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

“This ceremony marks our progress toward the successful completion of one of the area’s largest development projects,” said McCarthy Texas Division President, Mike McWay.  “We are excited to surpass this construction milestone as we top out the headquarters for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, which will have a lasting impact on the region.”

“Job site safety has always been a priority at KDC,” said Steve Van Amburgh, CEO of KDC.  “The celebration is to not only recognize this key time in the construction process, but to also honor the individuals who have safely constructed and achieved success during this initial phase of construction.”

Today’s top out ceremony marks the completion of the highest point of construction on the job site.  Attendees watched as a ceremonial evergreen was lifted in to place to commemorate this accomplishment.

Located on 34 acres of land in the Galatyn Park area of Richardson, and comprised of architectural precast, glazed aluminum wall systems and natural stone, this facility will help consolidate multiple Dallas-area locations into one convenient campus.  The campus will serve as the headquarters for BCBSTX and will include office space, a full-service kitchen and servery, as well as indoor and outdoor dining areas. The new headquarters will provide space for roughly 4,000 BCBSTX employees, about 1,500 more than at its current location.

McCarthy is one of the most experienced commercial builders in Texas.  In addition to the new headquarters for BCBSTX, McCarthy’s roster of commercial projects includes work for Sally Beauty, Nortel Networks and Cisco Systems.

Construction on the headquarters for BCBSTX began in January 2008 and is scheduled for completion in the fourth quarter of 2009. Corgan Associates, Inc. of Dallas is the project architect.

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.

RESIDENTIAL

“Everyone on this project was a safety inspector and every person was a quality control inspector. The results speak for themselves.”

— Gary Cheek, director of commercial central services, SunCor Development Company

The new $67 million Bridgeview at Hayden Ferry Lakeside was completed in January 2008.

Built by Residential Constructors, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of McCarthy, the 220,000-square-foot, 13-story concrete structure houses 104 luxury condominiums and a 260-car underground parking structure. To ensure the project met the owner SunCor’s high quality standards, the team created two unique programs under the project’s Site Specific Quality Plan. First, the structure was divided into 31 “pods.” Work in each pod completed in 28 weeks from start to finish, with work in the next pod beginning exactly one week later, and so on. Pre-assigning weeks to specific trades limited work occurring in each pod on any given day, resulting in improved schedule flow, productivity and quality control. In addition to the pod process, halting all construction activity in certain project areas for quality “time outs” allowed for detailed inspections to take place throughout the job. In the end, this thorough attention to quality enabled the project to achieve all quality goals, exceed all major project milestones and maintain a superior safety environment. Architect: Callison Architecture, Inc., Seattle.

Developed by Los Angeles-based ICO Development LLC in conjunction with the county of Los Angeles, the 220,000-square-foot office building is leased to four Los Angeles County departments—Child Support Services, Department of Children and Family Services, Department of Mental Health, and Department of Social Services. Primarily focusing on services for children, the new facility creates a one-stop resource center for the families of Central and South Los Angeles. In fact, more than 4,000 program participants live within three miles of the building.

McCarthy constructed the office building under a design-build contract with ICO Development to ensure that the project was completed on-time, on-budget and within the county’s strict specifications. The entire project—including design by Gensler Architects, construction and installation of interior furnishings—was completed in less than two years. The resulting office building features a combination of a precast facade, aluminum window wall systems and plaster surface treatments.

As part of the project work, significant utility relocations and street improvements were necessary. McCarthy cooperated with ICO Development to direct work with local utility firms. Thus, the construction of the infrastructure and installation of electrical and communications utilities met the schedule set by the county. In addition, this coordination mitigated impact of utility installation on the construction operations.

The site previously housed unoccupied retail buildings that were partially burned during the Los Angeles riots of 1992, as well as dilapidated apartment buildings and unused parking lots. With the project’s opening, the county estimates that the 1,000 employees and 1,400 daily visitors will provide an economic renewal and lower crime rate for the area. In addition to helping current nearby businesses, the building has 4,000-square-feet of space on the ground floor for retail and restaurant development.

The Los Angeles County Administration Building includes the first project developed under the Civic Art Program, which puts one percent of the costs for new county buildings toward public art. The exterior and interior feature four tile murals by Ken Gonzales-Day, who glazed the tiles with digital images of oak trees and Califiornia meadow scenes.

About McCarthy
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 construction companies. Committed to the construction of green buildings, the company provides general contracting, construction management, program management and design/build services for healthcare, education, parking structure, entertainment, retail, laboratory, biotechnical, microelectronic, and industrial facilities; office buildings; tenant interiors; mixed-use; multifamily residential and bridges and highways. McCarthy is 100 percent employee owned.

Site work is completed and crews are drilling piers and starting foundation work. This past weekend, McCarthy erected a 200-foot-tall tower crane, which will provide the necessary muscle to erect structural steel, hoist mechanical and electrical equipment, and serve as the workhorse for the project.

