construction today

MAY 2011 CONSTRUCTION-TODAY.COM1

For instance, The Zweig Letterrecently reported that legal claimsover sustainability promises versusthe performance of certified greenbuildings are growing. According toZweigWhite, a provision in a profes-sional design services contract relatesto the standard of care in which adesign professional is required torender its services. Unless there islanguage to the contrary, profession-als are held to the common law stan-dard of care commensurate with oth-ers providing the same services to ageographically similar community.

PLEASE NOTE: The opinions expressed by interviewees, contributors and advertisers within this publication do not necessarily coincide with those of the editor and publisher. Every reasonable effort is madeto ensure that the information published is accurate, but no legal responsibility for loss occasioned by the use of such information can be accepted by the publisher. All rights reserved. The contentsof the magazine are strictly copyright, the property of Construction Today, and may not be copied, stored in a retrieval system, or reproduced without the prior written permission of the publisher.

EDITOR’S LETTER

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But that does not entirely protect a designer. As con-struction and real estate attorney Stephen Del Percio toldZweig Letter, owners may hire a designer firm because of itssustainable expertise and attempt to hold them to a higherstandard of care than usually found. “The standard of carehas shifted,” he said. “In the spectrum of liability, legalchallenges to green construction are making peoplemore careful in what they’re promising.”Additionally, certain language can cause problems in a

standard of care provision if the insurer believes that thedesigner 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 shouldkeep a close eye on contracts. And it’s not hard to under-stand why – not only may it mean a better situation forthe designer, but also the environment itself. In the lattercase, the world wins.

“It’s not easy being green,” Kermit theFrog once sang. And judging fromrecent news, that statement can betruer than some might think.

Be Careful When Being Green

[email protected] Today Editor

CONSTRUCTION-TODAY.COM MAY 20112

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MAY 2011 | CONTENTS

On the CoverOveraa Construction For morethan a century, Overaa has stayedin business by abiding by itsclosely held values. TheRichmond, Calif.-contractorstrives to stay old fashionedwhere it matters the most. Forexample, “We value blue-collarethics,” President ChristopherManning explains. “We’re notafraid to roll up our sleeves anddive into the work. It has roundedus out to be a true builder. It’s agreat accomplishment when youcan rise to thechallenges andbe successful.”

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COVER PHOTO:Lawrence BerkeleyNational LaboratoryAdvanced Light SourceUser Support Building

Columns and Features6 Managing Finances Strategic

cost cutting has helped in theeconomic storm.

8 Social Media Mastering searchengine optimization can helpyour contracting firm compete.

10 Best Environmental PracticesConstruction recycling practicesare being updated for LEED.

12 Water Management With sup-plies in danger, it’s obvious thatwe need new methods to man-age water.

14 Industry Trends Today, every-one is talking about light-emit-ting diodes.

Departments28 Commercial It sometimes is

hard to establish best practices.

58 Institutional Traditional projectdelivery can be inefficient.

96 Civil Contractors and ownersare looking at project risks.

124 Residential Streamlining proj-ects requires project manage-ment firms.

152 Industrial The recession hastransformed the work force.

160 Last Look GHA solely designsretail environments.


NORTHEAST FOCUS:

16 The Donaldson OrganizationAfter 105 years, Donaldson provesit still has what it takes to be aleader in the Big Apple.

23 Turner Construction – St.Francis Hospital and MedicalCenter Turner Construction’sexpertise guides it through a hospi-tal project in Connecticut.

26 J&J Contractors Inc. – ArmedForces Reserve Center J&JContractors Inc. is at work on anew Armed Forces Reserve Center.

COMMERCIAL: Profilingretail, office, hospitality,entertainment and mixed-use construction.

30 Graber Post Buildings Inc.Graber Post Buildings not onlybuilds metal post buildings, but alsomanufactures all their components.

36 Q.B. Construction Q.B.Construction says it enjoys turningits clients’ visions into realities withits projects.

40 GHA Design Studios GHA DesignStudios recently used its expertiseon the new Times Square locationfor Aéropostale.

43 Wensley Architecture Ltd. Anarchitectural firm founded by a leg-end who is renowned for retaildevelopments is increasing both itsresidential and senior care busi-nesses substantially.

46 The Weitz Co. – The VeteransMemorial Auditorium Weitz isunderway on renovating a conven-tion center that has been anythingbut conventional.

49 Woodstone Builders Inc.Woodstone Builders excels in itsniche of building casino resorts fortribal communities.

52 Linbeck Group – EmbassySuites Hotel CBD Linbeck Groupdemonstrated its knack for out-of-the-box thinking on the EmbassySuites Hotel, the first LEED Silverhotel in Houston.

54 Lippert Brothers Inc. The Lippertfamily has built many ofOklahoma’s landmarks over its his-tory and continues to do so.

56 Urbacon Building Group –Pickering Town Centre With noreal town center, Pickering, Ontario,builds one, starting with a 10-storyoffice tower next to the town hall.

INSTITUTIONAL: Profilinghealthcare, education, places of worship, laboratory,military, library and museum construction, and related business.

60 Turner Construction –Owensboro Medical HealthCenter OMHS & TurnerConstruction are utilizing integratedproject delivery to build a newhome for healthcare to serve theOwensboro, Ky., region.

66 Burns & McDonnell –Battlespace EnvironmentLaboratory Burns & McDonnelldemonstrates its skill on a newresearch facility.

69 History Colorado CenterTrammell Crow and Hensel Phelpsare working together to bring thenew History Colorado Center to life.

72 Overaa Construction OveraaConstruction has been buildingwithin the Bay Area for more than100 years.

74 Brasfield & Gorrie – Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall Brasfield &Gorrie successfully completed anathletic facility for the University ofGeorgia football team.

76 Camosy Construction Camosy isconcentrating its efforts on provid-ing professional construction man-agement services for clients.

78 Hoffman Construction – 41stInfantry Division Armed ForcesReserve Center The center willhonor a historic infantry division.

80 Lakeshore TolTest Corp.Lakeshore TolTest says it is keepingbusy in 2011.

82 M.A. Mortenson Co. – Ralph L.Carr Judicial Center Mortenson isbuilding a Colorado judicial center.

84 Hensel Phelps Construction Co.– Sanford Consortium forRegenerative Medicine HenselPhelps is nearing completion of astem cell research facility.

86 Robins & Morton – AuburnUniversity Recreation Wellnessand Sustainability CenterRobins & Morton has a significantpresence at Auburn University as itworks on four projects.

88 Rudolph and Sletten – UCSFSmith Cardiovascular ResearchBuilding Lean construction tech-niques helped Rudolph and Slettendeliver a facility 10 weeks early.

90 Triangle Associates – FremontHigh School The Fremont HighSchool project will be a boon forNewaygo County, Mich.

92 Winter Park Construction –University House CentralFlorida University House will offeran all-inclusive environment when itopens next year.

Company Profiles

CONTENTS | MAY 2011��

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94 McPherson Contractors – BESTBuilding McPherson is construct-ing the BEST Building for KansasUniversity’s Edwards Campus.

CIVIL: Profiling heavy/high-way, utility, water/sewagetreatment plant and airportconstruction, and relatedbusiness.

98 GO Transit/McCormick RankinCorp. (A member of MMMGroup) – West TorontoDiamond Grade SeparationProject GO Transit and its partnerstackle a difficult railway grade sepa-ration project.

102 D’Onofrio General ContractorsCorp. D’Onofrio’s expertise willcarry it through the tough economy.

106 Capital Signal Co. Ltd. CapitalSignal is outdoing the rest.

109 Western Water ConstructorsInc. Western Water is proud of twowater treatment projects.

112 HOK – NOAA Pacific RegionalCenter HOK designs a remodelingof historic hangars at Pearl Harborin Hawaii.

114 McCoy Grading Inc. McCoyGrading is using the latest technol-ogy to improve site productivity by30 percent.

116 Clark Dietz Inc. Concentrating onthe most profitable projects haskept Clark Dietz going strong.

118 Panama Canal Authority –Panama Canal Expansion ThePanama Canal’s $5 billion upgradewill be a boost to its country.

120 Schmueser & Associates Inc.Mercator Minerals teams withSchmueser & Associates to bringMineral Park Mine online, despitedistractions along the way.

122 D.P. Electric Inc. D.P. Electric hasearned a base of loyal customers.

RESIDENTIAL: Profilingmulti- and single familyhomes and buildings.

126 DKI A unique business model andsolid reputation have ensured DKI’ssuccess and made it the largestrestoration contracting organizationin North America.

132 Onni Group of Companies Thefamily-owned and operated OnniGroup of Companies is one ofCanada’s most established full-serv-ice real estate firms.

136 Shaddock Homes Going northand sometimes east and west ofthe Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex haskept Shaddock Homes prosperingthrough four recessions.

140 Derr Flooring Co. Derr FlooringCo. has made a name for itselfthrough customer service and areputation for quality.

143 Home Creations Home Creations’quality and customer service put itat the top of the Oklahoma market,but its extensive marketing effortskeep it there.

146 Neighbors Construction Co.Inc. – 60th anniversary Reaching60 years of business in the con-struction industry is the evidence ofa company that has earned thetrust of a community.

149 Van Metre Cos. Burke, Va.-basedVan Metre Cos. says it has copedwell with the downturns in the eco-nomic recession.

INDUSTRIAL: Profiling facto-ry, warehouse, power plantand energy-related construc-tion and related business.

154 T.N. Ward Co. T.N. Ward Co.embraces new projects in the indus-trial sector while it continues tokeep finding work in gaming, hous-ing and other areas.

158 Jacobsen Construction – MeritMedical Production BuildingJacobsen Construction says itsstrong relationship with a client hasled to steady work.

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While the recent recessionary cycle may have started with asubprime mortgage crisis in the residential marketplace,the ripple effects of the slowdown have been felt across arange of industries.

For the commercial construction and development industry, theimpact may have been a little slow to materialize at first, but the resulthas been equally comprehensive and profound; the economic chal-lenges of the last few years have been significant. In response to broadereconomic uncertainties, the availability of credit has been affected andmany retailers across the nation have responded to slowdowns in con-sumer spending by putting expansions and renovations on hold, and insome cases consolidating their assets.

As a result, large-scale commercial development has slowed and, insome markets, virtually come to a standstill. While there are still poten-tially valuable niche opportunities out there for those who know how tolook – and work – for them, business as usual is not an option for mostfirms. Developers, contractors and other construction professionals havebeen subsequently forced to tighten their belts, reevaluate their people,processes and payments and make the kind of logistical, procedural andfinancial changes necessary to adapt to this new financial reality.

The Darwinian realities of a free market have made it abundantlyclear that change is a necessity rather than an option, and those devel-opers and construction professionals who have thus far been the mostinnovative, flexible and successful when it comes to cutting costs andmaking thoughtful changes within their organizations have giventhemselves a leg up on the competition.

The good news is that things are beginning to look up. As the econo-my turns the corner and continues to move in a positive direction, it isquickly becoming evident that strategic cost-cutting and reducing over-head has not just helped development and construction professionalsweather the economic storm. The renewed emphasis on operational and

financial efficiencies will enable those samefirms to look forward to a more efficient andeffective future.

The following is a brief overview of some ofthese common construction cost changes dur-ing the recession, as well as a look ahead atwhat is likely to be in store for the industry in2011 and beyond.

Run LeanFrom suppliers to vendors, prices have comedown pretty significantly across the board.But while competitive pressures have beenresponsible for some broader overall con-struction cost changes during the recession,perhaps the most important and most com-mon strategic shift on the part of constructionprofessionals has been to reduce their owncosts in-house.

At a time when every penny counts, it is notenough to reduce fees, bid competitively andcut cost estimates for clients to facilitate morejob opportunities. The most successful contrac-tors and developers have learned that they alsoneed to keep their pencils sharpened and bevigilant when it comes to cutting costs .

These do not have to be huge, dramaticreductions; a series of small-scale precisioncuts and modifications to things like officestaffing and operational excess can have a sig-nificant cumulative impact. Some firms thathave been able to adapt and reduce internalcosts have found that even when gross rev-enues may be down by as much as 20 to 30percent, their profits have actually gone up 5 to10 percent.

Change your ExpectationsThe phrase “the new normal” applies duringtimes like these. Continuing to strugglebecause of an inability to change your expecta-tions can be damaging both to morale and tothe financial bottom line. A contractor thatmay have operated with 5 percent overheadand 5 percent profit when the industry wasbooming may need to change to somethingcloser to 3 percent overhead and 3 percentprofit now just to remain competitive.

Much of the economic slack has been reeledin, particularly when it comes to service pricesand labor costs. This is where the contributionsof hands-on, knowledgeable and insightfulupper management is particularly important.

MAKING THE

Strategic cost cutting has helped development and constructionprofessionals weather the economic storm. BY RON MROZEK

CUTS


Be StrategicCost-cutting is not just an internal exercise.Working with existing and prospective clientsand professional partners can help themunderstand how they can trim some of the fatfrom a design, focus less on what they wantand get what they need out of a project.Digging into the details and engaging in com-mitted value engineering can often make a sig-nificant difference when it comes to getting aproject approved. In many cases, significant savings can be

realized by making seemingly subtle materialsand design changes that may have little or noaesthetic or functional impact. Even a smallmodification to their overall space needs by aslittle as 50 square feet or so can potentiallymake a big impact on the bottom line. Many design, development and construc-

tion professionals are finding that time spentworking on more efficient and cost-effectivedesign strategies with prospective clients is oneof the best investments they can make in leaneconomic times.

Flexibility Is KeyIn general, the limited number of constructionjobs and the lack of readily available capitalhas created a dynamic where there is muchmore competition for what used to be consid-ered routine opportunities. Where five to 10companies used to compete for a small job, youmight see 30 or 40 firms vying for that samejob today. As a result, some firms are changingtheir entire approach and being more flexibleabout their business model. A firm that was primarily a first-party

provider, for example, now may be more will-ing to collaborate with other entities and workout a 50/50 split in lieu of spending all of itstime seeking additional work. In-house flexi-bility is important as well, and some full-serv-ice real estate development firms have beencreative about physical and conceptual bound-aries to save a little extra cash. From employee sharing across departments

to space sharing and other adaptations, theinfrastructural and intellectual efficiencies thatcan be realized with a little flexibility are agreat way to trim costs.The economic uncertainty that began in

2005 really took hold in the commercial con-struction and development industry in 2007

and2008 when the pipeline of jobs began to dry up. While things arelooking up today and 2011 looks much better, the last couple of yearshave been rough for many. It seems likely that the industry still has atleast a year or two of treading water or sluggish growth before thingsreally 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 togood basic principles of running an organization. Those are the firmswho are poised to see the evolving recovery not as a life preserver, but asa 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.huntingtoncon-

struction.com.


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ggSearch engine optimization (SEO) is the process of improving the

positioning of a website or web page in the “organic” or unpaidrankings 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 thesearch engine. This gives a website web presence. Since consumers, busi-ness owners and professionals are increasingly using the Internet to findproducts and services, web optimization is an essential strategy for anybusiness. The reality is a website alone is of little value if it cannot befound 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 withinwhich defined geographic and market areas. But remember, the searchengine providers make the rules and change them frequently. Therefore,there is no one-time solution. Ongoing research, testing and some trialand error are required to maintain desired positions on the Internet.

Search Terms and Drop SitesMany construction companies are operating without an SEO plan, andthe few that have one usually try to cover too much ground. It is morebeneficial to narrow the site to only a few crucial key search termsinstead of being too broad or general with the optimization. For exam-ple, if a construction business creates a home page with too many topics,

trying to attract those searching for generalconstruction, remodeling, commercial andhome improvement, this weakens the initialpage. As a result, it falls off the top of the searchengines and ends up several pages away frompage one. Relevancy to the search term on thecompany’s homepage is the key to having thesite rise to the top of the search engine’s results. Another alternative to this approach is to

use drop sites, which are secondary web sitesspecific to each key part of the business.Searchers are taken to the “drop site” that hasthe one unique feature they are searching forand then seamlessly connected to the compa-ny’s main site. The searcher perceives theywere taken to the company’s main site with noindication they were actually dropped into theother site first.

The Art of SEOIt’s not enough to have a great website foreffective SEO. Companies constantly need toverify if the search engines are changing the

AT THE VERY TOPMastering the art of SEO can help your contracting firm compete. BY PATRICK GENOVESE


way they seek out web pages. Previously, if acompany wanted to emphasize that it installedaluminum siding, the words “aluminum sid-ing” would appear in the copy numerous timeson the homepage. In this way, if someone on asearch engine website typed in “aluminum sid-ing,” the search engines would lock on web-sites that included those words embedded inthe copy multiple times on the homepage. However, this approach doesn’t work any-

more. Search engines now use disqualifiersthat may push the website down to a later pageon the results. It’s an art and a science tounderstand how the search engines are listingweb pages. Companies have to keep up withthe changes on a weekly and monthly basis toremain at the top of the results.There are many degrees of how well a site

can be optimized, but the tactics all start withthorough research. Research identifies whatprospective clients are searching for and howstrong the competition is that currently comesup first in those searches. Ultimately, thisresearch helps companies decide on whichphrases “to target” for their websites to showup on the first page of the search engineresults. Then, the websites can be optimized insuch a way to allow search engines to under-stand where to list the businesses.

The Science of SEOSearch engine optimization takes time. It usu-ally takes 90 days or more before new websitesshow up high in major search engines’ results.In the meantime, business owners can do thefollowing steps to increase the effectiveness oftheir websites:• Keep track of website statistics and thesearch rankings’ position.

• Ask new customers “where and how didyou find us?”

• List the company within the relevantInternet directories.

Once a company’s website is appearing inthe search engine results, it is crucial to contin-ually check where the company’s websiteappears on the results. It may be that one weekit is on page two but the next week it is listedon page eight. That is because search enginesconstantly change the rules as to how pagesare ranked. Determine why this happened byreviewing the other websites to see whatphrasing they are using to place higher. Check

to see how the search engines are reviewing and positioning the web-site. Examine the company’s website. Is the content updated regularlyusing frequently searched keyword phrases? Are pages within the web-site linked back to the important pages? After a few changes have been made to the company’s web page, run

more searches to see where the web page ranks. If it is higher thanbefore, and preferably on page one, then this process is complete fornow. If not, revise and retest until the desired results are achieved.

Where to Get HelpSEO is a time-consuming process. Many companies do not have the timeto do this or are not well-educated on the analytics of SEO. In these cases, itmay be more cost-effective to seek outside help. Inexpensive SEOproviders, such as Go Daddy, sell domain names and do-it-yourself kits forcompanies to build their own websites. Yet if the company is not confidentabout building a website, then a do-it-yourself kit will not be of muchvalue. There are other vendors that will build websites for companiesinexpensively. 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. Constructionbusinesses will have access to great benefits but will pay a very high ratefor their professional services. Some of these SEO providers includeThink Profits, WSI and Graphically Speaking.Midrange SEO services provide affordable packages closer to the do-it-

yourself providers yet include direct and comprehensive services like themore 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 company’sindustry and in the company’s location. Most importantly, understandexactly what the SEO company is proposing to do and what they willcharge for their services before signing any contracts. Also be sure tounderstand the contractual commitments as most require a minimumone-year contract. It’s possible that after 90 days the SEO company is notmeeting expectations and the business is stuck with nine more monthsof service fees.

Increasing Internet PresenceOptimization is only one of many things that can influence searchengine rankings. In a competitive environment other measures arerequired to improve online presence. One tactic is to provide a link to thecompany website in one or more of the hundreds of local, regional andnational directories that list businesses by market area, SIC category orNAICS code. Another method is to submit informative, ready to copy-and-paste articles to online publications to draw attention to the firm’sexpertise. Finally, use social networking, such as creating and contribut-ing content to a Facebook page and a Twitter account. By clearly statingthe company’s purpose on the home page, keeping web content inter-esting and updated, and fine-tuning relevant search terms, the compa-ny’s web presence will be maximized. With this strong online presence,search engines will take note. As a result, the company is likely to garnera more prominent position in web rankings, getting much closer to thetop than your competitors’ sites.

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.


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The GarbageConstruction recycling practices are being updated for the LEED era. BY CHUCK HERB


Recycling is not a new concept. Foryears, we have separated glass, paperand plastic refuse into their designatedbins for trash pick-up – it is something

we understand. Partly because of this aware-ness, many construction industry professionalsnow feel that recycling is one of the most visiblesteps that can be taken toward sustainablebuilding. A new process has taken shape, one inwhich builders are working closely with facilityowners and managers, architects, engineers andwaste disposal experts to enhance the environ-mental benefits associated with their projects.

One of the main factors driving this newsense of environmental stewardship is theLeadership in Energy and EnvironmentalDesign (LEED) green building certification sys-tems. Started by the United States GreenBuilding Council (USGBC) in 1998, the LEEDcertification process already has made animpact on construction waste management.

Companies at the forefront of the sustain-ability movement are actively looking for waysto reduce, recycle and reuse materials, andthese actions can lead to decreased costs,increased customer satisfaction and compli-ance with growing government regulations.

By the numbersAccording to a recent report released byMcGraw-Hill Construction, 61 percent of con-struction contractors rate waste managementplans as the second most important aspect ofgreen building, behind only energy efficiency.

The United States generated 143.5 milliontons of building-related construction and dem-olition debris in 2008 alone. Of that, 28 percent(40.2 million tons) was reused, recycled or sentto waste-energy facilities.

According to a Greener World Media study,LEED buildings have recycled or reused a totalof nearly 25 million tons of waste so far. Thesefigures are expected to mushroom to morethan 400 million tons by 2020 and 780 milliontons by 2030.

By 2013, McGraw-Hill Construction projectsthat the green building market will represent25 percent of all new construction projects byvalue, equating to a $140 million market.

These numbers illustrate the growingimportance that recycling and green buildingwill have on the future of the constructionindustry. As the co-owner of a waste manage-

ment company, I see the effects of these efforts daily in the form of tonsof construction and demolition materials rerouted to processing facili-ties vs. taking up space at the landfill.

What are the Benefits? Most people don’t realize that if a structure isn’t being built for LEED certi-fication, contractors can dispose of building debris in whatever way theysee fit. The good news is that because of increased environmental aware-ness 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 throwingmaterials away. When these costs are spread across an entire construc-tion project, the savings can amount to thousands – and often tens ofthousands – of dollars. This is critical, because if recycling costs morethan disposal, there will always be a good reason not to recycle. But if it’scost-competitive or less expensive, then it will be considered as a practi-cal part of every job.

Additionally, because millions of tons of construction and demolitionmaterials are unnecessarily disposed of in landfills throughout thecountry every year, construction and demolition material rebate pro-grams are providing a financial incentive for builders to recycledebris. These programs are designed to encourage contractors to havetheir mixed-materials waste – such as wood or metals – hauled to desig-nated material-recovery facilities, where they’re given a per-ton dis-count on each ton delivered.

In addition to the obvious benefit in helping to reduce refuse, otherperks of incorporating a more sustainable approach to constructionwaste 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 growingnumber of potential clients interested in participating in LEED andother green building certification programs;

• Helping the project team earn points towards qualifying for LEEDand other green building certification programs; and

• Giving contractors the option to declare a tax deduction when theydonate reusable building materials to a nonprofit organization.

This lessens the building’s environmental impact by:• Reducing depletion of natural resources such as trees and minerals;• Creating less pollution by reducing manufacturing and transporta-

tion-related emissions;• Using less energy and water compared to many virgin material

product manufacturing processes; and• Decreasing greenhouse gasses by using less energy for manufactur-

ing 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 intosomething that carries much more weight among builders. Everyonewants to do the right thing, and if contractors can turn recycling into ashared vision that heightens camaraderie and teamwork, they — andthe communities in which they build — can derive benefits that go farbeyond a rebate or reduced haul rate.

Chuck Herb is the co-

owner of Sunshine

Recycling Inc., a refuse

and recycling hauling

company in central

Florida. For more informa-

tion, call 407-843-7990 or

visit www.sunshinerecy-

cling.com.


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the risk that water supplies will not be able to keep pace withhuman demand is increasing in many parts of the Unitedstates. the projected increases in freshwater withdrawal aregreater 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 alabamaand northern Georgia into the carolinas, tennessee and even Kentucky.Photographs of lake lanier showed marinas that had become dry land.even now, the la Niña developing in the eastern Pacific is expected tomean drier conditions for the southeastern United states, at a time whensouthern Florida is already on a drought watch. In the longer term, cli-mate change may mean more rain, but evaporation also will increase. arecent analysis suggests that the southeastern United states could expe-rience significant decreases in available precipitation by 2050.

rapid population growth is an important contributor to water short-ages in the southeast. Georgia’s population has increased almost 50 per-cent in just 17 years, and the population in the southeast is projected toincrease 50 percent by 2040. Heightened electric power demand alsoincreases the pressure on water resources because approximately two-thirds of the freshwater withdrawn in the southeast is used by thermo-electric power-generating plants. there will be increased pressure onpublic officials and water users to manage demand and supply in areassuch as the southeast that are facing higher risks of water shortage.

But while utilities are facing an increased workload, they are simulta-neously facing a work force crunch. experienced workers are retiringfaster than they can be replaced with trained younger workers. all utili-ties now have one key objective: improving the productivity of theirengineers, designers and construction contractors so they can designand deliver projects faster and at lower cost.

to help address these challenges, utilities are turning to new tech-nologies to help improve water quality, upgrade wastewater treatmentand develop intelligent networks (smart grid) that optimize water man-agement. One such technology is model-based design, which is helpingdesigners, engineers and construction firms automate tasks such asclash detection, quantity takeoff and project scheduling. For example, 4-D and 5-D modeling enables construction companies to model theentire construction process and facilitate scheduling crews and materialdelivery. New data capture techniques, such as laser scanning and high-resolution oblique imagery, are being adopted by utility companies tohelp develop 3-D models of existing facilities.

In the water and wastewater sector, utilities are adopting new tech-

nologies to improve collaboration amongdesign teams. large facilities design/redesignprojects can involve upward of 10 differentdesign teams, often at different locations.Working with numerous people across differ-ent geographic locations increases the risk ofbudget and schedule overruns. In a more tradi-tional approach, each design discipline worksin a silo, communicating his/her specificdesign at specific milestones. Using model-based design, teams can work in parallel, while3-D visualization allows nontechnical stake-holders – such as city councilmen, countycommissioners and area residents – to beinvolved in the project every step of the way.

a great example is the city of tallahassee,Fla., where they streamlined their water treat-ment plant redesign through a state-of-the-artmodel-based design solution that enabled aclose collaboration between the contributors —the Hazen and sawyer environmentalengineers and scientists design team, designsubcontractors and the city’s program manage-ment team and construction manager — tohelp ensure the project stayed on time and onbudget. During the construction, the 3-Dmodel was integrated with the constructionlogistics models and the project schedules tocreate a 4-D model for project sequencing andconstruction simulation.

as utilities ramp up deployment of newwater treatment technology, they also will usethis new technology to design intelligenttransmission and distribution networks. In thepast, utilities struggled by with a relatively lowquality of network infrastructure data, butmanaging and operating smart grids willinvolve higher volumes of data — some esti-mate a thousand times more — will requirewhat one analyst has characterized as “100 per-cent accurate, real-time data.”

to prepare for smart grids, utilities will need

crystal clearWith supplies in danger, it’s obvious that we need new methods to manage water. BY GEOFF ZEISS


to improve the reliability and timeliness of theinformation about their existing facilities, aswell as optimizing their business processes forrecords management. These improvementstraditionally require a field survey, which isoften prohibitively expensive. With the avail-ability of new geospatial imagery capture tech-nologies, such as high-resolution aerial pho-togrammetry, oblique imagery, mobile streetimagery and laser-scanned imagery, it is nowpossible to dramatically reduce the price ofresurveying existing facilities. The high resolu-tion of the new generation of imagery meansthat much of what used to require field tripsnow can be done in the office.One important reason the data quality of

records databases is low is that similar paper-based, labor-intensive business processes arefollowed. For example, a major challenge thatmany utilities face is the “as-built” backlog(that can stretch from several months to years),which means that the records database isalways out of date, making it difficult to pro-vide reliable information about network facili-ties to the field, management and regulators. To address these data quality issues, utilities

are following how information flows withinthe organization. Many utilities are focusing onthe concept of a “single point of truth.” Forexample, by enabling designers and plannersto store their drawings in a shared, spatiallyenabled relational database, these drawingsare directly accessible to records staff who nolonger have to re-digitize the same informa-tion from paper as-builts. The result is that theas-built backlog is significantly reduced oreven eliminated, the records database is up todate, and the maps provided to the field aremore reliable. Las Vegas Valley Water District,for example, which is in an area of prolongeddrought and until recently rapidly increasingpopulation, has achieved one of the lowestleakage rates in the country. Records manage-ment was one of their areas of focus, and theyreduced their as-built backlog from nearly twoyears to just days.Faced with a shrinking workforce and the

massive effort required to upgrade and replacewater networks and facilities over the next twodecades, water utilities are looking to technolo-gy to help them meet the challenge of provid-ing water to the rapidly increasing populationin the Southeast.

Geoff Zeiss is utility indus-

try program director at

Autodesk. Inc., where he is

focused on streamlining

the infrastructure manage-

ment workflow, open

source geospatial, the

shrinking workforce and

impact of new technolo-

gies, and converged

BIM/CAD/GIS/3-D visualiza-

tion solutions. Zeiss has

more than 20 years’ experi-

ence in the geospatial soft-

ware industry and 15

years’ experience develop-

ing enterprise geospatial

solutions for the utilities,

communications and public

works industries around

the world. To learn more,

contact him at

[email protected].


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Today, everyone is talking about light-emitting diodes (LEDs).This isn’t surprising, given the rampant embrace of the technol-ogy by multiple industries and the immense energy and costsavings LEDs provide.

However, what generally is removed from the conversation are thebest practices surrounding use of this ever-evolving technology, as wellas the questions to ask yourself at the onset of a project and of potentialLED lighting suppliers to ensure the you receive the lighting you need.

A Choice Solution With more and more states enacting energy-focused legislation – suchas California’s Title 24, which requires all new construction to includeenergy-efficient lighting to reduce state energy consumption andimprove energy efficiency – LEDs are becoming the lighting solution ofchoice. They operate at a reduced wattage, thus offering a great cost sav-ings when compared to incandescent and fluorescent options. The impact on savings afforded by LEDs is not only reflected in the

building’s bottom line, but also on a much larger scale. According to theDepartment 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 unprece-

dented opportunity to save energy, maintenance and cooling costs andis a natural fit for cutting-edge renovation (and) new construction proj-ects.” Not only does this illumination solution provide a positive impacton a building’s bottom line and the environment because of its energy-savings properties, it also offers numerous other benefits that incandes-

cents and fluorescents do not, including longerlife, low maintenance costs, no ultra-violetemissions and lower heat expenses.

Getting LEDucated Lighting can be one of the biggest energyexpenses in a commercial building’s operatingbudget, so it is essential that the options speci-fied are based on the greatest anticipatedreturn on cost and energy savings. Being armed with information during the

lighting selection process will allow you tomake a smart and educated decision about thelighting that is right for the installation or proj-ect at hand. To ease the selection process, there are stan-

dard questions that should be consideredwhen beginning the search for the mostappropriate LED lighting solutions:• How much of my product budget is allo-cated for lighting? • Will this LED system support the use of alighting designer?• What tasks will be performed within thisspace? What are the required illuminationlevels within the space?• Is there energy-driven state legislationthat must be adhered to?

SHINING A LIGHT ON LEDS

Here’s what you should know about this popular energy saver. BY ANN SCHIFFERS


• Will there be a need to integrate LEDs withother light sources?

If the budget supports the employment of alighting designer, it is well worth the invest-ment. These professionals are knowledgeableon the most up-to-date codes and specifica-tions for each individual state and project, andprovide an informed perspective on intricateissues. Designers can also assist in lighting cal-culations and properly positioning light in theproject, another beneficial aspect to consider.

If the budget does not support a lightingdesigner, it’s crucial to research various manu-facturers and sources, and to ask the manufac-turers questions and compare their answers.

Visit the DOE website for information aboutmanufacturers and standard practices. Whenin doubt, always follow the most stringentcodes to ensure the project will be approved.

Manufacturer PartnershipsThe same preparation involved in mappingout a project’s lighting needs is also necessaryin pinpointing the right manufacturer to part-ner with on the job.

With a market saturated by options, andwith the technology being fairly new, theimportance of asking the right questions tonavigate towards the most appropriate LED

lighting manufacturer cannot be understated. To pinpoint a manufac-turer partner it is critical that extensive research be done and questionsasked, 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 andperformance claims. Also, closely review the products’ lumen packagesor total lumen outputs.

Some manufacturers may report the products’ raw lumen outputinstead of their delivered lumen output, which is what the output willbe after the LED is integrated into the fixture – the more important met-ric. Verify this information through reliable websites such asLightingFacts.com to ensure the products being purchased meet thestandards 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 dim-

ming equipment;• If the manufacturer offers a full product family of LED solutions,

which will allow for the ability to layer light and contribute to amore 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.

The Last Lesson on LEDsAs energy-efficient light sources increasing-ly become the first choice for new construc-tion, it is essential that those leading theprojects become familiar with their range offunction, and how to utilize these sources in

the proper application of light. This practiceprovides a great deal of flexibility in meetinglighting requirements.

An ever-advancing technology, new LEDdiscoveries continue each day as thelight source becomes more frequentlyutilized in a number of different andnew construction projects spanningindustries from commercial to residen-tial to industrial and civil. Several lighting experts predict LEDswill be the preferred choice within a fewyears, making it crucial to establish addi-

tional best practices. It is important foryour company to arm those in the field with

the education necessary to make smart andinformed illumination choices.

Ann Schiffers is vice presi-

dent 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

[email protected].


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D. Robert Donaldson has seen manychanges since entering the familybusiness in 1968. The 1970s markedthe company’s focus on New York

City construction work, which was followed bynew management and communicationprocesses spurred by the computer age. In1996, Donaldson became sole owner, formedan executive committee and inducted his son,Douglas R. Donaldson into the business.

Through organic and strategic growth, TheDonaldson Organization has become one ofthe largest interior contracting firms in theUnited States, comprised of four companies.

Despite the plethora of changes, the companymaintains several core aspects that have notchanged – and it’s not just the name.

“We’re growing through acquisitions, grow-ing through joint ventures and growingthrough international ventures,” CEO D.Robert Donaldson says. “But our major growthis still developed due to the day-to-day per-sonal relationships that we produce throughtried and true ways of Donaldson, which is toproduce value to our customers.”

During a time when everyone is forced tostretch their dollars, Donaldson says that valueadded is an even bigger player in today’s mar-

‘Tried and True’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, interi-ors, woodwork and wood products

“Our major growth is stilldeveloped due to the day-to-day personal relationships thatwe produce.”–D. Robert Donaldson, President and CEO

The Donaldson Organizationcompleted the interior workfor New York’s Silver TowersResidences.

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ket, and for this company it’s not just a buzzword. Although TheDonaldson Organization is an interiors-focused company, it thinks like ado-it-all contractor. Two years ago, it added a preconstruction divisionthat services all four companies – Donaldson Acoustics Co. Inc.,Donaldson Interiors Inc., Allcraft Fabricators Inc. and DonamoInternational LLC. With the preconstruction services, each company isable to do what it does best.

“Our own preconstruction division zeroes in on the latest technologyand research and development in the market,” Donaldson says. “We cer-tainly focus on that aspect of our company to again afford clients the lat-est technology that is out there and hopefully supply them with somegreat cost saving ideas.”

In Good CompanyDonaldson Acoustics specializes in core and shell construction. The com-pany says it “lives at the heart of The Donaldson Organization,” beingthat 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 interiorsthroughout the tri-state area. Donaldson says Acoustics and Interiors arethe organizations flagship-type companies.

However, Allcraft Fabricators, which dates back to 1963 but wasacquired by Donaldson in 1999, is also a formidable name. “Allcraft’sfocus is to be a leader in the millwork trade just as Donaldson Interiors isin the interior trade,” Donaldson says. “It is well on its way to achievingthat goal.” Allcraft provides architectural millwork out of its recentlyexpanded 40,000-square-foot woodworking facility using a combinationof craftsmanship and advanced technology.

Donamo International is the newest addition. It was formed “inresponse to our clients’ expressed need for a company that can effective-ly manage and control the products that are fabricated in Asia, therebydelivering 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.’

D. Robert Donaldson joinedthe company in 1968. He hasbeen sole owner since 1996.

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Douglas R. Donaldson joined thecompany in the 1990s. He is the

fourth generation of Donaldson’sto work with the company.

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standards through managers who oversee andinspect the work. The products are used forcasework and furniture for the high-rise resi-dential and hospitality markets.

All four companies are managed throughone executive team. “It is all linked thoughexecutive management,” Donaldson says.“Different executives are focused on differentaspects of the company.

“Primarily you can say the [companies]leverage each others resources, but also knowthat each company can work independently ofone another,” he continues.

Together, since the great recession hit, thecompanies have garnered work on a signifi-cant amount of high-profile projects in theNew 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 York’s Aqueduct Racino, the casi-no at the Aqueduct Racetrack.

“It is one of the major projects being done inthe 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 astreamlined job. With our national scale, you have access to the products and services you need, when youneed them. And our local market coverage makes certain we know your business and your project. We’rehonored to work with The Donaldson Organization.


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the Aqueduct Racetrack into a racino througha joint venture of Donaldson and KHS&S out ofCalifornia. The joint venture will produce all ofthe finishes in the entire interior project exceptlighting formats.”

Donaldson says whether it is a joint ventureor acquisition, the partnership must be mutu-ally beneficial. “We look for what type of sup-port the acquisitions and/or partnerships canbring,” he says. “We want to make sure the syn-ergies produce value for our clients and ensurethat there is growth potential.”

For the Aqueduct Racino project, Donaldsonsays KHS&S’s vast experience in racino and

The Donaldson Organization is a rare familyowned company with a legacy that has last-ed more than a century. “We are known asthe best in the business, and we keep get-ting better,” President and CEO D. RobertDonaldson states.

