Value Through Innovation

By Russ J. Stacey

The résumé for Webcor Builders reads like a "what's where" in the state of California. Some of the notable structures dotting the landscape that Webcor has built include Oracle World Headquarters, the Letterman Digital Arts Center (the first private development in a national park), California Academy of Sciences, Millennium Tower (the tallest concrete structure in San Francisco), San Francisco's St. Regis Hotel, the W San Diego and the Californian on Wilshire in Los Angeles. But it is a current undertaking in Oakland nearing completion that has proven to be a most challenging - and rewarding - venture for Project Director Todd Mercer and his team.

The soaring Cathedral of Christ the Light consists of a one-of-a-kind sanctuary for 1,500 worshipers. (Photo by Bob Morris Photography)

Covering two square blocks on the shore of Lake Merritt, the Cathedral of Christ the Light is a showcase of stunning architectural features and ambitious technology. The cathedral's unique, oval-shaped edifice has been engineered to last for three centuries and to withstand the force of a 1,000-year earthquake. The project includes a distinctive, 1,500-person sanctuary, a mausoleum, conference and residential facilities, office and retail spaces and a subterranean parking garage.

Over 60,000 tons of concrete were poured to create the project, but it isn't the enormous volume that injects Todd's voice and demeanor with pride. "The complex geometrical shapes formed with the concrete are unique and challenging. To create them, we used self-consolidating concrete - something that we had limited experience with on such a large and complex scale. We had to figure out how to use it, how to incorporate it into the project and how to navigate several roadblocks. The result is some of the highest quality and most complicated exposed architectural concrete in the region." For its work on Cathedral of Christ the Light, Webcor was awarded the 2007 American Concrete Institute (ACI) Award for Architectural Concrete for Northern California.

Built to last for centuries, the cathedral's unique, oval-shaped edifice has been engineered to withstand a 1,000-year earthquake. (Photo by Bob Morris Photography)

The cathedral's exterior is covered by 1,028 panes of fritted, transparent glass. (Photo by Bob Morris Photography)

One might think that with that much concrete, the building would look like a fortress. However, much of that concrete has been used to form a curving base for the soaring and luminous sanctuary that sits atop. This inspired space is covered by 1,028 panes of fritted, transparent glass and topped by an oval-shaped oculus roof over 100 feet high. The cathedral's signature roof and ceiling required a unique "top down" erection sequence with a shoring tower used to support the roof before the installation of the permanent support structure. "We were even able to utilize standard scaffolding," Todd explains. The permanent support structure is as unique as the roof and consists of 26 curving glue-laminated ribs made from Douglas fir and 26 straight fir mullions, which had to be painstakingly put into place.

After breaking ground in 2005, the magnitude of the mission is sinking in as they wind down the project to its completion. "What makes it really monumental is the fact that it's going to be here for a very long time and that it's a community building. I've left a part of me in it," Todd says. "I truly believe that there isn't anybody that could have completed this project at this level of quality, in this timeframe and for the same cost that we did. Webcor's expertise in structural and architectural concrete was critical in achieving the desired design aesthetic and award-winning quality that parishioners and community members will be able to enjoy for centuries to come."

Webcor's expertise in structural and architectural concrete was critical in achieving award- winning quality within a tight budget. (Photo by Bob Morris Photography)

The unique tension-supported structure called for the erection of the roof prior to the supporting structure. (Photo by Bob Morris Photography)

Founded in 1971, Webcor is currently ranked as the largest commercial construction firm in California by volume and is consistently ranked among ENR's top 30 general contractors in the nation. The firm, with over $2.4 billion in open contracts currently in place, has built a reputation for cost-saving collaboration with its clients and its forward embrace of technology. With over 50 million square feet of results, Webcor's experience includes commercial office buildings, high-tech corporate campuses, high-density residential projects, parking structures, luxury hotels, cultural facilities and many renovation and restoration projects as well.

Though Webcor has grown exponentially over the years, Todd's passion reflects the company philosophy. "We become builders because part of us wants to know how things work and how things go together and then be involved in the building. Part of it is we want to be able to point and say, 'Look what I worked on. Look what I was a part of.'"

Working extensively with the client and design team during preconstruction, Webcor helped reduce the initial project estimate by $40 million. (Photo by Bob Morris Photography)

Whether constructing sustainable, cost-effective solutions for a modest-sized arts organization or erecting a skyscraper for a mammoth corporation, each project for Webcor presents its own cadre of interesting hurdles to dissect, overcome and learn from. Or, as Todd put it, "They all have a different spin to them, but each is special for different reasons."

Webcor's corporate headquarters is located at 951 Mariners Island Blvd., 7th floor, San Mateo, CA 94404. Call (650) 349-2727 or visit webcor.com for more information and for their other locations.

