Work began in July on the $320-million Sutter Medical Center, a 230,000-sq-ft facility replacing Castro Valley’s Eden Medical Center – yet another casualty of the state’s rigorous earthquake codes. Related Links: Healthcare Construction 2010 VA Hospital Rises in Palo Alto Huntington Hospital Doubles Emergency Facility Financed entirely without public dollars, the project is one of the first healthcare developments in California to utilize both a phased permitting process by the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development and an integrated project delivery team system. An IPD system differs from standard design/bid/build or design-build systems in that the major players –
In the San Francisco Bay area, the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System is planning for a $26-million, 76,000-sq-ft, 80-bed Inpatient Mental Health Center that will replace an aging facility that doesn’t stand up to current seismic code. The Design Partnership is the architect on the VA project in Palo Alto. Related Links: Healthcare Construction 2010 Sutter Replaces East Bay Med Center Huntington Hospital Doubles Emergency Facility The center will be a locked facility, with patients housed in secured quarters. “Our first challenge is to make the center a healing environment, as humane and appropriate for VA patients as
Hanging more than 200 ft over a jobsite in downtown Kansas City, Mo., James Hague doesn’t seem to notice the tiny people and equipment below his feet. The senior technician is intently fiddling with a dial gauge that measures the amount of play in a crane turntable—the giant gear that rotates the jib. “A bearing could go bad,” says Hague, suspended from a full-body harness. “And that’s something we want to know before the top falls off.” Slide Show Photo: Tudor Van Hampton Although this vertigo-inducing procedure is not required by law for a routine inspection, it is standard practice
An industrial warehouse was transformed into a modern mail delivery facility in less than a year thanks to some early planning and preparation. Related Links: Best of California 2009 The U.S. Postal Service Perris Delivery Distribution Center Build Out is a $13.4-million renovation and new construction of a 231,382-sq-ft industrial building. The project includes an office, workroom and more than 200,000-sq-ft of work area for mail distribution machinery. The project required the complete renovation and construction of all mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems, including security and data and communication systems. During the project, value engineering was used to make the
The project team behind United Oil #3 in Baldwin Hills showed that a gas station can be more than a simple box shape and be aesthetically pleasing. Related Links: Best of California 2009 United Oil #3 is a custom-designed and built gas station that features mostly glazier work. The storefront for the gas station is comprised solely of 3/4-in tempered glass and reaches 16 ft high. A 25-ft tall glass tower drops through the middle of the roof. The tower was created using Bendheims Linit channel glass wall system out of Germany. The tower, shaped as an ellipse and raked
The $105-million brain tumor research building is one of the largest and most comprehensive centers in the nation. The new building contains two interlocking L-shaped wings -- one containing labs, the other containing offices -- that will foster interaction and collaboration among the more than 400 cancer researchers. Related Links: Best of California 2009 Due to its close proximity to the light rail line on Third Street, the building was constructed out of cast in place concrete in lieu of steel due to the research being done inside. This was to reduce the vibration and meet the standards required by
With its diverse mix of attractions, food, entertainment, lounge areas, pub and bookstore, the new, $38-million University Center at the University of the Pacific is an ideal meeting space for student life organizations, alumni, faculty, administration and the Stockton community. The spaces inside and outside the building were designed with input from the students and university community. Related Links: Best of California 2009 The conceptual approach for the building was to establish a sense of place that draws meaning and design intent from the surrounding environments that foster interaction, abundance and growth. The project team was made up of stakeholders
This $19.7-million Caltrans project creates a new concrete barrier within the median and a resurfaced freeway on one of the most traveled and worst areas of freeway in California. It is located on Highway 80 in Solano and Napa counties in and near Vallejo, from east of the Tennessee Street overcrossing to American Canyon. Related Links: Best of California 2009 The scope of work involved a median freeway widening and repave with asphalt. The project team also replaced the existing thrie-beam guardrail with a new concrete median barrier, installed all new median drainage, built three retaining walls totaling approximately 2,200
The $125 million Ed Kado-designed, 25-story Bank of the West Tower at Capitol Mall in downtown Sacramento provides 433,000 sq ft of Class A office space with panoramic views of the Sierras, the Sacramento River, Sacramento’s skyline and the Capitol Rotunda. At 396 ft, the building is the third tallest in the city. Related Links: Best of California 2009 Developed by Tsakopoulos Investments, the building offers on-site building management, 24-hour security, a fitness center with showers and locker facilities, cable-ready access, legislative audio access, an overnight express center, a planned restaurant and an 800-stall parking garage. The city of Sacramento
This innovative classroom building in El Cerrito is one of the greenest learning spaces in Northern California, saving energy and providing a high performance and healthy learning environment for its K-8 student population. This new 14,000-sq-ft addition provides seven classrooms, a library and lobby for an adjacent gymnasium. Related Links: Best of California 2009 The design of the classroom building fulfills Windrush School’s commitment to its students, educators and community to provide a building that makes living green a tangible lesson of sustainability. It is 97% more energy-efficient and prevents the release of 38 metric tons of CO2 emissions annually