Robert Tanic Donaldson founded thecompany 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 andgrew the company to add lathing, spray-onfireproofing, drywall and acoustical ceilingsto its specialties.

D. Robert Donaldson joined the companyin 1968, and within a 10-year period itbecame one of the largest interior contrac-tors in the New York City metropolitan area.He became the company’s sole owner in1996. Today, The Donaldson Organization iscomprised of four companies:

• Donaldson Acoustics Co. Inc.• Donaldson Interiors Inc.• Allcraft Fabricators Inc.• Donamo International LLC. Now the company is in its fourth genera-

tion, as D. Robert Donaldson’s son, DouglasR. Donaldson has joined the business aspartner and COO of the company.

Donaldson says his family’s involvementin The Donaldson Organization will not endany time soon. Instead, he predicts that thecompany will extend its legacy to a fifthgeneration. “[Our focus is] to keep this fami-ly spirit abounding, not only within theDonaldson family, but within our organiza-tion,” he says.

After 40 years, Donaldson says heremains passionate about his family’s busi-ness. “It is in my blood,” he says. “I love allthe personal and interpersonal contact [and]the machinations of running a business. Itinspires me every day.”

Family Pride

The CEO of The Donaldson Organizationsays Allcraft Fabricators is focused onbeing a leader in the millwork trade.

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casino construction combines well with Donaldson’s more than a centu-ry experience in the New York construction market. The partners willconclude their portion of the work in September.

Sign of the TimesDonaldson says the Aqueduct Racino project is a good indication of amarket ready for a comeback. “We see the evidence happening rightnow,” he says. “We see it through the new projects that have been con-tracted. The prices are still well depressed, but while they are depressed,there is actual work now. There is more work, which should reflect posi-tively on the return of a stable construction market.”

As it awaits the construction market’s turnaround, Donaldson saysthat the company has been “extremely lucky in this great recession.” Thecredit goes to Donaldson’s longevity and creativity which has weatheredeconomic storms worse than the current one. He says the managementteam addressed the problems early. Forming its preconstruction servicesto bring more value to its clientele was a direct result of that effort.

“We’ve been blessed not to be affected by it too much,” Donaldsonsays. “Our hope is that the worst is over and construction will startincreasing in the area and that the company will be back to its recordlevels in the very near future.”

Through it AllRecession or no recession, Donaldson affirms that the company willretain its key growth strategy of building relationships. One way itachieves this is through valuing employees, who in turn value theclients. “We always depend on our great employees,” he says.

“We make sure that the employees are happy in order to keep theclients happy,” he continues. “We keep our clients’ needs in focus nomatter the market. It comes about due to our great length of time beingin this business. We use that experience to help our clients in good timesas well as in bad times.”

He says he has enjoyed watching longtime employees develop theircareers at Donaldson. Many of them have started their tenures as work-ers and moved their way into management positions. “Watching themsucceed and become true pillars of the community is very satisfying forme now,” he told Construction Today in May 2008.

In return for the organization’s caring and honest culture, the employ-ees show their gratitude by excelling in the workplace. “Everybody istrying to do right for the company because the company is doing rightfor them,” Donaldson says.

–Alan Dorich contributed to this article.

‘We make sure that the employees arehappy to keep the clients happy.’


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When it comes to building large-scale, high-profile healthcareprojects, few builders are asrespected for their “bedside

manner” as Turner Construction Co. The com-pany is one of the leaders in the healthcare sec-tor, averaging 125 healthcare projects annually.In fact, healthcare represents nearly 25 percentof all Turner’s projects on an annual basis.

With this dominant position in the health-care sector, it’s no surprise that Turner wouldbe called on for a project such as the one near-ing completion on the campus of Saint FrancisHospital and Medical Center in Hartford, Conn.Turner is putting the finishing touches on theJohn T. O’Connell Tower, a 10-story patient carefacility that modernizes many of the servicesprovided at the hospital. The new tower con-tains a new central sterile, emergency depart-ment, operating rooms, CT Joint ReplacementInstitute, main mechanical room, medical sur-gical unit, two orthopedic patient care unitsand a heliport. Existing departments at SaintFrancis will move into the new facility. Certaindepartments already have begun moving intothe 318,000-square-foot building, and ProjectManager Mike Heller says it is one of the moresignificant healthcare projects Turner has beeninvolved with within the last few years in thestate of Connecticut.

Overcoming ChallengesBecause of Turner’s extensive experience in thehealthcare sector, a large-scale project such asJohn T. O’Connell Tower isn’t anything thecompany hasn’t seen before, Heller says.However, a few aspects of the project requireda little more attention from crews on site.

One of those aspects was the foundation sys-tem, which due to the presence of Hartford clayunder the entire site and the varying density ofthe ground, a number of different foundationsystems were utilized on the project. Theseincluded H piles, drilled micro piles, jackedpiles and earth retention systems. Heller sayspart of the structure also sits on low-density

concrete fill for added stability. “Needless to say, that was a critical part of the

schedule, so we’d be working 12-hour days sixdays a week on that portion,” Heller says.

Building TeamworkCareful coordination was crucial on the John T.O’Connell Tower project, as it is on everyhealthcare project. Heller says the use of BIMsoftware between Turner, project designersTRO|JB, and subcontractors proved to be ahuge advantage in terms of keeping the proj-ect on schedule. “With it being a hospital proj-ect, mechanical systems were very complex, sowe had to make sure that all fits,” Heller says.

“The other advantage was that we had meet-ings with the owner’s facilities staff to gothrough access control,” he adds. This involvedarranging access points to allow technicians toservice mechanical equipment through theceilings so as to avoid disrupting hospital serv-ices. The use of BIM was instrumental in coor-dinating these access points before construc-tion began, Heller says.

The presence of advanced medical equip-ment provided Turner with another area ofchallenge, according to Heller. Coordinatingtime for manufacturers to get into the buildingfor a look around was very important. “Hospitalssuch as Saint Francis want the very latest tech-

Turner Construction Co. –Saint Francis Hospital andMedical Centerwww.tcco.com• Total project cost: $184 million • Location: Hartford, Conn.• Employees on site at peak: 275• Scope: 318,000-square-foot hospital “We had a great team approachon this.” –Mike Heller, project manager

Turner Construction is nearing completion on the John T. O’Connell Tower at Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center in Hartford, Conn. The 10-story, 318,000-square-foot facility consolidates several hospital functions into one building.

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Healthcare SpecialistsTURNER’S HEALTHCARE EXPERTISE GUIDES IT THROUGH A LARGE HOSPITAL PROJECT. BY CHRIS PETERSEN


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nology available,” he says. “We are always trying to stay flexible and notcommit to a particular piece of equipment until the very last minute.”

Overall, Heller says, the combination of BIM and strong collaborationamong the entire project team, consisting of Saint Francis user and facili-ties groups, TRO|JB, subcontractors and vendors, city of HartfordBuilding Officials, and others made for a relatively smooth constructionprocess on the John T. O’Connell Tower. “We had a great team approachon this project,” Heller says.

Turner’s approach on the project has resulted in some accolades,including a community service award from the ConnecticutConstruction Industry Association for the company’s involvement in thecommunity and its commitment to hiring women- and minority-owned businesses. Additionally, the company received a Liberty MutualSilver Award for the project’s safety record. “On this project, we take safe-ty very seriously,” Heller says.

Measuring SuccessTurner’s reputation for healthcare work is well-established, and the com-pany says its expertise in this highly complicated field is the reason forits success. “Healthcare facilities are one of the most difficult buildingtypes to construct, requiring the understanding and application ofunique and highly complex systems,” the company says.

“Turner has complemented our century of construction managementexperience with many value-added services in order to offer our health-care clients a one-source solution for all of their facility needs,” the com-pany continues. “Working closely with clients to maintain clear focusand control during all phases of a project, our leading experts in thefields of medical technology, mechanical, electrical, architectural, med-ical equipment procurement and facilities management deliver a truevalue to our healthcare clients.”

When it comes to measuring Turner’s success with healthcare proj-ects, the company says one needs look no further than the number ofsuccessful projects and repeat clients it has accumulated. “Over the last10 years, Turner has completed hundreds of acute care hospitals, aca-demic medical centers, medical research facilities, cancer centers, heartcenters, ambulatory surgery facilities and housing facilities for seniors,”the company says. “More than 60 percent of Turner’s healthcare projectsare repeat business from clients, a great indication of the company’s abil-ity to deliver projects successfully to our clients.”

One such successful project the company completed recently was amajor cancer center in New Haven, Conn. The 14-story, 497,000-square-foot facility features 112 inpatient beds, five MRIs, expanded operatingrooms and radiation oncology services. It also features a five-story, glass-walled bridge between the new building and the existing building.

‘Hospitals want the latest technology. We are always trying to stay flexible.’

The use of BIM was crucial incoordinating the work on the

John T. O’Connell Tower.

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Many general contractors/con-struction managers do not self-perform their own work often,but J&J Contractors Inc. is not

one of those companies and is all the better forit, Vice President Jon Braley says. That ability“has been a huge asset over the years,” he says.“I think that’s been key to sustaining controland schedule.”

That philosophy has kept J&J on track as itbuilds the new Armed Forces Reserve Centerin Ayer, Mass., for the U.S. Army Corps ofEngineers (USACE). The project consists ofseven buildings that cover 290,000 square feeton a 60-acre site.

“The majority of it is a vehicle maintenancecenter for the Mass Army National Guard,Marines Reserves and Army Reserves,” Braleysays, adding that one of the structures will be atraining facility for soldiers.

Out of the BoxThe $67 million-plus project is not J&J’s firstproject for USACE. “We have worked with the

J&J Contractors has won numerous awardsfor its work, including:

• The Construction ManagementAssociation of America’s Public Projectof the Year Award (Projects from $20Million to $50 Million) for its work onthe Swampscott High School in 2008;

• The Rhode Island National Guard’sGold Metal Excellence Award for itswork building an aerial port and securi-ty communications facility in 2008; and

• The Massachusetts HistoricalCommission’s 1999 Preservation Awardfor its work on the North BillericaCommuter Rail Station.

Recognizing J&J

EntirelyUnderControl J&J CONTRACTORS IS AT WORKON A NEW ARMED FORCESRESERVE CENTER. BY ALAN DORICH

J&J Contractors Inc. –Armed Forces Reserve Centerwww.jjcontractor.com• Project budget: $67 million+• Location: Ayer, Mass.• Scope: Seven buildings totaling290,000 square feet

“There’s a lot of people in thisindustry that make it worth-while.” –Jon Braley, vice president

J&J Armed Forces projectconsists of seven buildingson a 60-acre site.

»


New England District for the last 12 years,”Braley explains.

One of the unique features of the center, henotes, is that it is being built on a former Armybase. “It was a deactivated base in the ‘90s,” heexplains, noting that the base was active duringWorld War I and II.

As J&J performed site work on the ArmedForces Reserve Center project, “We discovered100 items of explosives,” he recalls.

“That was definitely a hurdle we had to over-come. Every other day, because of site work, wehad to shut down.”

However, “Only four of those items were actu-ally live,” he notes. “The state police had to comein and detonate them on site.”

Going for the GoldThe seven structures are aiming for LEED Silvercertification. However, “We’re on pace to be Gold-certified,” Braleyreports, explaining that J&J is exceeding the Silver standards in suchareas as HVAC and energy conservation. “We’ve had to [think] a little bitout of the box.”

This was due to the use groups of the buildings and the amount ofimpervious surfaces the project entails. As such, the company had tofocus on regional and recycled materials, as well as debris recycling.Currently, 92 percent of all construction debris has been recycled.

Responsible BuildersBased in Lowell, Mass., J&J specializes in gener-al contracting, design/build and constructionmanagement services for federal, school andhealthcare projects.

Over the years, the company has completedprojects for numerous U.S. federal governmentagencies, the Commonwealth of Massachusettsand local municipalities.

“The one thing we take pride in is client sat-isfaction,” Braley says. “We’re responsible forour work and [acting responsibly] to our clientsand owners.”

Braley joined J&J in 1997. Although the con-struction industry can be difficult, “What haskept me [here] is some of the relationships Ihave gained through the years with owners,clients, architects and designers,” he says.

“There’s a lot of people in this industry thatmake it worthwhile.”

Braley says he sees “great things” ahead for J&J Contractors. Althoughthe company has primarily concentrated on federal and public clients,“We’ve started to venture into some private work,” he says. “We’ve got alot of avenues open. That’s the one thing that’s allowed us to be success-ful – our diversity.”

He believes the company will work again with USACE. “We have a fewproposals [for their projects] out there right now, in fact,” he says.

J&J Contractors is providing design/buildservices on the Armed Forces Reserve Centerproject, which is an area where the compa-ny excels. “We hold the master contract,with all architectural and engineering disci-plines contracted to and managed by J&J,”he says.

“The D/B project delivery method essen-tially shifts all project risk from the client toJ&J,” the company continues. “Additionally,clients often benefit from an acceleratedschedule and cost savings. The design/buildcontract includes a lump sum from J&J earlyin the process, allowing the client to obtainfavorable project financing terms.”

Shifting the Risk


Despite investments in document manage-ment software, many companies still sufferfrom poor communication, project delays, con-flicts with partners and subcontractors, andsignificant risk of lawsuits. The truth is that despite the technical

sophistication of traditional collaboration anddocument management software, these solu-

tions lack key capabilities and pricing models that lead to effectivecollaboration, which is essential for successful project management.Fortunately, software-as-a-service (SaaS) based online project col-laboration, specifically designed to facilitate collaboration among allstakeholders in a multiparty project, is now a viable choice to aug-ment and improve the usefulness of project information and sys-tems already in place to manage projects.

Limitations of Traditional SoftwareMost traditional software is purchased by a single company and theninstalled and managed on site. This raises immediate problemswhen it comes to providing partners, contractors and other stake-holders with access to project information. Many solutions don’thave sophisticated remote access capabilities, and many companiesdon’t let non-employees through the firewall.

Typically, these solutions lack the functionality, transparency,and security to support multi-organization collaboration, andeven if multiple companies get access to the system, it is rarelyused to its full capabilities because the hosting organizationcan’t afford to offer sufficient training to other project teammembers.

Purchasing and deploying onsite software is also time consuming andexpensive. In addition to the purchase price, there are yearly mainte-nance fees. Also, there’s often the cost of an additional physical serverand storage. Finally, costs may well ramp up in the data center as admin-istrators focus on keeping the system running optimally. The privacy and security of data is critical in a collaborative environ-

ment. All participants must feel confident in the system before they willshare their proprietary information – and many will never feel confi-dent putting their information behind another company’s 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 stake-holder begins to withhold vital information from the collaborative envi-ronment, the benefits to the project rapidly disappear.There’s another aspect of security to consider – network and physical

security. Many organizations still consider an enterprise-based softwareimplementation to be more secure than a cloud-based solution, buttoday, 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 serviceproviders. Even if other project stakeholders trust your ethics, they arestill unlikely to put their data on your systems if they fear the data isvulnerable to network breaches and physical attacks.

Advantages of SaaSThe benefits of SaaS-based online collaboration and document manage-ment begin with an independent third-party vendor that manages theplatform outside each project team member’s firewall. Designed for mul-tiparty collaboration, the system is easily accessible by all registered par-ticipants, anywhere, anytime. Thanks to the neutrality, each organiza-tion retains full ownership of its data, and the neutral third party pro-

Commercial By Leigh Jasper

LEIGH JASPER is CEO and co-founder of Aconex, one of the world’s largestproviders of online collaboration solutions to the construction and engineeringindustries. For more information, visit www.aconex.com.

Every construction company recog-nizes the value of project manage-ment, but the ongoing evolution ofproject technologies and the sheervolume of project documentationgenerated across a project makes itdifficult to establish best practicesfor online project, information andprocess management.

Productivity Goes

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tects the rights and privacy of every participant. Because the application is maintained by the third party, participating

organizations don’t need to deploy and maintain new software or hard-ware. In most cases, the SaaS service is offered for a flat fee, whichincludes unlimited access, data hosting, training and ongoing supportfor all project participants. In this way, the fee can easily be absorbed byone 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 participantsto get trained on the system, no matter where the users are or when theyjoin the project.Another critical advantage of the SaaS model is the systems are

designed to be compatible with most installed enterprise informationmanagement systems. Participating organizations can use their existing internal design,

scheduling and document management systems to update project doc-uments while collaborating outside the firewall to review, approve andprocess the documents with other members of each of their projectteams. This approach provides the best of both worlds: all the benefits oftrue global, multiparty collaboration in the cloud without disruption ofexisting business processes.Today’s SaaS vendors typically offer extraordinarily high levels of net-

work and physical security in professionally managed data centers thatprovide advanced networking tools and environmental protection,including around-the-clock monitoring, controlled access, closed circuitvideo surveillance inside and out, and fire control systems.

Selecting a VendorWhen selecting a SaaS-based online collaboration vendor, look for thefollowing in a potential vendor:• The SaaS model should promote adoption – The fee structureshould not be based on the number of users, participating compa-nies, or software licenses, or the amount of data stored. These feestructures easily lead to serious budget overruns. Only a flat fee-based model will encourage universal adoption while providingthe lead organizations with predictable costs.

• Data ownership rights must be protected – The system must ensureeach organization has complete control over its own data and thatproprietary data can’t be accessed by other parties.

• The system must be designed for the construction industry – If thesystem doesn’t follow standard industry processes so teams canintuitively complete their tasks, adoption will be slow, limiting thesystem’s usefulness. The system should offer all key functionalityincluding project correspondence and documents; allow for flexibleworkflows; and be globally robust enough to support high data vol-umes and file sizes.

• The vendor should be able to demonstrate its commitment.• The vendor should be able to implement projects in days, notmonths. If the vendor can’t implement the project in a matter ofdays, you may start using other tools, reducing the value of the sys-

tem while increasing complexity andcosts.

• The vendor should support you whereyou are – Only a vendor with multipleoffices around the world can provide in-person training in multiple languageswhere and when you need it.

Today’s online collaboration systems offercontractors tremendous benefits over tradi-tional software when it comes to fosteringteamwork and collaboration, controlling costs,and ensuring security. The right vendor with the right experience,

the required capabilities and the right com-mercial model, can dramatically increase proj-ect efficiency and productivity, speed projectsto completion, and save money to deliverhigher margins.

IN THIS SECTIONGHA Design Studiosg p.40GHA’s designs bring newenergy to retail centersand standalone stores.

Company Profiles30 Graber Post Buildings Inc. 36 Q.B. Construction 40 GHA Design Studios43 Wensley Architecture Ltd.46 The Weitz Co. – The Veterans

Memorial Auditorium49 Woodstone Builders Inc.52 Linbeck Group – Embassy Suites

Hotel CBD54 Lippert Brothers Inc.56 Urbacon Building Group –

Pickering Town Centre

Woodstone BuildersInc. g p.49Woodstone is known forquality casino projects.


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Craftsmanship sometimes is consid-ered a value that is long gone frommodern companies, but in the heartof Amish country, it still survives

and prospers. That is where Graber PostBuildings Inc. has been located since 1973.The company’s largely Amish workforce inIndiana’s Daviess County still provide thatcraftsmanship in their production of the com-pany’s post buildings.

Inside the company’s 8.5 acres that areunder roof, Graber Post produces buildings for125 national wholesale customers in 25 statesand Canada. Its employees erect buildingswithin 100 miles of its plant. “Another thingthat has become pretty big for us in the past three to four years has beenreroof projects on houses as well as other buildings, and that has reallybeen growing for us, because people see the advantage in a metal roofover the asphalt,” Executive Vice President Don Graber emphasizes.

“That has grown considerably for us.”Graber Post Buildings has a sister plant in

Versailles, Mo., that President Glen Graberbought. Previously named Martin Metal LLC, thecompany sold Graber buildings. Now as GraberPost Buildings, it also manufactures portions ofthe buildings and is enabling the company toobtain business from as far west as Colorado.

“Their business has just grown in leaps andbounds since we made that purchase a few yearsago,” Director of Marketing Keith Doades asserts.“It’s a nice situation for us because it gives us anextension of our own company in another partof the United States.”

Building Uses“We manufacture and distribute every piece of material needed for apost frame structure or metal roofing project,” Doades insists. “Our com-plex includes a custom manufacturing facility. We have a new show-

Posting SuccessGRABER POST BUILDINGS MANUFACTURES ALL ITS COMPONENTS AND BUILDINGS. BY RUSS GAGER

Graber Post Buildings Inc.www.graberpost.com• 2010 revenue: $ 50 million • Headquarters: Montgomery, Ind.• Employees: 130• Specialty: Manufacturing andinstalling pole buildings

“We feel that if we can’t do asgood or better than anybodyelse, then we need to clean upour act.” –Don Graber, executive vice president

Graber Post Buildings specializes in manufacturingand installing post buildings.

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room and office facility. If you’re a do-it-your-selfer and can put up a small building yourself,you can call us and we can deliver it to you. Alot of folks will pick the materials up. We havea hardware store right here where they couldpick up any accessory items or ancillary itemsto get the job done.”

The uses to which metal post buildings areput include agriculture, equipment andmachine sheds, poultry, airplane hangars,churches – just about any use. For instance,Graber says when poultry prices are good, themarket is good for poultry buildings.

“It just kind of follows the demand,” he says.“Farmers have done well the last couple ofyears, and so farmers are spending moneywith us. We’d like for other people to makemoney, because when they make money,they’ll probably be buying something from us.We like it when other people make money.”

Doades thinks the sky is the limit for postbuilding applications. “The number of applica-tions of our post frame buildings is too numer-ous to count,” Doades emphasizes. “It could besomething as small as just a little lean-to tocover up a pile of wood for a customer. It couldbe something that could be a new garage, or itcould be a storage shed or an outbuilding. Itcould be a community center, a new church orit could be a commercial building or some-thing as simple as a pole barn for storage andresidential use.

“We have more and more people that seemto be getting back into livestock and horses forhobbies,” Doades notes.

“Equestrian buildings are some things thatare fairly popular in different parts of the state

Metal post buildings serve a variety of uses, and can be used as equipment and machine sheds, airplane hangars,chicken coops, churches and other functions, according to Graber.

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Family employment is strong at Graber PostBuildings. Besides President Glen Graberand his brother Don Graber, executive vicepresident, another brother, Steve, joined thebusiness to purchase steel. Glen’s sonJonathan is vice president of operations, andhis wife also works at Graber Post. OtherGrabers in the business include Bill, who isoperations manager; Mark, sales manager;Elmer, fleet manager; Omer, building estima-tor; Rich, building estimator; Kenny, buildingand roofing estimator; Sam, who handleswholesale accounts; Norm, who overseesretail sales and hardware along with Leon;Marty, who inspects construction; and Dave,who handles truss sales.

Family Business


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and country, but in terms of the number ofapplications and uses, they would almostnumber the stars in the sky.”

Quick ServiceGraber Post Buildings became vertically integrat-ed to serve its customers better. Doades says thecompany is unique in that it is a national compa-ny that handles every item a customer needs fora post frame structure or a metal roofing project.

“When it comes to service, we feel like wehave set a standard a lot of people have had tofollow in order to hold onto their customer,”Graber insists.

“A lot of the things we’re doing we’ve doneout of necessity, because we could not get theservice that we needed. The big thing was toget these deliveries in a timely manner. In a lotof the type of construction we are involvedwith, you can’t wait two to three weeks for ashipment – you need it now. So that’s wherewe really come through for the customers.”

The company can produce some buildingsin as little as three or four days in various sizes,Graber maintains.

“We don’t have a standard-sized building,but each person that calls in, we custom-size itand design each building for the customer,”Graber explains. “There’s no such thing as anodd-sized building for us.”

Graber’s in-house drafting staff can assem-ble plans for buildings, and outside engi-neers are consulted when necessary. Thecompany plans to hire an in-house engineerin the future. “For public access buildings,then the whole project has to be mainly over-seen by a certified engineer, where they fol-low the job from start to finish,” Graberpoints out.

“Every truss that’s built is built to engineer-ing specifications,” Graber emphasizes. “Thesame with those posts. All those posts we man-ufacture, they’re certified, and so we need toknow something about the building, theheight of the sidewalls and the spacing of thepost.” Also needed is the required wind loadand roof loading. “The quality of our product isas good as the best,” he insists. “Probably noteverybody can say that theirs is equal to thebest, but we are.”

Roll-forming CompetitorsCompanies that roll-form steel supplied oncoils are prevalent throughout Graber’s salesarea. “There’s upwards of a dozen in the state ofKentucky alone – that’s just south of us, andwe still supply customers in that state,” Graberpoints out. “There’s a lot of those all through-out the Midwest – some bigger, some smaller.We actually don’t feel threatened by anybodythat does it, because we feel that if we can’t doas good or better than anybody else, then weneed to clean up our act.”

Competition from other countries is beingfelt in the materials markets, such as priceincreases for steel and lumber that necessitateGraber Post Buildings to raise its prices. “Likeeverybody else, you can’t sell something forless than what you have to pay for it,” Graberpoints out. “We try to be sure that all our cus-tomers have the opportunity to get one lastorder in before the price increase if they sochoose. You treat the customers the way youwould like to be treated if you were on theother end.”

Lumber prices may increase this summer,

Graber says all of its trussesare built to exacting

engineering specifications.

« Graber manufactures anddistributes many of its components from this complex.

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Graber thinks. “A lot of lumber is being exported from Canada over toChina is what I’ve been hearing, so that naturally makes a little bit moreof a shortage,” he reports. “What they like to export is the high-endgrade, so it’s getting more and more difficult – you have to pay more of apremium all the time to get the better grade.”

Lower quality lumber has more knots in it, and sometimes the edgesof planks still have bark on them. Southern pine from southern statesand spruce from Canada is used by Graber. “Southern pine is moredense – it’s a harder wood, which has more strength,” he notes.

The company is overcoming the loss of quality in wood supplies bylaminating its own beams from 2- by 6-inch planks. “You piece themtogether to make a post so you can see what the laminated post lookslike 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 asfar as strength in the post.”

Slowly Built UpThe family-owned Graber Post Buildings was founded by Glen Graber in1973. “When my brother Glen started out, very early on I went to work

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 – wecould pick up the supplies from different suppliers locally to build thebuilding – and the people would buy a building from him just as well asfrom some more established company,” he continues.

Because the roll-formed metal for the buildings had to be obtainedfrom some distance away in Greenfield, Ind., neighbors wanting themetal for roofing, siding or a farm shed would ask Graber to bring itback for them.

“So that kind of led us into supplying metal to other people as well asour own buildings, and then it just grew from there out of necessity,”Graber remembers.

The same basic situation also happened with trusses. “The time camewhen we couldn’t get trusses in a timely manner because people weregetting too far behind, and so we went into truss manufacturing, andthat led to supplying trusses to other people as well,” Graber recounts.Finally, the company switched metal suppliers a few times but ended updoing its own roll-forming.

‘You have to pay more of a premium allthe time to get the better grade.’

Graber says its vertical integration helps it betterserve its customers.

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After nearly 25 years, Q.B.Construction has gained a strongreputation in Puerto Rico as a con-tractor that keeps control over the

quality of a project, President and partner PaulLavergne says. He adds that the company has aloyal base of repeat clients that includes thePuerto Rico Port Authority.

“We’ve probably done five projects [forthem] in our lifetime,” Lavergne says. “We cre-ate ever lasting relationships with the cus-tomers here.”

Based in Santurce, Puerto Rico, Q.B.Construction specializes in general contracting

Q.B. Construction specializesin general contracting andconstruction management.

«

Fulfilling ItsClients’ DreamsQ.B. CONSTRUCTION SAYS IT ENJOYS MAKING ITS CLIENTS’ VISIONSINTO REALITIES WITH ITS PROJECTS. BY ALAN DORICH

While a large percentage of Q.B.Construction’s projects are from repeat cus-tomers, the company also has received anumber of referrals from satisfied clients.

“Q.B. Construction is sensitive to theowner’s needs and we understand thatwhen we commit to complete a concoursewith six airplane gates in 11 months, withthe owner’s commitments made way inadvance, opening dates simply must bemet,” the company says.

For instance, as general contractors andconstruction managers, the company’s proj-ects have included an air traffic controltower, regional shopping malls, elevatedroadways, a crossfield runway connector,and coordinating a baggage claim expan-sion for American Airlines. That particularproject lasted six months.

“Afterward, American contracted Q.B.Construction to manage all their San JuanHub expansion, a project that would last sixyears for a total construction cost exceeding$150 million,” it says. “Equally rewardingwas the fact that when we finished our firstMcDonald’s restaurant, Q.B. Constructionwas contracted to do seven more.”

Customer Favorite

Q.B. Constructionwww.qbconstruction.com• 2010 sales: $95 million• Headquarters: Santurce, Puerto Rico• Employees: 150• Specialty: General contracting“We create ever lasting relationships with the customershere.” –Paul Lavergne, president and partner


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and construction management for a broadbase of clients, Lavergne says. His father, LuisLavergne, founded the company with partnerFrancisco Bechara in 1987.

Previously, the two earned extensive experi-ence in the construction industry.

“My father worked for a construction com-pany here in Puerto Rico for 25 years,” theyounger Lavergne says.

Bechara worked as a small contractor anddeveloper for many years. After the two decidedto join forces, Q.B. Construction grew quickly,Paul Lavergne says, noting that his father decid-ed to offer construction management services,which many did not provide in Puerto Rico.

At the time, there was a growing need forowners, particularly government clients, tohave an expert that managed the constructionand oversaw its interests.

Ultimately, Lavergne purchased the companyin 2003 with Bechara’s son, Vice President andpartner Frankie Bechara.

“We [build] anything that goes up,” Becharaboasts, noting that the company’s recent proj-ects have included pier work at San Juan Bay

Q.B. Construction’s most recent projects include a 280,000-square-foot terminal at San Juan Luis Muñoz MarínInternational Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

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Q.B. Construction says it does not underesti-mate the importance of planning and phas-ing each of its projects. “A constructionteam, featuring an architect, engineers andtrade contractors will work together with theowner towards a common goal,” it says.

”Because we recognize just how impor-tant this team is to the project’s ultimatesuccess, one of Q.B. Construction’s two part-ners will act as the team’s leader as toinsure proper communication among allteam members and a fast and effective deci-sion making process,” it says, noting that itemploys a staff of professional engineersand project superintendents with extensiveexperience. “Normally, our workers perform[in] all general conditions, reinforced con-crete work and we select the best subcon-tractors for all other specialty work.”

In addition, during the design process, thecompany will work closely with the designteam, providing engineering consulting,preparing construction budgets and protect-ing the owner’s interests. “We also willmake recommendations for the project’sphasing sequences and bid packages,” itsays. “During the construction phase, Q.B.Construction will coordinate and superviseall construction activities, manage changeorders and monitor itineraries.”

Establishing Common Goals


and a 280,000-square-foot terminal at San Juan Luis Muñoz MarínInternational Airport.

Exciting WorkLavergne joined Q.B. Construction in 1991 and says he still enjoys thebusiness. “It’s very exciting to see something from somebody’s dreamand have it turn into a reality,” he says.

“I grew up as a kid seeing these big things being developed,” herecalls, noting that it gave him a lot of excitement. “I didn’t hesitatewhen I went to engineering school. It brings me a lot of joy.”

Along with its focus on quality, Lavergne says the company hasstayed strong by focusing on the type of people it hires. “The quality ofour employees is just excellent,” he says. “We hire, maintain and train agroup of people [like no] other. [We hire people with] leadership andteamwork; people who are not afraid to take risks and think on theirown while at the same time engaging with others; people who are open-minded to continue learning.”

Among them is Executive Project Manger Carlos Archilla, who recent-ly was promoted to his current role. “He’s been with the company for 15years,” Lavergne says. “He’s now become our right-hand man. He over-sees many of the projects that we’re building.”

Lavergne also has praise for CEMEX Puerto Rico, which has providedconcrete for many of the company’s field projects. “They’ve always com-plied to their requirements and [done] a good job,” he says, noting thatthe 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, notingthat CEMEX also recognized the company for its longevity in the industry.

Meeting DemandLike its counterparts in the United States, Q.B. Construction has beenaffected by the economic downturn, Lavergne says. For instance, thecompany is seeing a decrease in the desire for housing projects.

In the coming months, most of the company’s projects will be in theinstitutional sector, including schools and jails. “I think we can do what-ever 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. We’ve been successfulwith the last two,” he adds.

“We can adapt to anything that comes out, and I think we’re in a posi-tion that we can, hopefully in a year or so.”

‘It’s very exciting to see something fromsomebody’s dream [become] reality.’


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There are firms that design buildings, and then there are thosethat design the environments within them, like GHA DesignStudios. Based in Montreal and Detroit, the firm specializes inthe interior design of shopping malls and stores, Director of

Retail Development Debbie Kalisky says.“We exclusively design retail environments,” she says. “We’re often

hired by developers and by architects to give a stronger retail energy toshopping center and retail projects.”

GHA was formed in 1985 and initially focused solely on designingstores, Kalisky says. However, the company branched out when onedeveloper was impressed with GHA’s knowledge of retail and its abilityto look at design from a consumer’s point of view.

“They entrusted us to basically design our first mall,” Kalisky says. “Ithas 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 commu-nity’s needs. In addition, the firm can design some of the stores withinthe center, including its food court. “It’s very much ‘A’ to ‘Z’ in terms ofour area of focus within retail,” she says.

GHA also focuses heavily on the clients’ needs balanced with design-ing an impressive looking environment, Kalisky says. “In the end, ashopping center can be an architectural marvel,” she says.

“But if the tenants are not thriving, then the center is a bust,” she con-tinues. “[We focus on tenants] so that traffic will be increased and salesnumbers will be up for the landlord.”

Distinctly New YorkGHA’s recent projects include a new flagship store for Aéropostale inTimes Square that is designed in collaboration with Sargenti Architects,a firm based in Paramus, N.J. Kalisky says that the finished store standstwo stories and covers 18,000 square feet.

“Because it’s in New York, it hada distinctively New York themeto it,” she says, explaining that

rooms within the store emulatethe city’s SoHo and GreenwichVillage neighborhoods. The storealso features a “Denim Library,”which is modeled after the NewYork Public Library.

GHA enjoyed partnering withSargenti on the Aéropostale proj-ect, Kalisky says. “They’re veryeasy [to work with],” she states.“They’re very respectful of ourcreative role in the project, and

Based in Montreal and Detroit, GHA Design Studios specializes in creating the interior design of shopping malls and stores.

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GrandDesignsGHA USED ITS EXPERTISE ON THE TIMES SQUARELOCATION FOR AÉROPOSTALE. BY ALAN DORICH

GHA Design Studioswww.ghadesign.com• 2010 sales: Between $5 millionand $10 million

• Headquarters: Montreal and Detroit• Employees: 50• Specialty: Retail design“We would like to be on thespeed dial of all the Americanand European developers.”–Debbie Kalisky, director of retail development


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they are the ones who make the vision becometo a reality.”

At the COREGHA’s recent work also includes the renovationof CORE, a multistory shopping center indowntown Calgary for 20 Vic Management Inc.GHA acted as retail consultants on the projectdesigned by MMC International Architects.

The center’s new features include a skylightthat needed to be constructed over its old roof.“The new roof has a wider span,” Kalisky says,adding that general contractor EllisDon oftenhad two levels of rooftops up at the same time.“It’s the largest [roof] of its kind. It spans threecity blocks.

“When you look up, there’s no [appearanceof a] ceiling,” Kalisky explains. “All you see issky, so you really have the impression that youare outdoors.”

Another distinctive feature storefronts in thecenter that are two levels high. “It gives a veryimposing appearance to the pedestrian walk-ing in the mall,” she says.

On the Speed DialKalisky has been with GHA for more than 13years. She notes that she has enjoyed the expe-rience of growing the firm’s reach from Canadainto the United States, Italy and Scandinavia.“The expansion of our network is really excit-ing,” she says, adding that this is largely due toGHA’s approach to dealing with clients.

“The philosophy of our company is that ithas a very casual approach, not intimidating,”she says. “We’re very open with the clients. I’dsay that kind of approach makes [it have] afeel-good atmosphere.”

She adds that the company is seeing a changein its clientele, which seems to be growing more

aware of the international retail design trends.“[They are more] educated as to products, choic-es and quality,” she says. “The Internet has cer-tainly made a huge impact on that.”

Kalisky praises members of the company’sstaff, including Designer Jonathan Knodell,who worked on the Aéropostale project. “He’sextremely creative,” she raves. “He understandsmerchandising and he understands apparel.”

Other critical associates include partnersFrank DiNiro and Paola Marques, who workedon the CORE project and brought experience astenant liaisons, Kalisky says. “They workedwith each tenant to improve their submis-sions,” she says.

GHA is planning for continued growth andwants to spread out even further international-ly. “We would like to be the people on thespeed dial of all the American and Europeandevelopers,” she says.

‘The philosophy of our company is that it has a very casual approach.’

GHA designed the new flagshipstore for Aeropostale in New

York City’s Times Square.

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The legacy of preeminent westernCanadian architect B. James Wensleyis being carried forward by WensleyArchitecture Ltd.’s principals Barry

Weih and Neil Banich. “He set some pretty highstandards and values, and the current compa-ny is a continuation of these values,” Weihexplains. “Wensley Architecture’s tradition is tofocus on high quality, design and client service.Both Neil and I worked with Jim for over 10years prior to becoming owners. We had thegood fortune of having him as our mentor, assomeone we could learn from as we weredeveloping our craft.”

In 2001, the pair bought the company,which is now celebrating the 25th anniversaryof its establishment in British Columbia. Weihjoined the company in 1991, and Banich in1988. “Wensley Architecture has an excellentreputation for retail and commercial design,and we continue to have a strong emphasis onthat,” Weih notes. The firm has designed more

than 1 million square feet of retail space inrecent years.

