Southwest Contractor

Entries were reviewed by an independent jury comprised of design and construction professionals in this year’s Nevada competition. After carefully scoring each project and engaging in intense discussion, the jury arrived at 19 winning projects in a variety of categories. McCarthy came away with two big awards in the Civil/Public Works and Engineering Design, and K-12 Education categories.

“The judges considered a variety of criteria for each project, from teamwork and safety to innovation and aesthetics,” says Scott Blair, senior editor of Southwest Contractor. “Several close contests were decided by which project provided the greatest social or economic benefit to the community.”

“What an incredible honor it is to receive not one, but two project awards,” said Randy Highland, president of McCarthy’s Nevada/Utah Division. “Collaboration and teamwork were the keys to success on both of these projects and the awards serve as further emphasis that when we focus on communication and collaboration our potential in this challenging market is unlimited.”

McCarran International Airport Terminal 3 Early Site Civil Package
Category: Civil/Public Works and Engineering Design

McCarran International Airport Terminal 3 Early Site Civil Package paves the way for the newest terminal at the nation’s sixth busiest airport. The project team displayed a great deal of teamwork and collaboration while working with the owner’s onsite construction manager and successfully met each construction milestones. In addition to delivering the project on time and under budget, McCarthy’s management, staff, and self-perform team logged approximately 190,000 man hours on the project with zero recordable incidents.

Veterans Tribute Career & Technical Academy
Category: K-12 Education

The Veterans Tribute Career & Technical Academy is a one-of-a-kind learning environment focusing on service career pathways. The high school features five different career and technical programs including: 911 dispatch training, law enforcement, crime scene analysis, EMT and computer forensics. As one of the first two schools to be completed using the construction manager at-risk delivery method, the 24-acre site includes a five building campus with separate buildings for the gymnasium, commons, administrative and resource facilities as well as sporting fields, courts and a public fitness trail throughout the campus.

About McCarthy
McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. has helped to define the Nevada landscape for more than 30 years. McCarthy is one of the nation’s oldest and largest commercial construction companies. The firm is 100 percent employee owned.  More information about the company is available online at www.mccarthy.com.

The annual Keystone Awards program honors the achievements of St. Louis construction firms and their employees in building the facilities that support and enhance the quality of life in Greater St. Louis.  Keystone Award recipients are judged on their excellence in providing solutions to unique obstacles and challenges specific to their project.

“We’re honored to be recognized among our peers for this project,” said Scott Wittkop, president of McCarthy’s Central Division.  “The keys to success were McCarthy’s ability to self-perform the structural concrete and structural steel, two critical components, and the team’s ability to implement state-of-the-industry construction techniques that were both efficient and cost-effective. We were presented with a number of significant challenges, including the need to tie in to an existing 80-year-old, occupied structure and then aesthetically integrate the new tower exterior to look like a natural extension of the original building. The team successfully met all of these with creative determination.”

Designed by Cannon Design of St. Louis, The Federal Reserve Bank expansion project included:  demolition of an existing parking structure; construction of a new 6-story tower; re-cladding the existing skin; interior renovations; MEP system upgrades; and new bridge connections for the north and south buildings on the third and fourth floors.  McCarthy Project Manager Lloyd Flowers commented, “Cannon Design’s timeliness to provide cost-effective design direction on unforeseen field conditions uncovered during the re-cladding portion of the project was key to assuring the appearance of the new structure would resemble the existing structure.”

This project is a study in how to construct a project on a tight urban footprint amid a bustling downtown business district. Bounded by tall, occupied buildings and narrow streets through which vehicle and pedestrian traffic continually flowed, construction of the expansion and renovation continued as unobtrusively as possible despite significant limitations.

Lean methodologies were among the many construction techniques used to solve some of the project’s challenges.  Mock-ups built on the project site were key to saving dollars, which could have resulted from unidentified design, constructability and aesthetic issues.  Especially effective was the mock-up built of the exterior wall system that included a limestone skin.

Because lay-down area was at a premium, just-in-time material delivery kept construction moving according to schedule. A 24-hour-a-day, 6-day-a-week detailed work schedule for each building elevation informed each trade when they could gain access to the five-foot wide working platform.  The schedule also provided information about when certain construction materials had to be moved.