By Russ J. Stacey

Graphic Reproduction's roots go back to 1959 when founder and owner Walt Walker started the company. Now a fixture throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, Walker and his team still pride themselves on a cornerstone of their success: delivering what customers need, when they need it. "Recently we had a customer come in on a late Saturday afternoon," he says. "An architect brought in a job en route to his 52nd wedding anniversary. We delivered his job at 8:00 the next morning. We do live up to our word that we're there whenever you need us."

In the middle of the night, on weekends, during holidays - meeting customer deadlines is serious business. "We're committed to having each printing phase of a construction project done on time," adds sales manager Bret Foster. "That's always been our focus, and the equipment and technology that we've invested in supports that commitment."

Walter Walker, founder and president, and Bret Foster, sales manager (Photo by Bob Morris Photography)

The company, with three locations, offers a robust variety of reprographic services for the engineering, design, architectural and construction professions - from CAD plotting, document scanning and binding and finishing services to 3-D printer model making. Foster also emphasizes their comprehensive online plan room and document management service. "We can keep construction drawings and documents in an organized system. It's in a digital format, easy to access, easy to customize and password secured. For more elaborate benefits, the online plan room offers what Foster calls a "cradle to grave building concept." Uploaded files can be taken from the conception of a building project to completion. For instance, drawings and specs can be converted to an OCR format to create smart documents, which can be quickly imported and indexed into the system. All project documents can be stored in the system, including project schedules, bid instructions, punch lists, warranties, contracts, RFIs, MSDS, construction site photos and manuals. Contractors can easily perform their takeoffs electronically. Plus all documents are tracked using a Version Control System, which always knows which document is current. A large construction project currently underway in the plan room is the 1,000+ Clark Construction drawings for the John Muir Hospital expansion in Walnut Creek.

Angela Hordoan of the Color Department checking the color balance on a print. (Photo by Bob Morris Photography)

Graphic Reproduction's Hewlett-Packard 9000 - 62-inch-wide outdoor vinyl printer. (Photo by Bob Morris Photography)

Newly acquired copier technologies like the Konica Minolta 1050 allow Graphic Reproduction to run 12x18 paper stock, which few copiers can do. The advantage it has over standard 11x17 sheet-fed copiers is that the extra inch allows for documents that are typically bound on the left side to be viewed much easier.

For speed, the KIP 9000 series wide-format plotter produces 1,200 prints an hour to produce construction bid sets. With its image-enhancement technology, plotting drawings at 600 dpi renders superior quality line and screened information, smoothing out curved lines to eradicate annoying, choppy, half-dots.

Meeting the customers' quality expectation and deadline is job No. 1 (Photo by Bob Morris Photography)

And Graphic Reproduction does its part to be green. "We are able to run copies of half-size drawings two-sided, translating to a 50% paper reduction in putting out construction bid documents," Walker says. The company offers wide-format recycled paper, and their eight large-format plotters, the KIP 7000 and 8000 series, are Energy Star-rated as well as being the only 100% toner-efficient machines in their class, meaning there is no toner waste.

Always looking to the future, Graphic Reproduction was the first reprographic service in Northern California to introduce - and is still the only one to possess - a 3-D model-making printer. An invaluable tool for developers, planners, architects and builders, it produces three-dimensional models of a building project, whether in the conceptual phase or during construction.

Front row: Reprographic consultant Rouzbeh Pouroushas; Oakland branch manager David Bethea; sales manager Bret Foster. Back row: S.F. branch manager Bobby Tang; customer service Chris Harman; account representative Vicki Hess; president Walt Walker (Photo by Bob Morris Photography)

For customers who can't or choose not to make a large investment in copy or plotting equipment, Graphic Reproduction offers on-site facilities management services. They can install wide-format copiers, and either train the customer on how to operate the equipment or have one of their technicians do it. "The advantage is the customer doesn't have a huge capital outlay on a piece of equipment that'll be outdated in a year or two," says Oakland branch manager Dave Bethea.

Graphic Reproduction has 34 vehicles to deliver their many services. "The largest dispatch fleet for pickup and delivery," Foster says. "We service the entire Bay Area, plus Sacramento, Stockton, Santa Rosa and San Jose. We use an automated GPS system for monitoring pickups and deliveries that also improves response-time efficiency. We have a sophisticated job order tracking system for scheduling and tracking orders while in production."

Front row: Concord office production facility (Photo by Bob Morris Photography)

"Plus we have a lot more equipment, so the job order turnaround time on larger projects is much quicker compared to other shops," Bethea says. "And we have the expertise."

Graphic Reproduction has three locations: 1381 Franquette Ave., Bldg B1, in Concord; 496 Natoma St. in San Francisco; and 2327 Union St. in Oakland. Call their Concord location at (925) 674-0900 or visit graphic4u.com for more information.

Looking for new offices or other facilities for your business? Whether your need is for expansion or you are looking for your first space, sublease facilities are and always have been a viable option. Sublease space represents facilities offered by other businesses that, for a variety of reasons, find such space in excess of their current needs.

