lessen the impact, but Wolczyk says GO Transit challenged its contractors and consultants to come up with better ways to mitigate the noise. One of the main techniques utilized on the project was a hydraulically operated sound-dampening shroud system that encloses the impact hammer as it forces the pile into the ground. Wolczyk says the system has resulted in a 50 percent reduction in the amount of noise created. However, this system was still not enough to completely alleviate the concerns of residents, and so MRC and the other project partners looked for more alternatives.
Quieter Alternative
One option was a system developed by Japanese manufacturer Giken International. Rocco Cacchiotti, project manager for CN Rail which was responsible for the pile installation work says the system utilizes a push system with an auger to press the piles into place. This system was much quieter than the impact hammers, but that quiet came at a cost. Its a slow machine, Wolczyk says. You couldnt do the entire job with it, it would take about six years if you tried. Cacchiotti says half of the project was completed with impact hammers in about six months, while the second half was completed in about 15 months using a variety of methods, including the Giken system. However, the Giken system helped mitigate residents complaints about noise, and it proved useful when working around some of the older buildings in the area. Stambolich says some of those buildings would not have been able to withstand the vibrations created by the impact hammers or vibratory hammers, a key advantage of the Giken method.
Next Phase
Pile installation began in January 2009 and was completed in October 2010. The next phase, which was just initiated, involves drilling out the piles and filling them with concrete, Wolczyk explains. In the process, what they do is they have to make sure the walls are watertight and part of the work in this contract is testing to make sure that it doesnt leak, he says. After that is completed, the next phases call for the excavation of the depressed corridor, finishing the walls, and building the bridges, the stormwater management system and the roadway over the corridor. Once all of that is completed, Wolczyk says, the tracks will be laid in the corridor. GO Transit expects all of this to be completed by 2014, well ahead of the 2015 Pan Am Games. Wolczyk credits the contributions of MRC and the entire project team for the projects success to date. Its been good, MRC has done a good job, he says. Theyre one of the key team members, but its a large team.
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Civil | DONOFRIO GENERAL CONTRACTORS CORP.
Brooklyns Finest
DONOFRIOS EXPERTISE IN COMPLEX PROJECTS WILL CARRY IT IN THE TOUGH ECONOMY. BY KATHRYN JONES
ith the tagline Building Tomorrows Infrastructure Today, DOnofrio General Contractors Corp. is the go-to contractor for complex marine structure and heavy infrastructure projects in the Northeast, specifically in the states of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Connecticut. The Brooklyn, N.Y.-based company distinguishes itself from other civil contractors through its capability to self-perform the following activities: Excavation; Pile driving; Concrete; Sheet metal; Roofing applications; and Underwater dock-building work. Self-performing its work gives DOnofrio more control over a projects schedule and
DOnofrio General Contractors Corp.

www.donofrio.biz Annual revenues: $50 million Headquarters: Brooklyn, N.Y. Employees: 20 Specialty: Heavy infrastructure and marine construction
foremen and superintendents is what separates us because they know the most efficient and cost-effective way of taking the design and turning it into a reality.
All in the Family

DOnofrio was formed in 1991 by brothers Jerry, John and Vincent DOnofrio. Their commitment to quality work was instilled in them by their father, Jerry Sr., who operated a concrete masonry business from the 1950s to the 1980s. After Jerry DOnofrio retired and decided to dissolve his concrete masonry company in 1988, his sons, having grown up in the industry, opted to carry on the family tradition. Each of the DOnofrio brothers has his own niche within the company. John DOnofrio, for instance, heads up the companys specialty roofing and building restoration work. Vincent DOnofrio handles its finances as controller
Were just a bunch of guys trying to make it through a bad economy. Jay Reichgott, assistant vice president
budget, as well as safety and quality, Assistant Vice President Jay Reichgott says. We are a union house, so we get the best people available in the industry, he adds. The experience and skill of our project managers,
Although it was formed in 1991, DOnofrio draws on more than 50 years of experience.
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There are neophytes trying to bid on the specialties, and we are wondering how theyre going to be able to do the project without doing it at a loss.
marine projects, such as the seawall for Randalls Island (above), are one of DOnofrio General Complex Contractors Corp.s chief areas of expertise. The company also specializes in heavy infrastructure.
Civil | DONOFRIO GENERAL CONTRACTORS CORP.
and treasurer. Harry DOnofrio is senior project manager and head of DOnofrios IT department. Jerry DOnofrio, who leads the team as president, heads the companys special projects department. The DOnofrios sister, Angela Barbero, serves as office manager. Assistant vice presidents Reichgott and Vincent Leone may not be related to the DOnofrios by blood, but they are very much a part of the DOnofrio family. Leone, who has been with the company since its inception, leads the team when it comes to modernizing generation plants or building power substations for local utilities. Reichgott oversees DOnofrios marine department, which has its own fleet of marine construction equipment including barge-mounted cranes.
Architectural Marvel
One of DOnofrios proudest moments in recent years was when it completed the $91.5 million Floating Ferry Terminal at Battery Park City in New York. The floating terminal structure consists of a mono-hull main terminal, two anchorage towers secured to bedrock 75 feet below the water and pedestrian walkways connecting to the Battery Park Esplanade. It was opened to the public in March 2009. Encompassing more than three-quarters of an acre, it is the largest floating ferry terminal in the United States, not to mention an architectural marvel with its glass walls and tension fabric roof, Reichgott asserts.
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But constructing it was not easy, Reichgott concedes. It has very complex geometries to the portions that were being built, he says. It was built on a tight budget, on a tight schedule and on the water, which added to the complexity of construction because you had to deal with a structure that was moving all the time. You had to be standing in the building that you were working on. Because work had to be done in its own footprint, you had the usual coordination issues of numerous contractors and numerous trades all working in the same space and trying not to get in each others way, Reichgott continues. We did have the luxury of a base vessel, which was built in Texas and towed to the Brooklyn waterfront, so we had some laydown area to take deliveries and do fabrication.
Italian Pride
The Federation of Italian American Organizations has plans to build a $16 million, multipurpose Italian-American cultural center in Brooklyn, Il Centro. The center will offer social assistance, education and recreational programs, and will feature a swimming pool, gymnasium and a performing arts auditorium. As you may tell by the company name, we are very happy to be contributing to the project and helping to give back to the community, Reichgott says.
Big Sculptural Piece

DOnofrio will be using the same expertise it used on the Floating Ferry Terminal when it begins the upland amenities work on the East 34th Street Ferry Landing this spring. There is an existing pier that we are putting a pavilion on, Reichgott describes. It will have a tension fabric structure roof shaped like a big wing, with a ticket booth underneath and passenger waiting areas. The whole thing is a big sculptural piece between the tension fabric roof shaped like a big wing and curved walls made out of perforated metal, glass panels and wood panels. In addition, DOnofrio will soon begin reconstruction and retrofit work on Pier 16 on the East River, which is part of the South Street Seaport Museum, that celebrates the nautical heritage of New York. Its not a very sexy project, Reichgott admits. Nobody will see what we are doing because were rebuilding the substructure thats holding up the pier, but like all piers, it needs to be maintained.
back on the growth path, he predicts. At this point, the only thing hindering our growth is the economy, so our plan is pretty basic bid more jobs and bid bigger jobs, Reichgott says. The bidder pool has gotten much larger. There are neophytes trying to bid on the specialties, and were wondering how theyre going to be able to do the project without doing it at a loss because they bid it so low. Because DOnofrio specializes in complex heavy civil and marine work, the company knows what its going to take to complete it successfully, he maintains. We know where the prices should be, and we know what is actually possible, Reichgott asserts. Once the economy improves and new markets open up, well see more projects coming back online and well be able to start bidding on those.
Industry Partnerships
DOnofrio prides itself on the quality of work its subcontractors perform in addition to its own. It has strong relationships with a core group of subcontractors, and it understands how important it is to maintain those relationships throughout a difficult economy. We are cultivating our subs, especially our Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) women-owned and minority-owned businesses, Reichgott notes. Its a contracting requirement for a lot of the work we do, but its also something that we really believe in. Were not just trying to fill a quota, he stresses. We have DBE subs that we like to work with, and we are using our capacity and our size to help them develop their abilities and efficiencies, which will translate into better quality, more efficient production and higher profits. Were just a bunch of guys trying to make it through a bad economy so we can all be there when things get better.
Gearing Toward Triumph

DOnofrio has focused on its core people and core capabilities to get through the tough times. Weve been maneuvering through this fabulously overpriced and overheated economy, Reichgott relates. We are working leaner and have made our subs work leaner. Thats how you a) get the jobs and b) keep the jobs and make money off of them. We are working to improve our efficiency so we can maintain our ability to be profitable, granted profits are less. Working efficiently and cultivating its relationships in the industry will put DOnofrio
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Signal says its status Capital as a local contractor gives it an edge in the Caribbean.
Civil | CAPITAL SIGNAL CO. LTD.
Coasting Along
company specializes in The marine projects throughout the Caribbean Islands.
Signal got its start Capital in coastal civic projects, but soon diversified.
s foreign marine contractors look more closely at the Caribbean Islands in search for work, Sean Herrera says Capital Signal Co. Ltd. benefits from its hometown advantage. Add to that a safety program more extensive than the average regional marine contractor; a locally-based equipment fleet that allows for quick, low-cost mobilization; a diverse staff comprised of engineers, professional mariners and other specialty personnel, and its fair to say that Capital Signal can hold its own even in shark-filled construction waters. The Trinidad and Tobago-based company was formed in 1992 as a marine contractor designing and constructing coastal civil projects. Oftentimes, these projects required significant marine geotechnical and surveying work that Capital Signal then began self-performing. Soon, it leveraged those skills into launching another company front in the offshore oil and gas energy sector. It seems like two distinct businesses, but what they have in common is the ocean, explains Herrera, who serves as CEO of Capital Signal. Quite often, the resources from one of the sectors is utilized by the other. With the commonality of the sea, there is a definite synergy of the resources being employed. Capital Signals energy services sector supports the companys offshore oil and gas business by providing services such as dynamic rig positioning, hi-res site/geophysical surveys, hydrographic multi-beam surveys and geotechnical drilling/sampling and reporting. Just like it took its marine preconstruction knowhow into the energy sector, Capital Signal has also leveraged its oil and gas expertise to better its marine construction capabilities. The international oil and gas operators maintain very high safety standards, Herrera says. In order to work for them, you have to obtain that standard. We transferred that learning onto our construction business to enhance our safety performance there. While the construction industry is indeed closing the gap, it is fair to say that in general, it lags behind the oil and gas industry as far as safety performwww.capitalsignal.com ance is concerned. We now stand cssales@capitalsignal.com out above many of our construc Headquarters: Carenage, Trinidad tion peers because of our energy and Tobago sector safety standards. Employees: 90 The company can boast it was Specialty: Coastal construction, the only construction contractor geosciences and marine contracting out of five finalists eligible for the 2010 OSHA Safety Award in the large company category. Its not Sean Herrera, CEO the only organization to recognize Capital Signals skills. In
EVEN IN A DOWN MARKET, CAPITAL SIGNAL KEEPS AFLOAT BY OUTDOING THE REST. BY JAMIE MORGAN
Capital Signal Co. Ltd.
We stand out because of our energy sector safety standards.
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Civil | CAPITAL SIGNAL CO. LTD.
2011, it received the award for best overall contractor at the Caribbean Construction Awards. In 2009, the Trinidad and Tobago Contractors Association deemed it Contractor of the Year for Civil Works. Though two years apart, both awards regard the same project.
Improving the Coast

While over the years the company has performed projects in most of the Caribbean territories from Haiti to Guyana, in 2007 Capital Signal embarked on a 1.2-kilometer coastal improvement project on Barbados South Coast that would produce a positive ripple effect for years to come. The $9.2 million project is one of six engineering projects within the Barbados Coastal Zone Management Units Coastal Infrastructure Program (CIP). The Rockley project took top priority in the overall $24.2 million program, which aimed to: Stabilize shorelines; Control erosion; Restore coastal habitats; Improve public coastal access; and Strengthen coastal management institutions. This particular stretch on the coastline was under threat of the encroaching sea, Herrera says. They needed to do something to arrest that erosion problem and put into place measures to protect the coastal infrastructure from the Caribbean Sea. Capital Signal created five headlands and used 12,000 cubic meters of sand to extend the coast outward. It also engineered and constructed rock revetments and breakwaters. However the standout feature is the 1.2-kilometer concrete and wood boardwalk, which Herrera notes was also very challenging to build. The entire project was built in the water, so Capital Signal built temporary causeways in order to do the work. The boardwalk itself serves as a protective and decorative structure. We had to work with high compressionstrength concrete, but the finish also had to be decorative, Herrera says. We had to be creative on how to work with that concrete while being on the coast bombarded with winds but still keeping the concrete in a workable form. Following the success of this project, Capital Signal won another tender within the same program. In 2009, it wrapped up the Holetown Beach Improvement Project on Barbados west coast. This $3 million project ranked as CIPs second priority and, like the Rockley project, was completed on time and within budget. Despite its narrowness, the beach has become
Signal worked to Capital control erosion along the shoreline in Barbados.
Our [work] has certainly elevated our reputation locally.