Overhead, a 300-ton mobile crane relied on radio communication as its sole source of “eyes and ears” to hoist bridge connectors through a vertical areaway between two existing buildings and over an existing 100-foot-tall building.  Safety for pedestrians, traffic, workers and Federal Reserve employees was at the forefront of daily priorities.

Today, the appearance of the “new” Federal Reserve building blends seamlessly with the structure built in 1925.  In addition to the preservation of the Federal Reserve’s historic past, the new tower enhances the Bank’s standing as a major employer in St. Louis City and contributes to the vibrancy of the downtown community.

The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis was established in 1914, after the creation of the Federal Reserve System in 1913. The Bank building in downtown St. Louis was constructed in 1925. It is one of the 12 regional Reserve banks in the Federal Reserve System and serves most of eastern Missouri and southern Illinois.

About McCarthy
Founded in 1864, McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. is one of the nation’s oldest and largest commercial construction companies.  The company provides general contracting, construction management, program management and design/build services for office, education, healthcare, laboratory, biotechnical, resort and entertainment, parking and retail facilities; green buildings; tenant interiors; mixed-use; and bridges and highways.  McCarthy is 100 percent employee-owned.  More information about the company is available online at www.mccarthy.com

The Contractor of the Year award is given to the general contractor that has advanced architecture through its achievement of the built environment.  Beginning with the W Dallas Victory Hotel & Residences and continuing to the completion of the AT&T Performing Arts Center, McCarthy was selected for this top honor as a direct result of its team of professionals who consistently deliver dedicated, quality work, constructing many buildings that have been a part of the redevelopment of downtown Dallas.

“We are delighted that AIA Dallas has chosen McCarthy as this year’s Contractor of the Year,” said Mike McWay, president of McCarthy’s Texas Division.  “It is an honor to win this award and to be recognized for all of our hard work that is helping spur the revitalization of downtown Dallas and its ongoing redevelopment initiatives.”

“AIA Dallas is proud to honor McCarthy Construction for the emphasis they place on the value of the architect in their projects,” said Todd Howard, president of AIA Dallas.  “McCarthy has been dedicated to the quality work they do, especially as a part of the urban renaissance of Downtown Dallas in the W Victory Hotel and the AT&T Performing Arts Center.”

McCarthy adds this prestigious award to a growing list of other business and industry-based awards it has received for its creative and value-oriented building solutions.  McCarthy will accept the award at the Celebrate Architecture 2009 Gala, sponsored by AIA Dallas, on Sept. 26 at Union Station in Dallas.  The proceeds from the gala will benefit public program development for the Dallas Center for Architecture.

The mission of AIA Dallas is to encourage, promote, advance and coordinate efforts to uphold the highest standards of the architectural profession in the community.  For more information about AIA Dallas visit www.aiadallas.org.

About AIA Dallas and the Dallas Center for Architecture
Established in 1924, the Dallas Chapter of the American Institute of Architects promotes activities that uphold the highest standards of the architectural profession in the Greater Dallas area.  Since 2008, the Dallas Center for Architecture (DCFA) has been home to the 2,200-member AIA Dallas. DCFA is one of the first such centers in the nation—devoted to uniting architects and allied professionals with citizens concerned about good design, community sustainability and other key living-environment issues for today and tomorrow.

Located at 1909 Woodall Rodgers Freeway, Suite 100—just north of downtown and the Dallas Arts District—the Center delivers public programming on architecture and urban design, art and architecture exhibits, an architectural film series, and other special events for the North Texas community.  For more information, visit DallasCFA.com.

About McCarthy
Celebrating nearly 30 years of building in Texas, McCarthy is one of the nation’s oldest privately held construction firms.  An employee-owned company, McCarthy offers general contracting, construction management and design/build services for the following project types: parking structures, healthcare, educational, office buildings, bridges and highways, laboratory, biotechnology, entertainment, retail, microelectronic, and industrial facilities, tenant interiors, mixed-use and multifamily residential.  In addition to Dallas, McCarthy has offices in Sacramento, San Francisco, San Diego and Newport Beach, Calif.; Phoenix; Las Vegas; St. Louis and Atlanta.

