The design-build team of Pinner Construction Co. and gkkworks recently started work on the Los Angeles Unified School District’s first design-build project in its 51-year history. Photo courtesy of Pinner/gkkworks Demolition work at Dorsey High. Image courtesy of gkkworks gkkworks' vision of the Dorsey High School redevelopment The $28-million Dorsey High School redevelopment project also received an unprecedented quick approval by the Division of the State Architect. After submitting the construction documents, Pinner, Anaheim, and gkkworks, Pasadena, got an OK after just seven months. “Normally, it takes nine to 12 months to get these projects approved,” said gkkworks principal Vincent
The Sacramento City Council voted 7-2 to approve the Sacramento Kings arena financing plan term sheet recently hammered out by Mayor Kevin Johnson, the owners (the Maloof family) and the National Basketball Association, paving the way for construction to possibly begin this year. Photo courtesy of AEG Financing has been approved for the Railyards arena project. According to the city council, the term sheet provides a framework for how the city will develop the $391-million Entertainment and Sports Complex at the Railyards site in conjunction with the Sacramento Kings, Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) and the ICON-Taylor group. The city will
Ground breaking took place this week on a $350-million mixed-use development along one of Santa Monica’s main business, tourist and local hangout streets. Rendering courtesy of Moore Ruble Yudell The Village at Santa Monica Besides mixed-use, Related California’s The Village at Santa Monica project will also be mixed-income with a mix of 318 luxury condominiums and affordable rental apartments, 20,000 sq ft of retail and restaurants, and walkable plazas and gardens.The Village is the first major residential development to be built on highly prized Ocean Avenue in two decades and will offer Pacific Ocean views stretching from Palos Verdes to
The National Park Service has selected Atkins, the UK-based engineering consultancy, as construction manager and AMEC Earth & Environmental, Oakland, as general contractor for a $3.6-million structural repair project on Alcatraz Island. Photo courtesy of the National Park Service Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay This project is one of 10 projects outlined in the multiyear Alcatraz Island Historic Preservation and Safety Construction Program, developed in 2001 to seismically upgrade and restore important structures on the island.Atkins, which has eight offices in California, said the project involves numerous structures, including the infamous Building #68, the cellhouse for “difficult-to-manage prisoners” from
The American Council of Engineering Cos. of California unveiled the 2011 winners of its annual Engineering Excellence Awards, recognizing the best designed engineering projects of the year. Projects from 19 communities throughout the state, as well as two projects outside the state and designed by California-based companies, were recognized this year.This year’s Grand Prize, the “Golden State Award,” is awarded to AECOM and Corgan Associates, in association with Fentress Architects, for their work on the Sacramento International Airport's Big Build. Last year’s Golden State Award winner, T.Y. Lin International, which won in 2010 for its work on the East Tie In Structure temporary detour
For Anaheim-based design-assist specialty contractor KHS&S, achieving the benefits of integrated project delivery requires technology to give design and construction teams access to project data integrated across the software used by members of the team in real time, all the time. photo COURTESY OF KHS&S/SCENARIO IPD 3D Through Scenarios interface, design-build team members can access live project data, manage 3D models at the object level and identify clashes. PHOTO COURTESY OF KHS&S A Scenario project under way. KHS&S's answer is Scenario VPD, a virtual project delivery collaboration software and system. KHS&S partnered with Scenario, a software developer, in 2008 to
The new $438-million Central Utility Plant at Los Angeles International Airport was recently topped out and is currently on schedule to be completed by summer 2014. Rendering courtesy of LAX A rendering of the new Central Utility Plant at LAX The design-build project is being built by Clark/McCarthy, A Joint Venture. Gruen Associates of Los Angeles is the architect and Arup of Los Angeles is the mechanical, electrical, plumbing, structural and commissioning engineer. Additional project partners include Capital Engineering Consultants, Rancho Cordova, mechanical consultant; Greenform, Los Angeles, sustainability consultant; and PID Engineering, San Diego, cogeneration consultant.According to the JV, in
ENR California wants to take this opportunity to thank the audience participants at last month’s Best Projects event at the Mission Bay Conference Center at the University of California, San Francisco. With the geographic scope widening last year to the Northwest, Alaska and Hawaii, the audience included AEC professionals from Oregon, Washington and Honolulu.There were 15 Best Projects in 2011 and 19 Awards of Merit.Photographer Tustin Ellison (www.tustinpix.com) captured some of the winners with their awards, so take a moment to see who attended to support their winning projects. See you in December!
Engineering News-Record has announced the winners of its fourth annual Best of the Best Projects Awards, a national competition that recognizes design and construction excellence based on regional winners of ENR's seven regional publications’ Best Projects 2011 Awards. Winners will be profiled in the Feb. 13 issue of ENR. “One of the judges called me personally to tell me how impressed he was with the entries,” said Janice L. Tuchman, ENR editor-in- chief. “I was delighted to tell him that I agree completely. We are proud to showcase such fine work.”Out of 119 regional Best Projects winners, an independent jury