a popular tourist destination. The improvements will further enhance that standing. The project included two new walkways and revetments, two headlands and 2,500 cubic meters of sand used for beach nourishment.
Shore Support
The Barbados Coastal Zone Management Unit was established in 1996 to provide a number of services to protect Barbados shores such as monitoring and controlling coral reefs, beach erosion and beach accretion; regulating marine research; managing and reviewing coastal conservation projects, and educating the public of its integrated coastal zone management program. In 2003, it launched its Coastal Infrastructure Program (CIP) to improve shorelines and public access. Capital Signal was awarded the tender for CIPs top 2 priority projects out of six engineering projects the Rockley waterfront and the Holetown Beach improvement projects.
Riding the Wave

For Barbados, these projects mean improved public access, more space for recreational activities and protection for the coast. For Capital Signal, it means recognition for the two largest coastal improvement projects in Barbados. On the strength of the [Rockley] project we were well-poised to win the [Holetown] tender, Herrera says. Our performance on those projects has certainly elevated our reputation locally and regionally, and were very proud to be associated with the enhancement to
Barbados infrastructure that those projects have brought. Capital Signal has continued to receive positive attention from these two projects, and Herrera estimates the recognition will continue. However, he says Capital Signal isnt one to revel in past successes. Instead, the company seeks to gain new skills and leverage existing ones in new markets, just as it always has.
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$55 million expansion of The the Oakley Ironhouse WWTP will treat 4.5 million gallons daily.
Civil | WESTERN WATER CONSTRUCTORS INC.
Flowing Strong
WESTERN WATER CONSTRUCTORS IS PROUD OF ITS WORK ON TWO CALIFORNIA PROJECTS. BY ALAN DORICH
as Western Water, it has increased the scale of its s a 100 percent employee owned work from $15 million to $55 million projects, company, it doesnt hurt that Eli McGarva says. Western Water Constructors is a www.westernwater.com family run firm. In fact, Project 2010 revenues: $60 million Manager Eli McGarva says, the family leaderThe New Filing Cabinet Headquarters: Santa Rosa, Calif. ship has nurtured friendly connections One factor critical to Western Waters success is its Employees: 100 through its team that help make the work go adoption of state-of-the-art technology, McGarva Specialty: Design, construction, much easier. says. He explains that Western Water has developeration and maintenance of water [We have several] father-son duos out in oped its own management software that allows the and wastewater systems the field, he says. We have several roomcompany to track jobs online and complete papermates, best friends and cousins working side work electronically. Eli McGarva, project manager by side. We all get along very well. Its kind of our online filing cabinet, he says, Based in Santa Rosa, Calif., Western Water adding that Western Water designed it to be simspecializes in the design, construction, operaple for its employees to use. Our superintendents tion and maintenance of integrated water and came through the trades and many dont have wastewater systems. The firm started operations in 1953 as Kirkwoodextensive computer experience. Bly, a general engineering contractor. Weve been using it for five years and it has evolved, he continues. In 2001, McGarvas father, President and CEO John McGarva, and four We add more and more tools to it as we have time. Some of the tools other partners purchased the firm from majority owner John Bly. Today, include a timesheet module, a daily module, a tool tracking module, an
Western Water Constructors Inc.
We all get along very well.
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RFI module, a change-order module and the electronic filing cabinet.
Water says its Western status as a family company is one of its strengths.
Civil | WESTERN WATER CONSTRUCTORS INC.
Pump It Up
Western Waters recent projects include the new Lake Merced Pump Station facility in San Francisco. The current station, which was built in 1952, pumps and treats approximately 60 percent of the citys drinking water, according to McGarva. The company has a contract of $32 million to provide the systems for the replacement station, which features new pumps to send water to the reservoir. In addition, the new station will guarantee that the city has water in the case of an earthquake. This will be managed by replacing two existing vertical turbine pumps that pump water directly out of Lake Merced to the citys water supply if the main line is broken during an earthquake. Western Water has kept the original pump station operational during the project. Weve been [here] for a year and eight months and we havent had any disruptions to the existing plant, he says, noting that the two plants are on the same site, approximately 60 feet apart. McGarva has high praise for its client, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC). Their onsite staff has been very good to work with, very fair and honest, he states. SFPUC could be one of our best owners to work for, he says, praising the commissions residential engineer, Thomas Jang. He has been instrumental in keeping the project moving forward and on schedule.
Beyond the Ordinary

Western Water is also at work on the expansion of the Oakley Ironhouse Waste Water Treatment Plant in Oakley, Calif. The project, with a budget of approximately $55 million, is different from what the company is used to, Project Manager Micah Addison points out. Usually, Western Water goes into a plant and expands it, he says, explaining that in this case, the company instead came to a greenfield site to construct its systems. When finished, the plant will treat 4.5 million gallons of wastewater a day and feature a new influent pump station, anoxic/aeration basins, a membrane bioreactor structure, and chemical/blower, UV and solids-handling buildings. Addison notes that Western Water tied into the existing manhole at the head of the existing plant and installed 2,700 feet of 30-inch pipe as well as 12 new manholes connecting the old plant to the new one. [The project has] been in the planning stages for eight years, he says, noting that he is proud of the firms placement of the outfall pipeline at the San Joaquin River. It was quite a chore to be installed, he says. The 500-foot discharge pipeline reaches depths of 45 feet and allows the plant to discharge water into the San Joaquin River. We dont know of a deeper outfall pipeline thats ever been installed in the region, he adds. The last section of the pipeline has 16 diffusers that allow wastewater to be distributed without affecting plant and marine life. [The discharge is] actually cleaner than the water in the San Joaquin River, he states. The Oakley Ironhouse expansion is aiming for completion this October, according to Addison. Construction is pretty well complete, he says. Weve completed startup on the influent pump station and headworks. Well complete start-up on the aeration basins, MBR and chemical/blower building, [and] continue structure by structure until all the functional and operational testing is complete, he says. Right now, were just powering up all the gear and equipment and making sure it works correctly, before introducing sewer to the plant.
Keeping Busy
Both McGarva and Addison see a strong, busy future for Western Water. We are a low-bid contractor, Addison says, noting that the company is willing to travel far for its clients. [Well] continue to go after what we can. McGarva also predicts that the company will take on more projects for the SFPUC. They have a lot of wastewater [projects] coming out, he says. Were definitely going to be taking [another] crack at them.
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Civil | HOK NOAA PACIFIC REGIONAL CENTER
New Use for True History
You had to create a complex that performed more like a campus than it did like a building.
daptive reuse projects often require a lot of care to maintain the integrity of the original structure, but few projects come with as much significance as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations (NOAA) new Pacific Regional Center in Hawaii. Not only are the buildings being remodeled historic, but the work is taking place on some of the most hallowed ground in the United States Pearl Harbor. Architect HOK contributed www.hok.com the design of the 350,000 Location: Ford Island, Hawaii square-foot facility, which will consolidate a number of NOAA Scope of work: 350,000-squarefoot research center programs that support the management of coastal and marine resources as well as weather and climate prediction. Marketing Director Rob Paul Woolford, project principal Tibbetts says the project is located on Ford Island, the same island where the USS Arizona memorial is located in honor of the men and women who died in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. Tibbetts compares the site to Gettysburg, and says very little about the site has changed since that infamous day. Nothings ever been touched, he says, noting that the tower was still littered with newspapers from the days leading up to the attack.
HOK DESIGNS A REUSE OF HISTORIC HANGARS AT PEARL HARBOR. BY CHRIS PETERSEN
HOK NOAA Pacific Regional Center
Respecting History
The scope of the project involves renovating and adapting two World War II-era airplane hangars on the island for laboratory and office space, as well as constructing a new building between them. Originally, HOK was asked by the U.S. Navy to provide sustainability consulting, but later was asked to submit a proposal for the design of the project, which it won. The Navy is serving as the program manager for the project, and HOK is working with Hawaii-
Gathering spaces in the NOAA facility create a campus-like feel.
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based architect Ferraro Choi. Already under construction, the Pacific Regional Center is expected to be completed by the end of 2012. The first challenge HOK faced was determining how to deal with the hangars age and unconventional shape. Basically, the hangars were abandoned, Tibbetts says. They were using them to store old cars. Paul Woolford, design director and project principal on the project, says the firm worked closely with preservationists in Hawaii to keep the hangars as close to their original condition as possible. The most challenging aspect of the project was how to respect these two historical properties, he says. The firm has managed to keep the design as true to the original look of the hangars as it could. The only thing that will be slightly different will be the windows because many of them were damaged over the years, Woolford says.
offices and 38 groups sharing space in the new facility, along with space for public functions, the orientation of the space was a concern. We had to create a complex that performed more like a campus than it did like a building, Woolford says. And thats exactly how HOK approached the project, operating from the idea that every design element in the project should have more than one reason for being there. For example, continuing the campus theme, the complex features a central quadrangle, which is a long, open atrium that incorporates public function spaces such as the library, dining and fitness areas, and an auditorium. In each of the existing hangar structures, courtyards open up from the roof all the way down to the ground level. These areas serve as gathering spaces and allow sunlight into the buildings for day lighting. Everything was carefully measured and balanced, Woolford says.
for artificial light during the day, one of many ways in which the project has been designed to be environmentally sustainable. The complexs ventilation system takes advantage of the trade winds that sweep across the islands, with wind scoops that pull them into the buildings. Once inside, the winds are passed over coils filled with cold sea water pumped up from depths of up to 3,000 feet. Woolford says this water already is brought up for research purposes, and it is used to cool air for air-conditioning. Warm air from inside the buildings is allowed to rise through the open areas in the center of the hangars and through diffusers. We have a near-constant air ventilation system that is essentially without the need of any mechanical fans, Woolford says.
Constant Evolution
As one of the nations largest and most diverse design firms, HOKs experience and approach made it especially suited for the task of designing the NOAA project, Woolford says. I think the thing that made us well-suited for this project is our core design philosophy, which is that the best buildings come from an interdisciplinary process, he says.
Sustainable Structure Campus Feel

Aside from the challenge of maintaining the historic appearance of the hangars, HOK also had to tackle the question of how to design the most effective space for NOAA. With seven line Features such as the open roofs have contributed to an anticipated LEED Gold certification for the NOAA Pacific Regional Center. The natural light provided by the complexs diffusive light system virtually eliminates the need
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Grading specializes McCoy in grading, site work and storm sewer work.
Civil | MCCOY GRADING INC.
Graded Highly
technology helps GPS McCoy Grading with precise measurements, it says.
has seen a lot of McCoy work related to the federal stimulus package recently.
hen working on far-flung highway grading and site preparation projects, not having to start and end each day at the office or yard is a real benefit for employees and the company. Internet connections through cell phone towers, laptop computers for employees and special software platforms enable McCoy Grading Inc. to monitor its jobs as if its managers were onsite. Everything is done electronically the timecard, daily production, notes and everything, Vice President Jean McCoy points out. It allows employees to upload their timesheets and information to an FTP site, download and review and approval is completed in the office. This allows President Darrell McCoy, Jean McCoy and other managers to know the next day whether a job is doing well or poorly instead of waiting for the financial reports to be completed. The software also allows accurate bid preparation because costs are tracked. McCoy Grading Inc. uses GPS technology in its bulldozers and grading equipment to reduce onsite staking. The GPS will tell them where theyre located and if they need to cut or fill, McCoy notes. It allows equipment to increase production by 25 percent and exceed tolerances of 1/8 inch within 10 feet of straight edge. It tells them when to raise and lower the blade, Darrell McCoy explains. Its fully automated. When you set the grader down, you swap the machine over to the automatic operation. The operator then just steers the machine, and as long as you stay within 2 inches above or below of grade, it will run itself. If tolerances exceed 2 inches, the operator must return the equipment to that spot manually and redo that section. The purpose is to handle material only once, he says. Its an expensive investment, but it will pay off for us eventually, Jean McCoy maintains. There are some specifications that require that you use GPS to final grade on some roadways. Using these GPS systems requires a highly skilled employee in the office to map out each job using manual calculations. Not just anybody can do that, she points out. It takes a lot of checking, double-checking and fact-checking www.mccoygrading.com before you send that file out.
MCCOY GRADING USES THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE SITE PRODUCTIVITY. BY RUSS GAGER
McCoy Grading Inc.
Location: Greenville, Ga. Employees: 75 2010 revenue: $20 million Specialty: Grading, site preparation and storm sewers
Making the Grade