Typically, technology companies find they have overestimated their space needs because anticipated expansion did not occur, or any of a hundred possible economic or business calculations simply did not materialize. They find themselves locked into excess leased space they don't need that represents an often expensive drain on resources.

For both overall space available and for the subcategory of sublease space, Silicon Valley is no different than any other market - perhaps just more so. Availability is a constantly changing picture, subject to economic shifts and the realities and perceptions of those businesses needing and supplying commercial real estate space.

Our data indicates that for the last five years, the amount of sublease space on the market has varied from a high of 44% of total space - the situation in 2002 during a time of corporate downsizing, buyouts and general consolidation - to a current low of 21%, reflecting economic expansion and buoyant expectations.

Because of the obvious pressure on businesses needing to sublease excess space, such facilities generally provide very competitive rates and sometimes unusual opportunities and therefore should not be overlooked. At the same time, subleases do require careful attention to the details and documents used, to be sure you get what you expected.

Unlike direct-lease transactions of a lessor and lessee, a sublease involves three parties: the master landlord, the lessor and the sublessor. All parties have their own competitive interests in the sublease negotiations. As brokers representing the tenant, we always recommend that our client engage the services of an attorney to review the master lease and sublease documents to assure their own interests and needs are met.

As brokers having negotiated numerous subleases, we have found that several issues consistently surface during discussions that should be reviewed carefully by the tenant. First is to thoroughly review and understand the master lease, which will continue to rule your occupancy. It may be, for example, you who were verbally assured the lease expiration date was fi ve years hence, when in fact the lease says three years. There may be restrictions on use of the building, which would impact your intended business use. If you later find out about these potential limitations, which are locked into the master lease and cannot easily be changed, any bargain may be problematic.

In reviewing the master lease, you should be alert to several other typical issues. For example, in case of default, make sure the lessor cannot terminate the lease so long as you continue to pay the rent to the lessor. You will want to be sure that as a sublessee you have the right to sublease your space should your own situation change. Finally, you will want to be sure that when you surrender the premises at the end of your sublease, you are clear about your responsibility of returning the space to its original condition.

These cautionary notes notwithstanding, as you begin exploring the market with your broker, the inclusion of subleased space could present some intriguing opportunities.

By Robia S. Chang and Carolyn Nelson Rowan

Communities are increasingly using an approach known as "low-impact development" (LID) to control storm water pollution. Instead of making large investments in complex and costly engineering strategies for municipality-wide storm water management, LID manages storm water through lot-level design strategies that mimic natural hydrology and processes. LID is customized by development and implemented on site by developers. LID addresses runoff close to the source, for example, by disconnecting roofs and paved areas from traditional drainage infrastructure and directing runoff to natural areas such as vegetated open spaces, which look like landscaped areas but are actually engineered systems that use plants and soil to trap and treat various contaminants. Other common LID practices include rooftop gardens, tree planter boxes and the use of permeable pavement in low-traffic areas, parking areas and walking paths.

For the most part, LID has been a voluntary approach, promoted by localities and adopted by developers. But recent developments in California permitting signal an increasing trend to require implementation of LID techniques.

Earlier this year, the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board approved a storm water runoff permit that will require the San Diego County, the Port District and the county's 18 cities to increase the testing and monitoring of runoff, street sweeping and sewer-line cleaning. Significantly, the renewal permit also requires the use of LIDs to control storm water pollution. Specifically, the permit requires routing of runoff from impervious to pervious areas and the use of permeable surfaces for portions of low-traffic areas. All sites greater than one acre will be subject to these same permit conditions within the next three years.

Similarly, a draft permit issued to Ventura County by the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board requires that all new development and redevelopment projects integrate LID principles into project design. The permittees, including the County Watershed Protection District, the Ventura County and 10 cities within the county, are to develop a LID Technical Guidance Document for use by planners and developers within 18 months of the issuance of the permit.

Most recently, on May 1, 2007, the San Francisco Bay Area's draft permit, which covers 76 municipalities, was released for review. As expected, all "regulated projects" must integrate LID principles. "Regulated projects" include commercial development projects that create 10,000 square feet or more of impervious surface (collectively over the entire project site), excluding interior remodels and routine maintenance or repair. Beginning the fourth year after permit adoption, the square footage threshold will drop to 5,000 square feet.

These regional developments in storm water management signal widespread change within California. As the focus of long-term planning shifts to include a more thorough review of environmental impacts, developers should expect that all state and local jurisdictions regulating storm water will require LID storm water pollution control for future developments.

The California Historical Building Code (CHBC) provides specific regulations (alternative building codes) for the preservation, restoration, rehabilitation, relocation or reconstruction of qualified historic buildings or properties so as to preserve their original or restored architectural elements and features. At the same time, it provides for the safety of occupants and for the reasonable accommodation of people with disabilities.

While these alternative solutions are intended to protect historic buildings from the adverse impact of certain requirements of the regular building code, they also translate into cost-effective incentives as described by the California Office of Historic Preservation.

