McCarthy served as the project’s construction manager at risk (CM at Risk) and general contractor while TMCS was the construction manager and inspector of record. Hornberger + Worstell served as the architect with Ellerbe Becket, an AECOM Company, as the associate architect for health services. The WELL is seeking LEED Silver certification and will be open for the fall 2010 term after a grand opening event on Sept. 2.

The WELL’s opening is part of the University’s Destination 2010 celebration, a year-long observance of the initiative that has enhanced Sacramento State’s academic programs, student support services and facilities since its launch in 2004 by Sacramento State President Alexander Gonzalez.

“This is the only facility within the California State University system that has combined recreation and wellness under one roof, which will provide interrelated services offered by these programs to further enhance the quality of life for its users. It embraces green building principles and materials and was constructed to offer students, faculty and staff everything you would want out of a recreation and wellness facility,” said Mark Radell, project director for McCarthy.

“We were pleased to have pursued this large-scale project using the CM at Risk delivery method, which allowed collaboration between all project partners during planning and construction to deliver a vast program of services in a complex building with a cohesive and thoughtful approach. I would like to thank the team’s perseverance and hard work in making Sacramento State’s dream a reality,” said Tony Moayed, president of TMCS.

In addition to the largest rock climbing wall in the California State University system, The WELL features a fitness center, indoor track, gym courts, racquetball courts, and a student health center that includes primary and urgent care clinics, a retail pharmacy, vision care center, x-ray services, counseling services, a nutrition center and wellness promotion programs. There is also space for Peak Adventures, a student-run outdoor program.

Seeking LEED Silver certification, the project incorporates a number of sustainable features, including Foiltec skylight systems to improve thermal properties; design elements to increase day lighting; high efficiency HVAC systems; emphasis on light pollution reductions; enhanced commissioning and sustainably harvested formaldehyde-free wood products; and access to alternative transportation facilities, including bicycle parking and proximity to a nearby light rail station.

“We are very pleased with how the project team pursued the plan, listened to the stakeholders and executed what is one of our most ambitious projects in the history of the university,” said Mario Ruiz, interim associate vice president of facilities services at Sacramento State.  “The grand opening celebration will signify many years of work to make the vision for The WELL a reality for the students, faculty and staff.”

The WELL is part of the Alex G. Spanos Sports Complex, which includes Hornet Stadium and the 26,235-square-foot Eli and Edythe L. Broad Fieldhouse located at the south end of the stadium.That facility houses the football and track and field programs.

About TMCS
Tony Moayed Construction Services, Inc. (TMCS) is a construction management company founded in 2003 to serve the commercial construction industry.  TMCS is the ninth largest construction management company in Sacramento and its four surrounding counties.  Its services include program management, construction management and preconstruction management. More information about the company is available online at www.tmcsco.com.

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.

Designed by the San Francisco office of Anshen+Allen, the new $260 million Acute Care Pavilion is the first acute care facility in the state to meet the rigorous standards for quality and safety mandated by the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD), while also achieving the level of occupant health and environmental sustainability required to earn LEED-Certified status. The facility will be equipped and staffed to receive patients on October 10.

“Construction oversight of OSHPD facilities adds a heightened level of complexity to already complicated healthcare construction projects in California, based on the state’s strict criteria for passing project inspections, reviews and approvals,” said Dan Stone of CCQA Inc., inspector-of-record for the project. “McCarthy skillfully managed the many construction details to meet the agency’s high standards.”

OSHPD oversight of California hospitals stems from the 1971 Sylmar earthquake, which caused several hospitals to collapse, endangering the lives of hundreds of patients and hampering the hospitals’ ability to provide emergency care to the injured. In 1973 the state of California passed the Alfred E. Alquist Hospital Seismic Safety Act and, ever since, construction of acute care and psychiatric hospitals, as well as multi-story skilled nursing homes and intermediate care facilities, in the state has been governed by this legislation. The standards not only help enforce patient safety during the earthquake, but also ensure that facilities can continue to function and care for the injured following earthquakes.

For the Acute Care Pavilion, Rady Children’s Hospital employed one onsite inspector-of-record and three field inspectors, bound to the letter of the law. McCarthy served the integral role of working through all construction issues, developing proactive solutions, documenting every discussion and construction activity, and communicating with OSHPD inspectors, who visited the site three times a week. Not a single detail of the project could afford to be overlooked, from the drilling operation that involved the installation of individual 60-foot-deep by eight-inch-wide holes to accommodate seismic tie-down rods, to the torque of each bolt. Building Information Modeling (BIM) allowed the construction team to address many of the seismic issues.