Over the last 10 years, the company hasdiversified, becoming a significant player inthe development of residential, senior care andmixed-use projects. “From our point of view fora straight business model, we’re happy to seethat kind of diversity, because strength in onesector can offset market weakness in other sec-tors,” Weih says.

“On the residential side, we have designedand seen construction completed on some-where around 800 units of housing over thelast 10 years, and we continue to see growth inthat market,” Weih estimates. A recent mixed-use project is Via, which was nominated for aGeorgie Award.

Laurel Place is a recent senior care facilityWensley Architecture designed for the LARKGroup that is operated by the Ahmon Group.“There’s a real need for high quality senior carefacilities,” 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 andinterior design

“We had to turn LondonDrugs over in a space of timethat seemed impossible initially.”–Barry Weih, principal

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Branching OutTHIS ARCHITECTURAL FIRM IS INCREASING ITS RESIDENTIAL AND SENIOR CARE BUSINESS. BY RUSS GAGER

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Garibaldi Village is a mixed-usedevelopment in British Columbia

on the Sea Sky Highway.

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recent years, Wensley Architecture’s number ofsenior care projects has doubled, and its num-ber of residential projects has tripled. “We’reanywhere between 40 and 50 percent residen-tial and senior care design,” Weih says.

Retail DevelopmentCompleted in September 2010, WensleyArchitecture Ltd. designed Garibaldi Village, amixed use development in Squamish, BritishColumbia, located on the Sea Sky Highwaythat linked Whistler with Vancouver for the2010 Winter Olympics.

The 86,000-square-foot project consisted of66,000 square feet of retail and 20,000 squarefeet of office on a second floor above the retailspace. “The developer saw the need in theSquamish marketplace to build some high-quality office space, so it seemed like a goodopportunity here,” Weih recalls. “We didn’twant a bunch of stucco boxes there, and boththe owner and developer, Wesbild HoldingsLtd., were pretty clear on that. We wanted toreflect the mountains in the backdrop, so wehad the idea to use inverted roof forms. Weused local timber and stone and some fairlysimple steel and concrete to create a buildingthat reflected the topography of the area.”

The center’s roof overhangs its sidewalks tohelp protect the walls from wind-driven rain ormoisture. “It’s pretty important to have thosekinds of overhangs in this climate to protectthe integrity of the building envelope,” Weihpoints out.

Fast TrackThe project was definitely on the fast track intwo phases – construction of a large drug storeand then completion of the rest of the center.

“It was on an extremely tight schedule,” Weihemphasizes. “We had to turn London Drugsover in a space of time that seemed impossibleinitially, but with a lot of good teamwork, wewere able to get London Drugs open in timeand complete the balance of the project.”

The mostly vacant site between existingcommercial buildings only required clearing ofone small building. The soil needed to be pre-loaded with heavy materials to compact it forapproximately 90 days. “That kind of slowed usup in terms of being able to start when wewanted to start,” Weih notes. The contractorwas Norson Construction Ltd. of NorthVancouver, British Columbia.

The company is a member of the CanadaGreen Building Council and has three LEED-accredited professionals on staff, including

Weih. Although not a LEED project, GaribaldiVillage has many sustainable features. “It’s notLEED-certified, but it is an example of how youcan design a sustainable project or include ahigh level of sustainable design that is appro-priate for the type of project it is,” Weih main-tains. “Working with the city and the develop-er, we were able to come up with a pretty goodmenu of sustainable features.”

Sustainable DesignThese include extensive use of daylighting

and indigenous wood and stone. “We use localmaterials where we can,” Weih says. “We havehighly reflective roofing that allows us toreduce the heat island effect that is typical ofthese types of buildings where you have largeroof areas.” A series of bioswails and waterretention ponds are used to drain groundwaterfrom the parking lot. “This takes away pressurefrom the municipal system and cleans thewater before it filters down into the ground,”Weih explains.

Besides architecture, Wensley ArchitectureLtd. also does planning and interior design.“We offer all three, but our focus is on architec-ture,” Weih stresses. “In terms of residential, wehave one of the most talented residentialdesigners I’ve ever met. My partner, NeilBanich, brings to the table a really strong sensi-bility around residential design.”

The company’s philosophy is to understandits clients’ needs. “Every client has a differentset of requirements,” Weih emphasizes. “Ourkey philosophy is to understand what it is ourclients are trying to achieve and help them toachieve it the best way possible, and come upwith an architecture or planning or interiordesign solution that will work.”

A bioswail is essentially a planted area thatis generally part of the landscaping. Theparking lot is sloped so that the water drainsinto these landscaped areas, and they areexcavated and then backfilled with gravel,sand and soil. At the base of the bioswail isoften a perforated pipe, which collects thewater but is not necessarily connected to themunicipal storm sewer system.

“The water percolates through the gravel,and that is how the storm water is dissipat-ed gradually into the substrata,” PrincipalBarry Weih explains. The substrata must bepermeable – clay soil, for example, just fillsup with water. “In this case, the soil permit-ted us to use the bioswail because it’s quiteporous soil, so it drains well,” he continues.“Where the soil allows, a bioswail is a goodaddition to the standard storm water sys-tem. Rarely does it exclusively take all thewater, but it can take a good percentage.”

Storm Sewer Assistant

Use of local materials isreflected in this private

residence in West Vancouver.

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Site restrictions are a common inhibitoron any construction project, but theycan prove particularly challengingwhen a contractor is performing mas-

sive construction in an entirely enclosed build-ing. In October 2010, The Weitz Co. began inte-rior demolition on one such project – the IowaVeterans Memorial Auditorium in Des Moines.“We’re not making many changes to the exteri-or of the building,” says Weitz Project ManagerChad Halupnick. “But when you walk in, it willbe a drastic change from what it used to be.”

The exterior will retain its nostalgic charmfor Iowans who have affectionately dubbed itthe “barn.” The 1954-built structure playedhost to everyone from Elvis Presley to OzzyOsbourne, and offered its floor to high schoolathletes competing for state titles.

It was once a formidable arena, comparableto facilities in Los Angeles, Chicago and NewYork. However, when the Wells Fargo Arenawas built in 2005, Vets Auditorium lost somerelevance, though it remained in use until con-struction began. Polk County, the buildingowner, believes it can restore the site as a valu-able team player to the downtown Des Moinesconvention sector. After all, it is joined to Hy-Vee Hall and connected to the Wells FargoArena via a skywalk and tunnel. Together withthe Polk County Convention Complex, thefacilities make up the Iowa Events Center.

In a 14-month schedule, Weitz will trans-form the single-floor, bowl-configuration audi-torium into a two-floor center with more than27,500 square feet of meeting space on the firstfloor and a nearly 28,500-square-foot multi-purpose ballroom on the second floor.

Entirely New InteriorThe first floor will house a 35-by-150-footspace to honor Iowa’s participants in the mili-tary. “At the west entry, we are creating a spacecalled Memorial Hall, which is a museum-quality exhibit that will pay tribute to the Iowaveterans and current forces,” says project man-ager David Hill, AIA, of OPN Architects. “Thecounty has been very supportive of the design,and we’re all excited about the tribute to Iowaveterans.” OPN Architects designed the space inconjunction 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 for-

merly dim auditorium. A group of 12 large win-dows on the east side will provide natural lightto a new two-story pre-function space. Hill saysnew ballroom space creates opportunities forthe creative use of artificial light. “The ballroomand pre-function space have very high ceilingsand there is a lot of attention paid to lightingdesign to create a very inviting space for differ-ent types of events,” he says. For instance, acombination of down-lighting and up-lightingalong curved ceiling clouds and a series of lightswill give the effect of a starlit night.

Convention ComebackWEITZ RENOVATES A CONVENTION CENTER THAT IS ANYTHING BUT CONVENTIONAL. BY JAMIE MORGAN

The Weitz Co. – The VeteransMemorial Auditoriumwww.weitz.com • Construction cost: $32 million• Location: Des Moines• Employees on site at peak: 175• Scope: Remodel of historic auditorium “The coordination amongsttrades and working with thearchitect is very critical.”–Chad Halupnick, project manager

The Weitz Co. is providing interiorrenovations to the VeteransMemorial Auditorium in Iowa.

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The new design maximizes the space andcreates flexibility for a multitude of eventtypes. “The second floor is the biggest change,”Halupnick says. “When you used to walk in itwas one big open area and you could see 100feet up to the roof. Now, when you walk inthere are meeting rooms on level one that canbe set off with partitions or opened up for larg-er convention space.”

Inside OutPrior to construction, Weitz performed extensivestructural demolition, even using a remote-con-trol demolition machine to extract concrete ris-ers. Halupnick says it’s not the typical equip-ment on such a project, but the team had to getcreative due to site restrictions and to ensureworker safety. “We used a machine called aBROKK because it is a small versatile machinethat we could get up to the risers,” he says. “[Wealso used it] for the safety of our guys to nothave them on jackhammers daily.” The machinehad other benefits, as well. “Demolition hasbeen a little different of a process because thereis a basement, and you have to consider thefloor loading to determine what type of equip-ment you can bring in,” Halupnick says.

The construction team adapted to thechanging work environment as demolitionprogressed. For instance, when it demolishedan approximate 60-foot riser that extendedfrom the roof to the basement, it was able toaccess more of the remaining work.

With demolition complete, Weitz is nowpouring concrete and erecting steel in anenclosed building, which limits the amount ofequipment and number of workers it can use.Halupnick says meticulous coordination isrequired, especially in regards to upper-levelconstruction work involving barrel ceilingstructural steel, ductwork and paint. If the com-pany built the second floor first, it would not beable to move in the tall equipment needed tocomplete the ceiling. Instead of building upfloor by floor, it is working from the top down.

“It has taken a lot of detailed schedulingwith our subcontractors to work through thedetails so we did not miss anything prior to thesecond floor going in,” Halupnick says.

Halupnick says this type of creative prob-lem-solving is a company strength, and theteam has been able to answer every challengewhile remaining on schedule. “The coordina-tion amongst trades and working with thearchitect is very critical to make sure there areno snags or delays,” he says. “To date we’re righton schedule, and things are going very well.”


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Once considered the equal of similar facilities in New York or Chicago, Des Moines’ Veterans Memorial Auditoriumhad lost some of its relevance until a recent construction and renovation program.

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The economic downturn has been diffi-cult on contractors across the nationworking in nearly every building sec-tor. Even though Woodstone

Builders Inc. excels on a number of projectsranging from multifamily residential to lightmanufacturing, its decision to target a uniqueniche has enabled it to grow and prosper dur-ing the recession.

The Bloomington, Minn.-based companyhas earned a reputation among NativeAmerican communities in Minnesota,Wisconsin, South Dakota, Montana,Washington and Idaho for the quality it putsinto tribal development projects such as resortcasinos, says Doug Niesen, vice president and co-owner. Despite the eco-nomic downturn, such tribal development projects actually are thriving,he explains.

“Gaming has suffered, there is no doubt about it,” Niesen notes. “If you

look at Las Vegas, that’s probably one of thehardest-hit places in the country, if not the

world. But when you look at tribal gaming, it’svery regional and very rural.

“At the height of the recession, most tribalgaming facilities were only down 15 percent fromwhere they were at their peak,” he remarks. “Somewere doing better than ever because they werecatching the traffic no longer going to Las Vegas.People still gamble in a poor economy. But LasVegas relies on critical mass – getting a lot of peo-ple in one spot. Regional tribal gaming does not,but they still have to make their gaming facili-ties more appealing. We’ve been fortunate to bethe contractor to do some of that.”

Meeting Unique NeedsIn October 2010, Woodstone Builders broke ground on the $25 millionLegendary Waters Resort Casino for the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior

Woodstone Builders Inc.www.woodstoneinc.com

• Headquarters: Bloomington, Minn.• Employees: 15• Specialty: General contracting

“Building buildings is easy, but what counts in life isbuilding relationships.”–Doug Niesen, vice president and co-owner

Among the TribeWOODSTONE EXCELS IN ITS NICHE OF BUILDING RESORTS FOR TRIBAL COMMUNITIES. BY KATHRYN JONES

Woodstone Builders saystribal development projectslike casinos are thriving.

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Chippewa in Bayfield, Wis. The projectincludes a 70,000-square-foot, three-storyhotel resort on the banks of Lake Superior withan indoor/outdoor pool, lounges, a full-servicerestaurant and café, retail spaces, an entertain-ment facility for shows, a convention centerand a campground. The project is slated to becompleted in August 2011.

Constructing a full-scale resort in 10 monthshas been Woodstone’s biggest challenge,Niesen says, but it is doable. “We set up a mas-ter schedule at the beginning, and we havetouch points to make sure our constructionprocess is being adhered to,” he states. “We’re ingood shape, but what’s hard with gamingdevelopment projects is that a casino is nearlyas complicated as a hospital. We need certainthings at certain times in order to keep thetrain moving on the tracks.”

He says the company has an excellent rela-tionship with the members of the Red Clifftribe because it understands the unique needsof the tribal community. “When you’re work-ing with tribes, economic development is ahuge part of a project,” Niesen notes. “Tribeswant you to employ their people and theirlocal tribal tradespersons.

“We have a very detailed compliance pro-gram where we sit down with subs and set agoal for how much labor can go back to thetribal workers,” he continues. “We like to bringpeople from the tribe right onto theWoodstone team in administrative roles aswell as trade roles. The object is to have peoplethat understand the entire construction devel-opment process rather than just doing work inthe field. In fact, we have two people from RedCliff on the Woodstone payroll.”

Building RelationshipsThe Crow tribe enlisted Woodstone to build thefirst piece of a phased project that will consistof a gaming floor with 200 machines, as well asa retail area and sit-down restaurant atApsáalooke Nights Casino in Hardin, Mont. The$2.5 million project broke ground in August2010 and was completed in February 2011.“We hadn’t worked with them before, but weestablished relationships where we’ll befriends for life after this project,” Niesen says.

Establishing close-knit relationships withthe tribal communities sets Woodstone apartfrom other contractors, he says. When the RedLake Nation awarded the company a $25 mil-lion contract to build the Seven Clans Casino inRed Lake, Minn. – which included a 40-roomhotel, gaming floor, entertainment center,

retail facilities and a swimming pool in theshape of Red Lake – Woodstone showed itsappreciation by completing the project inseven months.

A few months after the project was started inApril 2009, Niesen was vacationing with hisfamily when he came across a giant steel eaglesitting on a post. “We were able to buy thateagle and fit it into the casino project for theRed Lake tribe, and it just meant the world tothe tribe.”

The company also held a fundraiser andbought more than 100 bicycles to give to localchildren. “We just try to get involved in thecommunity as much as we can,” Niesen says.“To me, that’s how relationships are developed.Building buildings is easy, but what counts inlife is building relationships.”

President Greg Johnson – a third-generationcontractor whose grandfather, GunnarJohnson, was a legendary Norwegian con-tractor in the Midwest – establishedWoodstone Builders in 2002. Niesen joinedthe company in 2006 after serving as direc-tor of gaming and entertainment for a largeMidwestern contractor. The two partners pre-fer to take a hands-on approach to projects.

“The organizational structure is very flat,”Niesen says. “We’ve gone out and donefinal cleans ourselves. We’re proud of that,and we’re very proud of our people. We’rean upstart company with old-fashioned val-ues. We pay our subs quickly. When youhave subs that are happy to work with you,it usually means your pricing is better. Thesethings add up as to why we might be get-ting some work while others may not.”

New and Traditional

Understanding the uniqueneeds of tribal customers isone of Woodstone’s strengths.

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One distinguishing factor that setsLinbeck Group apart from othercontractors is its innovation. TheHouston-based construction firm

pioneered TeamBuild® and core elements of theconstruction manager-at risk delivery methodin 1967, and in 1997, it became a charter mem-ber of the Lean Construction Institute. Linbeckimplements these innovative constructiontechniques on cutting-edge projects in thehealthcare, education, corporate, cultural, lifescience and government realms.

In July 2009, Linbeck broke ground in moreways than one when it started construction onthe 262-room Embassy Suites Hotel CBD (cen-tral business district). The 21-story, 270,000-square-foot hotel is the first LEED Silver hotelin Houston, as well as the first LEED-certifiedhotel for the Embassy Suites brand. In fact,when Linbeck completed the $50 million proj-ect in January, the hospitality chain was soimpressed with the end-product it couldbecome the prototype for future EmbassySuites hotels, Linbeck Project Manager JohnLavino says.

Modern HotelDesigned by Houston architecture firmMitchell Carlson Stone Inc., the poured-in-place concrete structure features structuralmetal studs and an exterior façade consistingof an exterior insulation finishing system(EFIS) with stone on the first level. “We get a lotof comments on the look of the building,”Lavino notes. “It’s very pleasing to the eye – notoverbearing – but contemporary looking.”

The hotel also features a new, more spaciousroom layout with contemporary interiordesign. “All of our spacious two-room suitesconsist of a private bedroom with … a separateliving room with a sofa bed, an armchair and awell-lit dining/work table,” Embassy Suitessays. Other amenities include a wet bar, arefrigerator, a microwave, a coffeemaker, an

Building A HoustonFirst LINBECK THOUGHT OUTSIDE THEBOX ON HOUSTON’S EMBASSYSUITES HOTEL. BY KATHRYN JONES

The Embassy Suites Hotel CBD in Houston – built by Linbeck Group – not only is the first LEED Silver hotel in thecity, it also is the first LEED-certified hotel for the Embassy Suites brand.

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iron with board, a hairdryer, high-speed Internetaccess and two televisions.

Its green features include energy-efficientmechanical, electrical and plumbing systems;low-water-usage fixtures; use of locally sourcedand/or recycled materials; and an HVAC systemthat turns on the heat or air conditioning whenit detects motion in the room. Linbeck has a sig-nificant amount of green building experience;more than 70 percent of its current projectsmeet U.S. Green Building Council or other envi-ronmental standards for sustainability, it says.

Finishing EarlyThe main challenge Linbeck encountered wasunfavorable weather conditions, Lavino says. “We had 96 days of weath-er-related delays,” he recalls. Soil conditions in the area called for an 8-foot-thick concrete mat foundation going down 35 feet into the ground.However, it rained quite a bit during the excavation phase. Crews lostapproximately 30 days due to weather-related delays.

The client opted to enlist the services of another architect to redesignthe interior of the hotel after construction had already started. As aresult, some design issues came up in the field that were costly and ahindrance to the schedule. This is a hard-bid job, but Linbeck is accus-tomed to performing on negotiated projects where it can exercise itsconstruction manager-at risk skills.

Not being involved during the design phase was a slight disappoint-

ment for Linbeck because it enjoys value-engineering and coming up with cost-saving

alternatives, Lavino notes. “One of the thingsthat Linbeck is famous for is its preconstructionservices and helping the owner achieve budgets– it’s one of our strongest suits,” he remarks.

Nevertheless, Linbeck finished the hotel fiveweeks early, thanks to its willingness to thinkoutside of the box. “We installed a temporaryroof on the upper floors so we could do the inte-rior finishes on the lower floors,” Lavino says.“We water-proofed the entire floor to keepwater out of the lower floors so we could do thedrywall and interior finishes on the lowerfloors without the threat of bad weather.”

Lean OperationImplementing lean construction techniques also helped speed the proj-ect along. “We built the project from property line to property line, so wehad to rent the adjacent parking lot for deliveries and staging,” Lavinosays. “This was a good example of lean construction since we had nostorage or lay-down area.”

Linbeck saw some new faces among the subcontractors awarded theproject and was “pleasantly surprised” by the quality of workmanshipput into the hotel. Lavino credits the project’s success to everyoneinvolved. “It was a concerted effort by the entire team,” he says. “We’vegotten tremendous client satisfaction scores from the client.”

Linbeck Group – EmbassySuites Hotel CBDwww.linbeck.com• Budget: $50 million• Location: Houston• Employees on site at peak: 300• Scope: 21-story, 270,000-square-foot, LEED Silver-certified hotel“We get a lot of comments on the look of the building.”–John Lavino, project manager


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Whether a memorial to the vic-tims of terrorism or a museumfor cowboys, a habitat for ele-phants or botanical garden

structures, the world’s largest McDonald’s or acopy of a Frank Lloyd Wright tower, LippertBrothers Inc. has always regarded versatility asits strength and niches as pigeonholes ratherthan opportunities.

Its myriad of projects includes constructingsix new structures for $13 million at MyriadGardens, a botanical garden in the heart ofOklahoma City. One is a restaurant, another isa children’s pavilion, a third is a water stage,the fourth is a new restroom facility, the fifth isan ice rink pavilion, and the sixth is an eventlawn pavilion. The project was started in April2010 and the majority of the structures arescheduled for completion in April 2011.

“Myriad Gardens was started in the late1970s, and it was just constructed in phases as

money was available,”President Rick Lippertexplains. The park isbeing built in the heartof Oklahoma City acrossthe street from the new50-story Devon Energybuilding also under

construction. Four square blocks were original-ly razed to make way for it.

The four new buildings Lippert Brothers isconstructing are all structural steel with fibercement panel board on the exterior. The decksand some interior walls and ceilings are Ipewood, which is like a mahogany and comesfrom Brazil.

Insulated bent glass panels 12 feet high and6 feet wide will be butt-glazed together with-out mullions on the restaurant to provide anunobstructed view of a lake. The glass had tobe transported in these large sheets from its

only source in Barcelona, Spain.Up to 30 subcontractors worked on Lippert’s

portions of the Myriad project. The logistics ofbeing downtown restricted access to the site.“We had four gates on each corner, but theywere not always available,” Lippert remembers.“An entrance there one day is not there thenext day, and traffic changes.”

Pachyderm ProjectAnother project on which Lippert Brothers Inc.has worked recently is the $13 million Asianexhibit at the Oklahoma City Zoo. Thisincludes an elephant habitat, which was start-ed in fall 2009 and completed in March 2011.Lippert Brothers constructed four paddock

MILESTONE

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90-Plus Years YoungTHE LIPPERT FAMILY HAS BUILT MANY OF OKLAHOMA’S LANDMARKS OVER ITS HISTORY. BY RUSS GAGER

Lippert Brothers Inc.www.lippertbros.com• 2010 revenue: $50 million• Headquarters: Oklahoma City• Employees: 75• Specialty: General contracting, con-struction management, design/build“We’re fair and honest with ourclients and our subcontractors.”–Rick Lippert, president

Lippert Brothers Inc. recently builtthe University of Central OklahomaCenter for Transformative Learning.

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areas and two pools for the pachyderms withartificial concrete rock that looks real and fedby 8-foot and 12-foot waterfalls.

“It’s a beautiful habitat for them,” Lippertremarks. “The old one was behind three stonewalls and a dirt floor. It wasn’t all that attrac-tive. Now they can roam freely – they’ve got anelectric fence, but they seem to be adjustingquite well. It’s probably 10 to 12 acres.”

Lippert says a challenge of the project wasworking in a functioning zoo. “We did have anaccess road that was separate from the mainentrance, thank goodness, but it had to bemanned to keep personnel and other stray ani-mals out,” Lippert notes. “To get a dog in thezoo wreaks havoc on the other animals.”

The Asian exhibit is located next to the apeand chimp habitat. “From time to time, one ofthe chimpanzees would get out of his habitat,but not out of the total cage – there’s a drymoat around there,” Lippert explains. “They’dhave to call a code red and stop work, and zoopatrons and our people would get in a secureplace, then the zoo staff would lure him backwhere he should be.”

The Asian exhibit was built on undevelopedzoo land. Lippert Brothers self-performed the

concrete and worked with approximately 30subcontractors. “A good dozen were specialtysubcontractors we hadn’t worked with beforethat did the terrific rock work, the hydraulicsfor the sliding gates, the electrified fence andsteel pipe and cable,” Lippert notes.

91 YearsFounded in 1920 by Lippert’s grandfather,Erick, and his brothers, the company was takenover by Lippert’s father Donald and Donald’sbrother Robert in 1964. Now Lippert managesthe company with his brothers, Tom, who issenior vice president, and Joel, vice president.Tom and Joel each have a son who has workedat the company during school breaks – Joel’s isin high school and Tom’s is studying construc-tion management at Oklahoma StateUniversity. “He’ll probably be here before weknow it,” Lippert remarks.

Lippert attributes the company’s 91 years ofsuccess to trying to maintain a good reputa-tion. “We’re fair and honest with our clientsand our subcontractors,” Lippert declares. “Oursubcontractors perform virtually 70 percent ofany construction project in the commercialpart of the business.”

He estimates half the company’s business isfrom repeat customers, and most of its busi-ness now is within Oklahoma. “I would say oursuccess is due to our employees – their dedica-tion to the company, their ability to worktogether on many different types of projects,”Lippert maintains.

Lippert Brothers Inc. worked on two projectsrelated to the 1995 bombing of the MurrahFederal Building in Oklahoma City. One wasthe restoration of the historic Journal RecordBuilding, which is across the street from thesite of the former Murrah building whichwas damaged by the bomb that broughtdown Murrah. On the actual site of thebombing, the company worked on a memo-rial that was dedicated in 2000 consisting ofa chair for each victim along with two Gatesof Time in front of a reflecting pool only 3/4-inch deep.

“It’s calm there, and when the windblows, it hardly makes a ripple,” Lippertnotes. Until the local ducks and geese real-ized its true depth, they had some roughlandings in the shallow, block-long pool.

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Built with an eye to the future, the $32million Pickering Town Centre beingconstructed next to the town hall willalso connect the center of the city to

further development. The parking garage atthe second- and third-floor levels of the150,000-square-foot development will attachto an arcade for another building under con-struction, a transit station and a pedestrianpathway. Floors 4 through 10 of the center –construction of which was started inSeptember 2009 and is due for completion inMay 2011 – will be devoted to office space.

The Pickering Town Centre is concrete up tothe fourth floor. Then, only the stairwell andelevator core are concrete from floors 4through 10, and the rest is structural steel.These materials use recycled content alongwith the drywall, which will help the buildingin its effort to achieve LEED Silver certification.The paints, coatings and carpeting all emit lowor no level of volatile organic compounds, andthe lighting is energy-efficient and uses occu-pancy sensors.

“They wanted to have a 33 percent recoveryfactor,” Commercial Division General ManagerErrol Dube says of 20 Vic Management, thebuilding’s owner. “It’s quite high to achieve. Wehad to redo our initial design. We added moreinsulation – not just your average 2 inches or 4inches of insulation, it’s 5 to 8 inches of insula-tion – that’s a big factor of heat recovery and noheat loss.”

The center has a curtain wall exterior made

New DowntownWITH NO REAL TOWN CENTER, PICKERING, ONTARIO, BUILDS ONE WITH URBACON’S HELP. BY RUSS GAGER

Urbacon Building Group –Pickering Town Centrewww.urbacon.net• Construction cost: $32 million • Location: Pickering, Ontario• Employees on site at peak: 75• Scope: 10-story office building “We’re one of the top datacenter designers and builders.”–Errol Dube, commercial division general manager

The 10-story Pickering Town Centre is a $32 million project connected to the town hall of Pickering, Ontario, and is part of a larger initiative to create a downtown core for the community.

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up of high reflectance glass for energy savings.It also uses high-efficiency boilers, energyrecovery units on the roof and low-flowplumbing fixtures. A green roof is hidden fromview but will help reduce rainwater runoff.Other portions of the roof are covered with alight-colored, single-ply thermoplastic poly-olefin to reflect sunlight. The ground floor usesmasonry and a lightweight architectural glassfiber-reinforced precast concrete that alsohelps the building meet LEED standards.

Downtown CreationBecause the building will function as a towncentre, Pickering officials gave special attentionto the project.

“They are trying to create a downtown core,”Dube explains. “That building is nearly rightbeside the town hall. They wanted to have a lotof input into the design. It took a little while toget building permits and sign approvals.”

Because it was a design/build project, build-ing permits were issued in phases. “So we got afoundation permit and started building beforethe building was completely designed,” Dubeexplains. “That is the beauty of it. It’s veryadvantageous 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 somepermits for the foundation so you can get start-ed even before the building is finished beingdesigned,” he points out. “That eventuallycaught up with us, and at one point we had tostand still for a couple of weeks. That delayedthe parking garage a little bit.”

Soil conditions required the use of 53 cais-sons averaging 35 feet long to anchor thebuilding. Urbacon self-performed carpentryand installation of doors and hardware, andapproximately 15 subcontractors are beingused for the rest of the construction.

Among the design decisions still beingmade at press time were the selection of backlitmetal panels to beautify the exterior of theparking garage. Another $2.5 million will bespent in tenant set-up such as partitions, insideoffices, meeting and board rooms when thebuilding’s major tenant – Municipal PropertyAssessment Corp. – moves into it.

Develops and BuildsUrbacon – which has four offices throughoutCanada in Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and

Vancouver – was founded in 1984 by TonyMancini, whose son Marco is CEO. The compa-ny develops and builds mostly commercialand institutional properties and has its own in-house architect.

Urbacon has groups for building interiors,power system design and maintenance, cus-tom home construction and management andland opportunities.

“We’re one of the top data center designersand builders,” Dube asserts. “Our company hasan incredible reputation for that.” Urbacon alsois the first company in Canada to use the Kyotoheat-recovering mechanical system developedin Europe for data centers that the Canadiangovernment has been championing.

‘Our companyhas an incredible reputation for[data centers].’


The collaborative approach to problem-solvingand the opportunity to work in the field withbuilders transformed my approach to the workand nipped any egotistical Howard Roark ten-dencies in the bud, so much so that I now jok-ingly refer to myself as a “recovering architect.”

Whether inspired by the advent of BIM orthe fact that construction labor productivitydeclined 20 percent between 1964 and 2003,there is a lot of talk about the value that inte-gration can bring to design and constructionthese days. Traditionally, designers andbuilders have operated in separate silos andunder separate and sequential contracts withthe owner. Today, more people in the industryare coming to recognize the inefficiencies oftraditional project delivery.

Full IntegrationBIM is an extremely valuable tool for collabo-ration, but its use does not transform the rela-tionships between designers and builders whoare used to working independently rather thancollaboratively. It also doesn’t get to the heartof the matter – the contract.

Design/build is the only proven method offully integrating design and construction.Simply put, design/build is a contractualmethod that gives owners a single point ofresponsibility for the delivery of design andconstruction services.

Few firms engaged in major constructionprojects have both design and constructioncapability in-house. As a result, the party con-tracting with the owner under a design/buildcontract may vary. A construction contractorcan serve as the prime contracting entity withthe architect/engineer as a consultant to thecontractor. A design firm also can be the prime

contracting entity with a construction contractor assubcontractor. Alternately, the designer and thebuilder can form a joint venture or create a singlepurpose entity.

Whatever the structure, the design/builderholds the contract with the owner and takes respon-sibility for the management and performance of boththe design and construction teams. Clearly, this entitymust have the financial and management resources andexpertise to perform the design/build contract.

Single point of responsibility contracting doesn’t merelychange the relationships between owners and design andconstruction practitioners. Just as importantly, the contracttransforms the relationship between designers and builders. Theowner 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 requestfor proposal phase and continues through design, allowing constructionto start earlier and affording constant opportunities for innovation andtrouble-shooting.

This simple but fundamental difference saves money and time bytransforming a usually contentious relationship into an alliance. Unitedfrom the outset, an integrated team more readily adopts BIM and cantake full advantage of opportunities to achieve or surpass the owner’sLEED certification goals.

Many AdvantagesOwners derive many advantages from design/build, as they often havelittle experience in both design and construction. Design/build allowsthe owner to tap the experience and insight of the design/build teamwhile managing a relationship with one entity rather than separate anddistinct design and construction firms.

Most importantly, design/build transfers much of the risk associatedwith the project and the responsibility of managing it to those betterprepared to succeed. For example, design management and design con-trol are major risks associated with every construction project.

The following risks are typically identified with the design: contractu-al performance guarantees, functional failure of the design, shop draw-ing reviews and analysis, coordination of plans and specs, and satisfying

My experience with design/build came fairly early in my architecture careerwhen, in the early 1980s, my architecture firm won a bid for the ColoradoConvention Center.

Dealing With Design/Build

Institutional By Greg Gidez


permitting requirements. As part of the contract discussion, risk for bothdesign and construction is appropriately assigned to the party best ableto manage, price or insure the risk.

Under a traditional design/bid/build framework, the designer’s workis overseen by the owner. In design/build project delivery, the designer’sperformance is managed by the approved design/builder.

When one entity is responsible for conformance to design, cost andschedule, there is no incentive to blame others for errors, overruns andother shortcomings. The focus shifts to fixing the problem so that theproject can move forward on schedule.

Know The RisksSome risks, such as unforeseen site conditions or unknown hazardousmaterials, are still carried by the owner. Assigning the responsibility forschedule to the design/builder is appropriate risk allocation becausethat entity has the greatest opportunity to control it.

If the owner decides to accelerate a project timeline, however, theymay be at risk for cost of acceleration. The responsibility for permittingcan be taken on by either the owner or the design/builder, dependingon the project and situation.

In every case, the owner and design/builder must discuss the variousrisks early on and come to an agreement about who is best able to man-age, price or insure the risk. When risk shifts to those skilled at risk man-agement, the potential for litigation is significantly reduced.

There are attitudes and values that facilitate successful integration ona design/build team. Shared belief in interdisciplinary fluency, commu-

nication, full disclosure and transparency, andbenefits of cultivating an environment of trustare common to high-performancedesign/build teams.

It is important to note that the foundationfor these behavioral expectations is thedesign/build contract that links the team toone another and provides a single point ofresponsibility for the owner they serve.

IN THIS SECTIONBrasfield & Gorrie –Butts-Mehre HeritageHallg p.74Brasfield & Gorrie deliv-ered a new athletic facilityat University of Georgia.

Company Profiles60 Turner Construction – Owensboro

Medical Health Center 66 Battlespace Environment Laboratory69 Hensel Phelps Construction Co. –

History Colorado Center72 Overaa Construction 74 Brasfield & Gorrie – Butts-Mehre

Heritage Hall 76 Camosy Construction 78 Hoffman Construction – 41st Army

Reserve Center80 Lakeshore TolTest Corp. 82 M.A. Mortenson Co. – Ralph L. Carr

Judicial Center84 Hensel Phelps Construction Co. –

Sanford Consortium forRegenerative Medicine

86 Robins & Morton88 Rudolph and Sletten – UCSF Smith

Cardiovascular Research Building 90 Triangle Associates – Fremont High

School 92 Winter Park Construction –

University House Central Florida94 McPherson Contractors –

BEST Building

GREG GIDEZ, AIA, DBIA, LEED AP serves as 2011 board chair for the DBIA andis the corporate manager of pre-construction services for Hensel PhelpsConstruction in Greeley, Colo.


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R A Grand DesignTURNER CONSTRUCTION AND ITS PARTNERS ARE UTILIZING INTEGRATED PROJECT DELIVERY. BY JIM HARRIS

One of the nation’s top-ranked hospi-tals in terms of quality care willsoon have an all-new facility cour-tesy of one of the largest hospital

builders in the United States. TurnerConstruction recently topped off a nine-storybed tower, the highest point of the $276 mil-lion, 780,000-square-foot replacement of theOwensboro Medical Health Center inOwensboro, Ky.

Crews started construction in April 2010;completion is on schedule for February 2013.Compared to the existing hospital, some ofwhich dates back to the 1930s, the replacementwill give owner Owensboro Medical HealthSystem (OMHS) the ability to provideimproved care by providing better staff andpatient work flows, more efficient programadjacencies, operational and technologicalimprovements, greatly improved patient expe-rience, and a broader service offering.

“Our mission is to build an affordableregional hospital that provides safe, high-qual-ity care that will meet the healthcare needs ofthe region and have the ability to competewith any facility in the nation in terms of qual-ity,” the owners said.

Building FeaturesThe hospital, located on a 145-acre campus,will consist of three linked buildings: the 400-plus-bed, nine-story bed tower, a three-storydiagnostic and testing building, and a nine-story “spine” housing inpatient support andadministrative spaces that links the two,Project Manager Merrill Bowers says.

Crews have so far used more than 7,000 tonsof structural steel on the entire hospital, withthat phase of the work set to conclude thisspring. The foundation is a concrete spreadfootings. Rainscreen stone cladding and glazedcurtain wall used on the exterior skin. Wet-setmasonry and resin wood panels will also beused on the hospital’s bottom floor.

The bed tower is designed so each floor iscomposed of two, parallel continuous corridorson either side of a narrow service “core”, Bowerssays. “One of the drivers for the campus as awhole is intuitive way-finding and orienting

the elements in a way that’s easy for patientsand visitors to get navigate – the bed towerdesign greatly minimizes the potential forwrong turns or disorientation,” he adds.

Each floor of the bed tower will featuretwin 24-bed units designed with efficiencyand safety in mind. Design features includesame-handed rooms, dedicated familyspaces in each patient room, and two-leafroom entry and patient toilet doors.

The diagnostic and treatment building willinclude a womens center on the third floor,

Turner Construction – OwensboroMedical Health Centerwww.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 fromthe very beginning.”–Merrill Bowers, project manager

Turner Construction has used more than7,000 tons of structural steel on theOwensboro Medical Health Center project.

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the emergency department, radiology and imaging as well as the sur-gery suites and lab.

The complex is oriented to maximize views to nature and the more“interior” patient spaces are provided with courtyards which utilizelandscaping and large windows to capture natural lighting. Positiveexterior views and natural lighting are two elements lacking in theexisting hospital building, Bowers says.

Although not pursuing LEED certification, LEED guidelines were con-sidered throughout the design. Natural lighting and views was an areaof focus, not only for LEED, but for positive impact on patient outcomes.Other green building elements include the use of local materials to thegreatest extent possible, green roofs, efficient mechanical, electrical andplumbing systems, and a thermally efficient exterior wall design.Outside of the building, bioswales and native grasses and plants arebeing installed and an adjacent flood plain will be restored.

Full CollaborationThrough an integrated project delivery approach, Turner is teaming withHGA Architects and Engineers of Milwaukee and engineering designfirm Smith, Seckman and Reed (SSR) of Nashville. “All of us wereinvolved from the very beginning,” Bowers says. “With this project, theteam has worked together in a much more committed and collaborativemanner than experienced through traditional project delivery.”