The coveted Bronze “Constructor” sculpture was presented to McCarthy on April 4 during the AGCC Twenty-Second Annual California Constructor Awards program held at the Marriott Newport Beach Hotel & Spa in Newport Beach, Calif. McCarthy was one of six companies among 30 entries in six categories that received a Constructor Award. Over 280 California construction industry professionals were in attendance at the black tie affair, which recognizes “the best the best” AGCC members’ achievements for their skill, unique undertakings and ability to address the most difficult challenges contractors encounter.

The Ronald McDonald Family Room inside CHOC Children’s at Mission Hospital extends the services provided by  the Orange County Ronald McDonald House^® (OCRMH), which offers inexpensive, and often free, lodging to families while their children undergo treatment for serious illnesses and injuries at nearby medical facilities.

The $300,000 project, which began on August 25, 2008, included demolition and reconstruction of two sleep rooms, a kitchen area and family room. Contractors gutted the space and installed new lighting, drywall, carpeting, ceiling tile, casework and paint.  Once construction was completed in December 2008, the renovated space was furnished with new chairs, couches, lamps, toys, books, artwork and an existing 42 inch flat panel television. McCarthy Building Companies also donated two new computers for volunteer and visitor use.

With architectural design by RBB Architects Inc. of Los Angeles and interior design provided by Correy Design Group of Huntington Beach, the renovated Family Room predominantly features wood cabinetry that divides the space into different areas for volunteer activity, dining, watching television, computer use, relaxation and children’s activities.

McCarthy volunteers helped with the project through the McCarthy Heart Hats Program, a volunteer community outreach effort that enables McCarthy employees to dedicate time and resources to community involvement on paid workdays.  Through its relationship with subcontractors and vendors, McCarthy was also able to secure additional volunteers and donations from companies such as Appolo Electric, ISEC Inc., PCI, Martin Integrated, Hasson Inc., Johnson and Turner Painting, Premier Tile and Minka Group. RBB architects, KPFF Engineering and Correy Design group also donated services for this project. Ronald McDonald House additionally received donations for carpet and installation services from Shaw Carpet and Universal Flooring. All of the audio visual and sound equipment were donated and installed by Genesis Audio.

Since 2006, the Heart Hats have provided construction and other services and donations to six Ronald McDonald Houses or facilities in California. McCarthy, as well as many of the contractors and consultants involved in the Ronald McDonald House Family Room project, is an experienced healthcare builder currently constructing the new four-level Mission Hospital Patient Care Tower in Mission Viejo.

About McCarthy Heart Hats
The McCarthy “Heart Hats” community involvement program is dedicated to encouraging, supporting and recognizing McCarthy employees’ volunteer efforts in a variety of causes to ensure real needs are being met in communities where employees work, live and play.  A 100 percent employee-owned company, McCarthy employees are as passionate about building better communities as they are about construction. More information is available on line at www.mccarthy.com.

The annual awards program recognizes the state’s construction projects that best epitomize the principles of partnering.  Honored in the hospitality and entertainment category, McCarthy was recognized for its teamwork and collaboration in completing the 605,000-square-foot expansion of the Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino in Coarsegold.

“We’re incredibly honored to receive this award,” said Rich Henry, president of McCarthy’s Northern Pacific Division.  “The key to this project’s success was the willingness and ability of all entities involved to collaborate and work together.  We were presented with some challenges, including building the expansion tower in the midst of existing resort activity, but all were resolved through communication and partnership.”

The Excellence in Partnering Awards are presented annually by AGC of California for the purpose of identifying excellence in partnering, celebrating success and honoring stakeholders.  The nominated projects are judged on adherence to the principles of partnering, team building and effective communication, goals evaluation, conflict resolution, and delivery of a safe and quality project.

The Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino expansion project included a new 13-story hotel tower, full-service spa, indoor/outdoor pool, restaurant, arcade, administrative offices and a five-story, 814-car parking structure.  The hotel tower adds an additional 214 luxury rooms and suites to the resort’s existing 192-unit room inventory, for a total of 406 rooms and suites.  It includes numerous room upgrades and amenities, including larger-sized rooms, granite countertops and plasma televisions.  Its suites feature fireplaces, separate seating areas and jetted tubs.

Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino is owned by the Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians.  The expansion project’s architect was  Thalden • Boyd • Emery Architects Architects of St. Louis.

About McCarthy
Founded in 1864, McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. is one of the nation’s oldest and largest commercial construction companies.  The company provides general contracting, construction management, program management and design/build services for resort and entertainment, education, healthcare, parking, entertainment, retail, laboratory, biotechnical, microelectronic, and industrial facilities; green buildings; office buildings; tenant interiors; mixed-use; and bridges and highways.  McCarthy is 100 percent employee owned.  More information about the company is available online at www.mccarthy.com.

“We are genuinely honored to be recognized by both organizations for our work on the UTSW Laboratory Research and Support Building project,” said McCarthy Texas Division President Mike McWay. “We strive to attain excellence in all of our projects, and our work on UTSW spotlights McCarthy’s strong background in building medical research facilities.”

The UTSW Laboratory Research and Support Building is a $25.4-million, four-story, 78,000-square-foot facility providing research and laboratory space to further medical education and research for the 4,200 medical, graduate and allied health students who participate in UTSW graduate programs.

The ABC of North Texas annually recognizes and promotes the outstanding projects built by ABC members on both a local and national level with its Excellence in Construction Awards. McCarthy was awarded the Excellence in Construction Award of Merit in Higher Education in the category for projects valued between $25 million to $100 million. This is the fifth time that McCarthy has received an Excellence in Construction award from ABC of North Texas.  Texas Construction selected the UTSW project as a  “Best of 2008 Award” winner in the higher education category. The “Best of 2008 Awards” is an annual event that celebrates and honors the building teams that create the best projects in Texas.  Winners are selected by an independent jury of industry experts.  The “Best of 2008 Award” winners will be featured in the December 2008 issue of Texas Construction.

About McCarthy
Founded in 1864, McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. is one of the nation’s oldest and largest privately held construction firms.  The company provides general contracting, construction management, program management and design/build services for laboratory, healthcare, education, parking, entertainment, retail, biotechnical, microelectronic, and industrial facilities; office buildings; tenant interiors; mixed-use; and bridges and highways.  McCarthy is 100 percent employee owned.  More information about the company is available online at www.mccarthy.com.

The plant currently serves 400,000 customers with an initial treatment capacity of 80 million gallons per day (mgd) and is expandable to an ultimate capacity of 320 mgd.

The Lake Pleasant plant was completed for the city of Phoenix by the design-build-operate (DBO) team comprised of the Black & Veatch-McCarthy joint-venture design-build team and American Water Enterprises, Inc., a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), which is the largest investor-owned U.S. water and wastewater utility company.

Phoenix Councilman Claude Mattox, who serves as the vice chair of the National League of Cities Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Steering Committee, congratulated the team on the accomplishment. “Thanks to the efforts of the partners and our city engineers, this state-of-the-art water treatment plant will serve our growing community well into the future,” said Mattox.

The new plant, which is the largest integrated DBO project in North America, was designed to blend seamlessly into the desert landscape without disturbing the natural beauty of the area. As a result, 95 percent of the habitat was preserved in its natural condition.

The plant incorporates the latest developments in modern water technology and automation, which will benefit the residents of Phoenix.  The design-build process included sustainable features that lay the groundwork for future customer growth and development, expanded capacity and emerging treatment technologies. The team also successfully focused on developing the water treatment plant with streamlined, efficient operations.

“A key to the success in achieving our goals was to combine all resources under one roof, which enabled a collaborative work environment,” said Dave Mahaffay, senior vice president and West region managing director for Black & Veatch’s global water business. “All parties involved were focused on delivering the project on time and within budget, as well as on ensuring operational excellence in safety and construction management.”