Rady Children’s Hospital is the only dedicated child-specific medical center in the San Diego region, and demand for services had outgrown its existing facilities. The new 279,000-square foot Acute Care Pavilion was built on a tight, 148,650-square-foot site at the southeast end of the hospital campus, adjacent to the existing Rose Pavilion. Second- and third-floor bridges and a ground-floor walkway connect the existing facility to the new four-story building.

When equipped, the Acute Care Pavilion will house a much-needed surgical center, 84 medical-surgical beds, a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), and a cancer center. It also will provide 16 operating rooms with associated support departments, a 28-bed hematology and oncology unit, and a 10-bed bone marrow transplant intensive care unit.

The facility’s exterior features a glass-fiber reinforced, precast concrete exterior; integral-colored plaster; storefront and curtain wall glass systems with colored accents; metal panels and railings; and a billowing steel front entry canopy carrying the hospital’s “kite” insignia.

“Rady Children’s Hospital has been committed to incorporating green practices throughout its operations for many years, so when it came time for us to expand, we set on a mission to become the largest children’s hospital in the state with a world-class LEED Certified facility,” said Tim Jacoby, vice president of facilities for Rady Children’s Hospital, who led the successful team collaboration.  “Due to the degree of difficulty in meeting OSHPD and LEED requirements simultaneously, we knew the McCarthy team would be up against a huge challenge. Meeting our goal was not only a significant achievement for the hospital, but a milestone for the state of California.”

To knowledgeably address the LEED aspects of the project and carry through the facility’s sustainable design in a thoughtful, practical manner, McCarthy employed a dedicated LEED accredited professional and, since the project began in early 2008, 10 of the construction team’s members have become LEED APs.

“Construction execution required rigorous tracking and monitoring, along with a great deal of creative solution-finding, to keep the project on course toward LEED Certification,” said Steve Van Dyke, project director for McCarthy. “The construction team took extra measures and precautions at every turn to ensure compliance with the LEED credits.”

Working in accordance with LEED 2.1, the project team is on track to receive 31 of the 25 points needed to become LEED Certified. Eric Lum, LEED AP, has served as LEED project coordinator for Anshen+Allen, spearheading the design application review, and Don Sadler, AIA, LEED AP, served as principal-in-charge for the design firm. McCarthy is in the process of submitting the construction documentation needed for official certification.

Since beginning the LEED application process for this project, the U.S. Green Building Council has rolled out the LEED 3.0 for Healthcare Green Building Rating System, which is likely to make it more enticing for hospitals to seek LEED certification. LEED 3.0 for Healthcare is more applicable, addressing such specific issues as increased sensitivity to chemicals and pollutants, traveling distances from parking facilities, and access to natural spaces.

The new Rady Children’s Hospital Acute Care Pavilion has earned an “Innovation in Design” credit for the introduction of a series of healing gardens that utilize sustainable design principles and embrace the hospital’s healing arts program, which originally was developed in 1993 in conjunction with the Rose Pavilion construction. The program seeks to enrich the experience of patients, families and staff via visual and performing arts, and through the creation of healing gardens that draw on artists’ talents to transform normally lackluster courtyards into whimsical, outdoor retreats.

 In conjunction with the hospital’s healing arts program, the new Acute Care Pavilion provides an environment focused on the needs and imaginations of children — one that is also intended to help relieve the stress of families with sick or injured children. Central to the theme of the building is the “River of Life”, manifested through an immense, four-story mineral panel that incorporates a kinetic lighting system, which radiates a rainbow of vibrant colors through the front entry curtain wall. A mosaic tile version of the “River of Life” flows from the mineral lobby wall, out the front door and into the first-floor courtyard, which serves as one of several healing gardens.

Named “Carley’s Magical Gardens”, these playful, landscaped areas were designed through the collaboration of local artists T.J. Dixon, Kim Emerson, Albert De Matteis, and James Nelson. The first floor garden off the main entry, intended for use by parents and siblings, sets the stage for the whimsical themes experienced throughout the facility.

