The project team building the Fourth District Court of Appeal overcame a funding freeze from the state of California to build a well-regarded project in downtown Santa Ana.
The $25.6-million courthouse was built to unify two separate court buildings and provide additional court services within its three stories.
The project team – Heery International and Carrier Johnson + CULTURE – used a number of devices to eliminate problems before they occurred. Chief among these was the use of BIM. All spaces above the ceilings were modeled three dimensionally for the coordination of all MEP trades; as a result, there were few conflicts between the trades.
The project was constructed using the CM-at-Risk method. The CM was brought on to the project before the completion of schematic design and provided input on schedule, materials, cost, constructability, and life cycle costs throughout the remainder of design.
Perhaps the biggest challenge the project experienced was when the state of California was unable to finance the project and suspended work for a month. When work restarted, subcontractors had to remobilize staff and the project needed to be extended for seven weeks to accommodate the one-month suspension and three weeks for the remobilization.
Project Team
Owner: The Administrative Office of Courts, Santa AnaGeneral Contractor: Heery International, Los Angeles
Architect: Carrier Johnson + CULTURE, San Diego
Civil Engineer: Penco Engineering, Irvine
Structural Engineer: RSSE Structural Engineers, Inc., Foothill Ranch
