Soka University of America is holding a celebration on September 29 to commemorate placement of the final roof truss on its new Performing Arts Center which is approximately 50% complete. Being constructed by McCarthy Building Companies, Inc., the project is located on 1.9 acres at 1 University Drive between Founders Hall and Pauling Hall on the Soka University campus.
Soka University has invited university officials, local dignitaries and the entire design and construction team to attend the event. Special guests will have the opportunity to sign the truss before it is lifted by a 300-ton crawler crane and secured to the roof of the Performing Arts Center. Students and visitors on the campus will also be able to witness the project milestone from the campus greenbelt which overlooks the construction site.
“Typically, a building tops out when the last structural steel beam is placed,” said McCarthy project manager Nate Ray. “However, the Soka Performing Arts Center has four massive roof trusses which span the width of the performance hall, so it seemed appropriate to celebrate the placement of the final truss. At 16.5 feet tall and 114 feet wide, these trusses are so large that they will be delivered at night with a California Highway Patrol escort.”
Junior Steel of Gardena, Calif. is the specialty contractor who will be conducting the placement of the roof trusses. The process will begin on September 28 and will culminate during the event on September 29 at 12:30 p.m.
“We’re delighted to share this historic moment with our students, staff, faculty and community,” noted president Daniel Y. Habuki of Soka University. “This is our chance to thank the hundreds of construction workers who have done such a good job that construction is ahead of schedule for our new 1000-seat Performing Arts Center. We look forward to dedicating it in May 2011 as part of our 10th anniversary celebration for our Aliso Viejo campus.”
McCarthy is serving as general contractor for the $73 million project which began in December 2008. The project includes construction of a three-level, 47,836-square-foot Performing Arts Center housing a reception lobby, support spaces and a 1,000 seat auditorium as well as a 48,974-square-foot Academic Building located adjacent to and providing support for the Performing Arts Center. The new four-level academic building will house 11 classrooms, 29 faculty offices, a 150-seat black box theater, four dressing rooms, a rehearsal/dance studio, musician warm-up spaces and other support areas.
Designed by Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects LLP of Los Angeles, the new buildings will provide visual continuity with the existing buildings and the Mediterranean hill town design theme of the campus. Built on a sloping site, the first level of both buildings will be at the same finish grade as the perimeter road that circles the University exposing only the south side of the structure. The Performing Arts Center and Academic Facilities buildings share a loading dock and locker room area which will connect the two buildings. Both structures are being built with a combination of a structural concrete and structural steel frame. The buildings’ exteriors will feature smooth plaster walls, travertine stone bands, aluminum curtain walls, clear glass glazing and clay tile roofs.
The project’s design and construction team are pursuing United States Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Certification for the buildings. In order to
achieve a lofty LEED rating, McCarthy is using sustainable construction methods throughout the project such as minimizing unrecyclable construction waste, maintaining proper indoor air quality and ensuring that the subcontractors install the specified “green” materials. Likewise, the design of these structures incorporates numerous sustainable and energy efficiency solutions. The academic building will feature operable windows, ceiling fans, displacement ventilation and radiant panels. The Performing Arts Center’s “green roof” and sunshade structure surrounding the lobby will use photovoltaic (solar) panels, and a bioswale will help manage storm water runoff. McCarthy is using building materials made from recycled content and that are locally extracted, processed and regionally manufactured. Additionally, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified wood and low emitting adhesives, sealants, paints, carpets and composite wood products will be incorporated in both structures.
Once completed in fall 2010, the new Performing Arts Center will serve the campus and South Orange County as a venue for lectures, assemblies, concerts and theater productions furthering Soka University’s role as a cultural center and place of community gathering.
About McCarthy
McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. is one of the nation’s oldest and largest commercial construction companies. The firm has been building in the education market for the last 50 years. McCarthy is 100 percent employee owned. More information about the company is available online at www.mccarthy.com.