Located on the second floor off the hematology and oncology unit, the primary healing garden features a giant, tiled bird with a place for patients to deposit their wishes, which staff will later collect in order to better understand the children’s wants and needs. A life-size bronze figure of a young girl sitting at an eight-foot-long table is the centerpiece of the second-floor healing garden, and provides a place for organized activities and family gatherings. Other fanciful objects include a mosaic tile and concrete tree playhouse, complete with Hot Wheels tracks; a privacy bench; performance stage; and interactive garden screens and gates. A divided basketball playing area accommodates both regular and immune-deficient patients.

On the third floor is a landscaped bamboo garden with a rubber-surfaced playing area for patients and a retreat area for staff members. A vast ground-floor outdoor terrace, strictly for staff use, features Jacaranda trees, white light posts and bike racks.

Each floor of the building embraces its own nature theme – including sea, beach, sky and outer space – that are carried out with objects woven into the flooring, stamped ceiling tiles, nurse station vitrines, patient room and ceiling soffit murals, etched glass doors, restroom tile and lighting fixtures. The fourth-floor neonatal intensive care center accommodates 32 bassinettes, and features serpentine nurse stations that give staff a line of sight at all times. Patient rooms contain bathrooms with bathtubs or showers. Large wooden Nana doors surround the main reception and NICU desks for patient privacy.

The project team achieved 23 percent below Title 24 requirements for energy efficiency by utilizing the LEED Energy Cost Budget methodology. This was achieved by incorporating: 1) occupancy sensors in operating rooms to reduce the ventilation rate by 60 percent when unoccupied, yielding a 45 percent annual energy savings; 2) variable frequency drives on air handling unit motors to adjust the fan speed due to filter loading; 3) carbon dioxide monitoring for high occupancy areas to reduce ventilation rates, based on the number of occupants; 4) a supply air temperature reset strategy, which saves energy by adjusting air temperatures based on load; 5) a 24,000-square-foot cogeneration plant that provides free heating and high temperature water, and contains two 700-ton natural gas-fired absorption chillers; and 6) variable frequency drives on cooling tower fans and hot water pumps.

The project also utilizes recycled and locally obtained steel, concrete and other building materials; low VOC-emitting paints, glues, carpet, and wood; water-efficient landscaping; abundant daylighting, even at operating rooms; and a dedicated bicycle storage area. A reflective concrete “cool roof” system helps minimize heat gain and control rainwater run-off, and painted steel screens conceal rooftop mechanical systems.  
Nearly 80 percent of construction waste materials at the job site was recycled. The project team went above and beyond the LEED requirements by declaring the entire hospital campus a “no smoking” zone. A thorough, 14-day flush-out of the building began upon construction completion.

KPFF of San Francisco served as the structural engineer; RBF, San Diego, civil engineer; Randall Lamb, San Diego, electrical engineer; Shadpour Consulting Engineers, San Diego, mechanical engineer; and Royston Hanamoto Alley & Abey of Mill Valley was the landscape architect.

About McCarthy
McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. is one of the nation’s oldest and largest construction firms and has been ranked among the top five national healthcare builders by Modern Healthcare since the magazine began its annual ranking more than 30 years ago. In addition to Newport Beach, McCarthy has offices in San Diego, Sacramento and San Francisco, Calif.; Phoenix; Las Vegas; Dallas; St. Louis and Atlanta. McCarthy is 100 percent employee owned. More information about the company is available online at www.mccarthy.com.

The police station building is designed to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, and is on track to be the first LEED Platinum project for a higher education institution in San Diego County.

The $17.8 million project is part of the San Diego Community College District’s $1.555 billion Propositions S and N construction program, which is providing for new instructional and career training facilities, major renovations, campus-wide infrastructure projects, and parking and public safety enhancements at City, Mesa and Miramar colleges, and six Continuing Education campuses.  A virtual tour of the new Miramar College parking facility and police substation can be viewed at www.sdmiramar.edu/facilities/construction_updates.asp.

“The McCarthy team brought a cost-effective, aesthetically pleasing, efficient- operating parking structure concept to the table, together with some innovative approaches to our achieving LEED Platinum Certification on the police substation,” said David Umstot, vice chancellor of the San Diego Community College District. “We’re looking forward to again collaborating with them to complete this ambitious endeavor.”

Most recently, McCarthy built the new $28.9 million, 50,000-square-foot Allied Health Education and Training Facility at San Diego Mesa College in the Clairemont area of San Diego. Also funded by the Propositions S and N construction bond program, the Allied Health building is tracking LEED Gold certification.