Turner, HGA and SSR had their teams closely examine each portion ofthe overall budget such as interiors, the building envelope and mechan-ical systems and created sub/component teams for each of these areas.Each team consisted of a representative from Turner, HGA, SSR and othermajor 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 partnersalso used SharePoint sites to collaborate throughout the design process,he adds.

Bowers calls the relationship between Turner and its project partnersand subcontractors “very positive.” “We have a lot of Kentucky-basedfirms we haven’t had extensive past experience with before on this proj-ect,” he says. “There are a lot of great subcontractors doing good thingson this project.”

The project’s total economic impact on the region is estimated at $139million. The construction phase alone is projected to create more than4,000 jobs. These numbers do not include the jobs that come along withnew physicians recruited to the region for the new hospital.

Maximizing EfficiencyThe integrated project delivery approach helped Turner and its partnersovercome what Bowers calls the project’s single-biggest challenge.

Turner Construction is onschedule to complete theOwensboro Medical HealthCenter in February 2013.

»Turner Construction is working closelywith engineers, architects and healthcareprofessionals on the Owensboro Medical

Health Center project.

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“The project has gone really well, and I guessa unique challenge for this particular project isthat OMHS is a large provider and this newhospital will not contain all programs that cur-rently operate at the existing campus,” Bowersexplains. “One of the huge advantages we’verealized with the integrated team is we’ve con-tinuously worked to maximize the ability ofthe owner adjust the program and move asmany things as they can to the new campus tobe as efficient as possible.”

The new facility is approximately 2.5 milesfrom the existing campus.

Safety MeasuresSafety is a key organizational value for Turneron all of its projects. “At Turner, we have devel-oped a culture that promotes an injury-freeenvironment and provides the safest work-place possible for our employees, subcontrac-tors, clients and others who enter or who arenear our construction sites,” the company says.“Our mantra is: `Every worker goes home from

each of our jobs every day.’”Corporate safety measures include a zero-

tolerance drug policy and a fall-protection pro-gram that includes partnering with insurance

Consolidated Risk Solutions, LLC Consolidated Risk Solutions (CRS) administers wrap-ups nationwide withover 200 projects under management currently. This includes skyscrapers, power plants, sports stadiums, hospi-tals and more. With the basic premise that a successful wrap-up is driven by the quality of the administration andsafety, statistical data has become the most critical element to effective program management. CRS was formedwith a single objective; collect, report and sort all data in a real-time environment. As an independent wrap-upadministrator, CRS is 100 percent dedicated to wrap-up insurance programs, allowing CRS to cultivate an expert-ise that is beyond compare. CRS works directly with insurance brokers, general contractors, insurance carriers, andproject owners, offering unbundled administration services to its clients.


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industry leaders to develop new safety proce-dures, the company adds.

On the Owensboro project, Turner andeach of its subcontractors has carried out thecompany’s safety-first credo through thepresence of full-time safety managers anddedicated safety personnel on site, formationof a “safety committee,” and focused ideasharing at regular meetings. ConsolidatedRisk Solutions administrated the owner’swrap-up insurance program, which coversworkman’s compensation and general liabili-ty coverage.

An Honored PairThis is the first time Turner – one of thenation’s leading healthcare builders for morethan 20 years as named by Modern Healthcaremagazine – has worked with OwensboroMedical Health System, Bowers says.

Owensboro Medical Health System wasrecently named a Distinguished Hospital forClinical Excellence for the third consecutiveyear by HealthGrades, a leading independenthealthcare rating company. The survey placesthe hospital among the top five percent in theUnited States for clinical performance.

“At Owensboro Medical Health System weare working every day to heal the sick and toimprove the health of our community; it’s notjust our mission, it’s why we exist,” the health-care provider says. “Our vision is to become aregional center of excellence by actively listen-ing to and partnering to meet the individualhealthcare needs of those we serve.”

Owensboro carefully considered communi-ty input during the design phase of the newhospital project, and continues to seek userfeedback. “We always count on the input of ourcommunity to help us make decisions thatimpact the region in a positive way,” it adds.

11Total counties served

300,000Total population served

3,205Employees

206Medical Staff

17,466Admissions

18,824Surgical Procedures

1,766Births

63,592Emergency Department Visits

482,222Total Outpatient Visits

SOURCE: OWENSBORO MEDICAL HEALTH CENTER,WWW.OMHS.ORG. ALL NUMBERS ARE FOR THEPERIOD FROM JUNE 1, 2009, TO MAY 31, 2010.

By The Numbers – OMHC

The new Owensboro MedicalHealth Center will improvepatient and staff work flow.

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‘The team hasworked in amuch morecommitted andcollaborativemanner.’


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At the new Battlespace EnvironmentLaboratory facility on New Mexico’sKirtland Air Force Base, materialswill be put through the paces to

determine whether or not they can withstandthe harsh conditions of space.

The facility also confirmed something thatalready is well-known – that Burns &McDonnell has the expertise and experience tosuccessfully complete a complex project suchas this. Project Manager Tom Hawkins says thecompany felt right at home providingdesign/build services on the BattlespaceEnvironment Laboratory project, and that’sdue in no small part to the company’s longevi-ty and experience.

“Burns & McDonnell has been around since1898, and we have a broad experience in anumber of fields,” he says.

The company specializes in providingdesign and construction services on complexprojects such as airports, power plants, watertreatment facilities and refineries. The compa-ny says its staff of more than 3,000 engineers,architects, scientists and other professionalsgive it a diversity and knowledge base virtual-ly unmatched in the industry.

“In fact, we thrive on the unusual, the com-plicated and the messy,” Hawkins adds.

The 145,000-square-foot BattlespaceEnvironment Laboratory has been built toconsolidate all Air Force Research Laboratoryspace vehicle work to a single building. Thebuilding consists of research libraries, officesand meeting spaces, with more than a third ofthe facility given over to laboratory space. Eventhough the project featured some complexdesign work, an unusual design/build processand adherence to LEED specifications,Hawkins says Burns & McDonnell and theentire team came together to deliver a success-ful project.

“We were very pleased with the project, andso was the client,” Hawkins says, pointing tothe project’s rating of “Outstanding” from theFederal Construction Contractor AppraisalSupport System. Work began in December2008, and was substantially completed inOctober 2010.

Up to SpeedBurns & McDonnell is highly skilled andexperienced when it comes to design/buildwork, but the nature of working for govern-ment clients means making some tweaks toits normal processes. “The processes in whichthe Army Corps of Engineers has to bringthese projects to bear is they basically budgetthem anywhere between three to five yearsahead of the time it hits the public sector forresponse,” Hawkins says.

Proving GroundsBURNS & MCDONNELL DEMONSTRATES ITS SKILL ON A NEW RESEARCH FACILITY. BY CHRIS PETERSEN

Burns & McDonnell –

Battlespace Environment

Laboratorywww.burnsmcd.com

• Project cost: $54 million

• Location: Kirtland Air Force Base,

New Mexico• Scope: 145,000-square-footresearch facility

“We thrive on the unusual.”

–Tom Hawkins, project manager

Burns & McDonnell says ithas the expertise to handlecomplicated projects.

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Traditionally, design/build projects get started with the designers,builders and client all involved at the same time. However, with govern-ment projects such as the Battlespace Environment Laboratory, theclient doesn’t get involved in the project again until after the bid isselected. This means part of Burns & McDonnell’s responsibility is mak-ing sure the client is brought up to speed and fully understands thechanges that may have been made to the plans since the design work onthe project began.

“Generally, what they remember from five years ago is not the samething as what’s on the page,” Hawkins says.

Careful CoordinationFortunately, Burns & McDonnell was able to keep the project on trackand on budget through some careful coordination. Specifically, the useof building modeling information (BIM) software made it possible forthe company to get its subcontractors involved from the very beginning.“Early on in this project, because of its uniqueness, we decided to selectour subcontractors early and sign them up to a design/assist subcon-tract,” Hawkins says.

Through the use of BIM, each subcontractor was able to plot their por-tions of the work on their own software, and Burns & McDonnell couldconsolidate it into one working model. This allows the company’s engi-neers to verify and double-check each subcontractor’s work.

“If we had any actual conflicts in the field, the foremen involvedwalked to the job trailer, pulled up the model, found out who was out ofplace and moved on,” Hawkins says.

As a result of the close coordination between Burns & McDonnell andits subcontractors, Hawkins reports there were no change orders due to

design omissions on the project. “Therefore, the owner was able to use their contingency to gain addi-

tional square footage and additional features into the project,” he says.

LEED CertificationIn addition to the complex design demands of the project due to itshighly technical laboratory space, Burns & McDonnell also had to takeinto consideration its LEED certification. In the past, projects from theArmy Corps of Engineers only were required to be LEED certifiable, butnow they are required to be submitted for certification. Thanks to thecooperation of subcontractors and the work of its designers, Hawkinssays Burns & McDonnell was able to complete the project with a LEEDSilver certification.

This was achieved mainly through measures such as using as littleland as possible for staging, carefully controlling construction waste andusing sustainable materials. “What I’m proud of is that, due to the costrestraints, we didn’t have to do any exotic HVAC, [for example],”Hawkins says.

Burns & McDonnell has been providing constructionservices since 1898.

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McDade-Woodcock Inc. McDade-Woodcock Inc. is an electrical/instrumen -tation and control contractor specializing in high-tech, water, wastewater, highvoltage distribution, clean rooms, institutional and industrial projects. With ourcorporate office in Albuquerque, N.M., and locations in Denver and ColoradoSprings, Colo., we can support your construction efforts throughout the south-western 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, wehave significant financial strength, bonding capacity and have an industry-lead-ing safety commitment.


Institutional | HISTORY CO

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It was nearly 20 years ago when HistoryColorado – the state’s historical society -began planning to expand and upgrade theColorado History Museum, but it wasn’t

until August 2009 that the project actuallybroke ground. Many construction projects fal-ter because of lack of financing, and althoughthat came into play during the museum’s proj-ect, it was not the only factor holding it back.

Since it opened in the 1970s, the ColoradoHistory Museum shared its Denver locationwith the Colorado Judicial Branch – a spaceknown as the Judicial/Heritage Complex. Themuseum’s expansion got fully underway withits Vision Plan 2000. Then in 2005, the state com-missioned an Urban Land Institute (ULI) panel, which found the com-plex was “wholly inadequate” to meet the needs of both organizations.

The ULI study found “the complex to be undersized and poorlydesigned, with life-safety code and ADA issues, and in need of millions

of dollars in deferred maintenance.” The panelconcluded that “the two organizations’ mis-

sions were incompatible on the same block –judicial requiring ‘a place of dignity and slightlyremoved,’ with security around its perimeter,and Colorado History Museum an ‘educationalplace that is fun and accessible.’”

The ULI recommended that the museumshould relocate to another area within Denver’sCivic Center/Golden Triangle Museum District,which would allow it to be close to other culturalinstitutions, but still within the city’s govern-mental and cultural center.

In 2006, Trammell Crow Co. (TCC) wasretained as the project manager for the new

museum and judicial center. In 2008, TCC and the Colorado HistoricalSociety identified a site at the intersection of 12th Street and Broadwayin downtown Denver as its preferred location for the new museum –History Colorado Center.

A Hub for HistoryTRAMMELL CROW AND HENSEL PHELPS BRING THE HISTORY COLORADO CENTER TO LIFE. BY STACI DAVIDSON

History Colorado Centerwww.historycolorado.orgwww.trammellcrow.com• Project cost: $110.8 million• Location: Denver• Scope: New construction of museum,educational and public space

“We have an incredible oppor-tunity to become a premierdestination.” –Edward C. Nichols, History

Colorado president and CEO

The $110.8 million HistoryColorado Center toppedout in October 2010.

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“We are extremely pleased to have found amuseum location that we believe will helpshowcase Colorado’s historic treasures whilemeeting the Colorado Historical Society’sgoals,” said Edward C. Nichols, HistoryColorado president and CEO. “With this, we candeliver a new world-class Colorado HistoryMuseum while allowing us to be an even bet-ter agent and resource for statewide programs,projects and initiatives.

“We spent two years in our search for theright location and moving only about one-halfblock keeps us within the Golden TriangleMuseum District and the Civic Center neigh-borhood with good parking, which was ourgoal,” he said. “And, with this new building, wehave an incredible opportunity to become apremier destination and place of pride for thepeople of Colorado and visitors to the state.”

‘A Desirable Destination’With Trammell Crow on board as the projectmanager and Tryba Architects retained as thearchitect of record, Hensel Phelps ConstructionCo. was chosen as the project’s general contrac-tor. Construction got underway in August

2009, and the project is scheduled for comple-tion in Fall 2011, when the staff will move inand exhibit construction will begin. The muse-um in History Center Colorado is expected toopen to the public in spring 2012.

When completed, History Colorado Centerwill house a new museum, education/publicprograms, the Office of Archaeology andHistoric Preservation, the State Historical Fund,the Stephen H. Hart Research Library and otherHistory Colorado functions. The 200,000-square-foot structure will have more than7,700 square feet of space for future expansion.

The $110.8 million project topped out inOctober 2010 when the final steel beam wasaffixed to the roof of the four-floor structure.The peak reaches 77 feet above the first floor atan altitude of 5,331 feet, History Coloradonotes. History Colorado Center is being con-structed to meet LEED Gold specifications.

“Coloradans are known for their enduringspirit and it’s the lessons we learn that allow usto build better lives,” Nichols said in a state-ment. “The [museum] is an incredible oppor-tunity to inspire visitors and residents to expe-rience the state in an entirely new way.”

In 2005, a study by the Urban Land Institutefound that Denver’s Judicial/HeritageComplex was no longer adequate to houseboth the Colorado History Museum and theColorado Judicial Branch. Both organizationsneeded new facilities, however, and in 2006,Trammell Crow Co. (TCC) was retained tomanage both projects – History ColoradoCenter and the Ralph L. Carr Justice Complex.

Founded in 1948, TCC is one of thenation’s leading developers and investors inreal estate, having acquired or developedmore than 500 million square feet of space,with a value exceeding $50 billion.

“Trammell Crow Company’s teams arededicated to building value for its clientswith professionals in approximately 15major cities throughout the United Statesand Canada,” the company says. “The com-pany serves users of, and investors in, office,industrial, retail, healthcare, higher educa-tion, on-airport distribution, multi-family resi-dential and mixed-use projects. For thosewho occupy real estate, TCC can execute thedevelopment or acquisition of facilities tai-lored to meet its clients’ needs. For investorclients, the company offers large strategicjoint ventures, opportunity funds, and othertargeted investment options.”

Tailored to Clients’ Needs

The museum in the 200,000-square-foot History Colorado

Center is expected to open tothe public in spring 2012.

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Akey reason why Overaa Constructionhas been in business for more thana century is because it abides by itsvalues. The Richmond, Calif.-based

contractor maintains its roots as hands-oncraftsmen, which is evident in its ability toself-perform much of its work, including con-crete. Although Overaa has evolved into aturnkey solutions provider, it remains old-fashioned where it matters the most. “Wevalue blue-collar ethics,” PresidentChristopher Manning asserts.

When the term “blue collar” developed astigma for being tawdry or unsophisticated, thecompany contemplated changing the wording.But the truth is, “We’re not afraid to roll up our sleeves and dive into thework,” Manning admits. “It has rounded us out to be a true builder. It’s agreat accomplishment when you can rise to the challenges and be suc-cessful. I think that’s the foundation of this company.”

Overaa was established in 1907 when CarlOveraa – a Norwegian immigrant and carpen-

ter – vowed to help rebuild the San FranciscoBay area after the Great Earthquake of 1906.Today, his grandson, Jerry, leads OveraaConstruction as CEO. Manning – a 25-year veter-an of the company – recently was appointedpresident after Peter Kappelhoff retired in March.

Technical ExpertiseOveraa is experienced in a variety of buildingsectors including commercial, education, park-ing structures, energy and power, healthcare,laboratory and technology, religious and cul-tural, water infrastructure, transportation, fed-

eral government and multifamily housing. “We have a large and diverseresume that qualifies us to go after a wide variety of projects in many ofthe different markets in California,” Manning states.

In recent years, Overaa has exercised skill in negotiated, proposal-

Overaa Constructionwww.overaa.com• Headquarters: Richmond, Calif.• Employees: 290• Specialty: General contracting anddesign/build

“If you don’t have it at thegrass roots level, it’s hard toachieve safety excellence.”–Christopher Manning, president

Over and AboveOVERAA HAS BEEN BUILDING IN THE BAY AREA FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS. BY KATHRYN JONES

Overaa’s portfolio contains projects such asthe Lawrence Berkeley National LaboratoryAdvanced Light Source User Support Building.

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based delivery methods such as design/build and lease-leaseback. Forinstance, Overaa was the design/builder for the $22 million, LEEDSilver-certified Advanced Light Source User Support Building inBerkeley, Calif., which was completed in October. The three-story,31,000-square-foot building contains mechanical assembly, chemicaland biology labs, conference rooms and offices. Itserves as the support space for users of the exist-ing Cyclotron Building, which houses the world’sfirst linear accelerator and booster for micro-sci-ence experimentation. Overaa built the CyclotronBuilding in the 1980s.

In September 2010, Overaa completed work on a$32 million recycled water plant in Richmond forEast Bay Municipal Utility District and Chevron.Treated wastewater from a nearby wastewater plantflows through pipes to the recycled water plant where it is furthertreated and utilized to provide steam for Chevron’s refinery.Chevron’s decision to use recycled water saves 3.5 million gal-lons of fresh water per day for the community to use. “It isincredibly rewarding to work on these types of projects thatbenefit the environment and protect California’s naturalresources,” Manning says.

Overaa would like to see its technical expertise implement-ed on more green technology projects, he adds. “We are veryinterested in alternative energy and have completed several such proj-ects,” Manning notes. “We are proposing on a large solar project inBlythe, Calif. – in the desert – that will essentially use hundreds of mir-

rors focused at a water reservoir to create steam,” he describes. “We’recurrently working on a project for East Bay MUD that uses methane gasfrom their sewage treatment plant to run a turbine generator to produceelectricity they sell back to the grid.”

Culture of SafetyIf an exceptional safety record separates the good con-tractors from the great, it is clear which category Overaafalls under. The company was one of few builders inCalifornia to participate in the Cal/OSHA’s VoluntaryProtection Program. This is a tremendous accomplish-ment when taken into consideration the fact that

much of the work Overaa completes is self-per-formed, Manning points out. He says the compa-

ny is pleased to work with Cal/OSHA and takesgreat pride in raising the industry bar on safety.

Safety is instilled in every aspect of Overaa’scorporate culture. “It starts with a culture that

understands the importance of safety and what thatmeans to the bottom line of the company,” Manning

explains. “It means keeping an eye on your fellowworker to make sure he comes home as healthy as he

came to work that day. If you don’t have it at the grassroots level, it’s hard to achieve safety excellence. If there

is not some context of safety where rubber meets theroad or where the hammer hits the nail, I don’t think it will workthroughout the rest of the organization.”


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Thanks to the construction expertise ofBrasfield & Gorrie General Contractors,the University of Georgia in Athens(UGA) has a premier, state-of-the-art

athletic facility that rivals all others in theSoutheast, Project Manager Will Gaither says.“Most of the athletic department coaches andstudents felt an expansion of this magnitudewas long overdue,” he remarks. “It is a top-notchfacility. They are breaking it in and getting theirmoney’s worth. I think our work has paid off.”

The $40 million Butts-Mehre Heritage Hallrenovation and expansion began in July 2009and was completed by December 2010. Thefour-story, 83,000-square-foot building ishome to the University of Georgia Bulldogsfootball team and headquarters of the UGAAthletic Association. It originally opened in1987 and was named after two of Georgia’smost famous football coaches, Wallace Buttsand Henry Mehre. After the 53,000-square-footexpansion and 40,000-square foot renovationwas completed, it looks like a completely newbuilding, Gaither says.

Designed by Atlanta architecture firmMenefee + Winer, the Butts-Mehre HeritageHall exterior skin features an open-joint rainscreen system consisting of Fiber-C panels, afiber-reinforced concrete product made inGermany, and a structural glazed curtainwallsystem with self-supportive laminated glass.“It does not require a frame like a typical cur-tainwall system,” Gaither notes. “It’s about 35feet tall and looks very seamless. It makes theindoor practice area appear as infinite space.”

Its features and amenities include:• Football team segment and position meet-

ing rooms with state-of-the-art communi-cation technology;

• An indoor practice field and multipurposeroom with synthetic turf for walkthroughsand special event hosting;

• A 12,000-square-foot strength and condi-tioning area with brand-new equipment;

• An 8,500-square-foot athletic trainingarea with four therapy pools, an X-rayarea and two examination rooms;

• New football coaches offices with confer-ence rooms and a video-editing suite; and

Having a BallBRASFIELD & GORRIE SUCCESSFULLY BUILT A STATE-OF-THE-ART ATHLETIC FACILITY. BY KATHRYN JONES

Brasfield & Gorrie recently completed a $40 million renovation and expansion of Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall, homeof the University of Georgia’s football program and the school’s athletic association.

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• A 1,900-square-foot student athlete loungewith game stations, televisions and hometheater-style chairs.

Obstacle CourseIn late September 2009, raging floods through-out the Southeast forced the evacuations ofseveral towns in Georgia and threatened tothrow the schedule off course. “That hit us real-ly hard,” Gaither recalls. “We were backfillingthe stormwater retention vault when it hap-pened. It set us back several weeks, but we wereable to make up the lost time as the structureand schedule progressed.”

Putting in the four hydrotherapy pools – twoof which have built-in treadmills – was a challenge. Those had to be installed at the right time, Gaither recalls. “With a 255-day leadtime, advanced scheduling was crucial,” he says. “Installation of cer-tain partitions was delayed in order to give access to the delivery and hoisting, and bringing the pools in too late would delay the fin-ishes in that space. There is very little room for error on somethinglike that.”

The project was carefully phased so that the football team could con-tinue to occupy the existing facility.

“We were building an addition to an occupied building, so we workedclosely with the football staff and the team’s practice schedule,” Gaithersays. “There were a number of scheduling changes that were inherent

with this project. We facilitated the relocationof their weight room and training room after

the 2009 season; renovated the existing lockerroom and the main team meeting room duringthe off season; and are currently installing theirnew natural turf practice fields to be ready intime for the 2011 football season.”

Brasfield & Gorrie ultimately met success onthe expansion and renovation to Butts-MehreHeritage Hall because it abided by an internalrule that “proper planning prevents poor per-formance,” Gaither says. “It’s a slogan thatsomeone shared with me and I’ve taken onthrough this job.

“Even though you think you have the rightplan in place, it’s always good to have a plan B, as well, because a job likethis changes,” he points out. “That plan you had in place could changeevery single day or even multiple times throughout the day. Develop adetailed schedule and try to stick to it as much as possible. If you don’ttake the time to plan up front, you are setting yourself up for failure inthe end.”

He was pleased with the performance of the subcontractors on thejob. “Given the challenges that we had, I would say they were outstand-ing,” Gaither says. “We had a very diverse team. Some were local sub-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 apleasure to work with.”

Brasfield & Gorrie –Butts-Mehre Heritage Hallwww.brasfieldgorrie.com• Budget: $40 million• Location: Athens, Ga.• Employees at peak: 220• Scope: Athletic facility renovationand expansion“I think our work has paidoff.” –Will Gaither, project manager


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An experienced staff and a focus on per-sonal service to clients allow CamosyConstruction to remain successful ina highly competitive market.

The company, located on theIllinois/Wisconsin border, is keeping busy witha number of projects in the heart of theMidwest. The company has expertise in con-struction management, general contractingand design/build. More than 70 percent ofCamosy’s work is construction managementprojects in the municipal, K-12 education, high-er education, hospital, retail and commercialmarket sectors.

“We’re well positioned because our primarysector has moved to the municipal market, and construction manage-ment has become a more accepted delivery market for that market-place,” says John Bosman, director of business development.

The company self-performs concrete, masonry and carpentry work, as

well as selective demolition. “In addition toour CM and design/build work, we have been

able to maintain a presence in the general con-tracting hard-bid market as well as special proj-ects work for our existing clients,” he adds. “Theability to self-perform has served us well.”

Full Workload Camosy’s current construction managementprojects include a $12 million, 38,000-square-foot addition to the Glendale Heights CivicCenter in Glendale Heights, Ill., that will serveas a new police station, as well as the renova-tion of the existing police station and munici-pal offices. The project will conclude in spring

2012. In addition, the company was contracted last year as constructionmanager for an $8 million renovation to the Glendale Heights SportsHub recreation center and aquatic facility, Bosman says.

Other projects include:

Finding A NicheCAMOSY CONSTRUCTION PROVIDES PROFESSIONAL CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT. BY JIM HARRIS

Camosy Construction www.camosy.com• Revenues: $40 million• HQ: Kenosha County, Wis., and LakeCounty, Ill.

• Employees: 100• Specialty: Construction management“Our environment is professionalyet relaxed.” –John Bosman, director of business development

Camosy Project Manager Josh Johnson (left) and Boys andGirls Club of Kenosha CEO Wally Graffen pose in front of the

job site for the new Boys and Girls Club of Kenosha facility.

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• An 80,000-square-foot, $22 million newpolice headquarters in Palatine, Ill., thatincludes a firing range, forensic labs,defensive training center, fitness center,training classroom and indoor parking.The project is on target for a December2011 completion.

• Renovations to the historic 2,500-square-foot commuter train station in Kenosha,Wis. The $800,000 project includes addinga pyramid steeple, Dutch-style gable end,cedar wood and stone columns, tuckpointing and new windows and doors tothe facility. The project is slated for com-pletion this year.

• A new, $8 million, 80,000-square-footBoys and Girls Club of Kenosha, thatincludes an indoor soccer field with artifi-cial turf, a multi-purpose court, a technol-ogy room and performing arts area. Thebuilding will be complete in June 2011.

Century of ExperienceCamosy Construction is now in its third gener-ation of family ownership. Company founderDominick Camosy, a carpenter and billiard cuemaker and Italian emigrant, established the

company in 1910 as a way to practice hiswoodworking and carpentry skills.

Dominick passed ownership on to his sonRemo, who in turn passed the operation ontohis sons Raymond – the company’s boardchairman – and John, its president. The com-pany celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2010.

Recent years have seen the company re-focus its efforts amid a difficult economy andtake on less volume. “We’ve made the decisionto stay a medium-sized company, as we feelthis puts us in a better position to provide per-sonal service to all of our clients, instead of tak-ing on just any client,” Bosman says. “Limitingour size has allowed us to provide more per-sonalized service.”

All of the company’s project managers arecertified as construction quality control man-agers through the U.S. Army Corps ofEngineers. In addition, seven staff membersare Certified Professional Constructors by theAmerican Institute of Constructors.

“When clients have that kind of peopleworking for them, they know they’re dealingwith people who know the business extremelywell,” Bosman says.

Bosman credits the company’s family-ori-

ented environment and flexibility withemployees for its ability to retain staff. “Ourenvironment is professional yet relaxed, andthat comes across to our clients and subcon-tractors,” he adds. “The people here are dedicat-ed to their work; it’s never `just a job.’”

Camosy Construction closely identifies withthe communities it serves and encouragesits staff members to participate as volun-teers in many local charitable, civic, sports,health care, and educational organizations.The YMCA, Boys and Girls Club, UrbanLeague, Carthage College, University ofWisconsin, Chambers of Commerce, localschool districts, preservation organizations,hospitals, and trade associations have oftenbenefitted from the personal services ofCamosy’s staff members.

In addition to donating its talent and timeto these organizations, the company contin-ues to make benevolent gifts of multi-yearcash pledges and many in-kind contribu-tions, including gifts of construction materi-als and direct trade labor.

Giving Back


When trying to accommodate 18different tenants on a fast-trackschedule, even contractors withvast experience in military con-

struction might find the task daunting. However,since Hoffman Construction, BBL Architects andthe Oregon National Guard used a design/builddelivery method for the construction of a newfacility at Camp Withycombe, it made planningthis massive structure that much easier.

“One of the key elements we discussed withthe owner was our approach to the project andthe way we demonstrated intent to managethe project and organize each of the 18 ten-ants,” says Greg Garske, superintendent forHoffman Construction. “We structured gettingcritical information incorporated into the proj-ect, and one of the things we identified washow to minimize the risk.”

The 41st Infantry Division Armed ForcesReserve Center will occupy more than 250,000square feet at Camp Withycombe in Clackamas,Ore., making it the largest facility built by theOregon National Guard. The $72 million projectbroke ground in September 2009 and is set for agrand opening in September 2011.

The Oregon National Guard hired HoffmanConstruction and BBL Architects as thedesign/build team for this project. The scopecalls for a steel-framed structure with masonryveneer and a metal roof supported by metalwall panels. There was also extensive site workinvolved across 17 acres of land to make wayfor the two-story structure.

When completed, the facility will providespace for 18 military tenants and more than1,300 members of the Oregon Army NationalGuard and the U.S. Army Reserve.

Getting the JobThe owner called for a two-step procurementprocess that started with a qualificationprocess, followed by a review of design propos-

The new 41st Infantry Division Armed Forces Reserve Center will be the largest facility built by the Oregon NationalGuard when the $72 million complex opens in September.

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PreservingMilitaryMemories HOFFMAN’S NEW PROJECT WILLHONOR A HISTORIC INFANTRYDIVISION. BY BRIAN SALGADO

Hoffman Construction – 41stInfantry Division ArmedForces Reserve Centerwww.hoffmancorp.com• Project cost: $72 million• Location: Clackamas, Ore.• Scope: 250,000-square-foot train-ing and office facility“One of the things we identifiedwas how to minimize the risk.”–Greg Garske, superintendent

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als from qualified parties. The guaranteed-max-imum-price contract was awarded based onbest value, not on price, according to ArchitectMark Danielson of BBL Architects.

Danielson says design/build was the way togo for a facility that required different build-outs for so many tenants. This gave the OregonNational Guard one point of contact throughoutthe course of the schedule, and it gave the con-struction team milestones to stay on pace withthe work.

“It was an absolute pleasure working ondesign/build vs. hard bid,” he says. “I fought [hard-bid] battles for yearsand years, and design/build has turned that side of the coin.”

Accommodating the TenantsBuilding out for 18 different tenants requires a great deal of preplanningand meticulous scheduling. Danielson says this portion of the jobrequired procuring a range of military finishes, including storage shelv-ing, lockers and weapons vaults. It also included traditional office accou-trements like work stations and furniture.

The center also will serve as the home for the U.S. Army band, soacoustic and theater elements were designed into the project, as well.The band’s 6,400 square feet includes three large rehearsal areas, indi-vidual rehearsal rooms, a quintet and quartet room, equipment repairroom and storage. There is also a sound control booth situated betweentwo of the large rehearsal rooms.

Sustainably DesignedThe construction team is aiming for LEED Goldcertification for the center. Sustainable featuresinclude daylighting that can power the equiva-lent of 26 three-bedroom homes. The centeralso will be built with low–VOC materials andfixtures to decrease water consumption, andcrews will recycle all construction trash. Overall,the center is aiming to exceed the code fordecreased energy use by 30 percent.

Hoffman and BBL also added a bioswale anda bioretention system that can store 2.7 million

gallons of water annually. This system will hold enough water to accom-modate the entire base once it is scrubbed through a series of plantingsystems, and it will prevent flooding in a sensitive area.

Another aspect of the center’s LEED credentials is an education com-ponent. The facility will feature a kiosk where visitors can access infor-mation about the center’s LEED construction, and the owner will offertours showing the LEED amenities to civilians.

For Those Who ServeDanielson says the most rewarding aspect of this project for him is build-ing a structure for those who serve in the U.S. National Guard. The state ofOregon has had a large number of National Guard troops deployed over-seas in the last 10 to 12 years, and many of those troops have died in thatspan. “They are absolutely inherent when you think about the NationalGuard in general as ‘citizen soldiers,’” Danielson says.

The 41st Infantry Division Armed ForcesReserve Center at Camp Withycombe isnamed after the 41st Infantry Division,which was one of the four National Guarddivisions called into federal service in 1943by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to serve inWorld War II.

Honoring Heroes


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At Lakeshore TolTest Corp., its corevalues are critical to its survival,Kevin Parikh says. “We live andbreathe by our core values, for

which we have coined the acronym, ‘CPRR,’”he says.

Parikh, who is the executive vice presidentfor its heavy engineering repair and construc-tion 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 thecompany’s employees are “holding ourselvesto account,” Parikh says.

The very last “R” represents employees being“respectful to people” within its operations.“Without ‘CPRR,’ we can’t live,” Parikh says.

Based in Detroit, Lakeshore TolTest was

formed last year through a stock transaction of infrastructure construction companyLakeshore Engineering Services Inc., andTolTest Inc., a specialty contractor. “[By] com-bining the two, we created a better company,”President and CEO Avinash Rachmale says,noting that the new company specializes ingovernment construction projects.

He adds that both firms, which had workedwith each other before, brought extensiveexperience to the partnership. For instance,while the 81-year-old TolTest completed manyprojects in Japan, Guam and Korea, LakeshoreEngineering’s projects brought it to such desti-nations as Afghanistan and Iraq.

Since the merger, “The integration has gonewell,” Parikh reports. “Judging by the perform-ance 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 compet-itive in today’s tough business environment.“In Southeast Asia alone, our firms have suc-cessfully executed over $715 million of high-risk, challenging projects, and we continue towin new work every day,” he says.

Ready to ServeAlong with its values, Lakeshore TolTest is setapart from competitors by the way it focuseson employees, Parikh says. “First, [we lookclosely at] who we bring into our team,” hesays. “We do quite a bit of assessment [and] weform teams that are supposed to work together.

Additionally, “We focus on the way theyoperate within a team environment,” he con-

Lakeshore TolTest Corp.www.lakeshoreeng.com• 2010 sales: $600 million+• Headquarters: Detroit• Employees: 650 to 700, whichincludes temporary and contract hires• Service: General contracting“If a client calls in the middleof the night, we’ll jump [to assistthem].” –Avinash Rachmale, president and CEOOn a Roll

AFTER FORMING A NEW COMPANY IN 2010, LAKESHORE TOLTEST IS KEEPING BUSY IN 2011. BY ALAN DORICH

TolTest completed renovations atVanderberg Hall, a dormitory at the

U.S. Air Force Academy in Denver.

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tinues, noting that Lakeshore TolTest also sets itself apart with its strongfocus on customer satisfaction.

For instance, it will not hesitate when it comes to serving a client’sneeds, Rachmale says. “If a client calls in the middle of the night, we’lljump [to assist them],” he says. “We are not afraid of taking risks and ifyou compare [us to] the larger companies, they hesitate in taking risks.”

One example of a risk was a project in Afghanistan, where LakeshoreTolTest built a three-and-a-half mile runway at Camp Bastion, a Britishmilitary base located in the Helmand Province. At the time, others toldthe company it would not succeed. “That was a calculated risk from ourpart,” he recalls, adding that the company did not hesitate and recentlyfinished work on the runway.

Experienced PartnersRachmale, Parikh and Enrique are each longtime veterans of this indus-try. A civil engineer by trade, Rachmale earned a bachelor of science incivil engineering from the Government Engineering College inAurangabad, India, and a master’s degree in civil engineering fromWayne State University in 1985.

He formed Lakeshore Engineering nine years later. In addition,Rachmale is in Wayne State’s School of Engineering Hall of Fame, andwas honored by President Obama at the White House in 2009 for receiv-ing The U.S. Small Business Administration’s Champion Award forEntrepreneurial Success.

Parikh has more experience in construction, although he is also a civilengineer. “I graduated from [S.V. Regional College of Engineering andTechnology] in India and went to City University of New York and

Buffalo [afterward],” he recalls, adding that he has been a contractorsince he was young.

Enrique, a native of Venezuela, also received a bachelor’s of science incivil engineering from the University Rafael Urdaneta and a masters ofscience in civil engineering from the University of Toledo. In addition, heis a registered professional engineer in 10 U.S. states.

After moving to the United States, he joined TolTest. As it was underhis leadership, the company won the HQ Air Force Center forEngineering and Environment’s Small Business Prime Contractor of theYear Award and the Small Business Administration’s Prime Contractor ofthe Year Award.

He adds that he enjoys the industry. “I like the highs and the lows, theups and the downs, and the challenges that come with it,” Enrique says.“While engaged in this business, I have traveled the world, met somevery interesting people, made many friends and can honestly say I learnnew things every day.”

Like many, Lakeshore TolTest is coping with a tough market. “It is bru-tal out there in the construction [industry],” Parikh says. “The imbalancein the economy has brought tremendous competition.”

Lakeshore sees more growth in its future, Rachmale says. Along withits current workload, “We see a lot of projects in the pipeline,” he says.“We’ll be growing at the rate of 20 to 25 percent in [the future]. We see our-selves 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, corporateresume, past performance and infrastructure to grow the company andsustain that growth into the future,” he says.


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The Ralph L. Carr Colorado JudicialCenter is being built to last as long asthe Carr legacy itself. The formerColorado governor held office during

WWII from 1939 to 1943. He openly opposedthe Japanese-American internment camps −an unpopular stance during that time. As thisnew construction project demonstrates, theformer governor is now heralded as a civilrights pioneer.

In 2006, Trammel Crow was hired as theowner’s project manager, and in 2008, the statepassed a bill authorizing construction of a newstate and judicial complex named after Carr. InJuly 2009, Mortenson Construction was select-ed as the construction manager and generalcontractor for the project.

Mortenson’s international presence consistsof 11 offices capable of engraining itself withineach community. It introduced itself to theDenver market in 1981 and has since built

landmark sites includ-ing Coors Field – hometo the Colorado Rockies– and The Denver ArtMuseum’s Frederic C.Hamilton Building.

“We work in a lot ofdifferent markets,” says Dave Kuntz, Mortensonproject manager. “We focus on our clients’needs. We want to understand our customerand what’s important to them.”