A "qualified historical building" is defined as any building, group of buildings, district, site or object that is listed by any level of government as having historic importance. This also includes those resources listed in the state of California's evaluated inventory, and given any level of significance other than "not eligible." Also included are ships and railroad rolling stock of historical significance.

The CHBC recognizes and endorses the need - on a case-by-case basis - to find and adopt reasonable alternative situations where strict compliance with established statutes or regulations would jeopardize the historic building's appearance or rehabilitation of economic viability (i.e., full upgrade of building).

The "triggers" for full upgrading to current standards, with respect to length of vacancy, change of occupancy or percentage of value of the work proposed, and which exist in other codes, are not recognized by the CHBC, which concentrates instead on the preservation-sensitive resolution of genuine safety considerations.

Structural/seismic upgrading issues are governed by the CHBC, permitting design based on real values (performance) of archaic materials and solutions based on engineering principles and professional judgment (providing a framework within which unique solutions may be custom tailored to the specific problems related to each unique historic resource), rather than solutions limited to code-based (prescriptive) formulas. This flexibility usually translates into a higher degree of retention of the historic fabric.

You may very well benefit if your building qualifies as a "historical building." Places to research whether your prop- erty "qualifies":
- The Office of Historic Preservation - computer lists of the National Register and California Register
- Local planning office - The planning department is usually the best place to find local lists
- Local heritage or history commissions
- Local neighborhood or preservation organizations - These groups may have access to official lists, but can't create official lists
- Local, state and federal agencies that promulgate projects - CalTrans, Department of Water Resources, Department of General Services/Real Estate Services Division, local water agencies and local public works departments

By Perry A. Tabor, P.E.

As Builder/Architect's structural engineering expert columnist, we continue to feature our monthly "Structural Design Corner," bringing you interesting and useful information, including viable design innovations and alternatives.

This month we are discussing impending significant building code change. While there is a great deal of information on this topic to cover, our objective is to provide you with a general overview and encourage you to start now, if you haven't already, to familiarize yourself with the changes that will take effect on January 1, 2008.

The International Building Code (IBC)/California Building Code (CBC) will soon be upon us in all its glory. We escaped the 2003 de- cision by the California Building Standards Commission to adopt the National Fire Protection Association's model code NFPA 5000 when Gov. Schwarzenegger's administration rendered a decree that the adoption of the NFPA 5000 by Gov. Davis' administration was nonbinding. We are now being asked to come to the table on January 1, 2008, with the 2006 IBC and 2007 CBC under our arms.

Since we've had an eight-year hiatus from the three-year cycle of code updates, we as a building design community are having difficulty getting out of the big chair. We were quite comfortable in the big chair; the 1997 UBC fits like an old pair of slippers, and frankly, our bones are stiff from not moving around. Well, it is time to get up, down a cup of coffee, get outside (of your comfort zone) and exercise (work the mind).

Design professionals (yeah, you!), on January 1, the governing agency has an obligation to enforce the 2007 CBC, and if they don't, they face the potential of being liable for malice. So they will be coming to the table in a big way. Of course you can still submit your project under the 1997 UBC (if you didn't bother updating your design and specifications to the earlier enacted 2000 CBC), and in turn, get a laundry list of plan check comments, delay project approval, face losing a client and damaging your professional reputation. But I'd suggest avoiding that option.

Instead, if you haven't already, now is the time to begin implementing the code changes into your schematic designs (e.g., side yard setback) or start producing construction documents under the 2007 CBC.

Ensure that your library has the 2007 CBC and then invest the time to read the CBC at least a couple times. You will be amazed at code changes. This column is not big enough to list all of the changes in the code (both structural and nonstructural) from the 1997 UBC. Just within the "Structural World," we are seeing changes in load combinations (the need to consider temperature and rain), seismic vertical effects, revamped wind design methodology, amplified collector loads, etc.

Because the 2007 CBC seismic criteria have moved from "Life Safety" to "Collapse Prevention" design criteria, we have, under the 2007 CBC, yielded a 10% to 40% reduction in seismic lat- eral loads depending upon the project location. However, one upside of the recent new design criteria is that the code updates and building rehabilitations are yielding substantial economies for "seismic prone" projects with the design-level criteria reduction.

Unfortunately, there is no simple way to become current with the 2007 CBC (there are differences between the IBC and CBC). Simply put your nose to the grindstone, study and put your knowledge to work. Also, you may benefit from taking an overview course, such as those provided by CALBO, SEAOC, AIA and ICC.

We hope that this article moves you into taking immediate action. We want to make sure that no one is asleep at the wheel and that our design industry is prepared for the unavoidable code transition.

By Kay Wilthew

A company builds its reputation by focusing on the core areas in which they excel and by "making the main thing the main thing." For architectural firm MBH Architects, the "main thing" is delivering smart, perceptive and intuitive customer service. Communication is the key: When the client's needs are clear, expectations are more easily managed. MBH's approach to communication with their clients is simple; they listen.