McCoy Grading Inc. owns approximately 65 pieces of heavy equipment and a fleet of 16 pickup trucks, three dump trucks, two field trucks, three low-boy trucks and three field service mechanics trucks. These keep overhead costs higher than those of some of the newer companies who may just be renting their equipment and bidding too low on jobs. A lot of companies are bidding site work,
A lot [of companies] dont really know whats involved in doing commercial sites.
Jean McCoy, vice president
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McCoy reports. That is keeping margins low because a lot dont really know whats involved in doing commercial sites. Theyve done residential, and then they move over to commercial, and they dont know the whole scope, so sometimes theyre way underbidding. Were seeing a lot of cities and counties go to bidder prequalification, and that weeds out some people who dont have the capacity to do jobs who are just bidding for cash flow. But most of the time, the low bidder gets the job.
New Headquarters
At first, McCoy Grading Inc. was operated out of the McCoys home. But after several years, they rented a single-room office in a strip mall, and then transitioned several more years later to a 1,500-square-foot building. In 2008, McCoy Grading moved into a new 10,000-square-foot building with office and shop space and a fenced-in yard for trucks and equipment. divided four-lane highway. Started in April 2010, the project is due for completion at the end of March 2012. A $6.9 million project expanding three miles of two-lane highway to three lanes in Butts County near Jackson. The project also is moving the highway 12 feet further away from a railroad track it parallels. Started in April 2010, this project is due for completion in February 2012.
ARRA Influential
Three recent McCoy Grading highway projects had some portion of their cost paid for by funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. They were: Three miles of two-lane highway in Terrell County, Ga., near Dawson, completed for $3.3 million in March 2011. A portion of the existing asphalt was retained and widened to remove some steep curves. McCoy Grading used three subcontractors for painting, striping and signs. A $16 million project converting 8.1 miles of two-lane road from Eatonton to Milledgeville in Putnam County, Ga., to a
Private to Public
McCoy Grading Inc. was founded in 1986 by Darrell McCoy and his brother Jeff, whose half
of the company was bought by Darrell and Jean McCoy in 2007 when Jeff left the partnership. Darrell and Jeans son Daniel now is vice president of operations and their daughter, Crystal Jones, is working with Jean on the financial and compliance side of the company. Jeff now is running his own smaller construction company and does mostly private work. McCoy Grading Inc. moved from ponds and the residential work such as septic tank installation it had performed since it was founded to commercial work in 1992 when the residential market slowed. Then around 2000, when the commercial market started slowing, the company moved about 60 percent of its business to state and municipal work and the rest commercial. Since 2008, state and municipal work is nearly 90 percent of the business and commercial the rest, most of it within the southern half of Georgia south of I-20. We were like 25 when we got into the business, McCoy says. Darrell built a pond for a guy and liked it, and it grew from there. We didnt have a lot of experience we were both just publicly employed and didnt really want to depend on someone else for our livelihood. We were trying to control our own destiny.
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Clark Dietz Engineers says it believes in the use of context sensitive solutions.
Civil | CLARK DIETZ ENGINEERS INC. Sharing the Experts

Projects on which Clark Dietz performs the engineering are approximately 45 percent transportation, 40 percent civil/environmental (water, wastewater and storm water), and 15 percent electrical and mechanical. Ken Nelson estimates approximately 95 percent of the companys work is with public clients, mainly municipalities and states. Founded in 1953 by three University of Illinois engineering professors James Clark, Eugene Daily and Jess Dietz in Champaign, Ill., the company has six offices in Wisconsin, Indiana and Illinois, including Chicago. Most of its projects are within those three states. Executives and engineers work out of the offices closest to them on projects for all offices of the company. The only way we can compete with bigger firms is to share our experts, Nelson maintains. We want to find the best people wherever we can find them. Weve learned we can do a much better job if we get our best technical person on the job as opposed to who we might have in that particular office. Its easy to share information today, so we dont all need to be in the same place.
Engineering Prosperity
CONCENTRATING ON CLIENTS THAT SHARE ITS VALUES HAS KEPT CLARK DIETZ INC. GOING STRONG IN A SLOW ECONOMY. BY RUSS GAGER
their ideas and sometimes having to explain why an idea wont work after evaluating its engineering feasibility infrastructure and highway projects can be brought to fruition instead of abandonment from public opposition. The idea is if the public and stakeholders are involved at the beginning and youre able to air out their ideas, theres going to be a lot more support for the project, Chairman Ken Nelson points out. You talk about the needs of the project in a statement of purpose and need. You bring the stakeholders which includes the public, business owners, developers, many
ometimes, abandoned infrastructure projects litter the outskirts of major cities. Roads go from two- or four-lane highways to limited access interstates for a few miles, and then back to roads with traffic lights. Frequently, the reason the interstate didnt keep going or was never built in the first place is public opposition. But Clark Dietz Engineers is championing context sensitive solutions (CSS), in which all the major stakeholders to a highway or civil engineering project are brought into the planning process early. By engaging them and evaluating
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are a dozen or 20 people, they tend to be times farmers, industry and the chamber of respectful to each other. Its a better format, commerce you bring these people together although it takes a lot more work. We sent a half and you have working sessions with them. www.clarkdietz.com dozen of our best people to facilitation training Clark Dietz is using the technique at the 2010 revenue: $ 22 million to learn how to facilitate a group. direction of the Illinois DOT (IDOT) on two high Headquarters: Champaign, Ill. CSS can mean holding numerous public way projects in central Illinois and one in the Employees: 140 meetings, which can increase engineering costs. Chicago area. On one project the Eastside Specialty: Engineering The real cost is in the construction and 20 years of Highway in Bloomington-Normal, Ill. the operating and maintenance costs. When you project had lost traction in previous years due look at the typical project and you look at lifecyto public opposition. But this time, Clark Dietz cle cost, engineering is 1 to 2 percent of the used CSS and developed support for the project. whole lifecycle cost, Nelson points out. We were starting with something that had Ken Nelson, chairman negative connotations, Nelson points out. We had close to 20 public meetings with these difAligning Values ferent small groups very hands-on. We were Clark Dietz Engineers focuses on seven core able to gain support by working very closely with the stakeholders values it has practiced since formulating them in 1999. They are profesthrough developing alternatives that were acceptable and supported by sionalism, integrity, collaboration, client relationships, employee supthe majority. Some of the feedback we got from people in opposition port, broad-based employee ownership and remaining profitable. The was, We might not agree with the final recommendation, but we feel company started surveying its employees to determine how closely it good that we were heard. was practicing these values. It then was decided to survey clients about the same thing, and finally to ask employees how well clients aligned with Clark Dietzs values. Meeting Facilitation These evaluations then were compared with Clark Dietzs profitability With CSS, the project manager becomes a meeting facilitator. Ive peron those clients projects. Projects for those clients whose values aligned sonally held public meetings for large projects with hundreds of people, well with Clark Dietzs also were the most profitable ones for Clark Dietz. and they can get out of hand, Nelson concedes. When all of sudden What we found was a very strong correlation between profitability you have people saying, Youre ripping down my house its not fair, and alignment of our values, Nelson reveals. you lose control of the meeting. When youre working with groups that
Clark Dietz Engineers Inc.
What we found was a very strong correlation between profitability and alignment of our values.
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Civil | PANAMA CANAL AUTHORITY PANAMA CANAL EXPANSION
expansion of the Panama The Canal will increase its capacity and ability to handle large ships.
Refreshing the Canal
THE PANAMA CANALS $5 BILLION UPGRADE WILL BE A MAJOR BOOST TO ITS NAMESAKE COUNTRY.
ne of the worlds largest and greatest civil engineering feats will enter its second century with a greatly increased capacity. Work on the expansion of the Panama Canal is projected to wrap up in 2014, in time for the 100th anniversary of the canal, a crucial link for the international shipping trade between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The $5 billion project, overseen by the Panama Canal Authority (ACP), will add a third set of locks with two related facilities, one on the canals Pacific Ocean side and the other facing the Atlantic. Expanding the canal will allow it to accommodate larger freight ships, making it more equipped to handle a projected doubling in cargo volume within the next 15 years, the ACP says. Currently, the canal can accommodate ships with a capacity of 4,500 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs); after construction, that will
www.pancanal.com Project cost: $5 billion Scope of work: Locks installation and expansion Workers on site at peak: More tha n 40,000
Panama Canal Authority
Panama Canal Authority Panama Canal Expansion
The expansion will heighten the competitiveness of the route.

increase to 12,000. The maximum beam (width) of ships will increase from 104 to 160 feet wide, and the maximum length will go from 964-feet long to 1,200 feet. The objectives of the canal expansion are to achieve long-term sustainability and growth for the canals contributions to Panamanian
society, maintain the canals competitiveness, increase its capacity to capture the growing tonnage demand with appropriate levels of service for each market segment, and make the canal more productive, safe and efficient, it adds. Since its construction, the canal has undergone a series of updates and modernizations. Discussions surrounding building a third set of locks to increase its capacity date back to the 1930s, but were put on hold for decades after initial excavations by the United States were suspended in 1942 as a result of World War II, the authority says.
Project Components
Excavation and concrete work are now underway on the expansions four main components. The first of these is construction of the locks and locks facilities. The locks facilities will each have three chambers used as water saving basins, as well as water filling and emptying systems and rolling gates.
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The second main component of the expansion project is the creation of a 6.1-kilometer access channel to the locks, requiring the movement of 49 million cubic meters of soil and other material. The third component involves dredging and widening existing channels to support larger vessels entering the canal from the Pacific Ocean, and the final part of the project involves increasing the capacity of Gatun Lake in order to improve the canals water supply, the authority says.
To date, a significant number of [animals] have been rescued and relocated.

Jan De Nul n.v., for dredging an access channel linking the new locks on the Pacific to the canals Culebra Cut as well as dredging the canals Atlantic entrance; and Dredging International, for dredging a portion of the canals north Gatun Lake access channel.
Environmental Authority, is conducting wildlife rescue and relocation efforts in the construction area. To date, a significant number of mammals, amphibians and reptiles, and a limited number of birds have been rescued and relocated as part of this effort, the ACP adds. In addition, contracts have been awarded to reforest 565 hectares roughly 1,400 acres of forest impacted by the project.
Positive Impact
Funding for the project was approved by a national referendum in 2006, with a vast majority of voters agreeing with the ACPs assessment that the expansion project will greatly benefit Panamas economy in the long-term. More than 40,000 jobs will be created as a result of construction, the authority says. The project will significantly increase revenue in the country, both from tolls as well as from the positive effect of the overall growth of the economy and the direct and indirect creation of jobs, the ACP explains. The expansion of the Panama Canal will heighten the competitiveness of the route in world maritime transportation.
Major Contractors
Grupo Unidos por el Canal S.A. (GUPCSA), a consortium of Panama-area civil contracting firms, is the general contractor designing and building the locks. Other key contractors include: Constructora Urbana S.A., Cilsa Panama Minera Maria, Constructora Meco S.A., and the consortium ICA-FCC-MECO, for different phases of the Pacific access channel excavation work; Dredging International, for dredging and widening of the Pacific entrance navigational channel;
Environmental Management
The ACP is ensuring that all excavation activities comply with its Environmental Management Plan. As part of the plan, the Authority, along with contractors and in coordination with Panamas National
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Civil | SCHMUESER & ASSOCIATES INC.
Mineral Park Mine facility, when completed, will process 50,000 tons of copper, The molybdenum and silver per day. Owned by Mercator Minerals and built by
Keep it Moving
M
ercator Minerals Ltd. is not in the construction industry, but its not necessarily immune to its effects, either. On the other hand, it hasnt let the construction slowdown put a damper on its plans. It purchased Mineral Park Mine near Kingman, Ariz., in 2003, intent on constructing a 50,000-tonsper-day facility at the copper, molybdenum (moly) and silver mine. The two-phase project kicked off in 2007 and, after a temporary hold, it is now in its second phase to bring the plant into its full capacity by June 2011. The projects first phase commenced in April 2007 with Schmueser & Associates Inc. as its industrial contractor. For the next year-and-ahalf, Schmueser placed 34,000 cubic yards of concrete and more than 4.5 million pounds of rebar. It erected more than 1,000 tons of structure steel, laid 50,000 feet of pipe and expended 680,000 man-hours to do so. It also installed equipment including: Jaw crusher Two sag mills Two ball mills Rougher, copper and moly float cells Tailing thickeners Copper and moly filter presses
Schmueser & Associates, the project will be completed by June 2011.
MERCATOR MINERALS TEAMS WITH SCHMUESER TO BRING MINERAL PARK MINE ONLINE. BY JAMIE MORGAN
Schmueser & Associates Inc.

www.schmueser-inc.com Location: near Kingman, Ariz. Employees on site at peak: 350 Scope: 50,000-tons-per-day mining facility
Projects of this nature require a good working relationship for the project to be successful.
Sonny LeClair, estimating manager
Concentrate handling systems We started the project way before engineering was complete in order to get it online in a timely fashion, says Schmueser Estimating Manager Sonny LeClair. LeClair says document control was key in ensuring the field foremen were working with current information. For some aspects, such as steel fabrication, the team began constructing without approved shop drawings in order to keep a steady flow of materials coming on site. LeClair acknowledges this procedure runs the risk of detail errors, but the team minimized mistakes
through constant communication. The relationship between Mineral Park and Schmueser & Associates was so close that all decisions were made together, which kept the project moving forward at all times, he says. Projects of this nature require a good working relationship for the project to be successful. The first phase was successful. And construction finished in December 2008. The owners achieved commercial production in second-quarter 2009 with an output of 25,000 tons of ore per day. Just as the first phase neared completion, the financial industry took a hit, stalling construction projects across the nation, including Mineral Park Mine. However, Mercator was determined to bring the mine to its full capacity, and Schmueser remained in close contact with the owner in between construction to assist with second-phase budgeting. The second phase began its fast-tracked construction in February 2010. When its completed, LeClair says it will be the first new milling facility in the United States to handle moly in the last 15 years. This puts them in a pretty good position when the economy finally turns around to be a major player in molybdenum production, he says. The moly is what has
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made this project viable. It produces a lot more copper than it does moly, but in ratio dollarwise, the results are somewhat equal. Moly is a silvery-white metal used in highstrength alloys. It can withstand high temperatures without significant expanding or softening, and is used in products such as aircraft parts and industrial motors. Mercator estimates Mineral Park to have a 25-year mine life able to produce 1.1 billion pounds of copper, 257.5 million pounds of moly and 11.7 million ounces of silver. It is scheduled to start producing 50,000 tons of ore per day in June. Second-phase components include an additional crushing system, generating facility, gas fire power plant, doubling of the rougher flotation and two additional ball mills.
They trust our expertise and let us work our way through the project.
ognize the importance of a safe production philosophy. Schmueser has developed training programs specific to the industrial construction market. In addition to providing MSHA Part 48 and OSHA training to its employees, Schmueser is a member of the National Safety Council. During the first phase, two full-time site safety professionals were on site. Now that the crew is minimal, the safety personnel visit the site biweekly to audit the project. They stay on site until all issues are resolved. However, LeClair says the biggest factor in the projects success is the owners leadership. Its just a very well-coordinated effort spearheaded by the owner and his desire to complete the proj-
All in the Mine