The four-story, above-grade parking structure at Miramar College will be constructed with poured-in-place reinforced concrete. The scope of work for McCarthy includes related site work, including drought-tolerant landscaping and high-efficiency irrigation systems that use reclaimed water.

The adjacent single-story police substation will provide a central hub for campus safety and security, wayfinding and parking permitting. Key to its sustainable design is a green roof grid system, which will cover the majority of the roof deck. The grid system uses modular panels for ease of installation, roof access and maintenance. A green screen will cover the west elevation of the parking structure and achieve the look of a vertical garden. The vegetation to be used will contribute to a microclimate that is central to the facility’s passive thermal and natural ventilation design.

The xeriscape plants to be incorporated into the roof system will significantly reduce the need for stormwater infrastructure conveyance and retention systems. They also will help remove impurities from storm-water runoff, while reducing maintenance costs for filtration systems.

Additionally, the green roof and wall systems will reduce the heat island effect and complement the benefits of the pervious pavement to be used in the parking area. The green screen on the west elevation of the parking structure will further contribute to lower ambient heat gain, both within the police substation and the new parking structure.

An array of other sustainable design features factor into the building’s LEED Platinum level sustainable design, including terra cotta rain screens that create a vented facade and increase building envelope energy efficiency; curtain walls that have horizontal exterior siding on the south, vertical fins on the east, and a large glazed area facing north; operable windows that provide natural ventilation; Solatube skylights that capture natural light and enhance occupants’ work conditions; ceilings in the office and work areas that open to the concrete slab and optimize the radiant properties of the building’s thermal mass; and suspended ceiling “clouds” that enhance acoustical performance while serving as reflectors for daylight.

Still more green features include “cradle to cradle” certified finish materials, renewable and recycled flooring, and low-emitting casework materials.  The reception area of the police substation will showcase a recessed, interactive flat screen panel that informs visitors of the building’s sustainable features, and reinforces Miramar College’s sustainability goals.

“Construction execution will require conscientious tracking and monitoring to keep the project on the correct course toward LEED Certification,” said Bob Betz, project director of McCarthy Building Companies. “We’re looking forward to working with the San Diego Community College District to help realize its mission to build the first LEED Platinum community college facility in the region.”

Harley Ellis Devereaux is the design architect, with International Parking Design as the architect-of-record. Jessen Wright Structural Engineers is the structural engineer, Randall Lamb Associates is the electrical engineer, SC Engineers is the mechanical engineer, and Burkett & Wong Engineers is the civil engineer.  Schmidt Design Group is serving as the landscape architect.  Gafcon, Inc. serves as the program manager for the Propositions S and N construction bond program.

About McCarthy
McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. is one of the nation’s oldest and largest commercial construction companies and has been one of the leading parking structure builders since the advent of the modern parking structure in the 1960s. The company has delivered nearly 400 parking facilities throughout the United States, with parking spaces for more than 70,000 cars in California alone. The firm offers general contracting, construction management, program management and design/build services for parking structures; healthcare, educational, mixed-use, laboratory, biotechnical, retail, entertainment, industrial, multifamily and microelectronics facilities; green buildings; office buildings; tenant interiors; and bridges and highways. McCarthy is 100 percent employee owned. More information about the company is available online at www.mccarthy.com.

Images provided courtesy of Alan Decker Photography.

More than a decade ago, McCarthy’s Green Team formalized its in-house green knowledge network to capture and build upon the best green practices on its projects and in its offices. Today, McCarthy employs over 400 LEED Accredited Professionals and the firm’s resume of sustainable projects is valued at over $4 billion. The company is also ranked among the Top 50 Green Construction Companies (Engineering News-Record, September 2009).

McCarthy encourages sustainable design and building practices on all of its projects, regardless of formal LEED goals. Through leadership from the McCarthy Green Steering Committee and active support from employees nationwide, the company has established an in-house green training program to ensure employees are able to provide clients and partners with the most up-to-date green construction solutions. Among other green initiatives, all McCarthy project sites are committed to recycling construction debris, encourage worker carpooling and are smoke-free. In addition, McCarthy has calculated its carbon footprint and is committed to a 5 percent reduction by 2013.