(Left to right) Dennis Heath and John McNulty, MBH Founding principals. MBH Architects, established in 1989, is a diversified and multifaceted practice employing 220 professionals with offices in Alameda and Newport Beach California. As a comprehensive and service-oriented architectural firm, MBH embodies design excellence from the inception of the project through to its successful completion. The firm has designed and completed a wide range of projects in the housing, hospitality, retail, restaurant, mixed use and planning industries. "It's our people who make great places." ® (Photo by Bob Morris Photography)

"Business is sort of an elusive thing for architects," notes Dennis Heath, one of the principals and founders of MBH. "I've read recently that many architects don't gravitate at all toward business, because they feel it's almost sinful to be a business person if you're a 'true' architect. I think that's awfully naïve." Success hinges on the ability to interpret the customer's objectives and confirm their goal is attainable; then doing everything possible to realize that goal. "Some architects believe the projects are all about them, and in reality it's about the client. And if it's a one-of-a-kind project, it's the client who really has the vision. The architect is there to help them execute it, but ultimately it's the client's vision."

San Francisco Fire Credit Union, San Francisco, CA. This two-story, 30,000-square-foot, long-life financial institution has an open and modern design. The limestone panels represent the stability and strength of the institution and the formal interior layout illustrates the sophistication of a financial organization. Awards received: 2001 Gold Nugget Awards. Collaboration: Gary Gee Associates (Photo courtesy of MBH Architects)

Co-founder John McNulty shares belief in this concept. When McNulty and Heath left San Francisco architectural firm Gensler 18 years ago to form their own company, they adopted many of the same successful philosophies. "We were exposed to a certain way of producing architectural services that was founded on solid business fundamentals. Our goal was to set up a first-class company that would be able to produce high-quality architectural services to businesses that valued our contribution. We would then be able to manage the entire process, from conceptual design through to the project's completion," states McNulty. "It's just amazing how much responsibility the architect has. We must have the chassis in place to stand a chance at making it work successfully day after day."

( Target, Redondo Beach. This two-story, 153,288-square-foot, big box retail project includes first-floor lobby entry area: 5,906 square feet; second floor: 147,382 square feet; and 604 parking spaces. This was the first design concept that incorporated an innovative two-story illuminated glass atrium/lobby with an elevated sales floor over ground-level parking. This new design allows a much larger prototype store to be incorporated into denser urban areas. The Target Corporation, a valued MBH client for 15 years, has exploded in growth and popularity. MBH collaborated with Target to develop their brand by designing dynamic and interesting new building facades, breaking the mold of the average big box. Awards received: 2006 Gold Nugget Awards (Photo courtesy of MBH Architects)

West Hollywood Gateway, West Hollywood. This 4.84-acre and 244,047-square-foot vertical urban power center includes subterranean parking for 1,050, eclectic collection of street facing facades and a large plaza that functions as a civic space and gathering area. This development allows a big box tenant retailer to serve the dense urban area of Hollywood, West Hollywood and Los Angeles. Awards received: California Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Award, Award of Excellence, Office/Commercial. Design Architect: The Jerde Partnership (Photo courtesy of MBH Architects)

MBH Architects is well known and respected throughout the Bay Area. Their portfolio includes some of the most prominent restaurant, retail, housing, hospitality and commercial companies in the country and around the world. Their project map extends to 42 states and six countries, spanning three continents. Regardless of location or scope, MBH proactively manages projects from concept to permit filing to construction. Heath understands exactly what their clients hope to accomplish. "They want their project completed and open. If it's a retail center, they want the cash register ringing, and if it's a commercial office building, they want the space leased."

(Left to right) Clay Fry, principal and Housing Director; John McNulty, founding principal; Andres Grechi, principal and Design Director; Dennis Heath, founding principal; and Rebecca Ross, principal and Retail Director (Photo by Bob Morris Photography)

Good Tidings Foundation, Pier 9, San Francisco. This 1,500-square-foot corporate headquarters tenant improvement was a pro bono project completed by MBH. The main workspace and gallery opens up with large storefront doors onto an existing wood deck and the San Francisco Bay beyond. Slick industrial light fixtures were chosen to hang in the workplace and a powerful sound system was integrated to give the area terrific kinetic energy. (Photo courtesy of MBH Architects)

Whether that space is commercial or housing, today's consumer expects sustainable and environmentally responsible elements. Efficient lighting, recycling water, recycling wastewater, effective landscape elements and sprinkler systems all translate into a positive environmental impact. "It's not anything singular that's dramatic, it's the compilation of several logical things over a long period of time that will be effective," McNulty explains. "We're not doing it because it's trendy and green; we're using sustainable elements because it makes sense."