Built to LastAt the Ralph L. Carr Colorado Judicial Center,longevity topped the list. The center consists ofa 4-story, 158,000-square-foot courthouse; a12-story, 441,000-square-foot state departmentoffice building; and an 81,000-square-foot,300-space parking structure. The center occu-pies an entire city block and is being designedand constructed to last at least 100 years.

“All the materials going into the project arebeing checked against the standard of a 100-year building,” Kuntz says. “We’re checking forquality of all the materials, the enclosure andhow everything ties together.”

Previously, the Colorado History Museumand the old state supreme and appellate court-house called the site home. They were demol-ished last summer, and the museum’sresources are in storage as the state constructsa new museum one block south.

The courts relocated to a temporary two-floor space at the Denver Newspaper Agencybuilding. In a contract separate from the CarrCenter project, Mortenson renovated the firstfloor to house temporary courtrooms and a

Mortenson Construction –Ralph L. Carr Judicial Centerwww.mortenson.com • Construction cost: $190 million• Location: Denver• Employees on site at peak: 500+• Scope: Judicial center“We focus on our clients’needs.” –Dave Kuntz, project manager

MILESTONE

30YEARS

Here Now, Here LaterMORTENSON BUILDS A JUDICIAL CENTER SUITABLE FOR TODAY AND THE FUTURE. BY JAMIE MORGAN

The Ralph L. CarrJudicial Center in Denveris built to last 100 years.

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law library for the state’s supreme and appellatecourts. The eighth floor was renovated for thecourt’s administrative functions. Mortensonbegan the renovations in February 2010 andcompleted it three months later.

In 2013, the court system will move to its new4-story, granite-clad facility, where a four-col-umn portico leads into a glass-domed atriumthat creates that lofty courthouse atmosphere.In the steel and concrete structure next door,several state departments will neighbor thecourthouse in this 12-story structure. Thisbuilding is part of an effort to consolidate itsfunctions, which are scattered around down-town Denver in market-rate spaces.

Both structures are designed for LEED Goldcertification with environmentally friendly fea-tures like the courthouse’s green roof and con-struction practices such as recycling approxi-mately 95 percent of the materials from thedemolished facilities.

Mortenson boasts 47 LEED accredited profes-sionals in the Colorado office and 268 nation-wide. The company also built the NREL Scienceand Technology Facility in Golden, Colo., to LEED Platinum standards, aswell as Denver’s LEED-Platinum 1800 Larimer office building.

Mortenson broke ground on the Carr Center with demolition in May

2010. It began above ground construction inAugust 2010, and as of March 2011, it is pouringconcrete for the courtroom’s second floor andlaying steel for the building’s seventh floor.

The project requires an integrated projectdelivery method between Mortenson andFentress Architects due to the job’s fast pace.“The pace of the job doesn’t allow for the con-tract documents to be complete prior to thework going into place,” Kuntz says.

Working for the StateAs Mortenson diligently works to complete thestructure built to last 100 years in just threeyears, it is also renovating the Byron G. RogersFederal Office Building and U.S. Courthouse indowntown Denver. This 620,000-square-footmodernization project started December 2010and will conclude in the summer of 2013.Mortenson is the design/builder that willupgrade the structure to bring the federal site toa LEED Platinum standard.

“This renovation project will set high stan-dards in regards to taking an existing structure

and transforming it into a highly efficient and sustainable structure thatwill meet and exceed expectations,” says Bob Hansen, vice president andgeneral manager of Mortenson’s Denver office.

Trammel Crow, founded in 1948, is a realestate development and investment firm thathas worked on projects in every sector formcommercial office to industrial to healthcare.It has an office in Toronto and 14 offices inmajor U.S. cities, including Denver, where itwas contracted in 2006 as the project man-ager for the Ralph L. Carr Judicial Complex.The site will house a courthouse and officestructure for state departments.

For this project, and others it works on,Trammel Crow continuously strives to bringvalue to its clients. “Trammell CrowCompany is a real estate development andinvestment firm dedicated to the fundamen-tal principle of building value,” the companystates. “At the heart of building value is acommitment – a commitment to create theright product in the right market for ourclients while supporting quality economicgrowth for the community.”

Trammel Crow Skills


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Four of the world’s leading biomedical research institutions willsoon collaborate under one roof after Hensel PhelpsConstruction Co. completes construction on the $82 millionSanford 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 ofCalifornia, San Diego, formed the SCRM to work side by side to diagnose,treat and cure degenerative illnesses or injuries based on stem cellresearch. “The Sanford Consortium integrates the collective knowledgeof these foremost biomedical research institutions, with the support ofsurrounding industry and local community, to create a global resourcefor stem cell research,” the organization says.

According to the SCRM, the individuals who will be working at thisfacility have a “proven track record for scientific excellence,” including 95National Academy Science members and 14 Nobel Prize winners.

The four-story, 145,700-square-foot facility will “enable scientists toinformally share intellectual capital,” SCRM explains. “As a result,research will proceed faster, smarter and more effectively. In addition toshaping the future of stem cell science, the Sanford Consortium willshape scientific leadership for the region and industry. Top researchersfrom around the world will work side-by-side with tomorrow’s leadersin a synergistic environment.”

Cutting EdgeSCRM is a cast-in-place structure with four levels above ground and onebelow. It will feature environmental rooms, laboratory spaces, an imag-ing suite and a vivarium. An adjoining cafeteria/auditorium facility iscomposed of structural steel. The exterior is a concrete and compositepanel curtainwall system with cantilevered balconies to house the officepods, which will be separated by an exterior corridor. The project alsowill feature a surface parking lot with approximately 480 spaces.

SCRM will seek LEED Gold certification upon completion. The projectwill utilize an energy-efficient chilled beam system that will cool the airin the laboratories at a slower pace than traditional HVAC systems toconserve energy. Other green features include a stormwater retentionsystem, a cool roof system, reclaimed water for irrigation, photovoltaicinfrastructure and the use of recycled or recyclable materials sourcedlocally, including Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood products.

Team PlayersDesigning and constructing a cutting-edge institution of this signifi-cance requires the skill of a highly experienced project team. Thisincludes developers Phelps Development – a subsidiary of HenselPhelps – working with Lankford & Associates of San Diego.; architecturefirms Fentress Architects of Denver and Davis Davis Architects of San

The Scienceof SuccessHENSEL PHELPS NEARS COMPLETION OF A CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH FACILITY. BY KATHRYN JONES

The new SCRM building willconsolidate four biomedicalresearch institutions.

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Diego; and general contractor Hensel Phelpsand its vendors and subtrades. Constructionbegan in December 2009.

According to Hensel Phelps Project ManagerJeff Brunswig, Hensel Phelps brings a signifi-cant amount of experience to the SCRM proj-ect based on its “reputation and experience ofdoing laboratories of this magnitude” acrossthe United States, such as the Scripps ResearchInstitute – Lab Facility in La Jolla and theUniversity of California at Santa BarbaraNanosystems Institute.

The contractor is known for partnering withother members of a project team to come upwith innovative solutions to design and con-struction challenges, Brunswig says. Even though SCRM is not adesign/build project, Hensel Phelps treated it as such. “When we werebrought on board, the design was about 60 percent complete,” he recalls.“We acted as a design/assist partner and gave cost estimates. We grabbedhold of it as a design/build system by working directly with the design-ers on a day-by-day basis.”

Design ChangesThe biggest challenge Hensel Phelps has

encountered on the project thus far is designchanges based on the evolving needs of the end-users. Similar to a hospital project, configura-tions sometimes had to be changed to accommo-date new technology and equipment that wasnot accounted for during the initial design phase,Brunswig explains.

This is largely because the equipment didn’texist yet or was in its infancy at the project’sinception. “What you planned a few years agohas to be reconfigured a little bit,” he remarks.

Hensel Phelps is proud of its subcontractorsfor being flexible and hands-on when it came

to addressing last-minute design changes. “One thing that impressesme about the subcontractors in San Diego is that it’s a close-knitgroup,” Brunswig notes. “They are all willing to work with each otherand coordinate without much of a fuss. They are keeping up with theschedule and have bought into being team players, which has helpedtremendously.”

Hensel Phelps Construction Co.– Sanford Consortium forRegenerative Medicinewww.henselphelps.com• Budget: $82 million• Location: La Jolla, Calif.• Employees on site at peak: 150-175• Scope: Biomedical research building“They are all willing to work[together].” –Jeff Brunswig, project manager

‘They are keeping up with the scheduleand bought into being team players.’


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Since President Obama signed the 2009American Recovery andReinvestment Act (ARRA), AuburnUniversity has been awarded more

than $82 million from the federal government.The Auburn, Ala.-based school has used $43million of the funds, much of it spent on cam-pus construction proj-ects. The projects haveimproved and consoli-dated school functionsand amenities all whilecreating jobs – a keypurpose of the ARRA.

The federal invest-ment has had a positive trickle-down effect onRobins & Morton. The general contracting com-pany with six southern offices has deliveredseveral projects for the university in the pastsuch as its science laboratory center completedin 2005 followed by the 150,000-square-footdistrict energy plant completed in 2006.

The company says its “primary focus overthe last four decades has been healthcare con-struction.” In the past 10 years, it has complet-ed more than $5 billion in healthcare projectsthroughout the country.

However, with its ongoing work at schoolssuch as Auburn University, it seems the educa-tion sector is not far behind. In 2010, the com-pany began three projects and completedanother at the school. This year, it was contract-ed to construct the new 240,000-square-footAuburn University Recreation Wellness andSustainability Center.

Currently in the design phase, the futurecenter will be a recreational haven for Auburnstudents, faculty and staff “to use in their pur-suit of a healthier lifestyle,” the school says.After a thorough evaluation process, the schoolselected 360 Architecture and InfinityArchitecture to design the project. Both havepreviously 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;

• Multi-purpose and meeting rooms; and• Sand volleyball.

United CampusAs the design team hammers out details, it istasked with blending the new structure withthe existing campus.

“[A] key consideration will be the ability toprovide a facility that corresponds with theoverall image and character of the Auburncampus,” the university says.

Renderings of the Auburn project showlarge open spaces with clerestory windows anda lush entry plaza lined with canopy trees and

gardens. The center’s design provides abun-dant views and open transitions from onespace to another.

Its proximity to the new student villagehousing, intramural fields, the Martin AquaticsCenter and tennis courts seamlessly integrateit into the existing school. However, the nearbybuildings will also force close coordination asto not interrupt in-operation facilities.

“Among the many challenges facing thedevelopment of the new building will beworking with and around the existing sitetypography and surrounding structures,” theschool says.

Contractor on CampusROBINS & MORTON HAS A SIGNIFICANT PRESENCE AT AUBURN UNIVERSITY. BY JAMIE MORGAN

MILESTONE

65YEARS

The recreation center willblend into the existingAuburn campus.

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Construction AlumThis won’t be the first time Robins & Morton hasbuilt on a limited site. In December 2010, itbroke ground at Auburn’s $12.5 million multi-purpose indoor practice facility. The 92,000-square-foot project was designed by InfinityArchitecture and complements renovations atthe nearby Auburn athletic complex andJordan-Hare Stadium.

The project, slated for August completion,runs east and west along the schools SamfordAvenue and connects to the Charlotte G.Lowder Student-Athlete Development Centerand the James T. Tatum Jr. Strength andConditioning Center. The project includes a 100-yard field that will allow the football, baseball, softball, soccer and trackteams to practice indoors during inclement weather. According toRobins & Morton this will consolidate many campus functions.

A project also seen at the Auburn University is the new office of infor-mation technology (OIT). The approximately $13 million OIT will houseoffice and support spaces for more than 140 staff and student employ-

ees. The 63,000-square-foot site consolidatesOIT operations currently in nine separate

buildings. The new Auburn Arena – complet-ed in June 2010 – also increases the school’sefficiency, it says.

The $60 million, 265,000-square-foot arenawas designed by 360 Architecture to accommo-date more than just the Auburn Tigers men’sand women’s basketball games. The finishedproject includes 29,000 square feet of student-athlete spaces complete with lockers, medicinerooms, lounges and meeting rooms. The sitealso houses a two-court practice facility, coach-es’ offices, the ticket office, Auburn team store,the relocated Lovelace Museum and two food

courts. The arena itself is fitted with 9,600 seats – some are chair backseats and some are bleachers.

Robins & Morton is the general contractor for all these projects, whichonly make a partial list of all the work it has done for the school. In factwith at least nine projects either completed or in progress at the school,it seems Robins & Morton has enrolled at Auburn University for good.

Robins & Morton – AuburnUniversity Recreation Wellnessand Sustainability Centerwww.robinsmorton.com• Location: Auburn, Ala.• Scope: Recreation center“[A] key consideration will bethe ability to provide a facilitythat corresponds with [our]image.” –Auburn University

‘Among the many challenges will beworking with the existing site.”


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Sometimes the hardest aspect of build-ing is getting everyone together in thesame space to review, discuss andmake decisions. Wouldn’t 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 $190million Smith Cardiovascular ResearchBuilding at the University of California SanFrancisco (UCSF).

Designed by Jim Jennings Architecture andSmithGroup, the collaborative constructionenvironment echoed the building’s function –bringing research scientists and clinicianstogether under one roof in an effort to betterunderstand and treat cardiovascular diseases,the leading cause of death and disability in theUnited States.

Rudolph and Sletten constructed a “bigroom” for representatives from all disciplinesto work together in a collaborative setting. The10,000-square-foot construction trailer, whichwas made up of 14 trailer modules, was onlysteps from the construction site, allowing foreasy access. This provided space for the morethan 50 engineers, architects, contractors andconsultants – who were responsible primarilyfor design and coordination – to be housed inone building during both the pre-constructionand construction phases of the project. Thefreedom of access created a streamlined work-flow process, and important questions did notlinger and hinder construction.

“We had mechanical, electrical, plumbing,exterior skin, fire sprinkler, laboratory casework, drywall, the owner, the architect, theconstruction management, the general con-tractor and the inspector of records all sharingone large space,” Senior Project ManagerDanielle Douthett explains. “It was one of thekey pieces to having such a successful project.”

A Learning CurveDouthett concedes there was a bit of a learningcurve for the participants because of the close-ness of their quarters. “Everyone quicklylearned the value of being in one trailer,” shesays. “Our ability to easily keep everyone in theloop and gain quick responses helped over-come any apprehension to sharing space.”

More often than not, an RFI was generatedto confirm a response that already had beendeveloped through a conversation betweenthe various members of the group in the trail-er. One-fourth of the project’s RFIs wereanswered the same day they were written, and95 percent were answered in less than 15 days.

The team response rate was just one of theproject efficiencies that took place in the bigroom. Using the Last Planner scheduling tech-nique aided by sophisticated new softwaresimplified communication among project par-ticipants. “Rudolph and Sletten is always look-ing for ways to use technology for efficiency,”Douthett points out.

“The software allowed everyone on the teamthe ability to log in to the system and review oredit their schedule items to create an accurateschedule with promised delivery directly fromthe installers of each individual task,” she says.“The ability to commit in a transparent envi-ronment made people accountable for each

task. Any issues with delivery of promisedactivities were brought to attention quicklyand addressed with a very fast response time.”

Get Smart BoardRudolph and Sletten began construction of thelab in May 2008 and achieved substantial com-pletion on Aug. 13, 2010, 10 weeks ahead ofschedule. In addition to the big room, theonline scheduling software and lean construc-tion techniques, Douthett attributes the speedof the project to the company’s integrated proj-ect delivery method, which also included theuse of 3-D BIM and financial incentives for thewhole team.

“The big room and Smart Board technologyproved to be an invaluable tool for the pullschedule meetings that were implemented aspart of the Last Planner methods,” according toDouthett. “The Smart Board itself consists of aprojector and a touch screen monitor userinterface that allowed drawings, photographs,

One Big RoomLEAN TECHNIQUES HELPED RUDOLPH AND SLETTEN DELIVER A FACILITY 10 WEEKS EARLY. BY RUSS GAGER

The use of BIM and other techniques were essential to the Smith

Cardiovascular Research Building.

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sketches and other files to be developed andaltered in a collaborative setting and thensaved as part of the meeting minutes.”

Pull scheduling is a coordination meeting inwhich all of the trades involved in a short andspecific portion of the schedule sit in a roomand break larger schedule activities into morespecific activities. “You start with a final activi-ty and date that you are working towards, andyou build the schedule backwards from thismilestone,” Douthett explains. “The smalleractivities are properly sequenced through vari-ous agreements and compromises made by thetrades present.”

By using the Smart Board, the constructionteam displayed schedules, snapshots taken from the subcontractors’coordinated 3-D model, and also contract drawings. This allowed thefield crews responsible for installing the work to highlight areas wherethere appeared to be physical access limitations or where some reorder-ing of the schedule was needed. “On the UCSF job, it was a perfect mix,”Douthett maintains.

The project team also focused on 13 milestones that were set at thebeginning of the job. Each milestone was tracked and assessed through-out the process. Being able to track the progress with fixed goal markershelped immensely. Douthett estimates the team reached approximately80 percent of its weekly goals, a 5 percent improvement over the typicalrate for a successful project.

Coordinating PipingTwo-thirds of the second, third and fourth floors

are wet labs, and the fourth floor houses a chem-istry lab. With the large number of laboratorieswithin the facility, efficient coordination of gas,water and compressed air piping was necessaryto keep the project on schedule.

“That’s where BIM comes in handy – for allthe overhead coordination,” Douthett says.

Rudolph and Sletten functioned as the gen-eral contractor on the project and coordinatedwith approximately 27 subcontractors.“Rosendin Electric Inc. was great to work with,”Douthett stresses.

“I was very lucky all my subcontractors wereexcellent. Most all I had worked with before,” she adds.

“Without our collaborative process and the strong camaraderie in thebig room, this project would not have been as successful,” Douthettinsists. “I was very lucky to have such a strong and devoted team.”

Rudolph and Sletten –UCSF Smith CardiovascularResearch Buildingwww.rsconst.com

• Construction cost: $190 million • Location: San Francisco• Employees on site at peak: 220• Scope: Five-story research center

“We [built] a collaborativeenvironment.” –Danielle Douthett, senior

project manager

Rosendin Electric Rosendin Electric is a proven leader in 3-D CAD modeling,both as part of their design/build project delivery and in construction detailing.Working closely with Rudolph and Sletten and University of California, SanFrancisco, Rosendin Electric is staying true to their mission of setting the stan-dards in the electrical construction industry. One-hundred percent employee-owned, Rosendin Electric is ranked as the largest privately-held electrical con-tractor in the nation. www.rosendin.com


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When it came to selecting vendors and subcontractors forthe construction of a new high school in NewaygoCounty, Mich., construction managers TriangleAssociates looked beyond the lowest bids.

“The school district very much wanted us to incorporate local partici-pation into the project,” says Marc Alexa, senior project manager for theGrand Rapids, Mich.-based company. “In many cases, we did not awardcontracts to the low bidder. We awarded to the most qualified bidderthat really embraced the local participation mentality. Fremont PublicSchools understood that maximum value is not always derived from thelowest price point, but from reputable, quality contractors.”

“The board of education and the building/steering committee placedthe onus on Triangle to utilize local participation to the greatest extentpossible in building a monument to the community, understandingthat local didn’t mean entitlement, but merely an opportunity to returnan investment to the community,” he adds. “They fully expect futureschool districts to look to Fremont as an example of how this type of for-ward thinking can provide an economic stimulus to any communitywhile delivering a superior learning environment.”

After more than 50 interviews with vendors and subcontractors forthe roughly 25 available subcontracts for the project, Alexa feels thatthrough the direction of the Fremont School Board, Triangle truly select-ed an “A Team” to build the $40 million, 192,000-square-foot FremontHigh School for Fremont Public Schools. Construction started inSeptember 2010 and will conclude in August 2012.

Several of the major trades on the project are either based in NewaygoCounty or are using local tradespeople on the project. More than $6 mil-lion will be returned to the local economy as a result.

“We may have paid a small premium for some of the trades, but thedollars they will return to the community will far outweigh that,” Alexaadds. “It’s important, especially in this economy, to use local forces when

you can.”The project is approximately 30

percent complete, with one of theschool’s two wings erected and cov-

ered with a roof. Foundation work,structural steel and masonry areunderway on the remaining por-tions of the building.

A Better EnvironmentThe two-story structure will replacea high school initially built in 1926.The school was renovated in 1960,has had at least five additions, andis out of date. “It’s not a great envi-

Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Triangle Associates is building the new Fremont HighSchool in Newaygo County, Mich. The $40 million project will be complete in 2012.

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Triangle’sLocal FocusA HIGH SCHOOL PROJECT WILL BE A BOON FOR STUDENTS AND LOCAL BUSINESS. BY JIM HARRIS

Triangle Associates – Fremont High Schoolwww.triangle-inc.com• Project cost: $45 million• Location: Newaygo County, Mich.• Employees on site at peak: 60• Scope of work: High school construction“It’s important, especially inthis economy, to use local forceswhen you can.”–Marc Alexa, senior project manager


ronment to teach kids in,” Alexa says. “It maydo for the time being, but isn’t an ideal situa-tion by a long shot.”

The new building will include an academicwing with approximately 38 classrooms as wellas an athletic wing with competition and aux-iliary gymnasiums. One of the gymnasiumsfeatures an elevated running track. Joining thetwo wings together is a core area with a multi-purpose cafeteria, media center, and adminis-trative offices.

The school, located in a farming community,will also feature a large agricultural sciencearea 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 translucentbuilding system – will be used throughout theschool’s central corridor, creating a clear storythat will provide natural light to the building,Alexa says.

Architect Kingscott Associates Inc. ofKalamazoo, Mich., designed the building with anumber of environmentally friendly efficientfeatures and a sensitivity to surrounding wet-land areas, although formal LEED certification

will not be pursued. Green building featuresinclude a white roof, in-floor radiant heating,geothermal heating and cooling systems, low-emissivity glass, bamboo ceilings, sloped ceil-ings and flooring made with recycled materials.

Fired UpTriangle Associates has maintained close tieswith subcontractors, vendors and the clientthroughout the project. The Fremont PublicSchools district in particular has had regularinput into the project, its first major buildingeffort since the construction of the originalFremont High School.

“The school district is fired up and excitedabout the building, and have been veryinvolved in every aspect of the process,” Alexasays. “We appreciate the support of the localcommunity and the school district. They’vebeen great to work with. We couldn’t ask for abetter owner.”

’Bread and Butter’This is Triangle’s first time working withFremont Public Schools, but far from its firstschool construction project. The company,founded in 1918, has extensive construction

management, design/build, and general con-tracting experience. Past projects includemunicipal facilities, wastewater treatmentplants, and commercial projects, with a mainfocus placed on educational projects.

“We’re the largest K-12 contractor in westernMichigan,” Alexa says.

A number of key personnel within FremontPublic Schools and Triangle Associates areplaying key roles in the Fremont High Schoolproject. 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

Project Partners


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Students attending the second-largestuniversity in the United States will soonhave a high-quality off-campus livingoption. University House Central

Florida, located a half-mile from the Universityof Central Florida campus in Orlando, will offera number of amenities to students when itopens in fall 2012. The development is the lat-est in the University House brand owned andoperated by Inland American CommunitiesGroup Inc.

“University House communities are dedicat-ed to providing high-quality, innovative livingand learning solutions to college and universitystudents,” says David Pierce, AIA LEED AP, vicepresident of development and design for Inland.

Construction began in December 2010 and general contractorWinter Park Construction of Maitland, Fla., is in the process of layingthe concrete slab foundation for the $34.3 million, 386,000-square-foot, five-story wood-frame building. Crews are also erecting a pre-cast, five-and-a-half story concrete parking deck. The facility wasdesigned by Humphreys & Partners Architects LP, headquartered inDallas.

The building’s height calls for the use of stronger detailing in thematerials than normally seen on smaller, wood-frame buildings. “Froma construction standpoint, five-story construction creates challengesfrom a wind standpoint,” Pierce says. “We’ve needed to use more fire-rated lumber and stronger exterior bearing walls.”

Site AmenitiesThe five-story building will feature 995 beds

in 416 units. Residents will have a choice ofnine different apartment styles, ranging from480-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bath effi-ciency units up to 1,600-square-foot four- bed-room, four-bath units. Each unit is fully fur-nished and includes a full-sized kitchenequipped with Energy Star-rated appliances,Pierce says.

“The idea of this development is to have aplug-and-play kind of environment,” he adds.“Cable, utilities, Internet and wireless (fees) areall included in rent; this is a fully amenitizedenvironment.”

Other amenities on the 10-acre site include four courtyards, a resort-style pool, volleyball and basketball courts, a putting green and a club-house. The clubhouse includes a fitness center, a multimedia lounge,internet cafe and a social lounge. The development is located near uni-versity and city shuttle transportation systems providing access to andfrom the university.

“From a building standpoint, I think the high quality of the amenitieswill set this building apart from a lot of other student housing develop-ments we’ve seen in recent years,” Pierce adds.

`A Great Partner’Inland American Communities Group is a development, acquisition andmanagement organization dedicated to the creation of communities in

Winter Park Construction –University House CentralFloridawww.wpc.com• Project cost: $34.3 million• Location: Orlando, Fla.• Employees on site at peak: 400• Scope of work: Private student housing“The high quality of amenitieswill set this building apart.”–David Pierce, vice president of development and design

Located near the campus of the University of Central Florida in Orlando, UniversityHouse Central Florida will feature 416 units and include high-quality amenities notoften found in student housing, its owners say.

»

A Total Package UNIVERSITY HOUSE WILL OFFER STUDENTS AN ALL-INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT. BY JIM HARRIS


urban infill and university markets across theUnited States. The company, headquartered inDallas with offices in Atlanta and Tempe, Ariz.,was formed in 2007.

The company’s private student housingprojects are strongly market-driven. “We main-tain a database of major universities across thecountry and keep up relationships with bro-kers in those markets,” Pierce says.

“I think we do a very good job thoroughlyresearching opportunities, understanding themarkets we go into and hitting the mark withour developments’ mix of units and ameni-ties,” he adds.

With active development projects in multi-ple markets nationwide, Inland AmericanCommunities remains committed to a marketdriven, customer-focused strategy.

The team has been recognized in the stu-dent housing arena as innovative advocates,developers, principals and partners in buildingand operating university communities on andoff campuses nationwide. Their strategicapproach involves substantial long-terminvestments in carefully chosen markets,working in partnership with each universityand its neighbors to enhance the university

community environment with innovative, off-campus housing.

Inland American Communities’ studenthousing developments incorporate the best ofresidential living units and cutting-edgeamenities for the ultimate living and learningexperience, with an emphasis on implementa-tion of the latest advancements in technology.

Winter Park Construction provides pre-con-struction, general contracting, constructionmanagement, renovation and green buildingservices to clients in the hospitality, residentialand commercial sectors. Since its founding in1974, the company has built more than 20,000multifamily units, 12,000 timeshare units and2,500 hotel rooms.

“This is (Inland’s) first project with them, butthey came highly recommended,” Pierce says.“They’ve been working closely with us on thissince its inception, and have been a great part-ner on this project.”

Pierce also credits Tri-City ElectricalContractors and Armstrong Air & Heating – theelectrical and mechanical subcontractors onthe project – for their assistance in puttingtogether bid packages.

In addition to the University of CentralFlorida site under construction, InlandAmerican Communities owns and managesprivate University House developmentsacross the country.

Other Inland American Communitiesdevelopments 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

In The House ‘The idea ofthis is to havea plug-and-play kind ofenvironment.’


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For 18 years, Edwards Campus inOverland Park, Kan., has been the“evolving campus” of the University ofKansas, Vice Chancellor Bob Clark says.

Under his leadership, the campus has strived toemphasize that image.

Edwards Campus’ latest initiative is theBusiness, Engineering, Science and Technology(BEST) Building, which is being built byMcPherson Contractors Inc. BEST will cover72,000 square feet and consist of three struc-tures, Assistant Dean and Project Manager PamBray says.

The first, she notes, will be a conference centerthat can hold up to 400 people. The second willbe a classroom building with rooms that can hold from 40 to 100 people,and the third will feature 30 facility offices, a suite for its IT departmentand four computer laboratories.

The third structure will be connected to the Regents Center, the firststructure ever constructed at Edwards Campus. These facilities will be

connected by a 122-foot, glass-enclosed walk-way, according to Bray.

Construction on the BEST Building began inJune 2010 and is set to finish this December.This is McPherson’s first project with KU and sofar, the university is pleased with its work, Braysays. “They have done a very good job,” shestates. “They’re very easy to work with.”

Part of the CommunityClark, who came to KU 14 years ago, says thatone of his major goals at the campus has beenthe improvement of its role within the com-munity, which has its home in Greater KansasCity. “I asked people what they thought of KU

and this location,” Clark recalls. “They thought KU was essentiallythumbing its nose at Greater Kansas City. [We want to] create the cir-cumstances where all these people believe KU cares.”

The classroom building is built in ways that will accommodate newacademic programs, technology and seating, Clark says. “The IT building

McPherson Contractors –BEST Buildingwww.edwardscampus.ku.edu

• Project budget: $25 million• Location: Overland Park, Kan.• Scope: Three structures that span72,000 square feet

“We want to bring as manypeople to this campus as wecan.” –Bob Clark, vice chancellor

Bringing the BESTMCPHERSON IS CONSTRUCTING THE BEST BUILDING FOR KANSAS UNIVERSITY. BY ALAN DORICH

The BEST Building is part of aneffort to grow the University of

Kansas’ Edwards Campus.

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[also will] be an important place for the stu-dents working on multiple projects,” Clarksays, adding that BEST will feature 30 officesfor the faculty.

He adds that BEST also will allow KU to growits role in serving workforce development withits conference center, which will be able to hostsmall associations. “We want to bring as manypeople to this campus as we can,” he says.

Unified and GreenClark also is proud of the walkway between thebuildings. “It unifies the campus,” he says,praising the project’s designer, Gould EvansArchitects. “Visually, it’s going to look prettystunning from the road.”

BEST also will have numerous green fea-tures, including a strong use of natural light inthe classroom building. In addition, each of itsclassrooms will have sensors that will recog-nize when someone enters and engages theheating and cooling when they are detected,he says.

Smooth SailingA challenge that McPherson and KU faced onthe BEST project was the strong winter snow-

fall this past January. Due to the heavy snowand conditions, the construction team lost 12days on the schedule.

Another issue has been the amount of rocklocated on the project site. “They had a signifi-cant amount of rock when they were workingon the trenching,” she recalls. “Other thanthose things, it’s gone very smoothly.”

It has gone so smoothly that both the cam-pus and the contractor have been able tomaintain safety during the project. For exam-ple, KU installed a metal fence around the out-side of the construction site on campus, accord-ing to Clark. Additionally, it increased theamount of lighting for people walking aroundthe site at night.

“From the standpoint of the inside of theconstruction fence, McPherson is in charge ofthat,” Bray says, noting that the college’s designand construction management associate, JohnEye, often goes to the site and checks to see ifstandards are being met.

Growth StrategiesClark believes the Edwards Campus will con-tinue growing. “Although we are landlocked,”he says, noting that the campus spans 36 acres,

“we still have capacity for a fourth building tobe built.”

Clark adds that the campus also hopes toacquire land, as well, but it will need to decidewhich one it will be doing first. ”We’ve got tothink a little more quickly about acquiringmore land or what our strategy’s going to bebefore the fourth building is conceptualized,”Clark explains.

Based in Topeka, Kan., McPherson says itspecializes in general contracting servicesacross the Midwest. “Founded in 1972,McPherson Contractors Inc. is a familyowned and operated company with loyalemployees and successful projects,” it says.

Along with general contracting, it alsoprovides project management, estimating,and concrete, steel erection and carpentrywork. “McPherson Contractors Inc. has suc-cessfully constructed commercial retail andoffice space, educational, healthcare, govern-ment and sports facilities, and religious, cul-tural and residential projects,” it says.

Local Success


Civil By John Tutera

JOHN TUTERA is construction property vice president at specialist insurer, HiscoxUSA. He can be reached at [email protected] or 646-452-2379.

Protect Your ProjectsWith several rocky years behind them, contractors and owners are taking afresh look at construction risks. An uninsured loss could have a devastating effect, particularly on com-

panies already weakened by the recession.Given their size and complexity, construction projects are sure to face

unexpected challenges. Builder’s risk insurance should be the founda-tion of any risk strategy.

Understanding the ins and outs of builder’s risk – such as what’s cov-ered, as well as exclusions and common pitfalls – can help owners andcontractors be prepared for adverse events like a building collapse orfinancing delays.

Owners and contractors gain an advantage by viewing their insur-ance carrier, agent or broker as a partner and resource. They can accessthe insurer’s risk engineering advisors and other industry consultantsand share information. If a problem or claim arises, the insurer willalready be familiar with the project.

For their part, the owner or contractor should take the time to under-stand their project’s specific needs and be aware of the factors that gointo an underwriter’s calculations.

Policy VariationsBuilder’s risk is designed to cover property in the course of construction,including materials and equipment that will be part of the completedproject. While it’s the cornerstone of a construction insurance program,there’s no standard builder’s risk form. Many, but not all, are written asall-risk policies. It’s important to remember that each policy is specific toa particular project.

Coverage typically extends to property at the job site, in storage and intransit and includes temporary structures, such as scaffolding, and com-mon 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 includeexpediting expenses, demolition and increased costs of construction,claim-preparation expenses, mold remediation, fire brigade charges anddelay in completion coverage.

Exclusions cover a broad range, from war and fraud to mold. Faults inworkmanship, design and materials are typically excluded, althoughdamage resulting from those faults is covered.

Assessing RiskThe heart of any builder’s risk policy is the assessment of risk, from theconstruction means and methods to the client’s record on other projects.Catastrophe modeling of construction projects for perils such as earth-quake, hurricane and flood events is used to determine the magnitudeof the potential loss exposures and overall accumulations. Underwriting considerations for the projects include the type of work,


the kind of construction and the measures that will be used to preventcollapse. Most importantly, the underwriting process encompasses a rig-orous discussion about quality control/quality assurance measures.

’Means and Methods’Finally, the underwriter will consider the “means and methods” the con-tractor will use to accomplish the work. Means and methods can varygreatly as shown by the following example of two ways to construct abridge across a river.

One contractor might construct a temporary access bridge next to thenew structure. This provides a stable place to set up a crane and providesaccess for construction materials. This approximates working on landand diminishes the risk.

A different contractor, however, might decide to work from a barge,which presents different risks and potential losses. The crane barge canbe struck, loosen from its mooring or sink, among other possibilities.

All of the different project components and risks underscore the needfor the insurer, owner and contractor to work together closely.

Completed ValueCooperation is also essential to determining the project’s completedvalue, the total amount that would be required to rebuild in the event ofa 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 projectincluding direct and indirect costs such as materials, labor, workers com-pensation, security services, overhead, profit, change orders and modifi-cations, among other wide-ranging variables. One-time costs, such aspermits and land costs, are not included.

The best way to assess the completed value is to break down in detaila project’s components. In a power plant, the energy-generating portion– or power block – is the most costly, compared to the balance of theplant, such as the water treatment facility.

In a multi-use development, the parking garage has less value thanthe retail or residential components.

Additional Protection Given the complexity of builder’s risk and despite their best efforts, own-ers can still be inadequately insured. For example, if a project is delayedand owners lack delay in completion insurance, costs can escalate.

Contractors can put too much trust in the owner’s purchasing deci-sions, overestimating the coverage provided. Even if the owner buys thepolicy, the contractor can secure additional protection.

A master builder policy, which is broad-based and designed to meetvarying insurance requirements across multiple projects for a contractorand/or developer, is one option. Contractors can also purchase wrap-around coverage to protect against gaps in the owner’s coverage shouldthe owner elect to use their property policy. The combined coveragegives contractors the same protection they would have if their policywas in place in lieu of the owner’s policy.

Contractors can also take advantage of a coverage option often found

IN THIS SECTIONCapital Signal Co. Ltd.g p.106Capital Signal has ahometown advantage inthe Caribbean Islands.

in master builder coverage that allows them to“buy down” high deductibles. If an owner’s pol-icy has a $100,000 deductible, the contractorcan buy down the deductible to $25,000.

A Solid FoundationWith its broad scope, builder’s risk offers numer-ous options. Constructing the right policy ischallenging. With so much at stake, owners andcontractors must educate themselves on thenuances of their project and their builder’s riskpolicy and seek out the most experienced andknowledgeable brokers, risk engineers, claimsadjusters and underwriters. Having the rightbuilder’s risk policy in place creates a solid foun-dation for contractors and owners; even withsetbacks, they can successfully complete theirprojects and make a profit.

Company Profiles98 GO Transit/McCormick Rankin

Corp. – West Toronto DiamondGrade Seperation Project

102 D’Onofrio General ContractorsCorp.

106 Capital Signal Co. Ltd. 109 Western Water Constructors Inc.112 HOK – NOAA Pacific Regional

Center, Pearl Harbor114 McCoy Grading Inc.116 Clark Dietz Engineers Inc.118 Panama Canal Expansion Project120 Schmueser & Associates Inc.122 DP Electric Inc.

Western WaterConstructors Inc.g p.109Western Water applies itsexpertise to two projects.


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One of the things railroads have incommon with skiing is that dia-monds represent difficulty,whether you’re talking about a dia-

mond-rated slope or a diamond crossing oftwo tracks. That’s why Ontario’s interregionalpublic transit system, GO Transit and engineer-ing firms McCormick Rankin Corp. (MRC) – amember of the MMM Group – and DelcanCorporation have come together to untangle adiamond crossing at the busiest railroad cross-ing in Canada.

The West Toronto Diamond GradeSeparation project is part of a larger initiativeto upgrade Toronto’s transportation infrastruc-ture in anticipation of the Pan Am Games in2015, but the need for this particular portion ofthe work has been evident for a long time.

