LPA Inc. Named ENR California's Design Firm of the Year 2012
LPA also recently completed an interior renovation at the new offices of Southland Industries, a mechanical-engineering firm in Garden Grove. Remodeled to achieve a LEED-Gold rating, the 36,000-sq-ft building now includes displacement ventilation, chilled beams, fan-powered induction units and an energy-efficient central plant.
Southland CEO Ted Lynch says the large open space is a "day and night" change from the former configuration. He praises LPA's "collaborating" efforts in the design and construction phases.
Next up for the firm are two new clients: the Newport Harbor Nautical Museum's ExplorOcean exhibit in the historic Balboa Fun Zone and The Academy, a charter high school for at-risk and foster children. The project owner is the Orangewood Children's Foundation in Orange Grove.
Museum and School
ExplorOcean will replace an aging, modest harbor museum with entertainment and educational attractions such as a 4D theater, interactive displays and a pedestrian-friendly pavilion.
The project also will have green features, including a 12,000-sq-ft rooftop solar array. Teaming with LPA on the project, which is expected to open in 2015, are The Hettema Group, a Pasadena design and master-planning firm, and Questar Construction, a Newport Beach general contractor. "This is a great job for us," says Heinfeld. "It will definitely re-energize the area."
The Orangewood Children's Foundation project, to be located in Santa Ana, will provide residential space for 80 foster teens and a day school for an additional 240 foster and underserved youth. The foundation is raising funds to construct the project, which is expected to be completed by the fall of 2015.