Mining construction isnt Schmueser & Associates Inc.s only forte. The company formed in 1980 also serves as an industrial contractor for oil and gas, electrical and instrumentation, and public works projects. Nevertheless, Sonny LeClair, Schmueser & Associates estimating manager, estimates that mining construction still accounts for 70 percent of the companys work. The Rifle, Colo.-based company has worked on the Pend Oreille Mine lead concentrator near Metaline Falls, Wash. It performed both underground and surface construction required to re-commission the mine. It also completed the Cripple Creek & Victor Gold Mine Cresson Expansion Project in the Cripple Creek Mining District 24 miles west of Colorado Springs. For this project, it earned the Gold Hard Hat Award from Colorado Construction in 2002.
Successful Leadership
LeClair says the construction has gone very smoothly thus far, especially as far as safety is concerned. Schmueser & Associates takes safety seriously and goes to great lengths to provide a safe, healthy, and productive work environment for both our employees and clients, the company states. Though we approach our projects with a safety first attitude, we also rec-
ect and get it up and running, he says. They also trust our expertise and let us work our way through the project and provide them with what they need.
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Civil | D.P. ELECTRIC INC.
Being the Local Favorite
Electric says it has established D.P. itself as a contractor Arizona clients can count on.
ARIZONAS D.P. ELECTRIC SAYS IT HAS EARNED A BASE OF LOYAL CUSTOMERS. BY ALAN DORICH
fter more than two decades, D.P. Electric Inc. says it has established itself as a contractor that Arizona clients can count on. Our responsiveness and attention to detail has secured lasting relationships with the valleys leading general contractors and corporations, the company says. Based in Tempe, Ariz., D.P. Electric specializes in multiple products and services, including pre-construction services, underground and overhead distribution, temporary power systems, energy efficiency modeling, backup systems and fiber optics. President Daniel J. Puente founded D.P. Electric in 1990. A longtime veteran of the electrical industry, Puente started the company after working as the general foreman/electrician of another firm. Throughout the years, D.P. Electric has evolved from a sole proprietorship into a corporation. However, one [aspect] has remained constant: D.P. Electrics dedication to providing skilled workmanship in the commercial field for many reputable general contractors, the company says. This philosophy has earned it an 80 percent rate of repeat business from clients throughout Arizona, with the majority of its projects in Maricopa County. Clients have come to expect excellence from the initial contact through to the final completion, D.P. Electric states. We enjoy a reputation of dependability even in the most challenging situations, the company continues. Satisfied clients that is how we measure our success.
D.P. Electric Inc.

www.dpelectric.com Headquarters: Tempe, Ariz. Employees: 150+ Service: Electrical contracting
We enjoy a reputation of dependability even in the most challenging situations. Satisfied clients that is how we measure our success. D.P. Electric
The sizes of these projects also have ranged from 5,000 to more than 1 million square feet. The company currently is at work on an upgrade project for Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, which will see the addi-
High Standards
D.P. Electrics portfolio includes numerous ground-up projects for many prominent general contractors. According to the company, these include medium- and high-rise buildings, municipal/government buildings, retail centers, banks, medical plazas and office buildings.
tion of terminals and security modifications. D.P. Electric says it has previously completed numerous projects at the airport, which is the fifth busiest in the world. Any work or company completed work associated with an international airport is scrutinized and held to extremely high standards of workmanship, the company says. D.P. Electric is very proud to be a part of the Phoenix Sky Harbor expansion and this continuing growth within our state, the company declares, noting that its work on the project includes structural build-outs, assistance with architectural service projects, and security and fire alarm system upgrades.
A Thriving Market
D.P. Electrics portfolio also includes tenant improvement work. The tenant improvement market in the Valley is very important for both
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Phoenix and D.P. Electric, the company says, noting that projects of this type require experts and hands-on management. Over the last 15 years, we have successfully completed many tenant improvement projects, ranging from a single store within a retail center to complete, multi-floor build outs of many of the Valleys high rises, D.P. Electric says. For these projects, the company has served such general contractors as Jokake Construction, Sundt Construction, Weitz Co. and Stevens Leinweber. Through D.P. Electrics proactive team approach with general contractors, owners and/or owners representatives, we not only continue to meet the demanding requirements of these projects, but we are frequently asked back by those same organizations when it is once again time to build and grow, the company says. D.P. Electrics tenant improvement portfolio includes a recent project at the Phoenix Convention Center. We worked with Caliente Construction to renovate some light fixtures and make other electrical adjustments to the [center], the company describes.
The Right Resources

D.P. Electric also operates a service division, with technicians who are required to stay up-to-date with code changes. Our technicians are pro-
fessional, experienced and highly skilled, which equates to savings of time and money, the company states. We stand behind our work, offering a 100 percent satisfaction guarantee on all work completed, it continues, adding that it also provides emergency service to its customers 24/7. D.P. Electric has the resources to provide [clients] with as many electricians as needed to complete any task any time of the day or night, the company says. We own temporary cable, distribution equipment and generators to support most commercial buildings in case of a temporary outage. The divisions recent projects have included providing a room addition at a telephone switch building for Qwest Cottonwood South. Although this may seem like a simple task at first glance, the company says the project required the temporary relocation of the buildings emergency generator and its generator transfer switch control cabinet. Relocating the emergency generator allowed the back wall of the building to be removed so that the new addition could be attached, D.P. Electric explains. Once the addition was complete, the generator was moved again to its new location behind the building, and the transfer switch and control cabinets were moved to the new back wall, the company says.
Our technicians are professional, experienced and highly skilled.
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Residential
By Ronald A. Street
Picking the Right Firm

The management structure of new construction projects traditionally consisted of the owner-builder-designer three-way relationship, with engineering and/or architectural firms serving as project managers.
A more streamlined and effective approach to todays construction projects involves the role of professional project management (PM) firms. As a direct liaison between a projects owner and the many vendors involved in the construction process, a PM firm serves as the primary hub through which an owners general vision is transformed into reality. From concept through completion, a PM firm is charged with implementing the steps, guidelines and milestones that ultimately result in bringing a projects conception to fruition. As soon as an owner engages a PM firm, its first step is developing a program that defines the projects individual needs. This includes working with the project owner to execute a corresponding schedule, budget and scope of expectations, which will result in timely project completion.
The Firms Role

A significant role of a PM firm involves harnessing and managing the necessary professional teams including architects, engineers and other specialty vendors engaged in the construction process. The number of project managers involved in a new construction project typically corresponds to the size of the project itself. A mid-sized PM firm usually houses between 10 to 15 employees, and the number of staff dedicated to a project is directly related to the specific projects needs. More important than the number of staff involved, however, is their individual depth and breadth of experience in everything from architecture, engineering, and building/construction management to financial suitability. Some of the more complex tasks a professional PM firm can help owners facilitate include: Identifying and securing funding ranging from the state to the federal government levels; Assisting in building community and political support for a project; Executing feasibility studies; Coordinating land acquisition and zoning; Navigating the building permit process; Creating requests for proposal (RFPs) for specialty vendors and coordinating the hiring process; and Preparing presentations to boards of directors and others. As most project owners are not necessarily construction experts, a PM firms guidance in the above areas can streamline the completion process, maintaining focus on the key milestones at hand and allowing the project owner to remain dedicated to the big picture.
The Early Stages

In the best-case scenario, a project owner will consult a professional PM firm before embarking upon a construction project. This initial contact is important because it enables the owner to benefit from the PM firms existing contacts. This early engagement leads to the prompt execution
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IN THIS SECTION
of feasibility studies that can determine the ideal project scope and define the best corresponding course of action. Simultaneous to this process, the PM firm and owner will work handin-hand to explore possible funding sources, as well as opportunities to supplement this funding with local, state and federal grant programs. Also at this time, the PM firm will help in capital fundraising efforts, as well as seek out additional incentives via local utility companies. PM firms also can assist in negotiating property leases and/or purchases acting as a primary contact among the project owner, real estate brokers and landlords to achieve the best price point and create feasibility for all stakeholders. As soon as early plans are completed, a PM firm becomes deeply involved in the RFP process for professional service providers, particularly architects and engineers and consistently works to refine cost estimates and constructability reviews. In this role, PM firms allow the owner to bid on a project with the confidence that he or she will achieve the appropriate balance of scope, time and budget that was established at the onset of the project.
Disaster Kleenup International g p.126

DKI is the largest disaster restoration organization in North America.
Shaddock Homes
g p.136 Shaddock Homes business has prospered through four recessions.

Company Profiles
126 132 136 140 143 146 149 Disaster Kleenup International Onni Group of Companies Shaddock Homes Derr Flooring Co. Home Creations Inc. Neighbors Construction Co. Inc. Van Metre Cos.
The Construction Process

Following plan completion, a construction project will go to bid and a construction manager/general contractor will be brought on-board. The role of a PM firm in this process cannot be underestimated. The firm will work closely with design professionals to develop a bid package, create a bid list of appropriate contractors and participate in all contract negotiations, making recommendations on necessary contract mandates and/or concessions and eventually arriving at a fair and equitable agreement with the chosen construction agent on behalf of the owner. Once construction is underway, a PM firm serves as the eyes and ears in overseeing all site activity while constantly monitoring progress. As daily costs are at their highest during this stage of the construction process, project managers are tasked with working diligently to circumvent any delays which might occur. By becoming involved in the dayto-day activities of the construction process, a PM firm can work with all parties to identify any potential shortcomings, as well as present solution options before any negative consequences result. Even when a project is deemed officially complete, there are still numerous issues that a professional PM firm can help negotiate. These include commissioning building systems, handling warranty issues, providing final, as-built close-out documentation and the general acceptance and turnover of the building.
The Firms Benefits

A professional PM firm brings years of combined experience and expertise to a construction project. While there are numerous benefits a PM firm brings to a project owner, there are a few tailored specifically to construction managers. The most prevalent of these benefits include scope definition and financial contractual obligation. While there is a cost for engaging a PM firm in the construction process, the multitude of savings realized in the areas of lease negotia-
tions, property acquisition, vendor selection, cost management techniques, construction oversight and quality control far outweigh the relatively slight fee incurred by a project owner. Many in the construction industry once held the misconception that PM firms are paid to question each and every decision made by the project designer or construction manager, thus threatening a projects team mentality. In reality, however, project managers help foster a spirit of responsibility and mutual accountability, keeping everyone on schedule and within budget. Project managers prevent owners from being bogged down by isolated issues and serve to continually keep projects moving forward. They oversee the construction process with a critical eye and laser-focused attention to detail, ultimately resulting in a win-win for all project stakeholders.
RONALD A. STREET is principal and managing director of NorthStar Advisors. For more information, visit www.northstar-advisors.com.
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Residential | DISASTER KLEENUP INTERNATIONAL
Only the Best

