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.

When the McCarthy learned of the need for repainting of the facility’s dormitories, employees jumped at the opportunity to provide the manpower required to paint the interior dorm area and secured donated paint and materials.

“The number of mentally challenged homeless continues to grow in Southern Nevada,” said McCarthy Heart Hats member Josh Brummels. “The Salvation Army’s Pathways program is one of the largest group facilities of its kind in this area and the services they provide are necessary and admirable. We are so excited to be able to help and support their efforts.”

In order to minimize disruption for the 42 program residents, the painting project was split up over two consecutive Saturdays. More than two dozen McCarthy volunteers were involved in painting the 14 room, co-ed facility.

A 100 percent employee-owned company, McCarthy employees are passionate about building better communities. The McCarthy Heart Hats program is the volunteer-based community outreach arm of McCarthy dedicated to encouraging, supporting and recognizing McCarthy volunteer efforts in a variety of causes to ensure real needs are being met in communities where employees work, live and play. In 2008, McCarthy donated more than $2 million nationwide to help make a difference.

CCIP vs. OCIP: Which Comprehensive Insurance Program is Right for You?
by Bill Sharp, Vice President, Risk Management
With the size and scope of projects becoming larger every day, program sponsors (owners and contractors) are seeking alternative ways to address insurance needs, both from a coverage standpoint and a cost standpoint.

When the Hospital Board Says, “Build it Green!”
by John Kreidich AIA, LEED AP, Manager, Healthcare Services
Building green in the healthcare environment is here to stay. Well-chosen green building investments will yield benefits with either no additional cost or with a return on investment well within a hospital’s internal rate of return over the life of the improvements.

5 Questions to Ask Your Contractor About SAFETY
An Interview with Gary Amsinger, CSP, Corporate Vice President, Safety
In addition to simply keeping workers healthy and productive, strong safety execution reduces exposure for owners. Amsinger suggests that owners should ask, at the very least, these basic five questions of their prospective contractor.

See the National Edition now.

Readers can also view region-specific content by selecting from the drop down menu titled View Other Editions. These include Central, Nevada/Utah, Southern California, Northern Pacific, Southwest, Southeast, Texas and MC Industrial editions.

McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. has introduced its new ‘green’ client newsletter, Insights That Build^SM.  It’s all part of the company’s goal of Leaving Green Footprints^®, a 10-year old program aimed at reducing McCarthy’s carbon footprint.  The first electronic edition includes valuable thought-leading content including:

How to get the best final cost on your next project
by Mike Bolen, Chairman and CEO
‘Conventional wisdom’ says that owners can’t have it all. In fact-by taking the right approach-you can turn an old saying into a smarter strategy: ‘Good, fast and cheap: pick all three.’

Design management – why owners get a better result
by Jim Mynott, Director of Design Management
In this economic climate, execution time from proposal to start of construction can be a deciding factor for project funding. A design management approach can help—and it maximizes other owner advantages.

Five things you should ask your contractor about quality
by Chad Dorgan, Vice President, Quality
There are few words in construction that are more used – or more misused – than the word “quality.”  To understand what it means to YOUR construction project, you and your contractor need to talk.

See the National Edition now.

Readers can also view region-specific content by selecting from the drop down menu titled ‘Other Regional Editions’.  These include Southern California, Northern Pacific, Southwest, Nevada/Utah, Texas, Central, and Southeast editions.

McCarthy announces the opening of an office in Salt Lake City, Utah, taking another step forward to becoming the “Best Builder in America.” A community-based builder with national expertise, McCarthy is 100% employee owned.  The new office begins a long-term community presence in the intermountain region and will be led by Scott Christiansen, a 32-year veteran in the Utah construction industry.

“Growing McCarthy’s presence in the intermountain region of the U.S. has always been part of the company’s overall long term strategic goals,” said Division President Randy Highland. “As a true community-based builder with a long history and strong reputation for consistently delivering and exceeding client expectation, McCarthy looks forward to helping to meet the building needs in this dynamic area.”

Christiansen is a member of US Green Building Council, a LEED Accredited Professional, and active with the Associated General Contractors. In addition, to his industry-related activities, he is a supporter of the Boy Scouts of America and a member of the Eagle Scout Association.  He holds a degree in mass communications from the University of Utah.

Highland continues,” We are pleased to have Scott Christiansen on board as he leads our efforts in Utah. He brings extensive knowledge of the Salt Lake building market and is deeply rooted in this community.”

As a diverse builder with national strength and a local focus, McCarthy is regionally structured.  The Salt Lake City office is located at 2150 South 1300 East Suite 500 and the phone number is (801) 990-2950. McCarthy’s services and expertise stretch into a variety of industries, including: higher education, healthcare, entertainment, gaming/hospitality, mixed-use, multifamily residential, retail, laboratory, biotechnical, educational, microelectronic, and industrial facilities; office buildings, parking structures; tenant interiors, water and waste treatment, and prisons.