The Odeon, 150 Powell St., San Francisco. This four-story, 104,000-square-foot mixed-use restoration project includes H & M flagship store, 29 market-rate residential units and 12,000 square feet of office and basement storage space. Originally built in 1906, the historical facade of "The Elevated Shops" was shored, saved and adjacent smaller buildings were removed. In their place, a new four-story mixed-use development was created. Awards received: Redevelopment Project of the Year - California Construction Best of 2007 (Photo courtesy of MBH Architects)

Hilton Grand Vacations Club, Las Vegas, NV Phase I includes a 28-story tower. Phase II includes a 38-story high- rise that connects to lobby, 427 one-to-three bedroom timeshare units and eight floors of upgraded penthouse units, 4,500-square-foot full- service spa, a six-story parking garage, meeting rooms, new retail and sales center space. Projected completion: 2011 and will include 1,514-villa timeshare resort, 2,365,000 square feet at completion, 9.7 acres and four high- rise towers ranging from 26 to 46 stories located in a pinwheel pattern around a grand central lobby with breathtaking porte corche. Interior Designer: Merilee Elliott Interiors Awards received: 2006 American Resort Development Associate Awards, ACE Project of Excellence Awards; 2005 Southwest Contractor's Best Of Nevada Awards Best Concrete Project; 2004 Outlook 04/05 Best of Awards Best Concrete Project; 2004 American Resort Development Association Award, Winner, Resort Design, Interior Design Common Area (Photo courtesy of MBH Architects)

The major challenge from a development standpoint, according to Heath, is urban sprawl. "Green design is great, but I think the mentality is still lagging when it comes to density. People are going to keep moving here, but I don't think our density limits really address that. We're starting to see transportation-oriented developments, and I think that's great, but there must be more height, more density, whether it's for office buildings or retail or housing, so we can minimize the sprawl." The solution, says Heath, is to utilize building sites more efficiently. "Let's go up rather than going out into the Valley. There is an impediment to putting square footage on property. Why put a five-story residential project when you can put up 10, 15 or 20 stories? We should be making developments more dense."

Exciting new product types offer fresh options for efficient development. MBH thrives on designing alternatives such as lifestyle centers; upscale mixed-use retail and restaurant spaces reflecting a vibrant, unique character. "The nice thing about lifestyle centers is that in the early stages you begin to work with the client to see what kind of story you're going to tell. That's how lifestyle centers begin," says McNulty. These developments contrast sharply to homogenous malls and prosaic retail centers by integrating an imaginative mixture of local flavor and historical significance into the design.

The Village at Petrini Place, San Francisco. This two-story, 300,000-square-foot residential mixed-use development includes 134 units of one- to two-bedroom lofts/townhomes, a grocery store, central podium courtyard and grade-level parking (separate residential and retail parking). Awards received: 2003 San Francisco Chamber of Commerce; Excellence in Business Awards (Ebbies) Community Developer. Design Architect: Christiani Johnson Architects (Photo courtesy of MBH Architects)

Joseph Smart, managing principal of the MBH Newport Beach office. Named principal in 2001, Joseph played an integral part in opening the Newport Beach office and energizes its continued growth. The Newport Beach office specializes in master planning, retail/mixed- use, hospitality and high-density housing projects. (Photo courtesy of MBH Architects)

"Lifestyle centers usually incorporate a fairly large piece of land," McNulty says, "and that location has a history." MBH determines the reason a site was chosen and, from an architectural standpoint, what that area represents. "We spend a lot of time in the library researching the history and materials that come from that location. We don't want to contrive a design and patronize an area; we want to create it with realism. So we may take elements of a firehouse, or the city hall, or use the limestone that's quarried in an area close to the development. We use those pieces, whether it's in the paving or the light fixtures. They all have a kind of synergy with that particular location."

The Town Center at Levis Commons, Perrysburg (Toledo), OH. MBH was the design architect for the first two phases of the mixed-use Levis Commons development in Perrysburg, OH, including the 319,000-square-foot town center and the second phase entertainment complex, signature clock tower and village green amenities. The second phase, which is under construction, also includes a hotel and conference center and up-market residential over additional retail and restaurants. (Photo courtesy of MBH Architects)

This attention to detail distinguishes MBH's reputation as a creative leader. Heath and McNulty attribute MBH's award-winning designs and industry success directly to their talented staff. The motto, "It's our people who make great places," encapsulates the company's confidence in the skill, vision and energy of its people. MBH haunts regional architectural colleges and career fairs to enlist the best and brightest graduates. "We're very impressed with the kids that are coming out of school. It gives us a feeling of comfort that the firm, and the profession in general, will be in very good hands," McNulty says. This welcome enthusiasm is tempered with mentoring on the subtleties of customer service. "They embrace technology, and what we try to give them is a little taste of reality as well."