According to Bob Knochenhauer, senior vice president of operations for McCarthy’s Southwest Division Water Services Group, “The team’s collaborative approach was critical to the effective management of each phase of this complex project. It allowed for construction to start two months ahead of schedule and a budget reduction of $30 million, positioning both the team and the community for success.”

The treatment process design incorporates seven independent barriers for pathogens, virus and bacteria removal while typical treatment plant designs incorporate three to four barriers. Selected water treatment processes – such as high-rate ballasted flocculation, ozone, granular activated carbon contractors and ultraviolet – achieve superior operating and cost efficiency with numerous inventive improvements specific to residents’ needs, the local environment and available resources.

The national award was presented at the DBIA Annual Conference and Awards Ceremony held recently in Las Vegas.

About Black & Veatch
Black & Veatch is a leading global engineering, consulting and construction company specializing in infrastructure development in energy, water, telecommunications, management consulting, federal and environmental markets. Founded in 1915, Black & Veatch develops tailored infrastructure solutions that meet clients’ needs and provide sustainable benefits. Solutions are provided from the broad line of service expertise available within Black & Veatch, including conceptual and preliminary engineering services, engineering design, procurement, construction, financial management, asset management, program management, construction management, environmental, security design and consulting, management consulting and infrastructure planning. With $3.2 billion in revenue, the employee-owned company has more than 100 offices worldwide and has completed projects in more than 100 countries on six continents. The company’s Web site address is www.bv.com.

About American Water
Founded in 1886, American Water is the largest investor-owned U.S. water and wastewater utility company. With headquarters in Voorhees, N.J., the company employs more than 7,000 dedicated professionals who provide drinking water, wastewater and other related services to approximately 15 million people in 32 states and Ontario, Canada. More information can be found by visiting www.amwater.com.

About McCarthy
Ranked among the “Best Places to Work” by The Business Journal in Phoenix, McCarthy has helped define the Arizona landscape for more than 30 years. Founded in 1864, McCarthy is one of the oldest and largest privately held construction firms in the nation. McCarthy is 100 percent employee owned. For more information, visit www.mccarthy.com.

“Out of all the awards to receive, this one is incredibly rewarding and a tribute to our whole team’s focus and hard work in recent years,” said Rich Henry, President of McCarthy’s Northern Pacific Division. “In Northern California, we pride ourselves as one of the largest and most respected builders and community leaders; however, our employees’ satisfaction and love for the work is why we’re so successful. Our greatest assets at McCarthy walk through the door every day.”

The A+ Employers awards are a result of employee surveys. These survey questions cover categories such as work environment, work-life balance, job satisfaction, advancement opportunities, management, compensation and benefits. Companies needed substantial employee participation to be considered. The employee’s scores were averaged into an overall score, and McCarthy achieved the highest score in the large company category.

“I am extremely proud of our team in Sacramento, as the office is a true testament to the team-oriented, open-door and collaborative culture McCarthy promotes. This win is especially gratifying because we rose to the top slot among seven tough finalists,” McCarthy CEO Mike Bolen added. “Over the years, McCarthy’s offices across the country have been recognized with such awards, which are a tribute to our people – our employee owners.”

The Sacramento Business Journal presented McCarthy with its award at the annual A+ Employers event on Oct. 29, 2008. McCarthy is featured in the publication’s “A+ Employers” supplement.

About McCarthy
McCarthy Building Companies is the nation’s 10th largest domestic general contractor (Engineering News-Record, May 2008), and the 4th largest general contractor in California (California Construction, April 2008). With more than 140 years of experience, McCarthy is one of the nation’s oldest, privately held construction firms and one of California’s premier commercial builders. Committed to the construction of high performance buildings, the company provides general contracting, construction management, program management and design/build services for healthcare, educational, parking structure, entertainment, retail, laboratory, biotechnical, microelectronic, and industrial facilities; office buildings; tenant interiors; mixed-use; multifamily residential and bridges and highways. In addition to Sacramento and San Francisco, McCarthy has offices in Newport Beach and San Diego, Calif.; Phoenix; Las Vegas; Dallas; St. Louis and Atlanta. McCarthy is 100 percent employee owned.