The economy has fr lot of people, and thightened a e old way of business is not wor more. Dale Sailer, preside king anynt
Annual revenues: Headquarters: Woo$1 billion+ Employees: 48 d Dale, Ill. Specialty: Disaste contracting services r restoration
A UNIQUE BUSINESS MODEL AND SOLID REPUTATION HAVE ENSURED DKIS SUCCESS. BY KATHRYN JONES
Disaster Kleenup I nternational www.disasterkleenup.c om
DKI specializes in disaster restoration services for a variety of clients.
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s the largest disaster restoration contracting organization in North America not to mention the first and only green-certified company in its industry no job is too small or too large for Disaster Kleenup International (DKI). Established in 1974, the Wood Dale, Ill.-based companys portfolio ranges from $300 toilet overflows to multimillion-dollar disaster relief efforts that followed the 9/11 terrorist attacks and Hurricane Katrina. No matter what the size, every project receives the same immediate response, attention to detail, technical excellence, quality service and fair pricing, President Dale Sailer asserts. Thats because DKI is a service franchise that consists of hundreds of members all working under the same objective of raising the industry bar for technology, service, safety and sustainability. In sum, the organization has 173 members with 252 offices in the United States and 41 members with 56 offices in Canada, as well as international expansion opportunities on the horizon. Its broad customer base covers every market sector from residential and commercial to industrial, institutional and municipal government. As a result, its potential for expansion appears limitless. And yet the company is mindful of its growth. DKI recruits approximately 25 franchise members each year, but that number could be considerably greater, Sailer notes. Many competitive organizations have aggres-
sive growth models in place to acquire complementary companies and consolidate them under their corporate umbrella. Thats not necessarily the case with DKI. The company is unusually flexible when it comes to incorporating its brand into new franchisees. Some change their names; others dont. Some incorporate the DKI logo onto their trucks; others dont. Sailer and the other executives at DKI are strong proponents of the whatever makes them happy mentality.
We know that if you want to recruit the best you wont if you tell them they have to change everything about their business to join you, he explains. We dont want the individual contractor to lose that distinctive quality that has made them successful. We are not trying to create a cookie-cutter service experience. We want to create an exceptional service experience that is unique in every market. All of our contractors are different, but they have a technical capability and service experience capabil-
Industry Accolades
The highest level of achievement a contractor can receive in the disaster restoration contracting industry is the Certified Restorer designation from the Restoration Industry Association. There are roughly 500 individuals in the world who have that designation; one out of every six of them is in our organization, Sailer notes. Thats like one accounting firm having one out of six CPAs in the world, he adds. Every year, that same association awards the Phoenix Award to the best restoration projects. Its been awarded 27 times; DKI companies have won half of them.
One Source Staffing & Labor Offices: Chicago, Kansas City, Houston Ryan Oldham, National Sales (913) 231-8455, ryan@cat-staff.com Available 24/7
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ity such that when you walk away, you know youve been taken care of by a DKI company whether they are wearing a red shirt, a white shirt or a blue shirt.
Exclusive Membership
DKI continuously seeks to identify market leaders and recruit them into the organization. We offer a variety of services and benefits that are available to our franchisees, and we encourage them to take advantage of them, Sailer says. Although these contractors have been successful in their markets, we believe we can help them grow much faster and become more profitable if they take full advantage of what we can do for them. Even if DKIs corporate staff believes a particular contractor is good does not mean the company will automatically join the organization. Potential recruits are required to fill out an extensive application and gather numerous recommendations to prove they are capable of complementing the DKI family. DKI then
The existing membership controls who gets in because they want to protect the integrity of the DKI brand.
reviews the application and performs a thorough background check. Existing members are invited to survey the candidates facilities to see if they are capable of delivering a DKI experience to not only their customers, but to our customers, as well, Sailer says.
DKI says it is meticulous about the contractors it brings into the organization. portfolio ranges from DKIs small restoration work to large-scale disasters.
Member Case Study

Saginaw, Mich.-based Hammer Restoration Inc. has been a member of DKI for the past 12 years. It was one of the best business decisions weve made as a company, says General Manager Brenda Sutton, who has been with the company for 14 years. Hammer Restoration has experienced significant growth since it became a member of DKI. It opened an office in Mt. Pleasant, Mich., two years ago and now has plans to expand into the commercial market. I would say Im most proud of the growth of the company, Sutton says. Its very fascinating and rewarding to be a part of the growing process with Hammer Restoration. The decision is then placed in the hands of a membership committee solely consisting of DKI members in a particular region, whether it is in the Northeast, the Midwest, the Southwest and so on. The committee votes to determine
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whether the candidate gets in. If the majority of the group says, Yes, but one member says, No, the candidate will not get in because it is absolutely essential that all members of the committee agree, Sailer says. The existing membership controls who gets in because they want to protect the integrity of the DKI brand, he remarks. They want to make sure the investment they made is protected by letting in highly capable contractors not contractors that could undermine their reputation in the marketplace. That is a huge differentiator between us and our competitors. It also means that we dont grow as fast as we could. We have people who desperately want to get in but are not approved.
users, and we funnel out thousands and thousands of jobs to our members every year, Sailer says. We also offer indirect marketing, whether it is advertising in trade magazines, promoting ourselves at trade shows or performing charity work. Associating yourself with the DKI brand adds prestige and credibility to your business. DKI also operates a comprehensive purchasing program that enables members to buy products from dozens of top-tier vendors
through which the company already has established discounted pricing. It also offers continuous improvement education and networking opportunities with other members to exchange best practices about new technologies and problem-solving scenarios. Plus, with the economy in the doldrums, it is a good idea to affiliate oneself with a strong, profitable organization, Sailer notes. The economy has frightened a lot of people, and the old way of business is not working anymore, he
What DKI Offers Recruits

The reason why companies are anxious to become members of DKI is because it offers a plethora of value-added services. A key service is direct marketing. On a daily basis, we are out talking to insurance carriers and end-
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People recognize that they need a partner if theyre going to be successful.

social media. We need to chart a corporate direction that causes members to continue to find value in being associated with us. One of the trends taking place in our indusDKI maintains strong links with the commutry is that decisions on services such as ours go nities in which it operates. The company through an organizations national procurement recently announced its corporate sponsordepartment rather than locally, he continues. ship of the SAFELY OUT program established by Citizen Voice in Sacramento, We have the ability to complete those national Calif. The program ensures that a community purchasing deals. takes civic responsibility over vulnerable citiWhen a national disaster strikes, DKI has the zens, including the disabled, frail seniors and resources to rapidly deploy contractors to the young children, to ensure their protection in scene. He cites a hurricane in Florida as an examWhat DKI Offers Recruits the event of a disaster. The company is ple. Dozens of DKI members from around the DKIs retention rate for new recruits over the involved with numerous philanthropic organcountry will travel to Florida based on our past seven years exceeds 95 percent, according to izations, which also appeals to potential recruits, Sailer says. national contracts, Sailer says. We have enough Sailer. Weve got both our corporate objective business to keep all of those companies busy. It and our members objectives front and center, presents a very clear visual image of how strong he states. We are not successful if our members this organization is, and it leaves an impression not only in our cusor franchisees are not successful, and theyre not successful if were not successful, so our No. 1 responsibility is to make sure that we remain rel- tomers minds, but in other service providers minds who think, Now evant in the marketplace. We do this through initiatives like investing in there is an organization I might want to be a part of because they clearly know what theyre doing. technology, maintaining green certification and getting involved in says. People recognize that they need a partner in this game if they are going to continue to be successful. Even the best technical companies are struggling out there because the market has changed and good technicians are not necessarily good marketers. We can help them with that so they can focus on the stuff they do best. We provide resources for the small companies to get big, while still keeping their independence. They get the best of both worlds.
A Civic Duty
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Located in Langley, British Columbia, 27353-58th Crescent is one of Onnis industrial properties.
Residential | ONNI GROUP OF COMPANIES
Onnis Golden Days
A DIVERSE PORTFOLIO AND EXPERTISE HELP ONNI GROUP LEAD THE CANADIAN MARKET. BY STACI DAVIDSON
ike many developers, the economic recession wasnt a piece of cake for the Onni Group, but it wasnt a huge burden for the privately owned real estate operation, either. The companys history of successful developments dates back more than 40 years, and this foundation helped it remain strong, even when the market was weak. This is a family owned and operated company owned by the same family since the early 1960s, and it is a true rags-to-riches story, explains John Middleton, senior leasing manager. Four brothers came to Canada from Italy and started a landscaping business. They took that and collectively created one of the largest development operations in British Columbia and potentially Canada overall. As a full-service real estate company, Onni Group designs, develops, builds and manages a diverse portfolio of real estate residential masterplanned communities, mixed-use developments, office buildings, shopping centers and industrial parks. The Onni Group has developed more than 6,000 residential units in the last 10 years with another 4,500 units currently in the pipeline. It also has approximately 3.5 million square feet of space in its commercial portfolio, as well as an additional 2 million square feet in various stages of development. With experienced leadership and an extensive amount of undeveloped land, the company used its time during the recession to prepare new projects and position itself to act when the market recovered. We have a lot of expertise and experience within our company, which helped us navigate through difficult market, Middleton says. We know how to adapt to the market environment and assess the barometer of home purchasers and commercial tenants.
Onni Group of Companies

www.onni.com Headquarters: Vancouver Employees: 175 Specialty: Real estate development
We know how to adapt to the market and assess the barometer of home purchasers and commercial tenants.
John Middleton, senior leasing manager
As a result, he notes, Onni Group is already moving forward in constructing multiple major projects, even when the market hasnt completely recovered. We saw a light at the end of the tunnel and went for it, he adds.
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Mark one of Onnis The benchmark projects is a
Residential | ONNI GROUP OF COMPANIES
302-unit tower being built to LEED Gold standards.
Environmental Expectations
In the planning of any development, Onni Group of Companies keeps environmental sustainability in the forefront. In fact, the company retains dedicated staff to ensure its developments meet or exceed a strict set of environmental standards, and it builds to LEED specifications as much as possible. Green initiatives are important to us, because consumers expect environmentally conscious construction, John Middleton says. LEED is becoming standard on most projects, especially in commercial. A number of Onnis masterplanned communities have been built on brownfield sites, which helps reduce urban sprawl and eliminates pressure on greenfield development of wilderness and agricultural land. In all of its projects, the company says that it considers wildlife impact, heritage tree protection, greenway stewardship, energy efficiency, water and waste management, and numerous other related concerns. Right now, we are building a mixed-use building adjacent to downtown Vancouver that will have 90,000 square feet of office space and 300,000 square feet of residential, and that is being constructed to LEED Silver standards, Middleton says. Additionally, at our Fremont Village Shopping Centre, were implementing green-roof technology to the Walmart and Canadian Tire structures, as well as other larger buildings within the lifestyle section. We currently have eight major projects in the Metro Vancouver totaling more than 1.4 million gross buildable square feet that are being or will be built to a minimum of LEED Silver equivalent standards. One of our benchmark projects the Mark, a 302-unit residential tower in Yaletown is being built to LEED Gold equivalent standards.
Stylish Shopping
From land acquisition to site planning, design and construction, and marketing and sales, Onni Group manages every step of the development process in-house, giving it a greater control over quality. Quality is definitely a factor that one of Onnis newest projects Fremont Village will demonstrate, Middleton stresses. Located in Port Coquitlam, a suburb of Vancouver, Fremont Village is a 50-acre shopping center that will provide approximately 700,000 square feet of leasable space. It will be anchored by a 150,000-square-foot Walmart, opening in the early summer 2011, and a 73,000-square-foot Canadian Tire, opening in fall 2011. It also will include a 370,000 square-
foot main-street-style thoroughfare for smalland medium-format retailers. This will be a unique and attractive center when completed in early 2103, Middleton says. It will be one of the largest outdoor retail centers in British Columbia, and have a significant lifestyle component that will be pedestrian-oriented, which is unique to the area. It will have multilevel retail spaces and over 100,000square-feet dedicated to fashion. Fremont Village also will have more than 1,000 parking stalls, many of which will be located underground. Land in Metro Vancouver is at a premium, designs must flexible and creative to maximize efficiencies and land use, he says.
Aggressive Acquisitions
Five minutes to the east of Fremont Village is Pitt Meadows, British Columbia, where the Onni Group is developing a 95-acre industrial park the Golden Ears Business Center. We were the first developer to come out of the downturn and build industrial space on a speculative basis in British Columbia, he explains. As soon as we started seeing the market improve, we took that opportunity to kick off our new business park by building our first phase of the project, a 75,000-square-foot multi-tenanted building. Construction will start on the next 110,000-square-foot building in the early summer 2011. There is not a lot of land for large industrial
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tenants in the Metro Vancouver area, and new construction is limited, he continues. With what Golden Ears Business Center has to offer, we anticipate a lot of opportunity in the build-to-suit area. In total, Onni owns and manages approximately 1.5 million square feet of industrial space in the lower mainland of British Columbia, but the company expects to double its industrial portfolio over the next two to three years. About 800,000 square feet of this new industrial space will be in Ensenada, Mexico, which marks Onnis entrance into the Mexican market. We are aggressive with our acquisitions, Middleton says. We have two projects in Mexico right now, and we recently acquired 2,000 existing residential units in Phoenix. Were also looking in Ontario for additional opportunities in addition to the 1,500 residential units we are currently building in the Greater Toronto Area.
Innovative and Efficient

Onni Group is known predominately as a residential developer in Canada, with 15 residential projects under way right now, Middleton says. In British Columbia, he says, the company has a reputation as the provinces premier developer of masterplanned communities. Victoria Hill in New Westminster, British Columbia, for example, is a
65-acre community with in a park-like setting. When the multiphase project is complete, it will offer 1,400 residential units in high-rise and low-rise condominium towers and villas, as well as 40 areas of green space and a range of shops and services. This was land that the Onni Group bought from the government, Middleton explains. A hospital had been on the site for 100 years, but we redeveloped it into a residential garden community. We incorporated many of the existing trees and vegetation to make it an natural and comfortable environment. A substantial amount of Onnis recent residential units have been a part of mixed-use developments, which has become an expertise for the company, Middleton notes. In Suter Brook Village in Port Moody, British Columbia, Onni has 1,250 residential units in high- and low-rise condominiums and town homes, as well as 120,000 square feet of retail space, 40,000 square feet of office space with plans for a 140-room hotel. The unique feature of this project is virtually all the parking is underground. Usually considered a challenge for suburban commercial space, this has been a success at Suter Brook. Middleton says. Suter Brook demonstrates Onnis expertise we find desirable locations and provide features that homeowners will appreciate. However, its not enough to be innovative we also have to be efficient in our delivery.
With what we have to offer, we anticipate a lot of opportunity.
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Residential | SHADDOCK HOMES
Go North, Young Man