“It is a very complex project, and it’s been inthe planning stages for almost 20 years,”explains Michael Wolczyk, GO Transit’s directorof Union Station infrastructure. The projectinvolves separating two railway lines that cur-rently cross each other at grade and relocatingone over the other. Once completed, one set oftracks will be moved to a depressed corridorand the other set will be elevated above themon a bridge.

GO Transit/McCormickRankin 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 it’s been in the planningstages for almost 20 years.”–Michael Wolczyk, director of Union Station infrastructure

The tight urban setting of Toronto has made the West Toronto Diamond Grade Separation project more difficultthan similar projects in less-crowded conditions.

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CrossingOver IntoSuccessGO TRANSIT AND ITS PARTNERSTACKLE A RAILWAY SEPARATIONPROJECT. BY CHRIS PETERSEN


The crossing has been a less-than-ideal arrangement for the rail-roads, commuters and nearby residents for a long time, Wolczyk says,making this project a welcome relief. For starters, the diamond crossingoften meant trains would have to slow down or stop before crossing theother tracks. “The analogy I use it that it’s like two highways that crosseach other at a traffic light, and that doesn’t work very well,” Wolczyksays. “When you have a train full of 2,000 people coming and there’s afreight train coming by, we have to stop and wait. That adds up to a lotof delays.”

Because trains often have to stop at the diamond crossing, they spenda lot of time idling, creating unnecessary pollution and added noisewhen they start up again. Additionally, the sounds of trains rolling overthe diamond crossing irritated nearby residents.

“With diamond crossings, there’s a lot of pounding noise when a traingoes over,” Wolczyk notes.

To help bring this project to completion successfully, GO Transitturned to Delcan as its structural designer and transportation engineer-ing firm MRC as construction managers and contract administrators,each bringing more than 50 years of experience to bear. MRC ProjectManager Leon Stambolich says that although the project doesn’t seemlike a lot of work on paper, there’s more to a diamond grade separation

than meets the eye, and with this particular project in downtownToronto especially.

“It’s a pretty common project, it’s just in a complicated urban environ-ment,” he says. “It has introduced a number of complexities to complet-ing the construction work.”

Driving ForceBuilding the depressed corridor means the installation of more than 2,300900-millimeter pipe piles that form the corridor’s structural walls. Wolczykexplains that the pipe piles were chosen because of the unique site condi-tions. A lake was on the site millions of years ago, meaning sand from the

‘It’s like two highways that cross eachother … and that doesn’t work very well.’

Giken America Corp. Giken America Corporation – a U.S. subsidiary of GikenSeisakusho Co. Ltd in Japan – provided Silent Piler piling equipment to the jointventure who undertook the construction contract. Silent Piler utilizes the press-in method, generating very low noise and very low vibration during piling oper-ations. Because potential damages to the nearby buildings and live railway tracksby conventional pile driving methods was a major concern, the owner of the proj-ect and the construction manager represented by McCormick Rankin selectedSilent Piler to mitigate the potential ground movements and vibration-inducedstructural damages.


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lake’s ancient shoreline still exists deep underneath the water table. Thepiles 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 noisegenerated by the work. Crews limited the number of hours the impacthammers were in use to try and lessen the impact, but Wolczyk says GOTransit challenged its contractors and consultants to come up with bet-ter ways to mitigate the noise.

One of the main techniques utilized on the project was a hydraulical-ly operated sound-dampening shroud system that encloses the impacthammer as it forces the pile into the ground. Wolczyk says the systemhas resulted in a 50 percent reduction in the amount of noise created.However, this system was still not enough to completely alleviate theconcerns of residents, and so MRC and the other project partners lookedfor more alternatives.

Quieter AlternativeOne option was a system developed by Japanese manufacturer GikenInternational. Rocco Cacchiotti, project manager for CN Rail – which wasresponsible for the pile installation work – says the system utilizes apush system with an auger to press the piles into place. This system wasmuch quieter than the impact hammers, but that quiet came at a cost.

“It’s a slow machine,” Wolczyk says. “You couldn’t do the entire jobwith it, it would take about six years if you tried.” Cacchiotti says half ofthe project was completed with impact hammers in about six months,while the second half was completed in about 15 months using a varietyof methods, including the Giken system.

However, the Giken system helped mitigate residents’ complaints aboutnoise, and it proved useful when working around some of the older build-ings in the area. Stambolich says some of those buildings would not havebeen able to withstand the vibrations created by the impact hammers orvibratory hammers, a key advantage of the Giken method.

Next PhasePile installation began in January 2009 and was completed in October2010. The next phase, which was just initiated, involves drilling out thepiles and filling them with concrete, Wolczyk explains.

“In the process, what they do is they have to make sure the walls arewatertight and part of the work in this contract is testing to make surethat it doesn’t leak,” he says.

After that is completed, the next phases call for the excavation of thedepressed corridor, finishing the walls, and building the bridges, thestormwater management system and the roadway over the corridor.Once all of that is completed, Wolczyk says, the tracks will be laid in thecorridor. GO Transit expects all of this to be completed by 2014, wellahead of the 2015 Pan Am Games.

Wolczyk credits the contributions of MRC and the entire project teamfor the project’s success to date.

“It’s been good, MRC has done a good job,” he says. “They’re one of thekey team members, but it’s a large team.”

‘It’s a pretty commonproject, it’s just in acomplicated [location].’


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With the tagline “BuildingTomorrow’s InfrastructureToday,” D’Onofrio GeneralContractors Corp. is the go-to

contractor for complex marine structure andheavy infrastructure projects in the Northeast,specifically in the states of New York, NewJersey, Pennsylvania and Connecticut.

The Brooklyn, N.Y.-based company distin-guishes itself from other civil contractorsthrough its capability to self-perform the fol-lowing activities:• Excavation;• Pile driving;• Concrete;• Sheet metal;• Roofing applications; and• Underwater dock-building work.

Self-performing its work gives D’Onofriomore control over a project’s schedule and

budget, as well as safety and quality, AssistantVice President Jay Reichgott says.

“We are a union house, so we get the bestpeople available in the industry,” he adds. “Theexperience and skill of our project managers,

foremen and superintendents is what sepa-rates us because they know the most efficientand cost-effective way of taking the design andturning it into a reality.”

All in the FamilyD’Onofrio was formed in 1991 by brothersJerry, John and Vincent D’Onofrio. Their com-mitment to quality work was instilled in themby their father, Jerry Sr., who operated a con-crete masonry business from the 1950s to the1980s. After Jerry D’Onofrio retired and decid-ed to dissolve his concrete masonry companyin 1988, his sons, having grown up in theindustry, opted to carry on the family tradition.

Each of the D’Onofrio brothers has his ownniche within the company. John D’Onofrio, forinstance, heads up the company’s specialtyroofing and building restoration work. VincentD’Onofrio handles its finances as controller

D’Onofrio General Contractors Corp.www.donofrio.biz• Annual revenues: $50 million• Headquarters: Brooklyn, N.Y.• Employees: 20 • Specialty: Heavy infrastructure andmarine construction“We’re just a bunch of guystrying to make it through a badeconomy.” –Jay Reichgott, assistant vice president

Brooklyn’s FinestD’ONOFRIO’S EXPERTISE IN COMPLEX PROJECTS WILL CARRY IT IN THE TOUGH ECONOMY. BY KATHRYN JONES

Although it was formed in1991, D’Onofrio draws on more

than 50 years of experience.

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and treasurer. Harry D’Onofrio is senior projectmanager and head of D’Onofrio’s IT depart-ment. Jerry D’Onofrio, who leads the team aspresident, heads the company’s special projectsdepartment. The D’Onofrios’ sister, AngelaBarbero, serves as office manager.

Assistant vice presidents Reichgott andVincent Leone may not be related to theD’Onofrios by blood, but they are very much apart of the D’Onofrio family. Leone, who hasbeen with the company since its inception,leads the team when it comes to modernizinggeneration plants or building power substa-tions for local utilities. Reichgott overseesD’Onofrio’s marine department, which has itsown fleet of marine construction equipmentincluding barge-mounted cranes.

‘Architectural Marvel’One of D’Onofrio’s proudest moments in recentyears was when it completed the $91.5 millionFloating Ferry Terminal at Battery Park City inNew York. The floating terminal structure con-sists of a mono-hull main terminal, twoanchorage towers secured to bedrock 75 feetbelow the water and pedestrian walkways con-necting to the Battery Park Esplanade. It wasopened to the public in March 2009.

Encompassing more than three-quarters ofan acre, it is the largest floating ferry terminalin the United States, not to mention “an archi-tectural marvel” with its glass walls and ten-sion fabric roof, Reichgott asserts.

Complex marine projects, such as the seawall for Randalls Island (above), are one of D’Onofrio GeneralContractors Corp.’s chief areas of expertise. The company also specializes in heavy infrastructure.

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‘There are neo-phytes tryingto bid on thespecialties, andwe are won-dering howthey’re goingto be able todo the projectwithout doingit at a loss.’


But constructing it was not easy, Reichgottconcedes. “It has very complex geometries tothe portions that were being built,” he says. “Itwas built on a tight budget, on a tight scheduleand on the water, which added to the complex-ity of construction because you had to dealwith a structure that was moving all the time.You had to be standing in the building thatyou were working on.

“Because work had to be done in its ownfootprint, you had the usual coordinationissues of numerous contractors and numeroustrades all working in the same space and tryingnot to get in each other’s way,” Reichgott con-tinues. “We did have the luxury of a base ves-sel, which was built in Texas and towed to theBrooklyn waterfront, so we had some laydownarea to take deliveries and do fabrication.”

‘Big Sculptural Piece’D’Onofrio will be using the same expertise itused on the Floating Ferry Terminal when itbegins the upland amenities work on the East34th Street Ferry Landing this spring.

“There is an existing pier that we are puttinga pavilion on,” Reichgott describes. “It will havea tension fabric structure roof shaped like a bigwing, with a ticket booth underneath and pas-senger waiting areas. The whole thing is a bigsculptural piece between the tension fabricroof shaped like a big wing and curved wallsmade out of perforated metal, glass panels andwood panels.”

In addition, D’Onofrio will soon begin recon-struction and retrofit work on Pier 16 on theEast River, which is part of the South StreetSeaport Museum, that celebrates the nauticalheritage of New York. “It’s not a very sexy proj-ect,” Reichgott admits. “Nobody will see whatwe are doing because we’re rebuilding the sub-structure that’s holding up the pier, but like allpiers, it needs to be maintained.”

Gearing Toward TriumphD’Onofrio has focused on its core people andcore capabilities to get through the toughtimes. “We’ve been maneuvering through thisfabulously overpriced and overheated econo-my,” Reichgott relates.

“We are working leaner and have made oursubs work leaner. That’s how you a) get thejobs and b) keep the jobs and make money offof them. We are working to improve our effi-ciency so we can maintain our ability to beprofitable, granted profits are less.”

Working efficiently and cultivating its rela-tionships in the industry will put D’Onofrio

back on the growth path, he predicts. “At thispoint, the only thing hindering our growth isthe economy, so our plan is pretty basic – bidmore jobs and bid bigger jobs,” Reichgott says.“The bidder pool has gotten much larger. Thereare neophytes trying to bid on the specialties,and we’re wondering how they’re going to beable to do the project without doing it at a lossbecause they bid it so low.”

Because D’Onofrio specializes in complexheavy civil and marine work, the companyknows what it’s going to take to complete itsuccessfully, he maintains. “We know wherethe prices should be, and we know what isactually possible,” Reichgott asserts. “Once theeconomy improves and new markets open up,we’ll see more projects coming back online andwe’ll be able to start bidding on those.”

Industry PartnershipsD’Onofrio prides itself on the quality of workits subcontractors perform in addition to itsown. It has strong relationships with a coregroup of subcontractors, and it understandshow important it is to maintain those relation-ships throughout a difficult economy.

“We are cultivating our subs, especially ourDisadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE)women-owned and minority-owned business-es,” Reichgott notes. “It’s a contracting require-ment for a lot of the work we do, but it’s alsosomething that we really believe in.

“We’re not just trying to fill a quota,” hestresses. “We have DBE subs that we like towork with, and we are using our capacity andour size to help them develop their abilitiesand efficiencies, which will translate into bet-ter quality, more efficient production andhigher profits.

“We’re just a bunch of guys trying to make itthrough a bad economy so we can all be therewhen things get better.”

The Federation of Italian AmericanOrganizations has plans to build a $16 mil-lion, multipurpose Italian-American culturalcenter in Brooklyn, Il Centro. The center willoffer social assistance, education and recre-ational programs, and will feature a swim-ming pool, gymnasium and a performing artsauditorium. “As you may tell by the companyname, we are very happy to be contributingto the project and helping to give back to thecommunity,” Reichgott says.

Italian Pride


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A s foreign marine contractors look more closely at theCaribbean Islands in search for work, Sean Herrera saysCapital Signal Co. Ltd. benefits from its hometown advan-tage. Add to that a safety program more extensive than the

average regional marine contractor; a locally-based equipment fleet thatallows for quick, low-cost mobilization; a diverse staff comprised of engi-neers, professional mariners and other specialty personnel, and it’s fairto say that Capital Signal can hold its own even in shark-filled construc-tion waters.

The Trinidad and Tobago-based company was formed in 1992 as amarine contractor designing and constructing coastal civil projects.Oftentimes, these projects required significant marine geotechnical andsurveying work that Capital Signal then began self-performing. Soon, itleveraged those skills into launching another company front in the off-shore oil and gas energy sector.

“It seems like two distinct businesses, but what they have in commonis the ocean,” explains Herrera, who serves as CEO of Capital Signal.“Quite often, the resources from one of the sectors is utilized by theother. With the commonality of the sea, there is a definite synergy of theresources being employed.”

Capital Signal’s energy services sector supports the company’s off-shore oil and gas business by providing services such as dynamic rigpositioning, hi-res site/geophysical surveys, hydrographic multi-beamsurveys and geotechnical drilling/sampling and reporting. Just like ittook its marine preconstruction knowhow into the energy sector, CapitalSignal has also leveraged its oil and gas expertise to better its marineconstruction capabilities.

“The international oil and gas operators maintain very high safetystandards,” Herrera says. “In order to work for them, you have to obtainthat standard. We transferred that learning onto our construction busi-ness to enhance our safety performance there. While the construction

industry is indeed closing thegap, it is fair to say that in gener-al, it lags behind the oil and gas

industry as far as safety perform-ance is concerned. We now standout above many of our construc-tion peers because of our energysector safety standards.”

The company can boast it wasthe only construction contractorout of five finalists eligible for the2010 OSHA Safety Award in thelarge company category. It’s notthe only organization to recog-nize Capital Signal’s skills. In

CoastingAlongEVEN IN A DOWN MARKET, CAPITAL SIGNAL KEEPSAFLOAT BY OUTDOING THE REST. BY JAMIE MORGAN

Capital Signal Co. Ltd.www.capitalsignal.com [email protected] • Headquarters: Carenage, Trinidadand Tobago

• Employees: 90• Specialty: Coastal construction, geosciences and marine contracting“We stand out because of ourenergy sector safety standards.”–Sean Herrera, CEO

Capital Signal says its statusas a local contractor gives itan edge in the Caribbean.

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The company specializes inmarine projects throughoutthe Caribbean Islands.

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Capital Signal got its startin coastal civic projects,but soon diversified.

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2011, it received the award for best overall con-tractor at the Caribbean Construction Awards.In 2009, the Trinidad and Tobago Contractor’sAssociation deemed it Contractor of the Yearfor Civil Works. Though two years apart, bothawards regard the same project.

Improving the CoastWhile over the years the company has per-formed projects in most of the Caribbean terri-tories from Haiti to Guyana, in 2007 CapitalSignal embarked on a 1.2-kilometer coastalimprovement project on Barbados’ South Coastthat would produce a positive ripple effect foryears to come. The $9.2 million project is one ofsix engineering projects within the BarbadosCoastal Zone Management Unit’s CoastalInfrastructure Program (CIP). The Rockley proj-ect took top priority in the overall $24.2 millionprogram, 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,” Herrerasays. “They needed to do something to arrestthat erosion problem and put into place meas-ures to protect the coastal infrastructure fromthe Caribbean Sea.”

Capital Signal created five headlands andused 12,000 cubic meters of sand to extend thecoast outward. It also engineered and con-structed rock revetments and breakwaters.However the standout feature is the 1.2-kilo-meter concrete and wood boardwalk, whichHerrera notes was also very challenging tobuild. The entire project was built in the water,so Capital Signal built temporary causeways inorder to do the work. The boardwalk itselfserves as a protective and decorative structure.

“We had to work with high compression-strength concrete, but the finish also had to bedecorative,” Herrera says. “We had to be cre-ative on how to work with that concrete whilebeing on the coast bombarded with winds butstill keeping the concrete in a workable form.”

Following the success of this project, CapitalSignal won another tender within the sameprogram. In 2009, it wrapped up the HoletownBeach Improvement Project on Barbados’ westcoast. This $3 million project ranked as CIP’ssecond priority and, like the Rockley project,was completed on time and within budget.Despite its narrowness, the beach has become

a popular tourist destination. The improve-ments will further enhance that standing. Theproject included two new walkways and revet-ments, two headlands and 2,500 cubic metersof sand used for beach nourishment.

Riding the WaveFor Barbados, these projects mean improvedpublic access, more space for recreational activ-ities and protection for the coast. For CapitalSignal, it means recognition for the two largestcoastal improvement projects in Barbados.

“On the strength of the [Rockley] project wewere well-poised to win the [Holetown] ten-der,” Herrera says. “Our performance on thoseprojects has certainly elevated our reputationlocally and regionally, and we’re very proud tobe associated with the enhancement to

Barbados’ infrastructure that those projectshave brought.”

Capital Signal has continued to receive posi-tive attention from these two projects, andHerrera estimates the recognition will contin-ue. However, he says Capital Signal isn’t one torevel in past successes. Instead, the companyseeks to gain new skills and leverage existingones in new markets, just as it always has.

‘Our [work] has certainlyelevated ourreputationlocally.’

Capital Signal worked tocontrol erosion along theshoreline in Barbados.

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The Barbados Coastal Zone ManagementUnit was established in 1996 to provide anumber of services to protect Barbados’shores such as monitoring and controllingcoral reefs, beach erosion and beach accre-tion; regulating marine research; managingand reviewing coastal conservation projects,and educating the public of its integratedcoastal zone management program.

In 2003, it launched its CoastalInfrastructure Program (CIP) to improveshorelines and public access. Capital Signalwas awarded the tender for CIP’s top 2 pri-ority projects out of six engineering proj-ects – the Rockley waterfront and theHoletown Beach improvement projects.

Shore Support


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As a 100 percent employee ownedcompany, it doesn’t hurt thatWestern Water Constructors is afamily run firm. In fact, Project

Manager Eli McGarva says, the family leader-ship has nurtured friendly connectionsthrough its team that help make the work gomuch easier.

“[We have several] father-son duos out inthe field,” he says. “We have several room-mates, best friends and cousins working sideby side. We all get along very well.”

Based in Santa Rosa, Calif., Western Waterspecializes in the design, construction, opera-tion and maintenance of integrated water andwastewater systems. The firm started operations in 1953 as Kirkwood-Bly, a general engineering contractor.

In 2001, McGarva’s father, President and CEO John McGarva, and fourother partners purchased the firm from majority owner John Bly. Today,

as Western Water, it has increased the scale of itswork from $15 million to $55 million projects,

Eli McGarva says.

The New Filing CabinetOne factor critical to Western Water’s success is itsadoption of state-of-the-art technology, McGarvasays. He explains that Western Water has devel-oped its own management software that allows thecompany to track jobs online and complete paper-work electronically.

“It’s kind of our online filing cabinet,” he says,adding that Western Water designed it to be sim-ple for its employees to use. “Our superintendentscame through the trades and many don’t have

extensive computer experience.“We’ve been using it for five years and it has evolved,” he continues.

“We add more and more tools to it as we have time.” Some of the toolsinclude a timesheet module, a daily module, a tool tracking module, an

Western Water Constructors Inc.www.westernwater.com• 2010 revenues: $60 million • Headquarters: Santa Rosa, Calif.• Employees: 100• Specialty: Design, construction, operation and maintenance of waterand wastewater systems“We all get along very well.”–Eli McGarva, project manager

Flowing StrongWESTERN WATER CONSTRUCTORS IS PROUD OF ITS WORK ON TWO CALIFORNIA PROJECTS. BY ALAN DORICH

The $55 million expansion of the Oakley Ironhouse WWTP willtreat 4.5 million gallons daily.

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RFI module, a change-order module and theelectronic filing cabinet.

Pump It UpWestern Water’s recent projects include thenew Lake Merced Pump Station facility in SanFrancisco. The current station, which was builtin 1952, pumps and treats approximately 60percent of the city’s drinking water, accordingto McGarva.

The company has a contract of $32 millionto provide the systems for the replacement sta-tion, which features new pumps to send waterto the reservoir. In addition, the new stationwill guarantee that the city has water in thecase of an earthquake. This will be managed byreplacing two existing vertical turbine pumpsthat pump water directly out of Lake Merced tothe city’s water supply if the main line is bro-ken during an earthquake.

Western Water has kept the original pumpstation operational during the project. “We’vebeen [here] for a year and eight months andwe haven’t had any disruptions to the existingplant,” he says, noting that the two plants areon the same site, approximately 60 feet apart.

McGarva has high praise for its client, theSan Francisco Public Utilities Commission(SFPUC). “Their onsite staff has been very goodto work with, very fair and honest,” he states.

“SFPUC could be one of our best owners towork for,” he says, praising the commission’sresidential engineer, Thomas Jang. “He hasbeen instrumental in keeping the project mov-ing forward and on schedule.”

Beyond the OrdinaryWestern Water is also at work on the expan-sion of the Oakley Ironhouse Waste WaterTreatment Plant in Oakley, Calif. The project,with a budget of approximately $55 million, isdifferent from what the company is used to,Project Manager Micah Addison points out.

“Usually, Western Water goes into a plantand expands it,” he says, explaining that in thiscase, the company instead came to a greenfieldsite to construct its systems. When finished, theplant will treat 4.5 million gallons of waste-water a day and feature a new influent pumpstation, anoxic/aeration basins, a membranebioreactor structure, and chemical/blower, UVand solids-handling buildings.

Addison notes that Western Water tied intothe existing manhole at the head of the exist-ing plant and installed 2,700 feet of 30-inchpipe as well as 12 new manholes connectingthe old plant to the new one.

“[The project has] been in the planningstages for eight years,” he says, noting that he isproud of the firm’s placement of the outfallpipeline at the San Joaquin River.

“It was quite a chore to be installed,” he says.The 500-foot discharge pipeline reaches depthsof 45 feet and allows the plant to dischargewater into the San Joaquin River. “We don’tknow of a deeper outfall pipeline that’s everbeen installed in the region,” he adds.

The last section of the pipeline has 16 dif-fusers that allow wastewater to be distributedwithout affecting plant and marine life. “[Thedischarge is] actually cleaner than the water inthe San Joaquin River,” he states.

The Oakley Ironhouse expansion is aimingfor completion this October, according toAddison. “Construction is pretty well com-plete,” he says. “We’ve completed startup onthe influent pump station and headworks.

“We’ll complete start-up on the aerationbasins, MBR and chemical/blower building,[and] continue structure by structure until allthe functional and operational testing is com-plete,” he says. “Right now, we’re just poweringup all the gear and equipment and makingsure it works correctly, before introducingsewer to the plant.”

Keeping BusyBoth McGarva and Addison see a strong, busyfuture for Western Water. “We are a low-bidcontractor,” Addison says, noting that the com-pany is willing to travel far for its clients.“[We’ll] continue to go after what we can.”

McGarva also predicts that the company willtake on more projects for the SFPUC. “Theyhave a lot of wastewater [projects] coming out,“he says. “We’re definitely going to be taking[another] crack at them.”

Western Water says its status as a family companyis one of its strengths.

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Adaptive reuse projects often requirea lot of care to maintain the integri-ty of the original structure, but fewprojects come with as much signifi-

cance as the National Oceanic and Atmos phericAdministration’s (NOAA) new Pacific RegionalCenter in Hawaii. Not only are the buildingsbeing remodeled historic, but the work is tak-

ing place on some of themost hallowed ground in theUnited States – Pearl Harbor.

Architect HOK contributedthe design of the 350,000-square-foot facility, which willconsolidate a number of NOAAprograms that support themanagement of coastal andmarine resources as well asweather and climate predic-tion. Marketing Director RobTibbetts says the project islocated on Ford Island, thesame island where the USSArizona memorial is located

in honor of the men and women who died inthe Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941.Tibbetts compares the site to Gettysburg, andsays very little about the site has changed sincethat infamous day.

“Nothing’s ever been touched,” he says, not-ing that the tower was still littered with news-papers from the days leading up to the attack.

Respecting HistoryThe scope of the project involves renovatingand adapting two World War II-era airplanehangars on the island for laboratory and officespace, as well as constructing a new buildingbetween them. Originally, HOK was asked bythe U.S. Navy to provide sustainability consult-ing, but later was asked to submit a proposalfor the design of the project, which it won. TheNavy is serving as the program manager forthe project, and HOK is working with Hawaii-

Gathering spaces in theNOAA facility create a

campus-like feel.

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HOK – NOAA PacificRegional Centerwww.hok.com• Location: Ford Island, Hawaii• Scope of work: 350,000-square-foot research center

“You had to create a complexthat performed more like acampus than it did like abuilding.” –Paul Woolford, project principal

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based architect Ferraro Choi. Already underconstruction, the Pacific Regional Center isexpected to be completed by the end of 2012.

The first challenge HOK faced was determin-ing how to deal with the hangars’ age andunconventional shape. “Basically, the hangarswere abandoned,” Tibbetts says. “They wereusing them to store old cars.”

Paul Woolford, design director and projectprincipal on the project, says the firm workedclosely with preservationists in Hawaii to keepthe hangars as close to their original conditionas possible. “The most challenging aspect of theproject was how to respect these two historicalproperties,” he says.

The firm has managed to keep the designas true to the original look of the hangars asit could. “The only thing that will be slightlydifferent will be the windows because manyof them were damaged over the years,”Woolford says.

Campus FeelAside from the challenge of maintaining thehistoric appearance of the hangars, HOK alsohad to tackle the question of how to design themost effective space for NOAA. With seven line

offices and 38 groups sharing space in the newfacility, along with space for public functions,the orientation of the space was a concern.

“We had to create a complex that performedmore like a campus than it did like a building,”Woolford says. And that’s exactly how HOKapproached the project, operating from the ideathat every design element in the project shouldhave 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 incorporatespublic function spaces such as the library, din-ing and fitness areas, and an auditorium. Ineach of the existing hangar structures, court-yards open up from the roof all the way downto the ground level. These areas serve as gather -ing spaces and allow sunlight into the build-ings for day lighting. “Everything was carefullymeasured and balanced,” Woolford says.

Sustainable StructureFeatures such as the open roofs have con-tributed to an anticipated LEED Gold certifica-tion for the NOAA Pacific Regional Center. Thenatural light provided by the complex’s diffu-sive light system virtually eliminates the need

for artificial light during the day, one of manyways in which the project has been designed tobe environmentally sustainable.

The complex’s ventilation system takesadvantage of the trade winds that sweep acrossthe islands, with wind scoops that pull theminto the buildings. Once inside, the winds arepassed over coils filled with cold sea waterpumped up from depths of up to 3,000 feet.Woolford says this water already is brought upfor research purposes, and it is used to cool airfor air-conditioning. Warm air from inside thebuildings is allowed to rise through the openareas in the center of the hangars and throughdiffusers. “We have a near-constant air ventila-tion system that is essentially without the needof any mechanical fans,” Woolford says.

Constant EvolutionAs one of the nation’s largest and most diversedesign firms, HOK’s experience and approachmade it especially suited for the task of design-ing the NOAA project, Woolford says. “I thinkthe thing that made us well-suited for thisproject is our core design philosophy, which isthat the best buildings come from an interdis-ciplinary process,” he says.


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When working on far-flung highway grading and sitepreparation projects, not having to start and end eachday at the office or yard is a real benefit for employeesand the company. Internet connections through cell

phone towers, laptop computers for employees and special softwareplatforms enable McCoy Grading Inc. to monitor its jobs as if its man-agers were onsite.

“Everything is done electronically – the timecard, daily production,notes and everything,” Vice President Jean McCoy points out. “It allowsemployees to upload their timesheets and information to an FTP site,download and review and approval is completed in the office.” Thisallows President Darrell McCoy, Jean McCoy and other managers toknow the next day whether a job is doing well or poorly instead of wait-ing for the financial reports to be completed. The software also allowsaccurate bid preparation because costs are tracked.

McCoy Grading Inc. uses GPS technology in its bulldozers and gradingequipment to reduce onsite staking. “The GPS will tell them wherethey’re located and if they need to cut or fill,” McCoy notes. It allowsequipment to increase production by 25 percent and exceed tolerancesof 1/8 inch within 10 feet of straight edge.

“It tells them when to raise and lower the blade,” Darrell McCoyexplains. “It’s fully automated. When you set the grader down, you swapthe machine over to the automatic operation. The operator then juststeers the machine, and as long as you stay within 2 inches above orbelow of grade, it will run itself.” If tolerances exceed 2 inches, the opera-tor must return the equipment to that spot manually and redo that sec-tion. “The purpose is to handle material only once,” he says.

“It’s an expensive investment, but it will pay off for us eventually,”Jean McCoy maintains. “There are some specifications that require thatyou use GPS to final grade on some roadways.” Using these GPS systemsrequires a highly skilled employee in the office to map out each job

using manual calculations. “Not just anybodycan do that,” she points out. “It takes a lot ofchecking, double-checking and fact-checking

before you send that file out.”

Making the GradeMcCoy Grading Inc. owns approximately 65pieces of heavy equipment and a fleet of 16 pick-up trucks, three dump trucks, two field trucks,three low-boy trucks and three field servicemechanics trucks. These keep overhead costshigher than those of some of the newer compa-nies who may just be renting their equipmentand bidding too low on jobs.

“A lot of companies are bidding site work,”

McCoy Grading Inc.www.mccoygrading.com• Location: Greenville, Ga.• Employees: 75• 2010 revenue: $20 million• Specialty: Grading, site preparationand storm sewers

“A lot [of companies] don’treally know what’s involved indoing commercial sites.”–Jean McCoy, vice president

GradedHighlyMCCOY GRADING USES THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE SITE PRODUCTIVITY. BY RUSS GAGER

McCoy Grading specializesin grading, site work andstorm sewer work.

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GPS technology helpsMcCoy Grading with precisemeasurements, it says.

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McCoy has seen a lot ofwork related to the federalstimulus package recently.

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McCoy reports. “That is keeping margins lowbecause a lot don’t really know what’s involvedin doing commercial sites. They’ve done resi-dential, and then they move over to commer-cial, and they don’t know the whole scope, sosometimes they’re way underbidding. We’reseeing a lot of cities and counties go to bidderprequalification, and that weeds out some peo-ple who don’t have the capacity to do jobs whoare just bidding for cash flow. But most of thetime, the low bidder gets the job.”

ARRA InfluentialThree recent McCoy Grading highway projectshad some portion of their cost paid for byfunds from the American Recovery andReinvestment Act. They were:

• Three miles of two-lane highway in TerrellCounty, Ga., near Dawson, completed for$3.3 million in March 2011. A portion ofthe existing asphalt was retained andwidened to remove some steep curves.McCoy Grading used three subcontractorsfor painting, striping and signs.

• A $16 million project converting 8.1 milesof two-lane road from Eatonton toMilledgeville in Putnam County, Ga., to a

divided four-lane highway. Started in April2010, the project is due for completion atthe end of March 2012.

• A $6.9 million project expanding threemiles of two-lane highway to three lanesin Butts County near Jackson. The projectalso is moving the highway 12 feet furtheraway from a railroad track it parallels.Started in April 2010, this project is due forcompletion in February 2012.

Private to PublicMcCoy Grading Inc. was founded in 1986 byDarrell McCoy and his brother Jeff, whose half

of the company was bought by Darrell andJean McCoy in 2007 when Jeff left the partner-ship. Darrell and Jean’s son Daniel now is vicepresident of operations and their daughter,Crystal Jones, is working with Jean on thefinancial and compliance side of the company.Jeff now is running his own smaller construc-tion company and does mostly private work.

McCoy Grading Inc. moved from ponds andthe residential work such as septic tank instal-lation it had performed since it was founded tocommercial work in 1992 when the residentialmarket slowed. Then around 2000, when thecommercial market started slowing, the com-pany moved about 60 percent of its business tostate and municipal work and the rest com-mercial. Since 2008, state and municipal workis nearly 90 percent of the business and com-mercial the rest, most of it within the southernhalf of Georgia south of I-20.

“We were like 25 when we got into the busi-ness,” McCoy says. “Darrell built a pond for aguy and liked it, and it grew from there. Wedidn’t have a lot of experience – we were bothjust publicly employed and didn’t really wantto depend on someone else for our livelihood.We were trying to control our own destiny.”

At first, McCoy Grading Inc. was operatedout of the McCoys’ home. But after severalyears, they rented a single-room office in astrip mall, and then transitioned severalmore years later to a 1,500-square-footbuilding. In 2008, McCoy Grading movedinto a new 10,000-square-foot building withoffice and shop space and a fenced-in yardfor trucks and equipment.

New Headquarters


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Sometimes, abandoned infrastructureprojects litter the outskirts of majorcities. Roads go from two- or four-lanehighways to limited access interstates

for a few miles, and then back to roads withtraffic lights. Frequently, the reason the inter-state didn’t keep going – or was never built inthe first place – is public opposition.

But Clark Dietz Engineers is championingcontext sensitive solutions (CSS), in which all themajor stakeholders to a highway or civil engi-neering project are brought into the planningprocess early. By engaging them and evaluating

their ideas – and sometimes having to explainwhy an idea won’t work after evaluating its engi-neering feasibility– infrastructure and highwayprojects can be brought to fruition instead ofabandonment from public opposition.

“The idea is if the public and stakeholdersare involved at the beginning and you’re ableto air out their ideas, there’s going to be a lotmore support for the project,” Chairman KenNelson points out. “You talk about the needs ofthe project in a statement of purpose and need.You bring the stakeholders – which includesthe public, business owners, developers, many

Projects on which Clark Dietz performs theengineering are approximately 45 percenttransportation, 40 percent civil/environmen-tal (water, wastewater and storm water),and 15 percent electrical and mechanical.Ken Nelson estimates approximately 95 per-cent of the company’s work is with publicclients, mainly municipalities and states.

Founded in 1953 by three University ofIllinois engineering professors – JamesClark, Eugene Daily and Jess Dietz – inChampaign, Ill., the company has six officesin Wisconsin, Indiana and Illinois, includingChicago. Most of its projects are withinthose three states.

Executives and engineers work out of theoffices closest to them on projects for alloffices of the company. “The only way wecan compete with bigger firms is to shareour experts,” Nelson maintains. “We wantto find the best people wherever we canfind them. We’ve learned we can do a muchbetter job if we get our best technical per-son on the job as opposed to who we mighthave in that particular office. It’s easy toshare information today, so we don’t allneed to be in the same place.”

Sharing the Experts

EngineeringProsperityCONCENTRATING ON CLIENTS THAT SHARE ITS VALUES HAS KEPT CLARKDIETZ INC. GOING STRONG IN A SLOW ECONOMY. BY RUSS GAGER

Clark Dietz Engineers says itbelieves in the use of context

sensitive solutions.

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times farmers, industry and the chamber ofcommerce – you bring these people togetherand you have working sessions with them.”

Clark Dietz is using the technique at thedirection of the Illinois DOT (IDOT) on two high-way projects in central Illinois and one in theChicago area. On one project –the EastsideHighway in Bloomington-Normal, Ill. – theproject had lost traction in previous years dueto public opposition. But this time, Clark Dietzused CSS and developed support for the project.

“We were starting with something that hadnegative connotations,” Nelson points out. “Wehad close to 20 public meetings with these dif-ferent small groups – very hands-on. We wereable to gain support by working very closely with the stakeholdersthrough developing alternatives that were acceptable and supported bythe majority. Some of the feedback we got from people in oppositionwas, ‘We might not agree with the final recommendation, but we feelgood that we were heard.’”

Meeting FacilitationWith CSS, the project manager becomes a meeting facilitator. “I’ve per-sonally held public meetings for large projects with hundreds of people,and they can get out of hand,” Nelson concedes. “When all of suddenyou have people saying, ‘You’re ripping down my house – it’s not fair,’you lose control of the meeting. When you’re working with groups that

are a dozen or 20 people, they tend to berespectful to each other. It’s a better format,

although it takes a lot more work. We sent a halfdozen of our best people to facilitation trainingto learn how to facilitate a group.”

CSS can mean holding numerous publicmeetings, which can increase engineering costs.The real cost is in the construction and 20 years ofoperating and maintenance costs. “When youlook at the typical project and you look at lifecy-cle cost, engineering is 1 to 2 percent of thewhole lifecycle cost,” Nelson points out.

Aligning ValuesClark Dietz Engineers focuses on seven core

values it has practiced since formulating them in 1999. They are profes-sionalism, integrity, collaboration, client relationships, employee sup-port, broad-based employee ownership and remaining profitable. Thecompany started surveying its employees to determine how closely itwas practicing these values. It then was decided to survey clients aboutthe same thing, and finally to ask employees how well clients alignedwith Clark Dietz’s values.

These evaluations then were compared with Clark Dietz’s profitabilityon those clients’ projects. Projects for those clients whose values alignedwell with Clark Dietz’s also were the most profitable ones for Clark Dietz.

“What we found was a very strong correlation between profitabilityand alignment of our values,” Nelson reveals.

Clark Dietz Engineers Inc.www.clarkdietz.com• 2010 revenue: $ 22 million • Headquarters: Champaign, Ill.• Employees: 140• Specialty: Engineering “What we found was a verystrong correlation between prof-itability and alignment of ourvalues.” –Ken Nelson, chairman


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One of the world’s largest and great-est civil engineering feats will enterits second century with a greatlyincreased capacity.

