California�s Department of Transportation is scrambling to blunt two recent negative reactions to its plan to use a public-private partnership in the second phase of the $1-billion Doyle Drive replacement project, known as Presidio Parkway, in San Francisco. Caltrans Tries to Head Off Opposition to the Presidio Parkway P3 Phase Earlier this month, in a report issued by the Legislative Analyst�s Office, analyst Mac Taylor concluded that the project is not a �good fit� for a P3, while last week the Professional Engineers in California Government (PECG) was granted a temporary restraining order from an Alameda County superior court judge
The California Air Resources Board made it official last week during its two-day monthly meeting in Sacramento: It approved a four-year reprieve for its off-road diesel emissions rule, admitting that the down economy and flawed science contributed to unrealistic data. �The Board�s decision to approve the revised off-road diesel emissions rules gives hope to thousands of construction workers fearful for their job security while safeguarding California's air quality,� says Michael Kennedy, general counsel of the Associated General Contractors of America and a lead advocate for the negotiated emissions rule change. �Board members have demonstrated real wisdom and courage in acknowledging
The Contracting Plastering Associations of Central Valley and Northern California (East Bay, Fresno, Sacramento, San Francisco and South Bay), along with the Capitol Drywall/Lathing Contractors Association (CDLCA) and the Northern California Drywall Contractors Association (NCDCA) recently formed, and will operate under, the Wall And Ceiling Alliance (WACA). Board of Directors Chosen for New Wall And Ceiling Alliance The Wall And Ceiling Alliance�s strategic partnership was created to give its member associations a stronger presence in the plaster and drywall industry in Northern California. The boards of directors from each association recently came together to elect an executive board for the
The Emeryville Center for the Arts announced the selection of Jensen Architects to design its new art center. Founded in November 2009, the ECA is conceived of as a new model of visual and performing arts center, a gathering place for aesthetic, intellectual and educational experiences through participation in and appreciation of contemporary visual and performing arts. Jensen Architects was one of six architecture firms vying for the coveted job of renovating the ECA building on 4060 Hollis Street. After an eight-week design process, the architectural firms presented to a five-person jury that included Allison Williams, design principal at Perkins+Will;
Jamboree Housing Corp. recently broke ground in Claremont for Courier Place Apartment Homes, an affordably priced, transit-oriented development that will also be a LEED platinum-certified community. Lauded by Sean Rogan, executive director of the Community Development Commission of Los Angeles County as an example of the type of innovative affordable housing the Commission is promoting throughout Los Angeles County, Courier Place received $2.75 million in funding from LACDC as well as $4.91 million from the city of Claremont, which is located 30 mi east of downtown Los Angeles. Courier Place is being developed within Claremont�s Village Expansion on a 3.4-acre
Doing its part to get the Southern California economy moving, the Orange County Transportation Authority reports that it has advanced more than $525 million worth of projects into construction this year. Construction crews from Brutoco Engineering & Construction work to add a new 6-mi eastbound lane addition on the SR-91, one of the busiest stretches of highway in the nation. For every $1 billion spent on infrastructure improvements, it is estimated that 18,000 jobs are created. In Orange County, the investment translates into nearly 9,500 jobs for a region hit hard by the economic recession, OCTA says. �Our goal is
The holidays will come early for the Bay Bridge as the third set of tower sections for the iconic Self-Anchored Suspension Span (SAS) are placed during a round-the-clock lift that began this week. These sections will bring the tower up to nearly three-quarters of its final 525-ft-tall height. The latest set of four tower sections arrived in the Bay Area on Dec. 13. The tower is made up of four independent legs, each of which is composed of five vertical sections. The third set of tower sections will bring the tower up to 374 ft tall, just shy of the
To get ready for the season of giving, DPR Construction in San Diego recently completed the build-out of several large toy storage bins for the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots annual toy collection. Toys for Tots toy storage bin construction team from left to right: Major Donald C. Prograis, 4th Tank Battalion Supply Officer, Toys for Tots Coordinator, San Diego; and DPR team members Sterling Martin, Catherine Schwartzer, Dave Murphy, Jim Meyer (DPR retired), Laura Hale, Rob Livesay, Joe Beeson, Ronnie Morris and Brett Thompson. For 15 years, DPR Construction has supported the organization, which makes the holiday
Three design finalists for the $1-billion football stadium and events center adjacent to the Los Angeles Convention Center were announced recently by the project developer, AEG, and project manager, ICON Venue Group. Gensler�s stadium design HKS� design for the new stadium Photo credit: Rendering courtesy of HNTB HNTB�s design The finalists include Gensler, HKS Sports and Entertainment Group and HNTB. The winning architect will be announced in January. The proposed project begins with construction of a new West Hall, which would be completed before demolition of current West Hall at the convention center so convention bookings would not be interrupted.
The group headed by the National Transportation Safety Board investigating the Sept. 9 natural gas pipeline rupture and explosion that killed eight people in San Bruno released an interim report that ruled out outside corrosion and damage caused by a third party as the cause for the blast, but found that part of the pipe near the rupture was constructed with seam-welded pipe, which owner Pacific Gas & Electric reported as seamless. Photo: NTSB NTSB investigator examines welds on a pipeline section recovered from the San Bruno explosion. The group, chaired by the NTSB, includes technical experts from the Pipeline