GOING OUTSIDE OF ITS HOME AREA HAS KEPT SHADDOCK HOMES BUSY. BY RUSS GAGER
T
Homes says its background in custom construction gives it the ability to provide homebuyers with Shaddock homes that have custom elements without asking for custom prices.
he difference between a custom and a production home can be recognized easily by the public and realtor community. But for Shaddock Homes whose president, Peter Shaddock, started as a custom homebuilder the difference is more difficult to detect. What we do is we give people a custom home without charging a custom home price, Shaddock emphasizes. Shaddock Homes is a large-scale, custom homebuilding operation. Shaddock Homes achieves its custom feel by making the changes its customers want, such as enlarging a master bedroom or adding two bedrooms. We come from a custom-builder background, and making changes is pretty easy for us, whereas people we compete with dont seem to be able to make changes easily, Shaddock declares. If they want a red front door or to move the garage to the other side, fine well do it. At present, Shaddock Homes specializes in building homes north and east of the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex in Allen, Frisco and Murphy, Texas. In the city of Dallas, Preston Road has always been the centerpiece of wealth as it expands north from downtown Dallas,
Shaddock Homes
www.shaddockhomes.com 2010 revenue: $ 50 million Headquarters: Plano, Texas Employees: 25 Specialty: Homebuilding
The problem is most of the banks arent lending developers money, so not many developers are developing new lots.
Peter Shaddock, president
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Shaddock emphasizes. The buying public perceives being near Preston Road as being very desirable and the place to live. In addition to Preston Road, housing development is aided by a toll road that parallels Preston Road as development expands north. When people buy homes in the subdivisions we build in, the buying public is looking for the best house in the best public school district for their kids, when they dont send them to private school, Shaddock maintains. I found in good times and bad times, the safest place to build houses is in the best school districts, whether it is north, east or west, he adds. We sell to families with children and older people and all kinds of people, but we stay in good school districts.
Residential | SHADDOCK HOMES
Lots Developed
Shaddock Homes range in size from 2,500 to 5,000 square feet and from $350,000 to $550,000. Shaddock estimates approximately half are built on spec. We sell mostly to people who want to live in the best suburbs and public school districts, Shaddock notes. These may be first-, second- or third-time homebuyers or people who may want to downsize from a $1.5 million house. Were generally close to neighborhoods already there, Shaddock says. We dont pioneer a new piece of property 10 miles out. Generally, a developer like Shaddock Development Company develops the lots, and builders like Shaddock Homes move in. Most homebuilders dont do land development; they buy lots from developers, and thats the way they want to do business. Shaddock Development also sells to other companies. We sell to high-end production builders and custom builders, Shaddock explains. We supply a builder with lots ready to build on and street sewers, and they do the landscaping and they do each lot. We go to the very best places and best school districts thats where we develop lots and thats where we sell. I have an ability to buy correct pieces of property because I know what people will buy. Shaddock Homes built 100 homes in 2010 and is planning to build 135 in 2011. Theres a great new area called Phillips Creek Ranch that is a pretty big land block in Frisco, and were going to be building there, Shaddock says. The main inhibiting factor to a builder in the Dallas market is a shortage of good lots. It can take over a year for a developer to develop new lots, and there isnt much development activity happening in the Dallas metroplex. Ill start as
Homes says Shaddock its size means it is highly invested in quality.
many houses as I can, provided that I can find good subdivisions to build in. The problem is, most of the banks arent lending developers money, so not many developers are developing new lots, he stresses. The good lots are in the hands of the builders already. A lack of good lots is not our only problem. The availability of large blocks of interim financing for spec homes is also a problem, since all the major banks are, for all practical purposes, out of the interim business. Generally, we obtain our interim financing from a larger group of smaller local banks.
Large Vs. Custom Builders

The percentage of homes being built in the Dallas area by large production builders has been increasing steadily over the years since Shaddock got into the business in 1964. When I first got into the business, small custom builders built most of the houses, Shaddock points out. I built custom homes for many years, and for many years, I was the largest custom builder in the Dallas area. Each economic downturn in the Dallas area accelerated the move from the custom builder to the large production builder. During the sav-
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ings and loan crisis of the 1980s and the financial downturn from 2008 to 2010, large production builders picked up a larger percentage of homebuilding, which Shaddock estimates is now approximately 90 percent of the market. Custom builders generally are responsible for only the most expensive houses. The Dallas market slowed appreciably in 2008 and 2009, Shaddock says. Were very flexible to start, stop, go faster and change plans, he emphasizes. We can change our whole business model in six months. We keep it thin a typical company building the same number of houses as Shaddock Homes probably has one-third more employees. We have the best houses, the best product, the best location people who are not as sharp as us are having a lot more problems selling houses than we are. We dont have any problems selling houses although we could use a little more interim financing. We generally sell everything we build before it is completed.
loan that we had stock in or did business with went out with the exception of none, Shaddock says. Today, Shaddock Homes is incorporating stricter energy standards that will include improved thermal enclosures, efficient heating and cooling, a complete water management system and more energy-efficient appliances and lighting. These changes save our homeowners energy costs, Shaddock points out.
Entrepreneurial Spirit
The corporate culture of Shaddock Homes engenders an entrepreneurial spirit. Employees care about their jobs they just dont leave at 5 p.m., Shaddock stresses. When were doing something, theyre involved and care its like a family. Were small enough that everybody really cares about everybody. Everybody is there to do the job. We demand perfection from everybody. We are the very best people and get the best results, and its expected. Our corporate culture is to do what it takes to be the best. Shaddock sees good taste and design being a competitive advantage for his company. Shaddocks designs are so good that our competitors have a real hard time competing with us, he declares. They just cant match our design and the finesse of our houses. Theyre perfect nobody can do it any better than Shaddock Homes.
Decades of Experience
Since Shaddock Homes was founded in 1967, Weve been through four recessions, but only two were bad ones the other ones were just interference, Shaddock says. The savings and loan crisis in the late 1980s hit Texas particularly hard. Hypothetically, every bank and savings and
[Competitors] just cant match our design and the finesse of our houses.
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Residential | DERR FLOORING CO.

Flooring Co. represents Derr more than 40 different brands of hardwood flooring.
Completely Floored
DERR FLOORING CO. HAS MADE A NAME FOR ITSELF THROUGH CUSTOMER SERVICE AND QUALITY.
says. Our goal is to enhance our customers err Flooring Co. has grown from its skills by providing new product seminars and humble origins as a family owned www.derrflooring.com installation and sales training. flooring company into one of the Along with headquarters in Willow Grove, largest hardwood flooring distribu Headquarters: Willow Grove, Pa. Pa., Derr Flooring has locations in York and tors in the United States. The company repre Specialty: Flooring Olyphant, Pa.; Edison, N.J.; New Castle, Del.; and sents 40 different brands of hardwood flooring Herndon, Va. in a wide variety of species, styles, treatments and designs. The company also offers more than 325 difApproaching a Century ferent patterns of sheet vinyl, which covers Derr Flooring Co. was founded as the Derr the gamut of styles and colors for every decor Lumber Co. by John Hartenstine Derr in 1912. In or application. These include commercial and 1928, the company merged with a number of residential sheet vinyl, commercial vinyl comother distributors to become the Lumber and Derr Flooring position tile, wood treads, risers, stair compoMillwork Co. of Philadelphia. nents, laminate flooring, rubbery and vinyl In the aftermath of the Great Depression, flooring, and rubber and vinyl cove base. Derr Flooring also offers a Derr left the Lumber and Millwork Co. in 1931 and started the Derrcomplete line of installation products including adhesives, underlayGibbons Supply Co. in 1932. Along with his sons, Chester and Robert, ment patch, sandpaper, floor finish and every type of installation tool and two other employees, the company began distributing wood floornecessary for professional installations. ing and other lumber products like doors, moldings, millwork and wood Derr Flooring Co. takes great pride in offering these products and stair components. services to our customer base of floor covering retailers, wood flooring When John Derr passed in 1970, his sons took over everyday operacontractors, lumberyards, home centers and stair builders, the company tions of the new company. In 1979, they determined it would be best if
Derr Flooring Co.
Derr Flooring Co. takes great pride in offering these pro ducts and services to our customer base of floor covering retailers, wood flooring contractors, lumberyards, home centers and stair builders.
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Flooring offers a variety Derr of wood options that vary in species and styles.
Residential | DERR FLOORING CO.
the business was split into two new companies, and Derr Flooring Co. and Derr Lumber and Millwork Co. were created. By 1980, Chester Derr Flooring Co. operated from one location in Philadelphia with 25 employees. Five years later, the name was shortened to Derr Flooring Co., and today the company has more than 130 employees in six warehouses in four states. Along with representing the best flooring manufacturers in the industry, Derr Flooring also distributes some of the top finishing manufacturers for the wood flooring industry. These brands include Absolute Coatings, BonaKemi USA, Basic Coatings, Lenmar and ProSand & DCS. Our diverse product mix allows us to supply the right product for the right job, Derr Flooring explains. From commercial to recreational to residential installations, we have the right product for that application, giving the customer a beautiful, durable, easy-to-maintain floor.
Industry Activism
Derr Flooring Co. is involved with a number of trade associations, including: Eastern Building Materials Dealers Association. Greater Philadelphia Flooring Distributors Trade Association Inc. Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association Inc. Lumbermens Credit Association decorative borders, medallions and parquet flooring. Founded in 1992, Oshkosh Floor Designs combines computer-driven laser technology, water-jet cutting and precision woodworking with hand assembly to create intricate, unique patterns. [Oshkosh Floor Designs] has quickly earned a deserved reputation for exceptional design and meticulous quality, Derr Flooring says. The use of laser technology offers unlimited possibilities of cutting florals, wildlife, corporate logos anything and everything to distinguish [a customers] flooring. Oshkosh Floor Designs says it relies on its artisan process to deliver products such as custom medallions and floor decor elements.
Once its raw materials pass an inspection test, they are cut and shaped to specification. When the wood is ready, it is hand-assembled into patterns. Oshkosh Flooring Design uses this process to allow for numerous checks of the materials to ensure that the inlay is of the highest quality possible. Each pattern consists of tiny pieces of wood placed within a frame to recreate the customers design. After that, the wood is glued, pre-mounted or pre-finished before it is shipped to its destination.
Service Comes First