“Winning this award is attributable to every employee who deals with our subcontractors on a daily basis,” said Karl Kloster, president of McCarthy’s St. Louis-based Midwest Division.  “Our subs are a critically important aspect of our business. It’s reassuring to know our values and practices are recognized by the companies who experience them first hand.”

McCarthy, along with its industrial company MC Industrial, has a long history of working with the subcontractor community in St. Louis, and strives to always maintain excellent relationships. The company’s business practices and procedures benefit subcontractors and contribute to their success and profitability on McCarthy and MC Industrial projects. Currently McCarthy and its subcontractors are at work in the St. Louis metropolitan area on the Edward Jones North and South Campus, the Federal Reserve Bank, the East Patient Tower at St. John’s Mercy Medical Center and expansions at Missouri Baptist Medical Center, St. Anthony’s Medical Center and St. Luke’s Hospital.  Among the projects underway by MC Industrial and its subcontractors are the Holcim (US) cement plant in Bloomsdale, Missouri, the AmerenUE power plant at Portage de Sioux, Missouri, Center Ethanol in Sauget, Illinois, The Boeing Company in St. Louis, and the Monsanto Seed Plant in Farmer City, Illinois.

About McCarthy
Founded in 1864, McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. is one of the nation’s oldest and largest privately held construction firms.  The company provides general contracting, construction management, program management and design/build services for healthcare, education, parking, entertainment, retail, laboratory, biotechnical, microelectronic, and industrial facilities; office buildings; tenant interiors; mixed-use; and bridges and highways.  McCarthy is 100 percent employee owned.  More information about the company is available online at www.mccarthy.com.

“This year’s winners comprise the nation’s best projects,” said AGC CEO Stephen E. Sandherr. “AGC developed these awards to recognize exceptional projects for their ability to achieve a common goal, honor all stakeholders, perpetuate partnering, resolve conflicts, improve communication and incorporate team-building activities.”

Although faced with many challenges including weather-related delays, the $195.8 million project was completed within budget, met the original project schedule of 38 months and boasted a zero recordable safety incident rate.

“The new St. Joseph Hospital Patient Care Center is an outstanding example of when an owner, design team, general contractor and the rest of the construction team partner together step-by-step to achieve a common goal,” said Chuck Coryell, St. Joseph Hospital director of design and construction.

“The partnering program does a great job removing personal and political agendas from the management process and keeping all project stakeholders focused on the areas of the project to make it an overall success for all parties involved,” said McCarthy Project Director Patrick Peterson. “Winning the Marvin M. Black award is great recognition for the time and effort the team put into creating and maintaining a positive working relationship and staying focused on what we were employed to do– build state-of-the-art hospitals in a challenging environment.”

The 248,000-square-foot Patient Care Center features a new entrance and lobby, 150 inpatient beds, a 14 operating room suite, a new central sterile and supply suite, and a 13,000-square-foot free standing remote central plant.  Each patient floor features a central hub for computer systems, and free WiFi is provided for guests in the hospital lobby. The new Patient Care Center was built with a steel, braced-frame designed for Zone 4 seismic considerations and “I” occupancy, as mandated by California’s Senate Bill 1953, which requires strict new seismic regulations for all acute care facilities.

Designed by NBBJ of Seattle, Wash., the facility is clad in modern materials including aluminum, plaster and a massive curtain wall exterior skin.  The highlight of the building’s glass exterior is the etched in handwriting of hospital founder Mother Bernard with a message of caring and serving to the community.  An image of the original 1929 mission-style hospital and the hospital’s logo is also imposed onto the glass.

About McCarthy
Founded in 1864, McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. is one of the nation’s oldest and largest privately held commercial construction companies and has been ranked among the top five national hospital construction companies by Modern Healthcare since the magazine began its annual ranking more than 30 years ago.  The company provides general contracting, construction management, program management and design/build services for healthcare, education, parking, entertainment, retail, laboratory, biotechnical, microelectronic, and industrial facilities; green buildings; office buildings; tenant interiors; mixed-use; and bridges and highways.  McCarthy is 100 percent employee owned.  More information about the company is available online at www.mccarthy.com.