McCarthy Building Companies, Inc., a Texas builder since 1980, was recently awarded a 2010 Distinguished Project Award for its work on the AT&T Performing Arts Center (AT&T PAC) Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre. TEXO selected the Wyly Theatre as the winner in the category of commercial/educational projects totaling $30 to $75 million.

Judges based the selection of winning projects on construction techniques involved, special obstacles, personnel management, scheduling, quality control and safety programs. Each judge individually reviewed each of the 79 projects nominated. McCarthy and other winning firms were honored in April at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington.

“It is an honor to be selected as a winner among so many incredible projects,” said Mike McWay, president of McCarthy’s Texas Division. “The Wyly Theatre is a new standard for McCarthy’s future construction projects. We are thrilled TEXO recognizes the insistence on quality and dedication to hard work McCarthy contributes to all of its projects.”

Designed by REX/OMA, Joshua Prince-Ramus (partner in charge) and Pritzker Prize-winning architect Rem Koolhaas, the Wyly Theatre is the world’s first and only high-rise theatre and is one of two new venues in the AT&T PAC in the heart of downtown Dallas.  The 12-level, 80,300-square-foot multi-form theatre completely rethinks the traditional arrangement of a theatre’s parts. This vertically-stacked theatre houses unique materials from across the globe and boasts the capability to transform in to three different seating configurations –  thrust, proscenium and flat floor – made possible by a series of lift platforms that raise and lower. The Wyly Theatre officially opened in October 2009.

Winning TEXO’s local Distinguished Project Award now qualifies McCarthy to enter the Wyly Theatre and compete for the national Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Excellence in Construction Awards, the construction industry’s premier annual awards program. Winning projects will be announced February 2011.

McCarthy is currently working on the Dallas City Performance Hall, a 124,000-square-foot multi-phase theatre facility, and its accompanying garage in the Dallas Arts District adjacent to the AT&T PAC. Another striking arts project, the City Performance Hall is on track to be the first LEED Silver rated performing arts facility in Texas under the United States Green Building Council and will provide a new state-of-the-art home for small and medium arts groups, reflecting the diverse communities of the city.

McCarthy’s Texas Division also was recently selected as an Associated General Contractors of America (AGC)/Aon Build America Award 2010 winner in the New Building category for the Wyly Theatre. The division adds these awards to a growing list of other business and industry-based awards the firm has received, including being honored with the number three spot on the 2009 Top 100 Workplaces by The Dallas Morning News and the 2009 Contractor of the Year award from the Dallas Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA).

NOTE: A photo of the completed AT&T Performing Arts Center Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre is available at:
http://www.mccarthy.com/ftp-at-and-t-performing-arts-center

About McCarthy
Celebrating nearly 30 years of building in Texas, McCarthy is the nation’s 10th largest domestic general contractor (Engineering News-Record, May 2010) and 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.  For more information please visit www.mccarthy.com.

About TEXO
TEXO is the construction association representing commercial contractors in North and East Texas.  It has a membership of more than 1,900 commercial contractors.  TEXO was formed from the consolidation of the North/East Texas Chapter of the Associated General Contractors (QUOIN) and the Associated Builders and Contractors North Texas (ABCNT).  TEXO is one of the largest organizations affiliated, on the national and state level, with the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) and Associated General Contractors (AGC).

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.

Yeomans brings more than two decades of development and construction experience and has managed in excess of $1.2 billion in development over the past four years for MGM Mirage. He has demonstrated proven leadership abilities in building his team and in the successful delivery of projects within budget and required timelines.

He joins McCarthy from MGM Mirage Design Group, where he was responsible for managing the companies’ capital portfolio. Throughout his tenure with the company, he successfully directed the construction activities and capital improvements of Las Vegas MGM Mirage properties as well as the Beau Rivage and Gold Strike properties in Mississippi.  Yeomans accredits his success to unwavering values that include integrity, hard work, dedication and personal commitment.