Derr Floorings Pro Division maintains a complete inventory of products to install, sand and finish wood flooring. This includes water- and oil-based floor finishes, sandpaper, nailing cleats and staples, and adhesives. The division also maintains a fleet of sanding machines, nailing guns and other installation tools. At its six locations, Derr Flooring employs highly trained customer service personnel who can answer its customers questions. Forty-five delivery vehicles support these individuals and can make deliveries in an eightstate region within 48 hours in most cases.
Customized Options
For customers interested in custom designs, Derr Flooring represents Oshkosh Floor Designs. This manufacturer creates customized
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Residential | HOME CREATIONS INC.
Creations is a 2011 Energy Star Partner of the Year. Pictured (left Home to right) are owners MJ and Jalal Farzaneh, with Dale Hoffmeyer from Energy Star, and Anita Wagoner, director of sales and marketing.
HOME CREATIONS QUALITY AND CUSTOMER SERVICE PUT IT AT THE TOP. BY STACI DAVIDSON
At Home in Oklahoma
Home Creations Inc.
www.homecreations.com Annual revenues: $100 million Headquarters: Moore, Okla. Employees: 110 Specialty: Homebuilding
very day, Home Creations Inc. strives to maintain its status as Oklahomas premier new homebuilder. Some may see this as a lofty goal, but Home Creations has found a formula for its business that keeps it at the top a combination of quality construction, understanding the needs of homebuyers and always going above and beyond in fulfilling expectations, according to Anita Wagoner, marketing and sales director. In the last three to four years, weve become the largest homebuilder and land developer in Oklahoma, and thats a position weve worked hard to attain, she says. Brothers Jalal and Mohammed Farzaneh founded Home Creations in 1981, and have since built their company by providing new homes that offer the best in amenities, design and location, as well as strong value. The company got its start in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area, but has since expanded into Tulsa and its surrounding areas of Broken Arrow,
Word-of-mouth referrals and customer service are invaluable they establish the relationships that build homes.
Anita Wagoner, marketing and sales director
Kiefer and Verdigris, as well as Lawton. To ensure its homes demonstrate consistent quality, Home Creations is a Certified Professional Builder who maintains high standards of professionalism, safety, fairness and progressive building techniques, Wagoner says. The company works with the
Oklahoma State Home Builders Association, which is an affiliate of the National Association of Home Builders, and has on-going education to keep its builders informed of new standards, materials and building methods. The companys portfolio includes completed homes and homes under construction, with more than 40 different designs in a number of collections. Its builders are good about anticipating market changes and trends, Wagoner says, ensuring Home Creations homes have the features, finishes and amenities buyers want. Our owners believe its important to get into the minds of our buyers and understand how they feel, she explains. Home Creations customer service is ongoing, even after the home is built. About six years ago, the company surveyed 5,000 of its homebuyers to determine its strengths and find out where it could improve. One concern among some of the buyers was the companys one-year warranty and response time, so that
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Residential | HOME CREATIONS INC.
became a major focus of Home Creations improvement efforts. Since then, Wagoner says, the companys referral rate has doubled. Our warranty department is a big strength of ours I love those guys, she says. They put in the work during the walk-through to eliminate defects or flaws, and now only 25 to 30 percent of our buyers call back during their first year in the house for any fixes and those are minor.
Delivering Savings
Home Creations tries to keep a low level of inventory it has a track record of conservative development, Wagoner says, but the popularity of last years homebuyer tax credit also ate up much of its stock. So, even though the real estate market is slower than it has been in years past, Home Creations builders are flexible in responding to buyers needs and are currently doubling efforts to provide inventory to meet demand. Additionally, the company is dedicated to equipping its homes with quality features and products, such as garage doors from Trotter Doors that are decorative and insulated. People are smart today and educated on construction, Wagoner says. They are going to compare whats out there, so we have to provide what theyre looking for and beyond. For example, with energy efficiency often topping the list of what buyers are looking for in a new home, the company is doing all it can to provide that. Carrying the Energy Star qualified label means Home Creations provides extra installation, ducts that dont leak and Energy Star qualified windows, all installed per Energy Star specifications, Wagoner says. Additionally, its homes are independently tested and inspected to ensure they meet the EPAs guidelines for energy efficiency. As a result, Home Creations was named the 2011 Energy Star Partner of the Year among mid-sized builders by the U.S. EPA. Partners like Home Creations that build homes that earn the Energy Star label are helping American homebuyers find more comfortable homes that also save money on energy bills and protect the environment, says Elizabeth Craig, acting director of EPAs Office of Atmospheric Programs. Homebuilders such as Home Creations are building an energy-efficient future for Americas families that will continue to deliver savings for years to come.
(left) and Mohammad Farzaneh founded Home Creations in 1981, and it is now the largest homebuilder Jalal and land developer in Oklahoma. Home Creations is known for equipping its homes with higher-quality features.
Going Beyond
Consistently providing quality construction and dedicated customer service has been a big part of getting Home Creations to the top of the
Oklahoma market, but its marketing efforts help it to remain there. Word-of-mouth referrals and customer service are invaluable they establish the relationships that build homes, Wagoner says. However, we still have to keep our message in front of the public. Home Creations gets its message out through homebuyer seminars, print and billboards, radio and television ads, as well as by maintaining a huge presence in social media with Facebook, a Twitter feed and blogs. With social media, we can keep in touch with our customers, and attract their friends, she notes. Most importantly, the members of the companys sales force work to generate their own leads, she adds, by sending out mailers, visiting local real estate offices and businesses, and attending civic events. We sell a lot to first-time homebuyers, so we
go out to where they are, Wagoner explains. Bridal fairs are a good example couples are getting married and need a place to live, and we are there to talk to them, one on one. Also, when we find out a company is re-locating in the area, we market to them. That way, we can get to the people before they relocate. Signage also is huge for us, but that is more for targeted, community marketing. An ongoing marketing presence, quality construction that goes way beyond the local building codes and flexible builders will enable Home Creations to maintain its leadership position in Oklahoma, she says. The company is financially strong and conservative in its development, she adds, which puts it in a good position to grow. Oklahoma is a great market, so that helps us, she says. However, not everyone in Oklahoma is doing as well as we are, so we consider ourselves very blessed.
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Residential | NEIGHBORS CONSTRUCTION CO. INC.
Caring Neighbors
ecently, President Roger Neighbors of MILESTONE Neighbors Construction Co. Inc. (NCCI) received a more-than-welcome blast from the past. It was a call from a former client who had hired NCCI in the 1970s, while Roger Neighbors father, Pat Neighbors, was still leading the company. The guy said, I knew your dad in the 70s, and Ive been calling around town asking people whos the best contractor to do apartments, and it turns out that its still you guys, Neighbors recalls. He knew us from over 40 years ago, which is great. Its priceless. Thats the name that we have built over the years, and we continue to build on that. The company proclaims that it has been in the business of Building Construction Projects and Relationships since 1951. As the unexpected phone call demonstrates, at NCCI, the two truly go hand in hand. It continues to demonstrate this philosophy with a do-it-all attitude it applies to each project, especially within the current construction climate. The company has a long list of multifamily projects and is delving deeper into the mixed-use and commercial arenas where its skill set is particularly useful.
REACHING 60 YEARS IS PROOF OF A COMPANY WHO EARNING A COMMUNITYS TRUST. BY JAMIE MORGAN
In Kansas and Missouri, where NCCI is based, several of the mixeduse developments are constructed as wooden residential structures sitting atop a concrete commercial building, such as the Mission Farms West project in Overland Park, Kan. This project features a concrete, 10,000-square-foot retail base topped with a three-story wood framed apartment building. The 386,000-square-foot luxury project is wrapped around a four story concrete parking garage, and the company says it is one of the first wrap projects in the Kansas City, Kan., area. Neighbors began the $23 million project in April 2011, and it is set for completion in December 2012. Aaron Neighbors, vice president of the company and Roger Neighbors son, explains that many commercial developers NCCI competes with on mixed-use developments are less adept in wood construction than NCCI. Our company started out as a wood framing subcontractor, Neighbors says. Knowing how wood buildings are constructed sets us apart in the mixed-use arena. A lot of commercial guys feel comfortable with concrete but not the wood frame above it while we are comfortable with both. We can go in and say, Let me do the whole thing. Ill do it all for you.
YEARS
60
Construction has Neighbors taken on more mixed-use projects in recent years.
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A lot of commercial guys feel comfortable with concrete but not the wood frame above it.
Aaron Neighbors, vice presiden t
www.neighborsconstruction.com Headquarters: Lenexa, Kan. 2010 revenues: $25 millio n Employees: 25 Services: Preconstruction, design ild, general contracting and risk ma/bu nagement.
Neighbors Construction Co. Inc.
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Building a Family Business Residential | NEIGHBORS CONSTRUCTION CO. INC.

Roger Neighbors, owner of Neighbors Construction Company Inc. (NCCI), says his father and founder of NCCI, Pat Neighbors, was a man of foresight. He began NCCI in 1951 building postwar housing. He started from the bottom and worked his way up, and made sure to hire smart people to work for him, Neighbors says. Roger Neighbors began working in the family business when he was about 14 years old, eventually buying the company from his father in 1989. Now in its 60th year, NCCI is sure to continue for another generation as Roger Neighbors twin sons, Aaron and Ryan Neighbors, serve as vice presidents. The two graduated from Colorado State University in 2000 with degrees in construction management. Neighbors says he strives to teach his sons the lessons his father left behind. My dad instilled in me that your name is everything and you need to be honest do what you say youre going to do, he says. He instilled in me and I instill in the boys that when your name is on everything you build, you better build it right.
Wood and Concrete Expertise

The 11,500-square-foot Briarcliff professional office building in Kansas City, Mo., is a LEEDcertified commercial project that poses as a run-of-the-mill office construction. However, beyond its surface lies a form constructed from structural insulated panels and wood trusses. The alternative, energy-saving technique permitted the design of 24-foot exterior walls while saving an estimated $100,000 it would have required for the traditional steel beam and bar joist construction. Another project that demonstrates NCCIs expertise in wood and concrete is the Kansas City, Mo., Briarcliff Hilltop Apartments, which began construction January 2010 and will conclude in May. The 334,926-square-foot project consists of six four-story wood buildings containing 263 luxury apartment units. The Energy Star-rated project sits on a bluff overlooking the Missouri River. The concrete portion of the project consisted of the 45-foot pool retaining wall. The pool area is built on the side of the hill, and the pool is essentially in mid-air, Roger Neighbors says. We built a very tall retaining wall which was a huge undertaking. But its a nice view once youre up there in your fourthfloor apartment. Its also a nice view inside the apartments,
skill in concrete NCCIs and wood construction has served it well.
with each unit boasting crown molding, plank flooring, granite countertops, Energy Star appliances, custom wood cabinets and vaulted ceilings. Community amenities include an exercise room, movie theater, a bar and office space for tenant use only. Neighbors says that this is one of the areas top-of-the-line luxury apartments. Even though the company finished the project four months ahead of schedule and under budget, the units were leasing up quicker than we could turn them over.
Multifamily Mainstay
Its a good sign for this company, because while it may be fully capable in a variety of construc-
tion types, multifamily construction has been the mainstay since its first general contracting project in 1968. Like other construction markets, the multifamily sector took a hit, but not as large as the single-family sector. Neighbors says that apartment projects are seeing an increase as investors gain confidence in developing projects, and consumers steer away from homeownership. There are still apartments being built, Neighbors says. Investors want to invest and apartments are a pretty safe investment. Also, many people cannot afford or do not want to own a home, which spurs apartment rental growth, which will help our industry.
Builders Stone KC Starting in 2008, Builders Stone & Supply set out to be one of the Midwests finest masonry companies. Builders Stone & Supply teamed with Neighbors Construction in 2010 on the Briarcliff Apartment project providing both the labor and materials for the stone and stucco. For more information, visit www.buildersstonekc.com.
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Metre Cos. specializes Van in new homes, apartments and commercial buildings.
Residential | VAN METRE COS.
Strong Survivor
Van Metre Cos. We are nimble enough to change with the market.
VAN METRE COS. SAYS IT HAS COPED WELL WITH THE DOWNTURNS IN THE RECESSION. BY ALAN DORICH
Van Metre Cos. also builds office and retail n a business that is often filled with uncerproperties through Van Metre Commercial, and tainly, it is critical for Van Metre Cos. to stay its investment properties division manages flexible so it can evolve with the shifts in the www.vanmetrecompanies.com apartments, leases commercial space and opermarketplace, Brian Davidson says. We are 2010 sales: $227 million ates a health and racquet club. Our new Homes nimble enough to adapt and change with the Headquarters: Burke, Va. Group builds apartments for our apartment divimarket, he says. We [will] change if we think it Employees: Approximately 350 sion, so we are really able to leverage our skills is a good idea and makes good business sense. Specialties: New construction and work together to support each other, Based in Burke, Va., Van Metre Cos. specialand development Davidson says. By having its eggs in multiple izes in the construction and development of baskets, Van Metre Cos. weathers economic various properties, including new homes, storms, Davidson says. When people [are not] apartments and commercial buildings. buying homes, theyre renting apartments, he Founder Al Van Metre Sr. started the company Brian Davidson, executive vice president says. Thats a good thing for us. in 1955 and has built more than 15,000 homes, of Van Metre Homes Davidson says. Today, Van Metre Cos. is a privately held comLoyal Associates pany with a staff of about 350 in several divisions. For instance, the com- The New Homes division is led by Group President Charlie Hockensmith, pany builds new homes, apartment complexes and planned communiwho joined Van Metre Homes in 1996. He has more than 45 years of buildties through Marquis Custom Homes, Van Metre Apartments and Van ing experience in the Washington, D.C., market and brings a wealth of Metre Homes, for which Davidson is the executive vice president. experience to the company. Davidson is the executive vice president of
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the New Homes division and he has been with Van Metre Cos. since April 1989. I started as an entry-level accountant [when I graduated] college, he says, noting that he has appreciated the opportunities for advancement that the company has given him. Theres a lot of long-term employees at Van Metre Companies, he continues, praising the management of Chairman of the Board Albert Beau Van Metre Jr., Vice Chairman of the Board, President and CEO Rick Rabil, Group President Finance and Accounting Secretary and CFO Ken Ryan, and Group President of Investment Properties, CPM Brad Gable. The executive team treats people how they should be treated, Davidson adds.
Metre Cos. has Van built more than 15,000 homes over the years.
Residential | VAN METRE COS.
Showing Its Talents

Van Metre Cos. current projects include Stone Ridge, a master planned community in Aldie, Va. In 2001, Van Metre purchased 800 acres of property to develop Stone Ridge which will be home to more than 3,000 homes and apartments, 125,000 square feet of retail space anchored by a Harris Teeter grocery store, more than 580,000 square feet of office and commercial development, a rehabilitation Hospital, County Library, schools, day care, three pool facilities, a club house with fitness center, four miles of walk/hiking trails and more. We are building a diverse product mix in Stone Ridge so we are able to market to many different buyer profiles and increase our absorption and sales pace, Davidson says. He adds that he is proud of the fact that The Stone Ridge Development not only shows Van Metre Cos. talent for building homes but also how skilled it is in developing a master planned community because it can showcase the breadth of what the company does and all its product types.
Doing the Right Things

Van Metre Cos. divisions have earned recognitions for their work. For instance, Van Metre Homes received the highest numerical score in Washington, D.C., in the J.D. Power and Associates 2007 New-Home Customer Satisfaction Study. For the past three years, the company was ranked No. 2 in the competition, Brian Davidson says. We strive to do the right thing when it comes to customer service and follow up. A big part of our marketing plan is for all of our departments to focus on customer service and this earns us referrals. We have homeowner parties and community events to procure our relationships with our customers, he says, noting that this earns the company referrals and increased sales. The company has successfully done this by making some changes in its product that allow it to save money. Weve done market research and competitive analysis to determine the hot button features that our customers want to have but we have been able to reduce building costs without reducing our competitive value, Davidson says. Thats one of the advantages to [being] a more regional builder, he says. We can change on a dime. We have an in-house architecture team ... so we can [go] from concept to actually building in two or three months and have newly designed product out for sale faster than other builders. Despite its challenges, Van Metre Cos. plans to expand its reach, though not necessarily nationwide, Davidson says. In addition, while the company is now building 300 units a year, Van Metre would like to grow to 600 units annually.
Weathering the Storm