Work on the expansion of the PanamaCanal is projected to wrap up in 2014, in timefor the 100th anniversary of the canal, a cru-cial link for the international shipping tradebetween the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

The $5 billion project, overseen by thePanama Canal Authority (ACP), will add athird set of locks with two related facilities,one on the canal’s Pacific Ocean side and theother facing the Atlantic.

Expanding the canal will allow it to accom-modate larger freight ships, making it moreequipped to handle a projected doubling incargo volume within the next 15 years, theACP says.

Currently, the canal can accommodate shipswith a capacity of 4,500 20-foot equivalentunits (TEUs); after construction, that will

increase to 12,000. The maximum beam(width) of ships will increase from 104 to 160feet wide, and the maximum length will gofrom 964-feet long to 1,200 feet.

“The objectives of the canal expansion are toachieve long-term sustainability and growthfor the canal’s contributions to Panamanian

society, maintain the canal’s competitiveness,increase its capacity to capture the growing ton-nage demand with appropriate levels of servicefor each market segment, and make the canalmore productive, safe and efficient,” it adds.

Since its construction, the canal has under-gone a series of updates and modernizations.Discussions surrounding building a third set oflocks to increase its capacity date back to the1930s, but were put on hold for decades afterinitial excavations by the United States weresuspended in 1942 as a result of World War II,the authority says.

Project ComponentsExcavation and concrete work are now under-way on the expansion’s four main components.

The first of these is construction of the locksand locks facilities. The locks facilities will eachhave three chambers used as water savingbasins, as well as water filling and emptyingsystems and rolling gates.

Panama Canal Authority –Panama Canal Expansionwww.pancanal.com• Project cost: $5 billion• Scope of work: Locks installationand expansion• Workers on site at peak: More than40,000“The expansion will heighten thecompetitiveness of the route.”–Panama Canal Authority

Refreshing the CanalTHE PANAMA CANAL’S $5 BILLION UPGRADE WILL BE A MAJOR BOOST TO ITS NAMESAKE COUNTRY.

The expansion of the PanamaCanal will increase its capacityand ability to handle large ships.

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The second main component of the expan-sion project is the creation of a 6.1-kilometeraccess channel to the locks, requiring themovement of 49 million cubic meters of soiland other material.

The third component involves dredging andwidening existing channels to support largervessels entering the canal from the PacificOcean, and the final part of the project involvesincreasing the capacity of Gatun Lake in orderto improve the canal’s water supply, theauthority says.

Major ContractorsGrupo Unidos por el Canal S.A. (GUPCSA), aconsortium of Panama-area civil contractingfirms, is the general contractor designing andbuilding the locks.

Other key contractors include:• Constructora Urbana S.A., Cilsa Panama –

Minera Maria, Constructora Meco S.A., andthe consortium ICA-FCC-MECO, for differ-ent phases of the Pacific access channelexcavation work;

• Dredging International, for dredging andwidening of the Pacific entrance naviga-tional channel;

• Jan De Nul n.v., for dredging an accesschannel linking the new locks on thePacific to the canal’s Culebra Cut as well asdredging the canal’s Atlantic entrance; and

• Dredging International, for dredging aportion of the canal’s north Gatun Lakeaccess channel.

Environmental ManagementThe ACP is ensuring that all excavation activi-ties comply with its EnvironmentalManagement Plan. As part of the plan, theAuthority, along with contractors and in coor-dination with Panama’s National

Environmental Authority, is conductingwildlife rescue and relocation efforts in theconstruction area.

“To date, a significant number of mammals,amphibians and reptiles, and a limited num-ber of birds have been rescued and relocated aspart of this effort,” the ACP adds.

In addition, contracts have been awarded toreforest 565 hectares – roughly 1,400 acres – offorest impacted by the project.

Positive ImpactFunding for the project was approved by anational referendum in 2006, with a vast major-ity of voters agreeing with the ACP’s assessmentthat the expansion project will greatly benefitPanama’s economy in the long-term.

More than 40,000 jobs will be created as aresult of construction, the authority says.

“The project will significantly increase rev-enue in the country, both from tolls as well asfrom the positive effect of the overall growth ofthe economy and the direct and indirect cre-ation of jobs,” the ACP explains. “The expan-sion of the Panama Canal will heighten thecompetitiveness of the route in world mar-itime transportation.”

‘To date, a significantnumber of[animals] havebeen rescuedand relocated.’


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Mercator Minerals Ltd. is not in theconstruction industry, but it’snot necessarily immune to itseffects, either. On the other

hand, it hasn’t let the construction slowdownput a damper on its plans. It purchasedMineral Park Mine near Kingman, Ariz., in2003, intent on constructing a 50,000-tons-per-day facility at the copper, molybdenum(moly) and silver mine. The two-phase projectkicked off in 2007 and, after a temporary hold,it is now in its second phase to bring the plantinto its full capacity by June 2011.

The project’s first phase commenced in April2007 with Schmueser & Associates Inc. as itsindustrial contractor. For the next year-and-a-half, Schmueser placed 34,000 cubic yards ofconcrete and more than 4.5 million pounds ofrebar. It erected more than 1,000 tons of struc-ture steel, laid 50,000 feet of pipe and expend-ed 680,000 man-hours to do so. It also installedequipment including:

• Jaw crusher• Two sag mills• Two ball mills• Rougher, copper and moly float cells• Tailing thickeners• Copper and moly filter presses

• Concentrate handling systems “We started the project way before engineer-

ing was complete in order to get it online in atimely fashion,” says Schmueser EstimatingManager Sonny LeClair. LeClair says documentcontrol was key in ensuring the field foremenwere working with current information. Forsome aspects, such as steel fabrication, theteam began constructing without approvedshop drawings in order to keep a steady flow ofmaterials coming on site. LeClair acknowl-edges this procedure runs the risk of detailerrors, but the team minimized mistakes

through constant communication. “The rela-tionship between Mineral Park and Schmueser& Associates was so close that all decisionswere made together, which kept the projectmoving forward at all times,” he says. “Projectsof this nature require a good working relation-ship for the project to be successful.”

The first phase was successful. And con-struction finished in December 2008. The own-ers achieved commercial production in sec-ond-quarter 2009 with an output of 25,000tons of ore per day.

Just as the first phase neared completion,the financial industry took a hit, stalling con-struction projects across the nation, includingMineral Park Mine. However, Mercator wasdetermined to bring the mine to its full capaci-ty, and Schmueser remained in close contactwith the owner in between construction toassist with second-phase budgeting.

The second phase began its fast-tracked con-struction in February 2010. When it’s complet-ed, LeClair says it will be the first new millingfacility in the United States to handle moly inthe last 15 years. “This puts them in a prettygood position when the economy finally turnsaround to be a major player in molybdenumproduction,” he says. “The moly is what has

Schmueser & Associates Inc.www.schmueser-inc.com • Location: near Kingman, Ariz.• Employees on site at peak: 350• Scope: 50,000-tons-per-day min-ing facility

“Projects of this nature requirea good working relationship forthe project to be successful.”–Sonny LeClair, estimating manager

The Mineral Park Mine facility, when completed, will process 50,000 tons of copper,molybdenum and silver per day. Owned by Mercator Minerals and built bySchmueser & Associates, the project will be completed by June 2011.

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Keep it MovingMERCATOR MINERALS TEAMS WITH SCHMUESER TO BRING MINERAL PARK MINE ONLINE. BY JAMIE MORGAN


made this project viable. It produces a lot morecopper than it does moly, but in ratio dollar-wise, the results are somewhat equal.”

Moly is a silvery-white metal used in high-strength alloys. It can withstand high tempera-tures without significant expanding or soften-ing, and is used in products such as aircraftparts and industrial motors. Mercator estimatesMineral Park to have a 25-year mine life able toproduce 1.1 billion pounds of copper, 257.5million pounds of moly and 11.7 millionounces of silver. It is scheduled to start produc-ing 50,000 tons of ore per day in June.

Second-phase components include an addi-tional crushing system, generating facility, gasfire power plant, doubling of the rougher flota-tion and two additional ball mills.

Successful LeadershipLeClair says the construction has gone verysmoothly thus far, especially as far as safety isconcerned. “Schmueser & Associates takes safe-ty seriously and goes to great lengths to pro-vide a safe, healthy, and productive work envi-ronment for both our employees and clients,”the company states. “Though we approach ourprojects with a safety first attitude, we also rec-

ognize the importance of a safe productionphilosophy.” Schmueser has developed train-ing programs specific to the industrial con-struction market. In addition to providingMSHA Part 48 and OSHA training to itsemployees, Schmueser is a member of theNational Safety Council.

During the first phase, two full-time sitesafety professionals were on site. Now that thecrew is minimal, the safety personnel visit thesite biweekly to audit the project. They stay onsite until all issues are resolved. However,LeClair says the biggest factor in the project’ssuccess is the owner’s leadership. “It’s just avery well-coordinated effort spearheaded bythe owner and his desire to complete the proj-

ect and get it up and running,” he says. “Theyalso trust our expertise and let us work ourway through the project and provide themwith what they need.”

Mining construction isn’t Schmueser &Associates Inc.’s only forte. The companyformed in 1980 also serves as an industrialcontractor for oil and gas, electrical andinstrumentation, and public works projects.

Nevertheless, Sonny LeClair, Schmueser &Associates estimating manager, estimatesthat mining construction still accounts for 70percent of the company’s work. The Rifle,Colo.-based company has worked on thePend Oreille Mine lead concentrator nearMetaline Falls, Wash. It performed bothunderground and surface constructionrequired to re-commission the mine. It alsocompleted the Cripple Creek & Victor GoldMine Cresson Expansion Project in theCripple Creek Mining District 24 miles westof Colorado Springs. For this project, itearned the Gold Hard Hat Award fromColorado Construction in 2002.

All in the Mine‘They trust ourexpertise andlet us work ourway throughthe project.’


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A fter more than two decades, D.P.Electric Inc. says it has establisheditself as a contractor that Arizonaclients can count on. “Our respon-

siveness and attention to detail has securedlasting relationships with the valley’s leadinggeneral contractors and corporations,” thecompany says.

Based in Tempe, Ariz., D.P. Electric specializesin multiple products and services, includingpre-construction services, underground andoverhead distribution, temporary power sys-tems, energy efficiency modeling, backup sys-tems 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 asthe general foreman/electrician of anotherfirm. Throughout the years, D.P. Electric hasevolved from a sole proprietorship into a cor-poration. “However, one [aspect] has remainedconstant: D.P. Electric’s dedication to providingskilled workmanship in the commercial fieldfor many reputable general contractors,” thecompany says.

This philosophy has earned it an 80 percentrate of repeat business from clients throughoutArizona, with the majority of its projects inMaricopa County. “Clients have come to expectexcellence from the initial contact through tothe final completion,” D.P. Electric states.

“We enjoy a reputation of dependabilityeven in the most challenging situations,” thecompany continues. “Satisfied clients – that ishow we measure our success.”

High StandardsD.P. Electric’s portfolio includes numerousground-up projects for many prominent gener-al contractors. According to the company, theseinclude medium- and high-rise buildings,municipal/government buildings, retail centers,banks, medical plazas and office buildings.

The sizes of these projects also have rangedfrom 5,000 to more than 1 million square feet.The company currently is at work on anupgrade project for Phoenix Sky HarborInternational Airport, which will see the addi-

tion of terminals and security modifications.D.P. Electric says it has previously completed

numerous projects at the airport, which is thefifth busiest in the world. “Any work – or com-pany completed work – associated with aninternational airport is scrutinized and held toextremely high standards of workmanship,”the company says.

“D.P. Electric is very proud to be a part of thePhoenix Sky Harbor expansion and this con-tinuing growth within our state,” the companydeclares, noting that its work on the projectincludes structural build-outs, assistance witharchitectural service projects, and security andfire alarm system upgrades.

A Thriving MarketD.P. Electric’s portfolio also includes tenantimprovement work. “The tenant improvementmarket in the Valley is very important for both

Being the LocalFavorite ARIZONA’S D.P. ELECTRIC SAYS ITHAS EARNED A BASE OF LOYALCUSTOMERS. BY ALAN DORICH

D.P. Electric Inc.www.dpelectric.com• Headquarters: Tempe, Ariz.• Employees: 150+• Service: Electrical contracting “We enjoy a reputation ofdependability even in the mostchallenging situations. Satisfiedclients – that is how wemeasure our success.” –D.P. Electric

D.P. Electric says it has establisheditself as a contractor Arizonaclients can count on.

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Phoenix and D.P. Electric,” the company says, noting that projects of thistype require experts and hands-on management.

“Over the last 15 years, we have successfully completed many tenantimprovement projects, ranging from a single store within a retail centerto complete, multi-floor build outs of many of the Valley’s high rises,”D.P. Electric says. For these projects, the company has served such gener-al contractors as Jokake Construction, Sundt Construction, Weitz Co. andStevens Leinweber.

“Through D.P. Electric’s proactive team approach with general contrac-tors, owners and/or owner’s representatives, we not only continue tomeet the demanding requirements of these projects, but we are fre-quently asked back by those same organizations when it is once againtime to build and grow,” the company says.

D.P. Electric’s tenant improvement portfolio includes a recent projectat the Phoenix Convention Center. “We worked with CalienteConstruction to renovate some light fixtures and make other electricaladjustments to the [center],” the company describes.

The Right ResourcesD.P. Electric also operates a service division, with technicians who arerequired to stay up-to-date with code changes. “Our technicians are pro-

fessional, experienced and highly skilled, which equates to savings oftime and money,” the company states.

“We stand behind our work, offering a 100 percent satisfaction guar-antee on all work completed,” it continues, adding that it also providesemergency service to its customers 24/7.

“D.P. Electric has the resources to provide [clients] with as many elec-tricians as needed to complete any task – any time of the day or night,”the company says. “We own temporary cable, distribution equipmentand generators to support most commercial buildings in case of a tem-porary outage.”

The division’s recent projects have included providing a room addi-tion at a telephone switch building for Qwest Cottonwood South.Although this may seem like a simple task at first glance, the companysays the project required the temporary relocation of the building’semergency generator and its generator transfer switch control cabinet.

Relocating the emergency generator allowed the back wall of thebuilding to be removed so that the new addition could be attached, D.P.Electric explains. “Once the addition was complete, the generator wasmoved again to its new location behind the building, and the transferswitch and control cabinets were moved to the new back wall,” the com-pany says.

‘Our technicians are professional, experienced and highly skilled.’


Residential

A more streamlined and effective approach totoday’s construction projects involves the roleof professional project management (PM)firms. As a direct liaison between a project’sowner and the many vendors involved in theconstruction process, a PM firm serves as theprimary hub through which an owner’s gener-al vision is transformed into reality. From concept through completion, a PM

firm is charged with implementing the steps,guidelines and milestones that ultimatelyresult in bringing a project’s conception to

fruition. As soon as an owner engages a PM firm, its first step is develop-ing a program that defines the project’s individual needs. This includesworking with the project owner to execute a corresponding schedule,budget and scope of expectations, which will result in timely projectcompletion.

The Firm’s RoleA significant role of a PM firm involves harnessing and managing thenecessary professional teams – including architects, engineers and otherspecialty vendors – engaged in the construction process.The number of project managers involved in a new construction proj-

ect typically corresponds to the size of the project itself. A mid-sized PMfirm usually houses between 10 to 15 employees, and the number ofstaff dedicated to a project is directly related to the specific project’sneeds. More important than the number of staff involved, however, istheir individual depth and breadth of experience in everything fromarchitecture, engineering, and building/construction management tofinancial 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 fed-eral 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 andcoordinating the hiring process; and

• Preparing presentations to boards of directors and others.As most project owners are not necessarily construction experts, a PM

firm’s guidance in the above areas can streamline the completionprocess, maintaining focus on the key milestones at hand and allowingthe project owner to remain dedicated to the “big picture.”

The Early StagesIn the best-case scenario, a project owner will consult a professional PMfirm before embarking upon a construction project. This initial contact isimportant because it enables the owner to benefit from the PM firm’sexisting contacts. This early engagement leads to the prompt execution

The management structure of new construction projects traditionally consistedof the owner-builder-designer three-way relationship, with engineering and/orarchitectural firms serving as project managers.

Picking the Right Firm

By Ronald A. Street


of feasibility studies that can determine the ideal project scope anddefine the best corresponding course of action.Simultaneous to this process, the PM firm and owner will work hand-

in-hand to explore possible funding sources, as well as opportunities tosupplement this funding with local, state and federal grant programs.Also at this time, the PM firm will help in capital fundraising efforts, aswell as seek out additional incentives via local utility companies. PM firms also can assist in negotiating property leases and/or pur-

chases – acting as a primary contact among the project owner, real estatebrokers and landlords to achieve the best price point and create feasibili-ty for all stakeholders.As soon as early plans are completed, a PM firm becomes deeply

involved in the RFP process for professional service providers, particu-larly architects and engineers and consistently works to refine cost esti-mates and constructability reviews. In this role, PM firms allow theowner to bid on a project with the confidence that he or she will achievethe appropriate balance of scope, time and budget that was establishedat the onset of the project.

The Construction Process Following plan completion, a construction project will go to bid and aconstruction manager/general contractor will be brought on-board.The role of a PM firm in this process cannot be underestimated. Thefirm will work closely with design professionals to develop a bid pack-age, create a bid list of appropriate contractors and participate in allcontract negotiations, making recommendations on necessary con-tract mandates and/or concessions and eventually arriving at a fairand equitable agreement with the chosen construction agent onbehalf 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 constructionprocess, project managers are tasked with working diligently to circum-vent any delays which might occur. By becoming involved in the day-to-day activities of the construction process, a PM firm can work with allparties to identify any potential shortcomings, as well as present solu-tion 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. Theseinclude commissioning building systems, handling warranty issues,providing final, “as-built” close-out documentation and the generalacceptance and turnover of the building.

The Firm’s Benefits A professional PM firm brings years of combined experience and expert-ise to a construction project. While there are numerous benefits a PMfirm brings to a project owner, there are a few tailored specifically to con-struction managers. The most prevalent of these benefits include scopedefinition 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, constructionoversight and quality control far outweigh therelatively slight fee incurred by a projectowner. Many in the construction industry once

held the misconception that PM firms are paidto question each and every decision made bythe project designer or construction manager,thus threatening a project’s “team” mentality.In reality, however, project managers help

foster a spirit of responsibility and mutualaccountability, keeping everyone on scheduleand within budget. Project managers preventowners from being bogged down by isolatedissues and serve to continually keep projectsmoving forward. They oversee the constructionprocess with a critical eye and laser-focusedattention to detail, ultimately resulting in awin-win for all project stakeholders.

IN THIS SECTIONDisaster KleenupInternational g p.126DKI is the largest disasterrestoration organizationin North America.

Company Profiles126 Disaster Kleenup International132 Onni Group of Companies 136 Shaddock Homes 140 Derr Flooring Co. 143 Home Creations Inc.146 Neighbors Construction Co. Inc.149 Van Metre Cos.

RONALD A. STREET is principal and managing director of NorthStar Advisors.For more information, visit www.northstar-advisors.com.

Shaddock Homesg p.136Shaddock Homes’ busi-ness has prosperedthrough four recessions.


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ALOnly the BestA UNIQUE BUSINESS MODEL AND SOLID REPUTATION HAVE ENSURED DKI’S SUCCESS. BY KATHRYN JONES

Disaster Kleenup Internationalwww.disasterkleenup.com• Annual revenues: $1 billion+• Headquarters: Wood Dale, Ill.• Employees: 48• Specialty: Disaster restorationcontracting services“The economy has frightened alot of people, and the old wayof business is not working any-more.” –Dale Sailer, president

DKI specializes in disasterrestoration services for a

variety of clients.

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A s the largest disaster restorationcontracting organization in NorthAmerica – not to mention the firstand only green-certified company

in its industry – no job is too small or too largefor Disaster Kleenup International (DKI).Established in 1974, the Wood Dale, Ill.-basedcompany’s portfolio ranges from $300 toiletoverflows to multimillion-dollar disaster reliefefforts that followed the 9/11 terrorist attacksand Hurricane Katrina. No matter what thesize, every project receives the same immediateresponse, attention to detail, technical excel-lence, quality service and fair pricing,President Dale Sailer asserts.

That’s because DKI is a service franchise thatconsists of hundreds of members all workingunder the same objective of raising the indus-try bar for technology, service, safety and sus-tainability. In sum, the organization has 173members with 252 offices in the United Statesand 41 members with 56 offices in Canada, aswell as international expansion opportunitieson the horizon. Its broad customer base coversevery market sector from residential and com-mercial to industrial, institutional and munici-pal government. As a result, its potential forexpansion appears limitless.

And yet the company is mindful of itsgrowth. DKI recruits approximately 25 fran-chise members each year, but that numbercould be considerably greater, Sailer notes.Many competitive organizations have aggres-

sive growth models in place to acquire comple-mentary companies and consolidate themunder their corporate umbrella. That’s not nec-essarily the case with DKI. The company isunusually flexible when it comes to incorpo-rating its brand into new franchisees. Somechange their names; others don’t. Some incor-porate the DKI logo onto their trucks; othersdon’t. Sailer and the other executives at DKIare strong proponents of the “whatever makesthem happy” mentality.

“We know that if you want to recruit the bestyou won’t if you tell them they have to changeeverything about their business to join you,”he explains. “We don’t want the individualcontractor to lose that distinctive quality thathas made them successful. We are not trying tocreate a cookie-cutter service experience. Wewant to create an exceptional service experi-ence that is unique in every market. All of ourcontractors are different, but they have a tech-nical capability and service experience capabil-

One Source Staffing & LaborOffices: Chicago, Kansas City, HoustonRyan Oldham, National Sales (913) 231-8455, [email protected] 24/7

The highest level of achievement a contrac-tor can receive in the disaster restorationcontracting industry is the Certified Restorerdesignation from the Restoration IndustryAssociation. “There are roughly 500 individ-uals in the world who have that designation;one out of every six of them is in our organi-zation,” Sailer notes.

“That’s like one accounting firm havingone out of six CPAs in the world,” he adds.“Every year, that same association awardsthe Phoenix Award to the best restorationprojects. It’s been awarded 27 times; DKIcompanies have won half of them.”

Industry Accolades


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ity such that when you walk away, you knowyou’ve been taken care of by a DKI companywhether they are wearing a red shirt, a whiteshirt or a blue shirt.”

Exclusive MembershipDKI continuously seeks to identify marketleaders and recruit them into the organization.“We offer a variety of services and benefits thatare available to our franchisees, and weencourage them to take advantage of them,”Sailer says. “Although these contractors havebeen successful in their markets, we believe wecan help them grow much faster and becomemore profitable if they take full advantage ofwhat we can do for them.

Even if DKI’s corporate staff believes a partic-ular contractor is good does not mean the com-pany will automatically join the organization.Potential recruits are required to fill out anextensive application and gather numerousrecommendations to prove they are capable ofcomplementing the DKI family. DKI then

reviews the application and performs a thor-ough background check. Existing members areinvited to survey the candidate’s facilities “tosee if they are capable of delivering a DKI expe-rience to not only their customers, but to ourcustomers, as well,” Sailer says.

The decision is then placed in the hands of amembership committee solely consisting ofDKI members in a particular region, whether itis in the Northeast, the Midwest, the Southwestand so on. The committee votes to determine

‘The existingmembershipcontrols whogets in becausethey want toprotect theintegrity of the DKI brand.’

Saginaw, Mich.-based Hammer RestorationInc. has been a member of DKI for the past12 years. “It was one of the best businessdecisions we’ve made as a company,” saysGeneral Manager Brenda Sutton, who hasbeen with the company for 14 years.Hammer Restoration has experienced signifi-cant growth since it became a member ofDKI. It opened an office in Mt. Pleasant,Mich., two years ago and now has plans toexpand into the commercial market. “Iwould say I’m most proud of the growth ofthe company,” Sutton says. “It’s very fasci-nating and rewarding to be a part of thegrowing process with Hammer Restoration.”

Member Case Study

DKI’s portfolio ranges fromsmall restoration work tolarge-scale disasters.

»DKI says it is meticulousabout the contractors it

brings into the organization.

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whether the candidate gets in. If the majorityof the group says, “Yes,” but one member says,“No,” the candidate will not get in because it isabsolutely essential that all members of thecommittee agree, Sailer says.

“The existing membership controls who getsin because they want to protect the integrity ofthe DKI brand,” he remarks. “They want tomake sure the investment they made is pro-tected by letting in highly capable contractors– not contractors that could undermine theirreputation in the marketplace. That is a hugedifferentiator between us and our competitors.It also means that we don’t grow as fast as wecould. We have people who desperately wantto get in but are not approved.”

What DKI Offers RecruitsThe reason why companies are anxious tobecome members of DKI is because it offers aplethora of value-added services. A key serviceis direct marketing. “On a daily basis, we areout talking to insurance carriers and end-

users, and we funnel out thousands and thou-sands 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 per-forming charity work. Associating yourselfwith the DKI brand adds prestige and credibili-ty to your business.”

DKI also operates a comprehensive purchas-ing program that enables members to buyproducts from dozens of top-tier vendors

through which the company already hasestablished discounted pricing. It also offerscontinuous improvement education and net-working opportunities with other members toexchange best practices about new technolo-gies and problem-solving scenarios.

Plus, with the economy in the doldrums, it isa good idea to affiliate oneself with a strong,profitable organization, Sailer notes. “The econ-omy has frightened a lot of people, and the oldway of business is not working anymore,” he


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says. “People recognize that they need a partnerin this game if they are going to continue to besuccessful. Even the best technical companiesare struggling out there because the market haschanged and good technicians are not necessari-ly good marketers. We can help them with thatso they can focus on the stuff they do best. Weprovide resources for the small companies to getbig, while still keeping their independence.They get the best of both worlds.”

What DKI Offers RecruitsDKI’s retention rate for new recruits over thepast seven years exceeds 95 percent, according toSailer. “We’ve got both our corporate objectiveand our members’ objectives front and center,”he states. “We are not successful if our membersor franchisees are not successful, and they’re not successful if we’re notsuccessful, so our No. 1 responsibility is to make sure that we remain rel-evant in the marketplace. We do this through initiatives like investing intechnology, maintaining green certification and getting involved in

social media. We need to chart a corporate direc-tion that causes members to continue to findvalue in being associated with us.

“One of the trends taking place in our indus-try is that decisions on services such as ours gothrough an organization’s national procurementdepartment rather than locally,” he continues. “We have the ability to complete those nationalpurchasing deals.”

When a national disaster strikes, DKI has theresources to rapidly deploy contractors to thescene. He cites a hurricane in Florida as an exam-ple. “Dozens of DKI members from around thecountry will travel to Florida based on ournational contracts,” Sailer says. “We have enoughbusiness to keep all of those companies busy. It

presents a very clear visual image of how strongthis organization is, and it leaves an impression not only in our cus-tomers’ minds, but in other service providers’ minds who think, ‘Nowthere is an organization I might want to be a part of because they clearlyknow what they’re doing.’”

‘People recognize that they need a partner if they’re going to be successful.’

DKI maintains strong links with the commu-nities in which it operates. The companyrecently announced its corporate sponsor-ship of the SAFELY OUT™ program estab-lished by Citizen Voice™ in Sacramento,Calif. The program ensures that a communitytakes civic responsibility over vulnerable citi-zens, including the disabled, frail seniors andyoung children, to ensure their protection inthe event of a disaster. The company isinvolved with numerous philanthropic organ-izations, which also appeals to potentialrecruits, Sailer says.

A Civic Duty


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Like many developers, the economicrecession wasn’t a piece of cake for theOnni Group, but it wasn’t a huge bur-den for the privately owned real estate

operation, either. The company’s history of suc-cessful developments dates back more than 40years, and this foundation helped it remainstrong, even when the market was weak.

“This is a family owned and operated com-pany – owned by the same family since theearly 1960s, and it is a true rags-to-riches story,”explains John Middleton, senior leasing man-ager. “Four brothers came to Canada from Italyand started a landscaping business. They tookthat and collectively created one of the largestdevelopment operations in British Columbiaand potentially Canada overall.”

As a full-service real estate company, OnniGroup designs, develops, builds and manages adiverse portfolio of real estate – residential

masterplanned communities, mixed-usedevelopments, office buildings, shopping cen-ters and industrial parks. The Onni Group hasdeveloped more than 6,000 residential unitsin the last 10 years with another 4,500 unitscurrently in the pipeline. It also has approxi-mately 3.5 million square feet of space in itscommercial portfolio, as well as an additional2 million square feet in various stages ofdevelopment. With experienced leadershipand an extensive amount of undevelopedland, the company used its time during therecession to prepare new projects and positionitself to act when the market recovered.

“We have a lot of expertise and experiencewithin our company, which helped us navi-gate through difficult market,” Middleton says.“We know how to adapt to the market environ-ment and assess the barometer of home pur-chasers and commercial tenants.”

As a result, he notes, Onni Group is alreadymoving forward in constructing multiplemajor projects, even when the market hasn’tcompletely recovered. “We saw a light at theend of the tunnel and went for it,” he adds.

Onni Group of Companieswww.onni.com• Headquarters: Vancouver • Employees: 175• Specialty: Real estate development“We know how to adapt to themarket and assess the barome-ter of home purchasers andcommercial tenants.” –John Middleton, senior leasing manager

Onni’s Golden DaysA DIVERSE PORTFOLIO AND EXPERTISE HELP ONNI GROUP LEAD THE CANADIAN MARKET. BY STACI DAVIDSON

Located in Langley, BritishColumbia, 27353-58th Crescent isone of Onni’s industrial properties.

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Stylish ShoppingFrom land acquisition to site planning, designand construction, and marketing and sales,Onni Group manages every step of the devel-opment process in-house, giving it a greatercontrol over quality. Quality is definitely a fac-tor that one of Onni’s newest projects – FremontVillage – will demonstrate, Middleton stresses.

Located in Port Coquitlam, a suburb ofVancouver, Fremont Village is a 50-acre shop-ping center that will provide approximately700,000 square feet of leasable space. It will beanchored by a 150,000-square-foot Walmart,opening in the early summer 2011, and a73,000-square-foot Canadian Tire, opening infall 2011. It also will include a 370,000 square-

foot main-street-style thoroughfare for small-and medium-format retailers.

“This will be a unique and attractive centerwhen completed in early 2103,” Middletonsays. “It will be one of the largest outdoor retailcenters in British Columbia, and have a signifi-cant lifestyle component that will be pedestri-an-oriented, which is unique to the area. It willhave multilevel retail spaces and over 100,000-square-feet dedicated to fashion.”

Fremont Village also will have more than1,000 parking stalls, many of which will belocated underground. “Land in MetroVancouver is at a premium, designs must flex-ible and creative to maximize efficiencies andland use,” he says.

Aggressive AcquisitionsFive minutes to the east of Fremont Village isPitt Meadows, British Columbia, where theOnni Group is developing a 95-acre industrialpark – the Golden Ears Business Center.

“We were the first developer to come out ofthe downturn and build industrial space on aspeculative basis in British Columbia,” heexplains. “As soon as we started seeing themarket improve, we took that opportunity tokick off our new business park by building ourfirst phase of the project, a 75,000-square-footmulti-tenanted building. Construction willstart on the next 110,000-square-foot buildingin the early summer 2011.

“There is not a lot of land for large industrial

In the planning of any development, OnniGroup of Companies keeps environmentalsustainability in the forefront. In fact, thecompany retains dedicated staff to ensureits developments meet or exceed a strict setof environmental standards, and it builds toLEED specifications as much as possible.

“Green initiatives are important to us,because consumers expect environmentallyconscious construction,” John Middletonsays. “LEED is becoming standard on mostprojects, especially in commercial.”

A number of Onni’s masterplanned com-munities have been built on brownfield sites,which helps reduce urban sprawl and elimi-nates pressure on greenfield development ofwilderness and agricultural land. In all of itsprojects, the company says that it considerswildlife impact, heritage tree protection,greenway stewardship, energy efficiency,water and waste management, and numer-ous other related concerns.

“Right now, we are building a mixed-usebuilding adjacent to downtown Vancouverthat will have 90,000 square feet of officespace and 300,000 square feet of residen-tial, and that is being constructed to LEEDSilver standards,” Middleton says.“Additionally, at our Fremont VillageShopping Centre, we’re implementinggreen-roof technology to the Walmart andCanadian Tire structures, as well as otherlarger buildings within the lifestyle section.

“We currently have eight major projectsin the Metro Vancouver totaling more than1.4 million gross buildable square feet thatare being or will be built to a minimum ofLEED Silver equivalent standards. One of ourbenchmark projects – the Mark, a 302-unitresidential tower in Yaletown – is being builtto LEED Gold equivalent standards.”

Environmental ExpectationsThe Mark – one of Onni’sbenchmark projects – is a302-unit tower being builtto LEED Gold standards.

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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, weanticipate a lot of opportunity in the build-to-suit area.”

In total, Onni owns and manages approximately 1.5 million squarefeet of industrial space in the lower mainland of British Columbia, butthe company expects to double its industrial portfolio over the next twoto three years. About 800,000 square feet of this new industrial spacewill be in Ensenada, Mexico, which marks Onni’s entrance into theMexican market.

“We are aggressive with our acquisitions,” Middleton says. “We have twoprojects in Mexico right now, and we recently acquired 2,000 existing resi-dential units in Phoenix. We’re also looking in Ontario for additionalopportunities in addition to the 1,500 residential units we are currentlybuilding in the Greater Toronto Area.”

Innovative and EfficientOnni Group is known predominately as a residential developer inCanada, with 15 residential projects under way right now, Middletonsays. In British Columbia, he says, the company has a reputation as theprovince’s “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 multiphaseproject is complete, it will offer 1,400 residential units in high-rise andlow-rise condominium towers and villas, as well as 40 areas of greenspace 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, butwe redeveloped it into a residential garden community. We incorporatedmany of the existing trees and vegetation to make it an natural andcomfortable environment.”

A substantial amount of Onni’s recent residential units have been apart of mixed-use developments, which has become an expertise for thecompany, Middleton notes. In Suter Brook Village in Port Moody, BritishColumbia, Onni has 1,250 residential units in high- and low-rise condo-miniums 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 under-ground. Usually considered a challenge for suburban commercial space,this has been a success at Suter Brook. ” Middleton says. “Suter Brookdemonstrates Onni’s expertise – we find desirable locations and providefeatures that homeowners will appreciate. However, it’s not enough to beinnovative – 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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The difference between a custom and aproduction home can be recognizedeasily by the public and realtor com-munity. But for Shaddock Homes –

whose president, Peter Shaddock, started as acustom homebuilder – the difference is moredifficult to detect.

“What we do is we give people a customhome without charging a custom home price,”Shaddock emphasizes. “Shaddock Homes is alarge-scale, custom homebuilding operation.”

Shaddock Homes achieves its custom feel bymaking the changes its customers want, suchas enlarging a master bedroom or adding twobedrooms. “We come from a custom-builderbackground, and making changes is prettyeasy for us, whereas people we compete withdon’t seem to be able to make changes easily,”Shaddock declares. “If they want a red frontdoor or to move the garage to the other side,fine – we’ll do it.”

At present, Shaddock Homes specializes inbuilding homes north and east of theDallas/Fort Worth metroplex in Allen, Friscoand Murphy, Texas.

“In the city of Dallas, Preston Road hasalways been the centerpiece of wealth as itexpands north from downtown Dallas,”

Shaddock Homes says its background in custom construction gives it the ability to provide homebuyers withhomes that have custom elements without asking for custom prices.

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Go North,YoungManGOING OUTSIDE OF ITS HOMEAREA HAS KEPT SHADDOCKHOMES BUSY. BY RUSS GAGER

Shaddock Homeswww.shaddockhomes.com• 2010 revenue: $ 50 million• Headquarters: Plano, Texas• Employees: 25• Specialty: Homebuilding

“The problem is most of thebanks aren’t lending developersmoney, so not many developersare developing new lots.”–Peter Shaddock, president


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Shaddock emphasizes. “The buying public per-ceives being near Preston Road as being verydesirable and the place to live.”

In addition to Preston Road, housing devel-opment is aided by a toll road that parallelsPreston Road as development expands north.“When people buy homes in the subdivisionswe build in, the buying public is looking for thebest house in the best public school district fortheir kids, when they don’t send them to privateschool,” Shaddock maintains.

“I found in good times and bad times, thesafest place to build houses is in the best schooldistricts, whether it is north, east or west,” headds. “We sell to families with children andolder people and all kinds of people, but we stayin good school districts.”

Lots DevelopedShaddock Homes range in size from 2,500 to5,000 square feet and from $350,000 to$550,000. Shaddock estimates approximatelyhalf are built on spec. “We sell mostly to peoplewho want to live in the best suburbs and pub-lic school districts,” Shaddock notes. These maybe first-, second- or third-time homebuyers orpeople who may want to downsize from a $1.5million house.

“We’re generally close to neighborhoodsalready there,” Shaddock says. “We don’t pio-neer a new piece of property 10 miles out.Generally, a developer like ShaddockDevelopment Company develops the lots, andbuilders like Shaddock Homes move in. Mosthomebuilders don’t do land development;they buy lots from developers, and that’s theway they want to do business.”

Shaddock Development also sells to othercompanies. “We sell to high-end productionbuilders and custom builders,” Shaddockexplains. “We supply a builder with lots readyto build on and street sewers, and they do thelandscaping and they do each lot. We go to thevery best places and best school districts – that’swhere we develop lots and that’s where we sell.I have an ability to buy correct pieces of proper-ty because I know what people will buy.”

Shaddock Homes built 100 homes in 2010and is planning to build 135 in 2011. “There’s agreat new area called Phillips Creek Ranch thatis a pretty big land block in Frisco, and we’regoing to be building there,” Shaddock says.“The main inhibiting factor to a builder in theDallas market is a shortage of good lots. It cantake over a year for a developer to develop newlots, and there isn’t much development activityhappening in the Dallas metroplex. I’ll start as

many houses as I can, provided that I can findgood subdivisions to build in.