MoMo's, San Francisco. Located in San Francisco at 760 Second Street across from AT&T Park, home of the San Francisco Giants, MoMo's is a 260-seat restaurant that stands as one of the city's premier dining destinations. The restaurant's stylish yet casual interiors, including a main dining room, bar and two private rooms, welcomes guests with generous leather booths and chairs, rich dark wood finishes, a cherry wood bar, lush reddish-brown carpeting and soft golden walls. Of course, guests who want to remain outdoors can turn to the restaurant's dining terrace. (Photo courtesy of MBH Architects)

Serramonte Corporate Center, Daly City, CA. This six-story, 165,000- square-foot class A steel-framed mid-rise office building is home of Kaiser Permanente and is located on a hillside overlooking South Bay with a generous rooftop terrace and 360o views (Photo courtesy of MBH Architects)

MBH Architects love what they do. Management promotes a culture of philanthropy, fun and positive energy. They treat their customers, partners and local officials with respect, and receive the same consideration in return. And to those businesses looking for an architectural firm that elevates customer expectations to the highest priority, MBH has just one thing to say: We hear you.

MBH Architects' Northern California office is located at 2470 Mariner Square Loop in Alameda, CA 94501. Their Southern California office is located 1300 Dove Street in Newport Beach, CA 94660. To reach the Northern California office, call (510) 865-8663 or visit mbharch.com for more information.

Testimonial

"I attended about 12 years of BIA LAC breakfast and lunch meetings and have never had a main speaker topic so well covered as you did today. The audience whom you treated to your overview of the Tribal/Cultural Resources process as it relates to the development industry thought so too. I have never seen so many people listening, engaged and asking questions afterwards. I too learned a few new things today. Thank you for doing this. Now let's get the county of Riverside to follow the law."

-- Borre Winckel, Executive Director, BIA of Southern California, Inc., Riverside County

When the horizontal space runs out, the only way to go is up. Office construction spending climbed by 11% in the last year, and in 2006 hotel construction soared by 56%. With many metropolitan building zones completely full, the focus has become vertical - where there were once 10 stories there are now 40, where there were once 50 there are now 100. With all the high-rise construction, demand for large capacity hoists has never been greater - and unfortunately procuring them has never been more difficult.

Due to widespread hurricane damage in the Southeast over the last two years, highrise renovation has also increased. Such hoists are also used for remodeling and renovation of existing buildings. Several high-rise buildings were damaged to the point they couldn't be occupied, but the basic construction of the buildings was sound. Revenue for these buildings is halted until renovation occurs - and again, the demand for large capacity hoists is on.

Until recently, a virtual monopoly on construction hoists meant that obtaining one could mean a large headache, a high price tag, a lengthy lead-time - averaging 16 months - and options that are either unavailable or out-of-range budget wise. Construction companies have found themselves between proverbial rocks and hard places - they have to take what they can get, when they can get it.

This virtual monopoly has been by one manufacturer who has dominated the market for many years. Companies that purchase large hoists and rent them to contractors have been put in the precarious position of coming through on time despite the long lead times and high prices. "If you can't provide a hoist in a timely manner, you don't risk losing business, you just lose it," says Dennis Mannion, President of Beta Max, a leading hoist distributor. "These customers want these hoists now. Ingeneral, they're not thinking six months ahead, they're thinking one or two months ahead." One rental company to which Beta Max was providing hoists said that they would have lost approximately eight jobs if they had waited the three extra months to get hoists from the previously dominant company.

But now, the large hoist market is finally breaking open, with new options, competitive pricing and faster lead times. "It is important to our industry to see these competitors put a dent in the market and make things more sane," Mannion says.

The timing couldn't be better. It's not just all the material - drywall, steel, lumber, electrical, plumbing, tools and forklifts - that needs to be taken up to these increasingly dizzying heights, but personnel and building inspectors as well. Many building departments prohibit inspectors from climbing ladders, which can delay forward movement on a site. "The building won't go any higher until we get a material and personnel hoist installed," says Mannion.

Mannion and his company, Beta Max, are now the exclusive U.S. representatives for Pega rack-and-pinion hoists - a clear cost-effective alternative. But far from being simply an alternative, Pega hoists are proving superior in a number of ways.

The Pega hoist is quite affordable, especially in the high-speed model, whereas the highspeed model from the competitor is 50% more and not within the financial scope of many jobs. This means a job can be more easily kept within budget and applications that require a twin hoist operation can easily be provided with one. Although most general contractors continue to rent the hoists, the savings virtually eliminates the cost difference between renting and purchasing.

The lack of hoists has also limited the availability of those units with higher-speed motors. One contractor recently lost several thousand dollars while workers waited for hours to be taken up by a slower model; such delays on an already-tight deadline can be intolerable. Another example of such a problem is a fairly common occurrence - additional crews from subcontractors are brought onto a job, adding a higher capacity need. If the hoist isn't fast enough to handle additional crews, man-hours are spent waiting on the hoist. The difference in pricing on Pega hoists mean that most contractors can afford models with high-speed engines, reducing or eliminating such problems. The higher the building, the more important this factor is, both for material and personnel.