About McCarthy
Founded in 1864, McCarthy is one of the oldest and largest privately held construction firms in the nation. McCarthy is 100 percent employee owned.

McCarthy has begun preconstruction services on the new 15,000-square-foot College of Southern Nevada (CSN) Fire Station. McCarthy was recently awarded the $5.5 million project by the city of Las Vegas and CSN and will serve as Construction Manager at Risk (”CMAR”) throughout the construction of the project.

Located on the CSN campus at the southwest corner of Torrey Pines Drive and Oakey Boulevard, the new single-story facility will serve a dual purpose of providing 4,000 square feet of classrooms and lecture halls as well as housing a four-bay fire station for the city of Las Vegas.

“Our experience has taught us that getting involved early is the key to getting the project both started and completed on time,” said Ryan Heeter, project director for McCarthy. “We are currently working with the design team to establish project goals and budget considerations. This is a collaborative effort between all parties involved to provide the owner with an accurate design, cost and schedule prior to the start of construction.”

Designed by JMA Architecture Studios, the building features LEED standards that provide energy saving components such as increased day lighting, water efficient landscaping and provisions for the installation of solar panels. Scheduled for completion in the fall of 2010, the new building will be constructed using metal stud framing with an EIFS and Stone exterior finish.

About McCarthy
Recognized by the Nevada Contractors Association as the “Safest Contractor of the Year” in 2008, McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. has helped to define the Southern 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.

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.

Located at 2839 S. Burnham Ave., Valley High School was originally constructed in 1965 and is one of the oldest schools operating in the Clark County School District. The $20,175,000 contract calls for the remodel and upgrade of the mechanical, plumbing, electrical, structural, and architectural areas of the 44 year old school.

Valley High School will remain open to its 3,000 students throughout construction as McCarthy performs the modernization and upgrades to the school.  McCarthy will work closely with school administration to phase the work by splitting the school into sections and relocating students to portable classrooms only when necessary to complete work in each area.  Furthermore, to minimize disruption to the students during the school year, McCarthy will only stage construction to take place during off hours between 3pm – 6am, summer months, weekends and holidays.

“McCarthy has extensive experience working effectively in occupied facilities and we are carefully scheduling the work to minimize disruption for the faculty and students,” said Ray Sedey, McCarthy vice president of operations. “Of course, safety is of the utmost concern and we are putting plans in place to assure the work area is completely isolated from the building occupants.”

Designed by Professional Design Architects of Las Vegas, plans call for the removal and replacement of the ceiling and all existing mechanical, electrical, plumbing, upgrading of fire protection and life safety systems, installation of new air handlers, and upgrades to the existing central plant. McCarthy will self perform all concrete work, create ADA accessibility and install 580 tubular day lights to provide increased natural lighting in the classrooms.

About McCarthy
Recognized by the Nevada Contractors Association as the “Safest Contractor of the Year” in 2008, McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. has helped to define the Southern 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.

At the bike rodeo, students had the opportunity to learn and practice bike safety skills. Working in rotating stations, participants had their bikes inspected, learned how to properly start and stop, dodge rocks in the road, and to look for and yield to traffic. These stations prepared students to be safe when riding in their neighborhood.

Heart Hats team members present a third grader with a brand new bicycle.

In addition to volunteering, McCarthy donated a youth bike and safety gear given away as a raffle prize and provided snacks and water.

“The bike rodeo is a great way to promote safety,” said McCarthy Project Engineer Geoff Godzik. “Any event that emphasizes safety is a great fit for McCarthy and we enjoyed taking part.”

McCarthy first joined forces with Paradise Professional Development Elementary School in 2007 as part of the Clark County School District’s Focus School Program that partners community businesses with underserved schools in the valley. Since partnering with Paradise Elementary, employees of the Las Vegas office have completed a variety of hands-on projects with the school including much-needed small building improvement projects like installing shelves, painting and work programs and fun projects like painting faces for Halloween, organizing holiday food, book, coat and toy drives and donating their time and materials.

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.

McCarthy would like to thank the generosity of those in attendance.  Through donations and raffle tickets, we raised $7,300 for the local charity. The Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth is dedicated to eliminating homelessness among Nevada youth.

The McCarthy Heart Hats Committee presented members of the organization with a check for $2,300 and delivered food and supplies as well as gift cards for Target, movies and groceries totaling more than $5,000 to the Maryland Parkway drop-in center.

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.  McCarthy employees are as passionate about building better communities as they are about construction.

Founded in 1864, McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. is one of the oldest and largest commercial construction companies in the nation. McCarthy is 100 percent employee owned.  More information about the company is available online at www.mccarthy.com.