Former Mayor and current council member Frank G. Fry spoke during the ceremony along with McCarthy Project Manager Blaze Bartoli. The event was both a thank you to the contractors and a tribute to the progress made thus far. The Chief of Police Andy Hall, Captain Mitch Waller, Captain Ron Coopman and Sgt. Brian Carpenter were in attendance along with several other dignitaries from the city of Westminster, construction workers and project consultants.

During the topping out event, the final steel beam was signed by event guests and an American flag and evergreen tree were attached to the beam before it was lifted and secured to the top of the police headquarters structure. Marking the mid-way point in the life of a construction project, the topping out tradition of attaching a tree and flag to the final structural beam has been practiced by construction workers for over 1000 years. The tree represents growth, life and good luck during the project and for the building’s future occupants. The flag is displayed as a patriotic symbol that signifies the united effort by the project team to achieve a common goal.

Westminster City Mayor Margie L. Rice was unable to attend the event, but McCarthy arranged for the beam to be lowered and signed by her after the event. Mayor Rice said she was honored and excited to sign the beam and to be included in this project milestone for the Police Headquarters, which is part of the overall revitalization plan for the Westminster Civic Center.

The $65 million (development cost) police headquarters project includes construction of a 91,000-square-foot police building housing an upgraded 911 communications center, a new forensic lab, increased evidence storage capacity, an Emergency Operations Center, a Type I jail facility and administrative work space. The project also includes site work such as driveways, surface parking, a sallyport, landscape and fire access lane improvements.

On schedule for completion in May 2011, the police building was designed by AECOM of Orange, Calif. to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Requirements.

The Westminster Police Department Headquarters is one of three police facilities McCarthy is currently constructing in partnership with Griffin Structures. McCarthy is serving as construction manager and Griffin Structures in the program manager. The other projects include a 62,064-square-foot police station in Buena Park, Calif., and a 55,000-square-foot police station in Hesperia, Calif.

About McCarthy
McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. is one of the nation’s oldest and largest commercial construction companies. McCarthy is 100 percent employee owned. More information about the company is available online at www.mccarthy.com.

According to McCarthy Project Director Robert Betz, work to fully enclose the building is underway. The in-wall and overhead rough-in is nearly complete on all levels, and the project team is preparing to enter the interior drywall installation stage.

“This step will require a substantial amount of material, including 20,000 square feet of drywall to cover 160,000 linear feet of metal stud framing material,” said Betz.  “The project has experienced an especially low change order rate of less than one percent, and remains on schedule and within budget.”

The new $20 million San Diego Mesa College Allied Health Building is being funded by the Proposition S Construction Bond, which was approved by San Diego voters in 2002. Construction began last May, and is slated for completion this September. The road realignment, considered phase three of the project, is scheduled for completion in December.

Situated off Mesa College Drive at the main campus entry, the Allied Health facility will serve as a prominent landmark for San Diego Mesa College. It is the second instructional building to be built at Mesa College utilizing Proposition S funds. The building will house a computer lab, classrooms, a clinical dental lab, physical therapy lab, medical lab, plus faculty and staff offices.

Designed by San Diego-based Architects | Delawie Wilkes Rodrigues Barker, the Allied Health Building incorporates a three-story layout to accommodate all of the uses required by the faculty, staff and students on the compact site. To reduce the vertical emphasis of the building, the exterior design incorporates multiple horizontal design elements, such as a continuous ribbon window curtain wall system with integral horizontal window eyebrows. The curtain wall plays a significant role in shading the glass and reducing the amount of internal solar gain inside the building.

Another important design element is the stone cladding on the more powerful vertical elements such as stairs and entry areas. This will be the first building on the campus to use stone elements on the exterior.

An important objective for all Propositions S and N construction projects is to obtain the highest Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification possible.  The Allied Health Building is designed to achieve LEED Silver certification status.

Among the sustainable design elements of the building are low-water use landscape, construction and design materials with a high recycled content, high-efficiency energy systems and Energy-Star roof systems.  The Allied Health Building’s power requirements will be offset in part by energy generated by solar panels located on the roof of the adjacent parking structure.

Phase three of the project, involving the extensive realignment of an existing roadway, challenged the team to perform the majority of the work without interrupting the access/egress requirements of the campus. The McCarthy project team worked with the District to save several months on the District’s original schedule and sequencing plan. The shorter phasing plan will significantly reduce the campus disruption and ultimately save the taxpayers and the District a considerable amount of money.