The 372,000-square-foot office building is the first of three new office buildings and corresponding parking garages, all designed by St. Louis-based Arcturis, to be built by McCarthy at North Campus over the next three years.  Some of the new buildings will replace smaller structures dating back to the 1960s and will give the financial services firm 650,000 square feet of new office space.

“After months of planning and design coordination, we’re excited to see the building come up out of the ground,” remarked Jodi Gay, director, facilities for Edward Jones. Distinctive design and the incorporation of sustainable features, such as day lighting controls and sun shelves for light harvesting, will create an inviting, comfortable work space for both employees and visitors.  Terrazzo floors along with the use of stone, zinc and terra cotta on the building’s interior create harmonious visual appeal.

The multi-purpose room can accommodate up to 600 people and will feature a retractable seating system optimizing flexible use of the space.  The training facility will enable more than 500 Financial Advisors at a time to hone their skills.

Although most of the Edward Jones campus expansion will occur in Northwest St. Louis County just east of I-270 and south of Dorsett Road, McCarthy is also constructing a 225,000-square-foot office building addition and 960-car parking garage adjacent to the firm’s headquarters location at Manchester and Ballas Roads, known as the South Campus.  McCarthy is also constructing a parking garage at Edward Jones’ Tempe, Ariz., location.  Both the South Campus and Tempe projects are designed by Arcturis.

Paul Hartwig, McCarthy senior vice president-operations, calls the project an outstanding development for the St. Louis community.  “Along with adding new jobs at Edward Jones, this project will keep 300 to 400 construction workers very busy over the next two years.”

Hartwig said the Edward Jones, Arcturis, and McCarthy teams have been working very closely together over the last year and a half.  “We’ve met or exceeded our commitments.  Each project in the campus expansion plan is tracking according to schedule and budget and will be ready to meet the growing needs of the company.”

Both North and South Campus projects are expected to be completed by September and November, 2009 respectively; the Tempe project will be finished in the spring of 2010.

 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 is the biggest project KDC has ever undertaken, and we need a contractor with a high degree of integrity and intelligence who can deliver it for us,” said Don Mills, senior vice president of Koll Development Company. “This will be our third project with McCarthy, and from the start, we have had complete confidence in the quality of McCarthy’s work.  We look forward to McCarthy’s successful completion of this important project.”

Located on 34 acres of land in the Galatyn Park area of Richardson, and comprised of architectural precast, glazed aluminum wall systems and natural stone, this facility will help BCBSTX consolidate multiple Dallas-area locations into one convenient campus.  The campus will serve as the BCBSTX headquarters and include office space, conference space, a full-service kitchen and servery, as well as indoor and outdoor dining areas.  The new corporate campus will provide space for roughly 4,000 BCBSTX employees, about 1,500 more than at its current location.

Challenged with an aggressive schedule, McCarthy is implementing fast-track construction methods in an effort to complete this substantial project in only 21 months.  Some of these methods include the early award of critical work packages, assigning staff to specific structures, and aggressive planning and scheduling strategies with the involvement of McCarthy’s team of subcontractors.

“This is a significant project not only for Koll Development Company and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, but also for the city of Richardson,” said McCarthy Texas Division President Mike McWay. “We are excited to work with such a great team as we utilize our extensive commercial building experience to construct a facility that will have a lasting impact on the region.”

“We look forward to bringing all of our DFW area work force together in the same facility in order to enhance communications, productivity, and efficiency,” said Martin Foster, president of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas. “We are ready to begin the first phase of construction of one of the areas’ largest development projects this year.”

McCarthy is one of the most experienced commercial builders in Texas.  In addition to the new BCBSTX corporate campus, McCarthy’s roster of commercial projects includes work for Sally Beauty, Nortel Networks and Cisco Systems, as well as numerous other commercial projects.

The new BCBSTX corporate headquarters is expected to be completed in fourth quarter, 2009.  The architect for this project is Corgan Associates, Inc. of Dallas.

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.

OFFICE

“This is the biggest project we have ever undertaken, and we need a contractor with a high degree of integrity and intelligence who can deliver it for us.”

— Don Mills, senior vice president, Koll Development Company

Construction is underway on Koll Development Company’s $145 million office complex for the new Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) regional headquarters campus in Richardson.

Situated on 34 acres, the 2,050,000-square-foot project will include a 15-story and a 7-story office tower, as well as a 3,500-car parking structure. “This will be our third project with McCarthy, and from the start, we have had complete confidence in the quality of McCarthy’s work,” said Don Mills, senior vice president of Koll Development Company. “We look forward to McCarthy’s successful completion of this important project.” Challenged with an aggressive schedule, McCarthy is implementing fast-track construction methods in an effort to complete this substantial project in only 21 months. Upon completion in November 2009, the new campus will have the capacity to house more than 3,900 BCBSTX employees, about 1,500 more than at its current location. Architect: Corgan Associates, Inc., Dallas.