399 Fremont
San Francisco
Award of Merit

Owner UDR Inc.
Contractor Swinerton Builders
Lead Designer Solomon Cordwell Buenz
Structural Engineer Magnusson Klemencic Associates
Civil Engineer Langan Treadwell Rollo
MEP Engineer CB Engineers
Subcontractors Broadway Mechanical Contractors Inc.; J.W. McLenahan Co.; Yuanda USA Corp.; California Solar Thermal Inc.

Despite a force majeure port slowdown hampering the procurement of a Chinese curtain wall, German cabinets and Italian window-washing equipment, San Francisco’s 399 Fremont finished nearly two months early. The project team for the 42-story residential tower overlooking the Bay Bridge overcame these challenges by listing schedule issues at each meeting and involving subcontractors in the resolution process. Construction completed a little more than two years after breaking ground in January 2014.

Located on San Francisco’s Rincon Hill, the luxurious glass-and-aluminum tower featuring 452 high-end rental units also includes a rooftop lounge, library, conference rooms, swimming pool, spa, fitness center, dog park and outdoor terrace. The $195-million project was built by a team comprising firms from three continents. Senior managers bridged the cultural divide by working with local third-party consultants and traveling to China several times.

With the rooftop system, the world’s tallest solar water-heating installation reduces hot-water heating energy by 30%. The project team partnered with the MEP engineer to design a skinny-split heat-pump system that limits greenhouse-gas emissions and allows for more spacious units.

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