Project team consultants include Hope Engineering for structural engineering, RBF Consulting for civil engineering and Xnth for mechanical and electrical engineering. Wimmer Yamada & Caughey is the landscape architect, and Churchill Engineering, Inc., is the code consultant. Gafcon is the program manager for the Propositions S and N construction program for the San Diego Community College District.

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 having managed construction or built more than 400, K-12 school projects nationwide, totaling more than $2 billion in construction value, and more than 200 higher education projects on more than 40 campuses.  McCarthy is 100 percent employee owned. More information about the company is available online at www.mccarthy.com

“Becoming a LEED Accredited Professional requires a significant commitment of both time and effort,” said Randy Highland, president of McCarthy’s Nevada Division. “These individuals demonstrate McCarthy’s dedication to providing our clients with superior knowledge and expertise in developing high performance buildings that are environmentally friendly and sustainable.”

Launched in 2001, LEED Professional Accreditation distinguishes building professionals with the knowledge and skills to successfully steward the LEED certification process. A LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP) has demonstrated a thorough understanding of green building practices and principles and of the LEED Rating System.

About McCarthy
Recognized by the Nevada Contractors Association as the “Safest Contractor of the Year” in 2008, McCarthy has helped to define the Southern Nevada landscape for more than 30 years. As a green construction company, McCarthy strives to meet community and national standards in high performance building. Creating innovative structures that blend form with function, in harmony with the environment, employees are active participants with the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). Well-established, in-house training programs support the company’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Accredited Professionals.  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.

The facility will be a striking structure composed of a long sweeping roof flanked by two stories of cast-in-place concrete walls. The front entrance will feature a large expanse of glass, and the finishes will consist of wood harvested from local stocks.

Intended to provide lyrical and elegant addition to the Arts District the facility will be organized as a series of linear pavilions, capped by varying ribbon-like roof forms and will consist of a 750-seat theatre, two flexible 200-seat theatres, art galleries, a café, a bookshop, an enclosed garden and educational and meeting spaces.  Each of the different interior spaces is clearly defined, making the complex easy to navigate and utilize.

“McCarthy is pleased to be an integral part of the expansion of the Dallas Arts District,” said McCarthy’s Texas Division President Mike McWay. “The City Performance Hall provides McCarthy with an opportunity to once again showcase our abilities as a leading Dallas Arts District builder while working with an outstanding team of professionals dedicated to the complex job at hand.”

“It is exciting to be working with McCarthy on such an important building for the city of Dallas in the Arts District,” said Rick Galceran, P.E., Director of the Public Works and Transportation Department for the City of Dallas. “We are confident that with their expertise in building performance arts facilities, McCarthy will be able to provide the quality we expect with the resources we have available.”

In addition to the City Performance Hall, some of McCarthy’s notable performing arts projects include the AT&T Performing Arts Center, a unique 80,300-square-foot multi-form theatre facility in the Dallas Arts District; the Hollywood & Highland entertainment complex including the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California, a $312 million, 833,109-square-foot, mixed-use facility known as home to the Academy Awards; and the University of California Davis Robert & Margrit Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts in Davis, California, a $51.5 million, 106,000-square-foot, multi-level, 1,800-seat main performance hall with a 25-seat studio theatre.

The City Performance Hall is expected to be complete in 2010.  The architect of record for this project is Corgan Associates, Inc. of Dallas and the design firm is Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, LLP (SOM) of Chicago.

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 entertainment, healthcare, education, parking, 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.

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.

The three-story Health and Wellness Center will consist of medical offices, laboratories and exam rooms, a pharmacy, a physical therapy rehabilitation facility, an imaging room, and meeting rooms.  The facility will also feature a Wellness Garden that will be landscaped to promote recovery and peace in the natural outdoor setting.

The project is currently seeking LEED Silver certification and will incorporate several green features, including a green roof containing vegetation to absorb harmful UV rays and reduce reflectants; an environmentally friendly mechanical system consisting of chilled beams that reduce the need for costly air conditioning; and recycled and earth-friendly building materials.  Additionally, approximately 80 percent of the materials removed during the demolition will be recycled. WRNS Studio LLP is the primary architect.

This is McCarthy’s third project on the UCD campus, having completed the Activities and Recreation Center in 2004 and the Robert and Margrit Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts in 2002.

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.  More information about the company is available online at www.mccarthy.com.