The new, fully hot zinc galvanized hoists are easier to erect and maintain, because they employ more powerful engines utilizing VFC drive systems in place of counterweights. The lack of counterweights means less occupied space, faster time to put up and, when it comes time to expand the height of the hoist (jumping), it is faster and easier as well. The more powerful engine also makes for a smoother ride.

The lead times for delivery of these hoists are shorter by 25%. Contracts are very specific as to job completion times and for large jobs delays can mean tens of thousands of dollars if they run past the contracted completion date. As mentioned earlier, delivery times also heavily impact hoist rental companies, who can lose hundreds of thousands in revenue when they cannot supply a hoist in a timely manner.

While Alimak has been the U.S. market leader, the Pega hoist is certainly no stranger to high-rise construction. Pega is even being used for constructing up the immense Dubai Tower in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, set to be the tallest building in the world at over 2,100 feet. Closer to home, it is being utilized in MGM Grand and Mandalay Bay resorts in Las Vegas. MGM Mirage's $7 billion Project City Center in Las Vegas - a project which will ultimately result in seven high-rise towers with 7,800 hotel and condominium units.

With the continuing increase in high-rise construction and renovation demand will only increase for large hoists. Competitors such as Pega bring much-needed breaks in pricing and lead times so that contractors, with their crucial time frames, aren't left on the ground.

Pega hoists are now exclusively distributed in the U.S. by Beta-Max, Incorporated. The company can be contacted at (321) 727-3737, through their website at www.betamaxhoist.com or by e-mail at dmannion@betamaxhoist.com.

Dahlin Group Architecture Planning is a California-based, full- service architecture and planning firm created almost 30 years ago by architect and builder/craftsman Doug Dahlin. A graduate of U.C. Berkeley's College of Environmental Design, Dahlin started designing and building residences as an independent contractor in 1971. Within a decade, Dahlin Group had made a name for itself as the principal architect of the landmark Blackhawk Country Club, a 4,800-acre country club community in Danville that boasts seven distinct neighborhoods, two championship golf courses, a shopping village, medical and commercial offices and an automotive museum.

The Dahlin Group (Photo courtesy of Dahlin Group Architecture Planning)

While the Blackhawk brand helped launch Dahlin Group's reputation of elegant recreational facilities and luxurious residences, the company diversified its portfolio and design styles. Dahlin Group project types include land planning, urban design and redevelopment, master planned communities, recreational and commercial buildings, golf clubhouses, office buildings, single-family and multi-family residential architecture and custom homes. In addition to planning neighborhoods and communities, the firm creates everything from hotels to faith-based facilities and senior centers. The firm designed a prototype for Renaissance ClubSport, a new hospitality concept unveiled by Marriott Hotels a few years ago that merges a four-star hotel with a full-service fitness resort.

(Photo courtesy of Dahlin Group Architecture Planning)

Dahlin Group has established a new headquarters office in Pleasanton and has additional offices throughout California and one in Beijing, China. Dahlin Group has a staff of 200 full-time employees and is acknowledged as one of the largest architectural firms in Northern California with projects throughout the West Coast and Asia. The firm receives design awards every year and in 2005, Doug Dahlin was inducted into the California Building Industry Hall of Fame.

(Photo courtesy of Dahlin Group Architecture Planning)

(Photo courtesy of Dahlin Group Architecture Planning)

The company's principals utilize their diverse planning and design disciplines to create a "sense of place" for all their projects. "It's more than just a building," explains Bay Area native Karl Danielson, AIA, Dahlin Group's Commercial Group principal. Building architecture, site planning, interior design, hardscape amenities and landscaping are all vitally important pieces of their designs and together create a unified design statement. Dahlin Group architects and planners are sensitive to the concerns of client and end-user, minding the bottom line and striving to bring value to the table.

This philosophy is evident in their work. Everything within a Dahlin Group community plan reveals an underlying sensitivity to the needs of its residents as well as the surrounding environment, from major components like the placement of commercial and recreational areas, to details like gatehouses and entry walls. "We dovetail all these elements together into a cohesive design effort," Danielson adds. "That's what we think we're best at and that's what we enjoy doing."

(Photo courtesy of Dahlin Group Architecture Planning)

(Photo courtesy of Dahlin Group Architecture Planning)

Site design is of particular importance to Dahlin Group's methodology. They approach every site as a unique planning or building design opportunity; as a result, every design solution is an original.

The company is looking forward to a very productive future. Dahlin Group designed the 2006 House of Innovation for Sunset and Popular Science magazines. The commercial group is also currently working on designs for another half dozen Renaissance ClubSport sites nationwide. The company has doubled their staff in the last five years and constantly seeks to expand their already illustrious design work. Dahlin Group is currently establishing the visions and goals for the next 25 years.

Dahlin Group is located at 5865 Owens Drive in Pleasanton. Contact them at 925-251-7200, info@dahlingroup.com, or visit dahlingroup.com