Thanks to a $13-million gift from The Otis Booth Foundation, the Natural History Museum (NHM) of Los Angeles County is going forward with a light-filled, three-story entrance pavilion, as designed by Los Angeles-based CO Architects. The new, glass-walled Otis Booth Pavilion will prominently exhibit one of the museum�s signature holdings, a 63-ft-long fin whale skeleton, and will serve as a beacon to greet visitors and Los Angeles denizens alike. �The goal of the Otis Booth Pavilion design is for the north face of the Natural History Museum to be as transparent as possible to visually offer the Museum�s collections to
Construction firms are facing increasing pressure in December as nearly every material used by contractors rose in price, while bid prices for new buildings remained flat, according to an analysis of December producer price index figures released last week by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials warn that the price squeeze on contractors is likely to intensify in 2011 as global demand for construction materials grows and domestic demand for construction services remains weak. �Bad though these numbers are, there is worse to come,� says Ken Simonson, the association�s chief economist, noting that since the data was compiled,
Boston-based Suffolk Construction Co. acquired ROEL Construction of San Diego and Irvine for an undisclosed price. Wayne Hickey, CEO of ROEL, will be the CEO of the new entity, according to spokeswoman Carolyn Spicer, who adds that Suffolk plans to engage in some market research first to determine the �ROEL� name identity in the region. ROEL is a 90-year-old family-owned general contracting firm. Suffolk also has an Irvine office, but Spicer says it has not yet been determined if the offices would combine. �ROEL is a major player on the West Coast, so we see this as a tremendous growth
In 2007, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) set in motion strict off-road diesel emissions rules that could have had long-range impact on contractors and equipment suppliers. When the recession hit the state particularly hard, the CARB rules, based data that was questioned from the outset, seemed unfair and costly. Officials estimated the equipment replacements and upgrades would cost billions of dollars. Enter Michael Kennedy, the Associated General Contractors of America’s general counsel. In a two-year journey filled with sometimes contentious board and private meetings, Kennedy took the industry’s lead in addressing the issue and negotiating a compromise, which occurred
Despite some heavy recent opposition, including a court-ordered temporary restraining order, California�s Department of Transportation and the San Francisco County Transportation Authority have awarded a public-private partnership contract to their selected bidder for the second phase of the $1-billion Doyle Drive replacement project, known as Presidio Parkway, in San Francisco. The agreement was announced hours after an Alameda County Superior Court judge dissolved the TRO, which was requested by the state engineers union, Professional Engineers in California Government (PECG), and granted Dec. 22. But Judge Wynne Carvill says he will announce a request for a preliminary injunction and a hearing
McCarthy Building Cos. Inc. recently completed construction of Soka University of America�s new Performing Arts Center and Academic Building project, located on 1.9 acres of the Soka University campus in Aliso Viejo. The new Performing Arts Center is designated to become a venue in South Orange County for concerts, theater productions, lectures and assemblies, enhancing Soka University�s role as a cultural center and community gathering place. McCarthy served as general contractor for the $73 million project that began in December 2008. It was designed by Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects LLP of Los Angeles. The project included construction of a three-level,
Contributing to San Francisco�s efforts to increase housing development and business activity in city neighborhoods, Martin Building Co., Citi Community Capital and the AFL-CIO Housing Investment Trust (HIT) have announced financing for the $80.4-million Potrero Launch residences project in the Central Waterfront area at 2235 Third Street. The union-built development will produce 196 rental units, create 200 union construction jobs a year for two years, and provide affordable housing, child care and commercial development. �Potrero Launch will be a key catalyst for economic development and revitalization at a time when new construction in San Francisco has come to a virtual
While the federal government continues to tangle with Congress over a climate change law, the California Air Resources Board recently went ahead and endorsed its own cap-and-trade regulation. The regulation was a major component in AB 32, California�s climate change law signed by Governor Schwarzenegger in 2006. The regulation sets a statewide limit on the emissions from sources responsible for 80% of California�s greenhouse gas emissions and establishes a price signal needed to drive long-term investment in cleaner fuels and more efficient use of energy, according to CARB. It is also designed to provide covered entities the flexibility to seek
The California Natural Resources Agency, U.S. Dept. of the Interior and four other agencies recently released the Bay Delta Conservation Plan, calling for construction of a $13-billion tunnel to bring water from northern California to the Central Valley. The multi-agency study looked at alternatives to the 100-year-old delta levee system that would preserve water shipments to the southern part of the state without damaging the delta ecosystem and killing fish. Studies point to the intake pumps in the San Francisco Bay Area as a primary source of large-scale fish mortality in the region. �The current infrastructure and operational approach for
Wood Partners LLC is entering the Los Angeles market with its first new luxury apartment community named Alta Hollywood, which is opened its third and final building earlier this month. One block east of the Hollywood and Highland Center, Alta Hollywood is located in the heart of the Hollywood entertainment district at 1714 N. McCadden Place. The 218-unit multifamily development is designed with hip and classy flair coupled with eco-friendly services and packed with high-end amenities commensurate with its Hollywood locale, according to Wood Partners. The general contractor on the project was Wood Partners West Builders and the architect was
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