Like many other construction and development firms, Van Metre Cos. is coping with the difficulties in the economy. The economy is not where it needs to be, Davidson admits. However, the company has found it easier to cope with the recession than some competitors, since the bulk of its work is in the Washington, D.C., area. Its not as bad here as it is in other parts of the country, Davidson says. We are still having a tough time dealing with low consumer confidence and getting increased traffic in the door, he says. There might be more people that want to buy due to low interest rates and house prices, but its
tough. Were dealing with some depressed pricing, a lot of competition in our market, but we are continuing to weather the storm.
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Industrial
by Salvador P. Simao
Watch Your Work Force

Americas work force has been transformed by the recent recession.
As the economy slowly emerges, employers are relying on contingent work forces rather than taking on the risk of hiring new employees. Federal and state governments and organized labor are determined to reverse this trend, advocating that contract workers are often misclassified employees. Companies are often surprised to discover that someone they contracted with is legally considered their employee, not an independent contractor. Along with employee status comes unforeseen liability under a plethora of state and federal laws. The labor movement within the last few years significantly increased efforts to lobby for stricter laws related to misclassification of workers. These efforts have resonated with the federal and state governments because of the lost tax revenue associated with misclassification of employees. Employers should expect a significant increase in federal and state governments enforcement efforts.
Cracking Down
The Government Accounting Office estimated that misclassification of independent contractors cost the federal government $2.72 billion in lost tax revenue in 2006. States also have a significant amount of money at stake: Californias Employment Development Department between 2005 and 2007 recovered a total of $111,956,556 in payroll tax assessments, $18,537,894 in labor code citations, and $40,348,667 in assessments on employment tax fraud cases. During the same period, Illinois estimated a loss of $39.2 million in unemployment insurance taxes, and between $124.7 million and $207.8 million per year in lost tax revenue. All states realize that attacking
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IN THIS SECTION
employee misclassification is a way to recover some of the tax revenue lost during the recession. The Wage Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) says its No. 1 strategic goal for 2011 is cracking down on the misclassification of independent contractors. The department has added more than 300 investigators, with all of them being trained how to determine workers' employment status to ensure workers are properly classified. The president's budget request for fiscal year 2011 included $12 million for increased enforcement of wage and overtime laws in cases where employees have been misclassified. The budget also provides $10.95 million to state governments to build the capacity to identify and address worker misclassification through targeted employer audits and enhanced information sharing to enable detection. The states that are the most successful will receive high performance bonuses that also can be used to further reduce worker misclassification. Enforcement is targeting particular industries, including construction.
T.N. Ward Co. g p.154

Longtime commercial contractor T.N. Ward branches out with recent projects.
Jacobsen Construction Merit Medical Production Building g p.158

A longstanding builder and client relationship enters a new chapter.
Unprecedented Cooperation
The war on misclassification is well funded and there are penalty of incentives and enforcement dollars for federal and state governments to share so many that government agencies are working together in an unprecedented fashion in enforcing misclassification laws. For example, the DOL has created a joint task with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to address misclassification issues. Through this initiative, often referred to as the Questionable Employment Tax Practices program, the federal government has obtained memoranda of understanding with 39 states that enable the state and the IRS to participate in a two-way exchange of information. Participating states are now able to receive tax information and audit leads from the IRS, which allows them to target their state unemployment insurance employer audits effectively. The DOL is working on similar agreements with state worker protection agencies. The majority of states have created independent contractor misclassification task forces that create synergies among state agencies. The governments efforts go beyond inter-agency cooperation. On Dec. 13, 2010, the DOL began referring complaints to plaintiffs attorneys through the newly created Approved Attorney Referral System. Complaints will be referred to a plaintiffs attorney who will be provided with the governments findings, including what violations exist and the amount of back wages owed. In addition, the DOL will provide representing attorneys with investigative documents, which may include information not normally disclosed to the general public. In addition to the increased enforcement of existing laws, some states have begun passing new misclassification laws. Currently, there are 17 states with independent contractor laws. Some states have passed laws that are specific to certain industries. For example, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Washington and New Hampshire have laws that apply specifically to misclassification issues in the construction industry.
Pay Attention
Construction companies need to pay serious attention to their contingent workforces. Large construction companies should expect to be audited this year, and smaller companies should anticipate a very strong possibility of being audited this year or next by a government agency. Companies who wish to be proactive before an audit should take some steps towards eliminating misclassifications issues, including: Identify and evaluate all independent contractor relationships; Review and revise your companys independent contractor agreements; Conduct a self-audit; Document and record key factor that evidence independent contractor relationship; and Create a protocol for responding to government investigations/audits.
SALVADOR SIMAO is a partner in the labor and employment and government contracts practices of McCarter & English LLP. A former trial attorney with the U.S. Department of Labor, Simao is based in Newark, N.J. He can be reached at ssimao@mccarter.com.
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Industrial | T.N. WARD CO.
Ward Reaches Out

ne of the Northeasts most prominent commercial and residential builders is expanding into new sectors while keeping its core values firmly in place. Ardmore, Pa.-based T.N. Ward Co. has offered construction management, design/build and general contracting services to clients in the gaming, public housing, institutional and educational fields in the Northeast United States for more than 90 years. The company is particularly known for building casinos as well as housing projects funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, President Tom Falvey says. The company continues to shine in these sectors while recently adding industrial projects to its portfolio. Weve recently greatly expanded our industrial capabilities, Falvey notes. We had done industrial projects before, but not to the extent we are now; we needed to look at how we were conducting business because of the economy and increased competition. T.N. Wards ability to self-perform several aspects of its projects, including concrete work and large equipment installation, makes industrial jobs a good fit for the companys expertise. We view ourselves mainly as a general contractor, so we felt this was a market that we brought some value to, Falvey says. Given our general contracting expertise and our ability to self-perform, we felt this was a market we could be competitive in.
T.N. Ward Co. delivered a The design/build boiler project to Rimtec Corp. in New Jersey.
T.N. WARD CO. EMBRACES NEW PROJECTS IN THE INDUSTRIAL SECTOR AND OTHER AREAS. BY JIM HARRIS
Diverse Portfolio
One of the companys largest current industrial projects is on course to finish in August. T.N. Ward in January 2010 started work on a $40 million, 40,000-square-foot expansion to Synagro Technologies Inc.s Philadelphia Renewable Bio-Fuels facility. The project involves adding a prefabricated metal building on a concrete slab to the existing facility. This building will include new equipment used to dry sludge, converting it into pellets that can be used for fuel and fertilizer, Falvey says. Outside of the industrial realm, the company continues to find commercial sector work, including the $180 million, 350,000-square-foot
Maryland Live! Casino in Arundel County, Md., just outside of Baltimore. The project which will be the largest gaming facility in Maryland, according to owners The Cordish Group will begin construction in May, Falvey says. The company also recently started work on a $6 million equipment upgrade project to the Bristol Wastewater Treatment Plant in Bristol, Pa. Other current and upcoming projects for the company include parking garages for a healthcare facility and a convention center, both in Philadelphia.
T.N. Ward Co.

www.tnward.com Revenues: $350 million HQ: Ardmore, Pa. Employees: 100 Specialty: General contracting and construction management
Safety is not one of the costs you want to cut on a project.

Tom Falvey, president
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PHOTO COURTESY OF RIMTEC CORP.
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Industrial | T.N. WARD CO.
Some contractors are low-bidding in areas where they dont have experience.
Ward continues work on T.N. a design/build parking garage addition for Aria Health.
Problem Solvers
Safety in particular is one of the companys T.N. Ward believes in maintaining a high level of biggest priorities. Safety is always something Community Ties service on all of its projects, and takes a hands-on we have paid attention to; we put an emphasis approach with all of its clients, Falvey says. on our own practices, as well as look at our subT.N. Ward supports a number of nonprofit The companys reputation and experience contractors and their ability to do the work, organizations through volunteerism and have made it a go-to contractor in recent years for Falvey says. Safety is not one of the costs you fundraising. In particular, the company has a several owners looking for a second opinion on want to cut on a project. 20-year working relationship with the projects. As every company is looking for work T.N. Ward sets up job-specific safety proSalvation Army of Greater Philadelphia, for whom it has performed a number of buildin the current economy, some contractors are grams for all of its projects. Project managers, ing and remodeling projects, President Tom low-bidding in areas where they dont really superintendents and key subcontractors look at Falvey says. have experience, Falvey adds. Were starting to issues unique to each project that could potenThe company last year completed the $65 see contractors calling us to say they have a probtially carry risk, such as excavation or the presmillion, 128,000-square-foot Salvation Army lem with their projects budget or some other eleence of hazardous materials. Ray and Joan Kroc Center in Philadelphia, ment that needs fixing. Each trade on the project is examined in Falvey adds. Some owners that were hiring based on price relation to potential safety issues, and everyone but not holding much to experience are now seeinvolved in the project goes through a safety ing that experience has value and just choosing a company based on course, Falvey says. low pricing wasnt the right move for them. The company maintains close working relationships with all of its subcontractors in all aspects of construction. Generally speaking, theyre supportive of our needs in pre-construction and during conA Watchful Eye struction, he adds. We all look out for the best interests of the project T.N. Ward believes strongly in looking out for the best interest of owners and each other. through paying close attention to building quality and safety.
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PHOTO: COURTESY OF RIMTEC CORPORATION
says it values Jacobsen the relationships it has with its many clients.
Industrial | JACOBSEN CONSTRUCTION MERIT MEDICAL PRODUCTION BUILDING
The Handshake Deal
JACOBSEN CONSTRUCTION SAYS ITS STRONG RELATIONSHIP HAS LED TO STEADY WORK. BY CHRIS PETERSEN
ew things are as valuable in the construction business as relationships. Take, for example, the relationship between Utahs Jacobsen Construction and medical device manufacturer Merit Medical. Project Executive Doug Hronek says the companys current project expanding Merit Medicals production facility in New Jordan, Utah wouldnt be on Jacobsens docket without the previous work it had done for Merit. In this economy that were in, were just really grateful that the relationship with Merit was intact, Hronek says. Jacobsens connection with Merit goes back more than 12 years and includes a number of projects to expand and upgrade the companys facility. As a manufacturer of more than 150 medical devices, Merits facilities require a high degree of technical expertise and close attention to detail, and Jacobsens prior experience with Merit made it the best candidate for the job. They have a very dynamic business, Hronek says. Some of the things theyre manufacturing are right on the cutting edge of technology. Because Merits work is constantly evolving and improving, changes need to be made to the projects plans all the time, and Jacobsens prior experience meant it knew exactly what to expect. That may be one of the main reasons they selected us, because you have to be ready to change directions real quick, Hronek says. Jacobsen Construction has been building in Utah for almost 90 years. The company says its history and its status as an employee-owned company have given it a strong advantage in the marketplace. Our primary purpose is to deploy our human and financial resources as a highly
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responsive, competitive general contractor, the company explains. Jacobsen strives to provide timely and exceptional preconstruction, construction, construction management and design/build services to honorable and financially sound clients, in ways which both favorably differentiate us from our competitors and also produce a reasonable profit.
Jacobsen Construction Merit Medical Production Building

www.jacobsenconstruction.com Project cost: $38 million Location: New Jordan, Utah Employees on site: 250 Scope: Production facility expansion
Meeting Deadlines
Aside from the projects demanding requirements, Jacobsen encountered other challenges from outside the job site, as well. Hronek says work on the parking structure began in September 2010, meaning crews were pouring concrete straight through the winter months. It took a lot of effort and scheduling prowess to push the work through while contending with the wind, cold and snow, he adds. Also, the project is located close to a residential neighborhood, meaning the company had to be respectful of residents and try to disrupt their lives as little as possible. Hronek says the company held regular meetings with the community to understand their concerns about the projects impact on their everyday lives. These meetings led to adjustments to the project such as routing trucks through the neighborhood during daylight hours, when they wouldnt bother residents. As it stands, Hronek says the project appears to be on track to meet its intended completion date in December 2012. We are currently on schedule right now, and we dont really see any reason why we couldnt finish on time, he says.
Daunting Task
The project involves a 240,000-square-foot expansion of Merits existing facility as well as construction of a new 742-stall parking facility. The production facility is a three-story building, one story being completely underground, Hronek says. Because of the nature of the building, Jacobsen has had to work within some very exacting standards on the Merit project. For example, because the facility must have strict vibration tolerances to avoid damage to its equipment caused by earthquakes, the first floor has to incorporate a concrete pad system to dampen vibrations. Not only was the amount of excavation necessary for the underground level massive, according to Hronek, but Jacobsen needed to
In this economy that were in, were just really grateful that the relationship with Merit was intact. Doug Hronek, project executive
accommodate the buildings equipment in the foundation. Because of the type of equipment thats going into the building, theres a significant amount of underground ducting that will be installed, he says. Besides accommodating the highly technical nature of the work to be done inside the facility once it is completed, Merit wanted its newly expanded facility to meet LEED Silver specifications. Thats a very challenging thing to do, given the fact that it is a production building, Hronek says.
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LAST LOOK
GHA Design Studios g p.40
GHA Design Studios recent work includes the renovation of CORE, a multistory shopping center in downtown Calgary for 20 Vic Management Inc. GHA acted as retail consultants on the project designed by MMC International Architects. Its new features include a skylight that needed to be constructed over its old roof.
AT THE CORE
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