“Paul’s extensive background in the casino and hospitality industry and his proven track record of effectively managing complex capital improvements is unmatched,” said Randy Highland, President of McCarthy’s Nevada Division. “He understands first hand the building challenges that are inherent to construction within the hospitality and gaming industry and recognizes the important role that teamwork and collaboration play in a project’s success.”

Prior to joining MGM Mirage, Yeomans served as the Deputy Program Manger responsible for the multi-billion-dollar capital improvement program for Mineta San Jose International Airport and held several key roles for the multi-billion-dollar capital improvement program for San Francisco International Airport.

Yeomans received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with a concentration in Construction Management and Structural Design.

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. 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 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.

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.

“This was an exciting project and the new expansion will certainly solidify Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino as the premier resort in the heart of the central valley,” said Rich Henry, president of the McCarthy Northern Pacific Division.  “Building the expansion tower in the midst of existing resort activity presented a challenge.  Working collaboratively with the client, design team, and subcontractors ensured minimal disruption to the resort’s ongoing daily business.”

Chukchansi’s new 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.  The tower 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.

The 9,000-square-foot Serenity Springs Spa includes locker rooms, saunas, steam rooms, massage rooms, lounges, a fitness area and a salon.  The adjacent indoor/outdoor pool with a swim-up poolside bar holds 70,000 gallons of water.  Additionally, the resort’s just-opened Nativo’s restaurant, consisting of 4,000 square feet, offers the finest Italian cuisine.

“The expansion reflects our appreciation for every guest that walks through our doors.  The new additions will enable us to provide a unique entertainment experience that will cater to every person, couple and group,” said Bruce King, general manager of Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino.  “Working with McCarthy was a seamless process and we appreciated their diligence to deliver the project ahead of schedule and under budget, while accommodating our heavy guest traffic and ongoing resort activities.”

The new rooms and amenities at Chukchansi adds to the abundance of hospitality and entertainment options, including seven restaurants, an arcade, and a large casino floor with 1,800 slots and 48 gaming tables, including a private 2,150 square-feet VIP high-limit gaming room.

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

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.

The Wyly Theatre is designed by REX/OMA, Joshua Prince-Ramus (partner in charge) and Rem Koolhaas, in collaboration with Houston-based firm Kendall Heaton.

The 12-level building will feature a groundbreaking design with an unprecedented “stacked,” vertically organized facility that completely rethinks the traditional form of theatre.

The Wyly Theatre will be a cast-in-place and structural steel framed facility with exterior curtainwall and aluminum cladding.  This facility will provide new performance space for Dallas with its revolutionary approach to theatre design, incorporating state-of-the-art technology and advanced mechanics that will allow artistic directors to rapidly change the stage configuration to a wide variety of seating configurations including proscenium, thrust and flat floor.

The main performance chamber is located at ground level and support spaces are located above-house and below-house.  This layout represents a significant departure from typical theatre design in which most support spaces surround the performance chamber.  Included elsewhere within the facility are a cocktail bar, rehearsal spaces, administrative offices, costume shop, lobby, stage support areas, mechanical rooms, production spaces and rooftop multipurpose space.

McCarthy is also building one of the AT&T Performing Arts Centers’ underground parking garages, a 222,000-square-foot project that includes three levels of underground parking for more than 600 vehicles to conveniently and safely serve all Dallas Arts District venues and patrons.  When completed, this below-grade parking garage will be backfilled with soil, creating the above-ground site for the Center’s Performance Park.

“McCarthy is very pleased to be an integral part of the expansion of the Dallas Arts District. The Wyly Theatre and underground parking garage projects provide McCarthy an opportunity to once again showcase our abilities with these types of facilities,” said McCarthy Texas Division President Mike McWay.

“The campaign to build the AT&T Performing Arts Center is entering its final phase,” said Howard Hallam, chair of the Board of Directors of the AT&T Performing Arts Center.  “With construction now underway, the 25-year dream of the Dallas Arts District is coming to fruition in a tangible, visible and dramatic way.  We look forward to working with McCarthy over the next several years until the completion of the Wyly Theatre.”

In addition to the Wyly Theatre, McCarthy’s most notable performing arts project work are the Hollywood/Highland 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 UC 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 theater.

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.