“The problem is, most of the banks aren’tlending developers money, so not many devel-opers are developing new lots,” he stresses.“The good lots are in the hands of the buildersalready. A lack of good lots is not our onlyproblem. The availability of large blocks ofinterim financing for spec homes is also aproblem, since all the major banks are, for allpractical purposes, out of the interim business.Generally, we obtain our interim financingfrom a larger group of smaller local banks.”

Large Vs. Custom BuildersThe percentage of homes being built in theDallas area by large production builders hasbeen increasing steadily over the years sinceShaddock got into the business in 1964. “WhenI first got into the business, small custombuilders built most of the houses,” Shaddockpoints out. “I built custom homes for manyyears, and for many years, I was the largest cus-tom builder in the Dallas area.”

Each economic downturn in the Dallas areaaccelerated the move from the custom builderto the large production builder. During the sav-

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Shaddock Homes saysits size means it is highlyinvested in quality.

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ings and loan crisis of the 1980s and the financial downturn from 2008to 2010, large production builders picked up a larger percentage ofhomebuilding, which Shaddock estimates is now approximately 90 per-cent of the market. Custom builders generally are responsible for onlythe most expensive houses.

The Dallas market slowed appreciably in 2008 and 2009, Shaddocksays. “We’re very flexible to start, stop, go faster and change plans,” heemphasizes. “We can change our whole business model in six months.We keep it thin – a typical company building the same number of hous-es as Shaddock Homes probably has one-third more employees. Wehave the best houses, the best product, the best location – people whoare not as sharp as us are having a lot more problems selling housesthan we are. We don’t have any problems selling houses – although wecould use a little more interim financing. We generally sell everythingwe build before it is completed.”

Decades of ExperienceSince Shaddock Homes was founded in 1967, “We’ve been through fourrecessions, but only two were bad ones – the other ones were just inter-ference,” Shaddock says. The savings and loan crisis in the late 1980s hitTexas particularly hard. “Hypothetically, every bank and savings and

loan that we had stock in or did business with went out with the excep-tion of none,” Shaddock says.

Today, Shaddock Homes is incorporating stricter energy standardsthat will include improved thermal enclosures, efficient heating andcooling, a complete water management system and more energy-effi-cient appliances and lighting. “These changes save our homeownersenergy costs,” Shaddock points out.

Entrepreneurial SpiritThe corporate culture of Shaddock Homes engenders an entrepreneurialspirit. “Employees care about their jobs – they just don’t leave at 5 p.m.,”Shaddock stresses. “When we’re doing something, they’re involved andcare – it’s like a family. We’re small enough that everybody really caresabout everybody. Everybody is there to do the job. We demand perfectionfrom everybody. We are the very best people and get the best results, andit’s expected. Our corporate culture is to do what it takes to be the best.”

Shaddock sees good taste and design being a competitive advantagefor his company. “Shaddock’s designs are so good that our competitorshave a real hard time competing with us,” he declares. “They just can’tmatch our design and the finesse of our houses. They’re perfect –nobody can do it any better than Shaddock Homes.”

‘[Competitors] just can’t match ourdesign and the finesse of our houses.’


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Derr Flooring Co. has grown from itshumble origins as a family ownedflooring company into one of thelargest hardwood flooring distribu-

tors in the United States. The company repre-sents 40 different brands of hardwood flooringin a wide variety of species, styles, treatmentsand designs.

The company also offers more than 325 dif-ferent patterns of sheet vinyl, which coversthe gamut of styles and colors for every decoror application. These include commercial andresidential sheet vinyl, commercial vinyl com-position tile, wood treads, risers, stair compo-nents, laminate flooring, rubbery and vinylflooring, and rubber and vinyl cove base. Derr Flooring also offers acomplete line of installation products including adhesives, underlay-ment patch, sandpaper, floor finish and every type of installation toolnecessary for professional installations.

“Derr Flooring Co. takes great pride in offering these products andservices to our customer base of floor covering retailers, wood flooringcontractors, lumberyards, home centers and stair builders,” the company

says. “Our goal is to enhance our customers’skills by providing new product seminars and

installation and sales training.”Along with headquarters in Willow Grove,

Pa., Derr Flooring has locations in York andOlyphant, Pa.; Edison, N.J.; New Castle, Del.; andHerndon, Va.

Approaching a CenturyDerr Flooring Co. was founded as the DerrLumber Co. by John Hartenstine Derr in 1912. In1928, the company merged with a number ofother distributors to become the Lumber andMillwork Co. of Philadelphia.

In the aftermath of the Great Depression,Derr left the Lumber and Millwork Co. in 1931 and started the Derr-Gibbons Supply Co. in 1932. Along with his sons, Chester and Robert,and two other employees, the company began distributing wood floor-ing and other lumber products like doors, moldings, millwork and woodstair components.

When John Derr passed in 1970, his sons took over everyday opera-tions of the new company. In 1979, they determined it would be best if

Completely FlooredDERR FLOORING CO. HAS MADE A NAME FOR ITSELF THROUGH CUSTOMER SERVICE AND QUALITY.

Derr Flooring Co.www.derrflooring.com• Headquarters: Willow Grove, Pa.• Specialty: Flooring“Derr Flooring Co. takes greatpride in offering these productsand services to our customerbase of floor covering retailers,wood flooring contractors, lum-beryards, home centers andstair builders.” –Derr Flooring

Derr Flooring Co. representsmore than 40 different brandsof hardwood flooring.

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the business was split into two new compa-nies, and Derr Flooring Co. and Derr Lumberand Millwork Co. were created.

By 1980, Chester Derr Flooring Co. operatedfrom one location in Philadelphia with 25employees. Five years later, the name wasshortened to Derr Flooring Co., and today thecompany has more than 130 employees in sixwarehouses in four states.

Along with representing the best flooringmanufacturers in the industry, Derr Flooringalso distributes some of the top finishing man-ufacturers for the wood flooring industry.These brands include Absolute Coatings,BonaKemi USA, Basic Coatings, Lenmar andProSand & DCS.

“Our diverse product mix allows us to sup-ply the right product for the right job,” DerrFlooring explains. “From commercial to recre-ational to residential installations, we have theright product for that application, giving thecustomer a beautiful, durable, easy-to-main-tain floor.”

Customized OptionsFor customers interested in custom designs,Derr Flooring represents Oshkosh FloorDesigns. This manufacturer creates customized

decorative borders, medallions and parquetflooring. Founded in 1992, Oshkosh FloorDesigns combines computer-driven laser tech-nology, water-jet cutting and precision wood-working with hand assembly to create intri-cate, unique patterns.

“[Oshkosh Floor Designs] has quicklyearned a deserved reputation for exceptionaldesign and meticulous quality,” Derr Flooringsays. “The use of laser technology offers unlim-ited possibilities of cutting florals, wildlife, cor-porate logos – anything and everything to dis-tinguish [a customer’s] flooring.”

Oshkosh Floor Designs says it relies on itsartisan process to deliver products such as cus-tom 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-assem-bled into patterns. Oshkosh Flooring Designuses this process to allow for numerous checksof the materials to ensure that the inlay is ofthe highest quality possible.

Each pattern consists of tiny pieces of woodplaced within a frame to recreate the cus-tomer’s design. After that, the wood is glued,pre-mounted or pre-finished before it isshipped to its destination.

Service Comes FirstDerr Flooring’s Pro Division maintains a com-plete inventory of products to install, sand andfinish wood flooring.

This includes water- and oil-based floor fin-ishes, sandpaper, nailing cleats and staples,and adhesives. The division also maintains afleet of sanding machines, nailing guns andother installation tools.

At its six locations, Derr Flooring employshighly trained customer service personnelwho can answer its customers’ questions.Forty-five delivery vehicles support these indi-viduals and can make deliveries in an eight-state region within 48 hours in most cases.

Derr Flooring Co. is involved with a numberof trade associations, including:

• Eastern Building Materials DealersAssociation.

• Greater Philadelphia FlooringDistributors Trade Association Inc.

• Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association Inc.• Lumbermen’s Credit Association

Industry Activism

Derr Flooring offers a varietyof wood options that vary inspecies and styles.

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Residential | HOM

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Every day, Home Creations Inc. strives tomaintain its status as “Oklahoma’s pre-mier new homebuilder.” Some may seethis as a lofty goal, but Home Creations

has found a formula for its business that keepsit at the top – a combination of quality con-struction, understanding the needs of home-buyers and always going “above and beyondin fulfilling expectations,” according to AnitaWagoner, marketing and sales director.

“In the last three to four years, we’vebecome the largest homebuilder and landdeveloper in Oklahoma, and that’s a positionwe’ve worked hard to attain,” she says.

Brothers Jalal and Mohammed Farzanehfounded Home Creations in 1981, and havesince built their company by providing newhomes that offer the best in amenities, designand location, as well as strong value. The com-pany got its start in the Oklahoma City metro-politan area, but has since expanded into Tulsaand its surrounding areas of Broken Arrow,

Kiefer and Verdigris, as well as Lawton.To ensure its homes demonstrate consistent

quality, Home Creations is a CertifiedProfessional Builder who maintains “highstandards of professionalism, safety, fairnessand progressive building techniques,”Wagoner says. The company works with the

Oklahoma State Home Builders Association,which is an affiliate of the National Associationof Home Builders, and has on-going educationto keep its builders informed of new standards,materials and building methods.

The company’s portfolio includes completedhomes and homes under construction, withmore than 40 different designs in a number ofcollections. Its builders are “good about antici-pating market changes and trends,” Wagonersays, ensuring Home Creations’ homes have thefeatures, finishes and amenities buyers want.

“Our owner’s believe it’s important to getinto the minds of our buyers and understandhow they feel,” she explains.

Home Creations’ customer service is ongo-ing, even after the home is built. About sixyears ago, the company surveyed 5,000 of itshomebuyers to determine its strengths andfind out where it could improve. One concernamong some of the buyers was the company’sone-year warranty and response time, so that

Home Creations Inc.www.homecreations.com• Annual revenues: $100 million• Headquarters: Moore, Okla.• Employees: 110• Specialty: Homebuilding“Word-of-mouth referrals andcustomer service are invaluable– they establish the relation-ships that build homes.”–Anita Wagoner, marketing and sales director

At Home in OklahomaHOME CREATIONS’ QUALITY AND CUSTOMER SERVICE PUT IT AT THE TOP. BY STACI DAVIDSON

Home Creations is a 2011 Energy Star Partner of the Year. Pictured (leftto right) are owners MJ and Jalal Farzaneh, with Dale Hoffmeyer fromEnergy Star, and Anita Wagoner, director of sales and marketing.

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became a major focus of Home Creations’improvement efforts. Since then, Wagonersays, the company’s referral rate has doubled.

“Our warranty department is a big strength ofours – I love those guys,” she says. “They put inthe work during the walk-through to eliminatedefects or flaws, and now only 25 to 30 percentof our buyers call back during their first year inthe house for any fixes and those are minor.”

Delivering SavingsHome Creations tries to keep a low level ofinventory – it has a track record of conservativedevelopment, Wagoner says, but the popularityof last year’s homebuyer tax credit also ate upmuch of its stock. So, even though the realestate market is slower than it has been in yearspast, Home Creations’ builders are flexible inresponding to buyers’ needs and are currentlydoubling efforts to provide inventory to meetdemand. Additionally, the company is dedicat-ed to equipping its homes with quality featuresand products, such as garage doors from TrotterDoors that are decorative and insulated.

“People are smart today and educated onconstruction,” Wagoner says. “They are going tocompare what’s out there, so we have to pro-vide what they’re looking for and beyond.”

For example, with energy efficiency oftentopping the list of what buyers are looking forin a new home, the company is doing all it canto provide that. Carrying the Energy Star quali-fied label means Home Creations provides“extra installation, ducts that don’t leak andEnergy Star qualified windows, all installedper Energy Star specifications,” Wagoner says.Additionally, its homes are independently test-ed and inspected to ensure they meet the EPA’sguidelines for energy efficiency. As a result,Home Creations was named the 2011 EnergyStar Partner of the Year among mid-sizedbuilders by the U.S. EPA.

“Partners like Home Creations that buildhomes that earn the Energy Star label are help-ing American homebuyers find more comfort-able homes that also save money on energybills and protect the environment,” saysElizabeth Craig, acting director of EPA’s Officeof Atmospheric Programs. “Homebuilders suchas Home Creations are building an energy-effi-cient future for America’s families that willcontinue to deliver savings for years to come.”

Going BeyondConsistently providing quality constructionand dedicated customer service has been a bigpart of getting Home Creations to the top of the

Oklahoma market, but its marketing effortshelp it to remain there.

“Word-of-mouth referrals and customerservice are invaluable – they establish the rela-tionships that build homes,” Wagoner says.“However, we still have to keep our message infront of the public.”

Home Creations gets its message outthrough homebuyer seminars, print and bill-boards, radio and television ads, as well as bymaintaining “a huge presence” in social mediawith Facebook, a Twitter feed and blogs. “Withsocial media, we can keep in touch with ourcustomers, and attract their friends,” she notes.

Most importantly, the members of the com-pany’s sales force work to generate their ownleads, she adds, by sending out mailers, visitinglocal real estate offices and businesses, andattending 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 aregetting married and need a place to live, and weare there to talk to them, one on one. Also,when we find out a company is re-locating inthe area, we market to them. That way, we canget to the people before they relocate.

“Signage also is huge for us, but that is morefor targeted, community marketing.”

An ongoing marketing presence, quality con-struction that “goes way beyond the local build-ing codes” and flexible builders will enableHome Creations to maintain its leadership posi-tion in Oklahoma, she says. The company isfinancially strong and conservative in its devel-opment, she adds, which puts it in a good posi-tion to grow. “Oklahoma is a great market, sothat helps us,” she says. “However, not everyonein Oklahoma is doing as well as we are, so weconsider ourselves very blessed.”

Jalal (left) and Mohammad Farzaneh founded Home Creations in 1981, and it is now the largest homebuilder and land developer in Oklahoma. Home Creations is known for equipping its homes with higher-quality features.

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Recently, President Roger Neighbors ofNeighbors Construction Co. Inc. (NCCI)received a more-than-welcome “blastfrom the past.” It was a call from a for-

mer client who had hired NCCI in the 1970s,while Roger Neighbors’ father, Pat Neighbors, wasstill leading the company. “The guy said, ‘I knewyour dad in the ’70s, and I’ve been calling around town asking peoplewho’s the best contractor to do apartments, and it turns out that it’s stillyou guys,’” Neighbors recalls. “He knew us from over 40 years ago, whichis great. It’s priceless. That’s 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 “BuildingConstruction Projects and Relationships since 1951.” As the unexpectedphone call demonstrates, at NCCI, the two truly go hand in hand. It con-tinues to demonstrate this philosophy with a do-it-all attitude it appliesto each project, especially within the current construction climate. Thecompany has a long list of multifamily projects and is delving deeperinto the mixed-use and commercial arenas where its skill set is particu-larly useful.

In Kansas and Missouri, where NCCI is based, several of the mixed-use developments are constructed as wooden residential structures sit-ting atop a concrete commercial building, such as the Mission FarmsWest project in Overland Park, Kan. This project features a concrete,10,000-square-foot retail base topped with a three-story wood framedapartment building. The 386,000-square-foot luxury project is wrappedaround a four story concrete parking garage, and the company says it isone of the first wrap projects in the Kansas City, Kan., area. Neighborsbegan the $23 million project in April 2011, and it is set for completionin December 2012.

Aaron Neighbors, vice president of the company and RogerNeighbors’ son, explains that many commercial developers NCCI com-petes with on mixed-use developments are less adept in wood construc-tion than NCCI.

“Our company started out as a wood framing subcontractor,”Neighbors says. “Knowing how wood buildings are constructed sets usapart in the mixed-use arena. A lot of commercial guys feel comfortablewith concrete but not the wood frame above it while we are comfortablewith both. We can go in and say, ‘Let me do the whole thing. I’ll do it allfor you.’”

Caring NeighborsREACHING 60 YEARS IS PROOF OF A COMPANY WHO EARNING A COMMUNITY’S TRUST. BY JAMIE MORGAN

Neighbors Construction Co. Inc.www.neighborsconstruction.com • Headquarters: Lenexa, Kan.• 2010 revenues: $25 million • Employees: 25• Services: Preconstruction, design/build,general contracting and risk management.“A lot of commercial guys feelcomfortable with concrete butnot the wood frame above it.”–Aaron Neighbors, vice president

MILESTONE

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Neighbors Construction hastaken on more mixed-useprojects in recent years.

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Wood and Concrete ExpertiseThe 11,500-square-foot Briarcliff professionaloffice building in Kansas City, Mo., is a LEED-certified commercial project that poses as arun-of-the-mill office construction. However,beyond its surface lies a form constructed fromstructural insulated panels and wood trusses.The alternative, energy-saving technique per-mitted the design of 24-foot exterior wallswhile saving an estimated $100,000 it wouldhave required for the traditional steel beamand bar joist construction.

Another project that demonstrates NCCI’sexpertise in wood and concrete is the KansasCity, Mo., Briarcliff Hilltop Apartments, whichbegan construction January 2010 and will con-clude in May. The 334,926-square-foot projectconsists of six four-story wood buildings con-taining 263 luxury apartment units. The EnergyStar-rated project sits on a bluff overlooking theMissouri River. The concrete portion of the proj-ect 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,” RogerNeighbors says. “We built a very tall retainingwall which was a huge undertaking. But it’s anice view once you’re up there in your fourth-floor apartment.”

It’s also a nice view inside the apartments,

with each unit boasting crown molding, plankflooring, granite countertops, Energy Starappliances, custom wood cabinets and vaultedceilings. Community amenities include anexercise room, movie theater, a bar and officespace for tenant use only. Neighbors says thatthis is one of the area’s top-of-the-line luxuryapartments. Even though the company fin-ished the project four months ahead of sched-ule and under budget, “the units were leasingup quicker than we could turn them over.”

Multifamily MainstayIt’s a good sign for this company, because whileit may be fully capable in a variety of construc-

tion types, multifamily construction has beenthe mainstay since its first general contractingproject in 1968. Like other construction mar-kets, the multifamily sector took a hit, but notas large as the single-family sector.

Neighbors says that apartment projects areseeing an increase as investors gain confidencein developing projects, and consumers steeraway from homeownership.

“There are still apartments being built,”Neighbors says. “Investors want to invest andapartments are a pretty safe investment. Also,many people cannot afford or do not want toown a home, which spurs apartment rentalgrowth, which will help our industry.”

Roger Neighbors, owner of NeighborsConstruction Company Inc. (NCCI), says hisfather and founder of NCCI, Pat Neighbors,was a man of foresight. He began NCCI in1951 building postwar housing.

“He started from the bottom and workedhis way up, and made sure to hire smartpeople to work for him,” Neighbors says.

Roger Neighbors began working in thefamily business when he was about 14 yearsold, eventually buying the company from hisfather in 1989. Now in its 60th year, NCCI issure to continue for another generation asRoger Neighbors’ twin sons, Aaron and RyanNeighbors, serve as vice presidents.

The two graduated from Colorado StateUniversity in 2000 with degrees in construc-tion management.

Neighbors says he strives to teach hissons the lessons his father left behind. “Mydad instilled in me that your name is every-thing and you need to be honest – do whatyou say you’re going to do,” he says. “Heinstilled in me and I instill in the boys thatwhen your name is on everything you build,you better build it right.”

Building a Family Business

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Builder’s Stone KC Starting in 2008, Builder’s Stone & Supply set out to be one of the Midwest’s finestmasonry companies. Builder’s Stone & Supply teamed with Neighbor’s Construction in 2010 on the BriarcliffApartment project providing both the labor and materials for the stone and stucco. For more information, visitwww.buildersstonekc.com.

NCCI’s skill in concreteand wood constructionhas served it well.

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Residential | VAN M

ETRE COS.

In a business that is often filled with uncer-tainly, it is critical for Van Metre Cos. to stayflexible so it can evolve with the shifts in themarketplace, Brian Davidson says. “We are

nimble enough to adapt and change with themarket,” he says. “We [will] change if we think itis a good idea and makes good business sense.”

Based in Burke, Va., Van Metre Cos. special-izes in the construction and development ofvarious properties, including new homes,apartments and commercial buildings.Founder Al Van Metre Sr. started the companyin 1955 and has built more than 15,000 homes,Davidson says.

Today, Van Metre Cos. is a privately held com-pany with a staff of about 350 in several divisions. For instance, the com-pany builds new homes, apartment complexes and planned communi-ties through Marquis Custom Homes, Van Metre Apartments and VanMetre Homes, for which Davidson is the executive vice president.

Van Metre Cos. also builds office and retailproperties through Van Metre Commercial, and

its investment properties division managesapartments, leases commercial space and oper-ates a health and racquet club. “Our new HomesGroup builds apartments for our apartment divi-sion, so we are really able to leverage our skillsand work together to support each other, ”Davidson says. By having its eggs in multiplebaskets, Van Metre Cos. weathers economicstorms, Davidson says. ”When people [are not]buying homes, they’re renting apartments,“ hesays. “That’s a good thing for us.”

Loyal AssociatesThe New Homes division is led by Group President Charlie Hockensmith,who joined Van Metre Homes in 1996. He has more than 45 years of build-ing experience in the Washington, D.C., market and brings a wealth ofexperience to the company. Davidson is the executive vice president of

Strong SurvivorVAN METRE COS. SAYS IT HAS COPED WELL WITH THE DOWNTURNS IN THE RECESSION. BY ALAN DORICH

Van Metre Cos. specializesin new homes, apartmentsand commercial buildings.

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Van Metre Cos.www.vanmetrecompanies.com• 2010 sales: $227 million• Headquarters: Burke, Va.• Employees: Approximately 350• Specialties: New constructionand development

“We are nimble enough tochange with the market.”–Brian Davidson, executive vice president of Van Metre Homes


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the New Homes division and he has been withVan Metre Cos. since April 1989. “I started as anentry-level accountant [when I graduated] col-lege,” he says, noting that he has appreciated theopportunities for advancement that the compa-ny has given him.

“There’s a lot of long-term employees at VanMetre Companies,” he continues, praising themanagement of Chairman of the Board AlbertBeau Van Metre Jr., Vice Chairman of theBoard, President and CEO Rick Rabil, GroupPresident – Finance and Accounting Secretaryand CFO Ken Ryan, and Group President ofInvestment Properties, CPM Brad Gable. “Theexecutive team treats people how they shouldbe treated,” Davidson adds.

Showing Its TalentsVan Metre Cos.’ current projects include StoneRidge, a master planned community in Aldie,Va. In 2001, Van Metre purchased 800 acres ofproperty to develop Stone Ridge which will behome to more than 3,000 homes and apart-ments, 125,000 square feet of retail spaceanchored by a Harris Teeter grocery store, morethan 580,000 square feet of office and commer-cial development, a rehabilitation Hospital,County Library, schools, day care, three poolfacilities, a club house with fitness center, fourmiles of walk/hiking trails and more.

“We are building a diverse product mix inStone Ridge so we are able to market to manydifferent buyer profiles and increase ourabsorption and sales pace,” Davidson says.

He adds that he is proud of the fact that TheStone Ridge Development not only shows VanMetre Cos.’ talent for building homes but alsohow skilled it is in developing a masterplanned community because it can showcasethe breadth of what the company does and allits product types.

Weathering the StormLike many other construction and develop-ment firms, Van Metre Cos. is coping with thedifficulties in the economy. “The economy isnot where it needs to be,” Davidson admits.

However, the company has found it easier tocope with the recession than some competi-tors, since the bulk of its work is in theWashington, D.C., area. “It’s not as bad here as itis in other parts of the country,” Davidson says.

“We are still having a tough time dealingwith low consumer confidence and gettingincreased traffic in the door,” he says. “Theremight be more people that want to buy due tolow interest rates and house prices, but it’s

tough. We’re dealing with some depressedpricing, a lot of competition in our market, butwe are continuing to weather the storm.”

The company has successfully done this bymaking some changes in its product that allowit to save money. “We’ve done market researchand competitive analysis to determine the hotbutton features that our customers want tohave but we have been able to reduce buildingcosts without reducing our competitive value,”Davidson says.

“That’s one of the advantages to [being] amore regional builder,” he says. “We canchange on a dime. We have an in-house archi-tecture team ... so we can [go] from concept toactually building in two or three months andhave newly designed product out for salefaster than other builders.”

Despite its challenges, Van Metre Cos. plans toexpand its reach, though not necessarily nation-wide, Davidson says. In addition, while the com-pany is now building 300 units a year, Van Metrewould like to grow to 600 units annually.

Van Metre Cos.’ divisions have earnedrecognitions for their work. For instance, VanMetre Homes received the highest numericalscore in Washington, D.C., in the J.D. Powerand Associates 2007 New-Home CustomerSatisfaction Study. For the past three years,the company was ranked No. 2 in the com-petition, Brian Davidson says.

“We strive to do the right thing when itcomes to customer service and follow up. Abig part of our marketing plan is for all ofour departments to focus on customer serv-ice and this earns us referrals. We havehomeowner parties and community eventsto procure our relationships with our cus-tomers,” he says, noting that this earns thecompany referrals and increased sales.

Doing the Right Things

Van Metre Cos. hasbuilt more than 15,000homes over the years.

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As the economy slowly emerges, employers arerelying on contingent work forces rather thantaking on the risk of hiring new employees.Federal and state governments and organizedlabor are determined to reverse this trend,advocating that contract workers are often mis-classified employees.

Companies are often surprised to discoverthat someone they contracted with is legallyconsidered their employee, not an independ-ent contractor. Along with employee statuscomes unforeseen liability under a plethora ofstate and federal laws.

The labor movement within the last fewyears significantly increased efforts to lobby forstricter laws related to misclassification of

workers. These efforts have resonated with the federal and state govern-ments because of the lost tax revenue associated with misclassificationof employees. Employers should expect a significant increase in federaland state governments’ enforcement efforts.

Cracking DownThe Government Accounting Office estimated that misclassification ofindependent contractors cost the federal government $2.72 billion inlost tax revenue in 2006. States also have a significant amount of moneyat stake: California’s Employment Development Department between2005 and 2007 recovered a total of $111,956,556 in payroll tax assess-ments, $18,537,894 in labor code citations, and $40,348,667 in assess-ments on employment tax fraud cases.

During the same period, Illinois estimated a loss of $39.2 million inunemployment insurance taxes, and between $124.7 million and $207.8million per year in lost tax revenue. All states realize that attacking

America’s work force has been transformed by the recent recession.

Watch Your Work Force

Industrial by Salvador P. Simao


employee misclassification is a way to recover some of the tax revenuelost 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 misclassificationof independent contractors. The department has added more than 300investigators, 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 mil-

lion for increased enforcement of wage and overtime laws in caseswhere employees have been misclassified. The budget also provides$10.95 million to state governments to build the capacity to identify andaddress worker misclassification through targeted employer audits andenhanced 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.

Unprecedented CooperationThe war on misclassification is well funded and there are penalty ofincentives and enforcement dollars for federal and state governments toshare – so many that government agencies are working together in anunprecedented 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 thisinitiative, often referred to as the “Questionable Employment TaxPractices” program, the federal government has obtained memoranda ofunderstanding with 39 states that enable the state and the IRS to partici-pate 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 unemploy-ment insurance employer audits effectively. The DOL is working on similar agreements with state worker pro-

tection agencies. The majority of states have created independentcontractor misclassification task forces that create synergies amongstate agencies. The government’s efforts go beyond inter-agency cooperation. On

Dec. 13, 2010, the DOL began referring complaints to plaintiffs’ attorneysthrough the newly created Approved Attorney Referral System.Complaints will be referred to a plaintiff’s attorney who will be providedwith the government’s findings, including what violations exist and theamount of back wages owed. In addition, the DOL will provide representing attorneys with inves-

tigative documents, which may include information not normally dis-closed to the general public.In addition to the increased enforcement of existing laws, some states

have begun passing new misclassification laws. Currently, there are 17states with independent contractor laws. Some states have passed laws that are specific to certain industries.

For example, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Washington and NewHampshire have laws that apply specifically to misclassification issuesin the construction industry.

Pay AttentionConstruction companies need to pay seriousattention to their contingent workforces. Largeconstruction companies should expect to beaudited this year, and smaller companiesshould anticipate a very strong possibility ofbeing audited this year or next by a govern-ment agency. Companies who wish to be proactive

before an audit should take some stepstowards eliminating misclassifications issues,including:• Identify and evaluate all independentcontractor relationships;

• Review and revise your company’s inde-pendent contractor agreements;

• Conduct a self-audit;• Document and record key factor that evi-dence independent contractor relation-ship; and

• Create a protocol for responding to gov-ernment investigations/audits.

IN THIS SECTIONT.N. Ward Co. g p.154Longtime commercial contractor T.N. Wardbranches out with recentprojects.

JacobsenConstruction – MeritMedical ProductionBuilding g p.158A longstanding builderand client relationshipenters a new chapter.

SALVADOR SIMAO is a partner in the labor and employment and governmentcontracts practices of McCarter & English LLP. A former trial attorney with theU.S. Department of Labor, Simao is based in Newark, N.J. He can be reached [email protected].


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One of the Northeast’s most promi-nent commercial and residentialbuilders is expanding into new sec-tors while keeping its core values

firmly in place.Ardmore, Pa.-based T.N. Ward Co. has offered

construction management, design/build andgeneral contracting services to clients in thegaming, public housing, institutional and edu-cational fields in the Northeast United Statesfor more than 90 years. The company is partic-ularly known for building casinos as well ashousing projects funded by the Department ofHousing and Urban Development, PresidentTom Falvey says.

The company continues to shine in these sec-tors while recently adding industrial projects toits portfolio. “We’ve recently greatly expandedour industrial capabilities,” Falvey notes. “Wehad done industrial projects before, but not tothe extent we are now; we needed to look athow we were conducting business because ofthe economy and increased competition.”

T.N. Ward’s ability to self-perform severalaspects of its projects, including concrete workand large equipment installation, makesindustrial jobs a good fit for the company’sexpertise. “We view ourselves mainly as a gen-eral contractor, so we felt this was a market thatwe brought some value to,” Falvey says. “Givenour general contracting expertise and our abil-ity to self-perform, we felt this was a market wecould be competitive in.”

Diverse PortfolioOne of the company’s largest current industrialprojects is on course to finish in August. T.N.Ward in January 2010 started work on a $40million, 40,000-square-foot expansion toSynagro Technologies Inc.’s PhiladelphiaRenewable Bio-Fuels facility.

The project involves adding a prefabricatedmetal building on a concrete slab to the exist-ing facility. This building will include newequipment used to dry sludge, converting itinto pellets that can be used for fuel and fertil-izer, Falvey says.

Outside of the industrial realm, the companycontinues 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 – whichwill be the largest gaming facility in Maryland,according to owners The Cordish Group – willbegin construction in May, Falvey says.

The company also recently started work ona $6 million equipment upgrade project tothe Bristol Wastewater Treatment Plant inBristol, Pa.

Other current and upcoming projects forthe company include parking garages for ahealthcare facility and a convention center,both in Philadelphia.

Ward Reaches OutT.N. WARD CO. EMBRACES NEW PROJECTS IN THE INDUSTRIAL SECTOR AND OTHER AREAS. BY JIM HARRIS

T.N. Ward Co.www.tnward.com• Revenues: $350 million• HQ: Ardmore, Pa.• Employees: 100• Specialty: General contracting andconstruction management

“Safety is not one of the costsyou want to cut on a project.”–Tom Falvey, president

The T.N. Ward Co. delivered adesign/build boiler project toRimtec Corp. in New Jersey.

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Problem SolversT.N. Ward believes in maintaining a high level ofservice on all of its projects, and takes a hands-onapproach with all of its clients, Falvey says.

The company’s reputation and experiencehave made it a go-to contractor in recent years forseveral owners looking for a second opinion onprojects. “As every company is looking for workin the current economy, some contractors arelow-bidding in areas where they don’t reallyhave experience,” Falvey adds. “We’re starting tosee contractors calling us to say they have a prob-lem with their project’s budget or some other ele-ment that needs fixing.

“Some owners that were hiring based on pricebut not holding much to experience are now see-ing that experience has value and just choosing a company based onlow pricing wasn’t the right move for them.”

A Watchful EyeT.N. Ward believes strongly in looking out for the best interest of ownersthrough paying close attention to building quality and safety.

Safety in particular is one of the company’sbiggest priorities. “Safety is always somethingwe have paid attention to; we put an emphasison our own practices, as well as look at our sub-contractors and their ability to do the work,”Falvey says. “Safety is not one of the costs youwant to cut on a project.”

T.N. Ward sets up job-specific safety pro-grams for all of its projects. Project managers,superintendents and key subcontractors look atissues unique to each project that could poten-tially carry risk, such as excavation or the pres-ence of hazardous materials.

Each trade on the project is examined inrelation to potential safety issues, and everyone

involved in the project goes through a safetycourse, Falvey says.

The company maintains close working relationships with all of itssubcontractors in all aspects of construction. “Generally speaking,they’re supportive of our needs in pre-construction and during con-struction,” he adds. “We all look out for the best interests of the projectand each other.”

T.N. Ward supports a number of nonprofitorganizations through volunteerism andfundraising. In particular, the company has a20-year working relationship with theSalvation Army of Greater Philadelphia, forwhom it has performed a number of build-ing and remodeling projects, President TomFalvey says.

The company last year completed the $65million, 128,000-square-foot Salvation ArmyRay and Joan Kroc Center in Philadelphia,Falvey adds.

Community Ties

‘Some contractors are low-bidding inareas where they don’t have experience.’T.N. Ward continues work ona design/build parking garageaddition for Aria Health.

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Few things are as valuable in the construction business as rela-tionships. Take, for example, the relationship between Utah’sJacobsen Construction and medical device manufacturer MeritMedical. Project Executive Doug Hronek says the company’s cur-

rent project – expanding Merit Medical’s production facility in NewJordan, Utah – wouldn’t be on Jacobsen’s docket without the previouswork it had done for Merit.

“In this economy that we’re in, we’re just really grateful that the rela-tionship with Merit was intact,” Hronek says.

Jacobsen’s connection with Merit goes back more than 12 years andincludes a number of projects to expand and upgrade the company’sfacility. As a manufacturer of more than 150 medical devices, Merit’sfacilities require a high degree of technical expertise and close attention

to detail, and Jacobsen’s prior experience with Merit made it the bestcandidate for the job.

“They have a very dynamic business,” Hronek says. “Some of the thingsthey’re manufacturing are right on the cutting edge of technology.”

Because Merit’s work is constantly evolving and improving, changesneed to be made to the project’s plans all the time, and Jacobsen’s priorexperience meant it knew exactly what to expect. “That may be one ofthe main reasons they selected us, because you have to be ready tochange 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 com-pany have given it a strong advantage in the marketplace. “Our primarypurpose is to deploy our human and financial resources as a highly

The Handshake DealJACOBSEN CONSTRUCTION SAYS ITS STRONG RELATIONSHIP HAS LED TO STEADY WORK. BY CHRIS PETERSEN

Jacobsen says it valuesthe relationships it haswith its many clients.

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responsive, competitive general contractor,”the company explains. Jacobsen strives to pro-vide “timely and exceptional preconstruction,construction, construction management anddesign/build services to honorable and finan-cially sound clients, in ways which bothfavorably differentiate us from our competi-tors and also produce a reasonable profit.”

Daunting TaskThe project involves a 240,000-square-footexpansion of Merit’s existing facility as well asconstruction of a new 742-stall parking facili-ty. “The production facility is a three-storybuilding, one story being completely under-ground,” Hronek says.

Because of the nature of the building,Jacobsen has had to work within some veryexacting standards on the Merit project. Forexample, because the facility must have strictvibration tolerances to avoid damage to itsequipment caused by earthquakes, the firstfloor has to incorporate a concrete pad systemto dampen vibrations.

Not only was the amount of excavation nec-essary for the underground level “massive,”according to Hronek, but Jacobsen needed to

accommodate the building’s equipment in thefoundation. “Because of the type of equipmentthat’s going into the building, there’s a signifi-cant amount of underground ducting that willbe installed,” he says.

Besides accommodating the highly techni-cal nature of the work to be done inside thefacility once it is completed, Merit wanted itsnewly expanded facility to meet LEED Silverspecifications. “That’s a very challenging thingto do, given the fact that it is a productionbuilding,” Hronek says.

Meeting DeadlinesAside from the project’s demanding require-ments, Jacobsen encountered other challengesfrom outside the job site, as well. Hronek sayswork on the parking structure began inSeptember 2010, meaning crews were pouringconcrete straight through the winter months. Ittook a lot of effort and scheduling prowess topush the work through while contending withthe wind, cold and snow, he adds.

Also, the project is located close to a residen-tial neighborhood, meaning the company hadto be respectful of residents and try to disrupttheir lives as little as possible. Hronek says thecompany held regular meetings with the com-munity to understand their concerns about theproject’s impact on their everyday lives. Thesemeetings led to adjustments to the projectsuch as routing trucks through the neighbor-hood during daylight hours, when theywouldn’t bother residents.

As it stands, Hronek says the project appearsto be on track to meet its intended completiondate in December 2012.

“We are currently on schedule right now,and we don’t really see any reason why wecouldn’t finish on time,” he says.

Jacobsen Construction – MeritMedical Production Buildingwww.jacobsenconstruction.com• Project cost: $38 million• Location: New Jordan, Utah• Employees on site: 250• Scope: Production facility expansion“In this economy that we’re in,we’re just really grateful thatthe relationship with Merit wasintact.” –Doug Hronek, project executive


LAST LOOKgg

AT THE CORE

GHA Design Studios gp.40

GHA Design Studios’ recentwork includes the renovation

of CORE, a multistory shopping center in downtown

Calgary for 20 VicManagement Inc. GHA acted

as retail consultants on theproject designed by MMC

International Architects.Its new features include askylight that needed to be

constructed over its old roof.

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construction today

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