McCarthy Topping Out on Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute

Artist rendering of MBARI’s new Instrumentation Integration and Testing Facility (Image courtesy of MBARI)

McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. (McCarthy) raised the final beam last week on a new robotic technology lab for the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI). Located on the small peninsula of Moss Landing, the new Instrumentation Integration and Testing Facility includes flexible spaces for scientific research, instrument development and preparation, and technology engineering and assembly. The new state-of-the-art facility also includes conference and multimedia rooms, and is located across the street from the institute’s docks.  

Slated to open in late 2024, the Instrumentation Integration and Testing Facility further advances MBARI's ability to develop cutting-edge engineering technology to support biological, chemical, geological, and physical science research in ocean environments from the surface to the deep seafloor.  

Designed by Flad Architects, MBARI’s goal for this new research facility is to expand its growing program and engage with internal and external research teams. The project started in the fall of 2022 and became more visible to the public as the structure took form over the last few months. Now hitting this important construction milestone, the team moves to the final stages of completing the exterior, complex MEPF systems, and interior finishings to support the building’s oceanographic science and engineering needs.

"We worked closely with the MBARI team to ensure that their vision was realized, alongside the geographic considerations of the harbor and shoreline campus," said McCarthy Project Director Kris Barr. "The tight site conditions and coastal environment created unique opportunities to the construction approach."

Our team created a reverse forming system to develop the foundation system, as we needed to establish a way to hold up the sand before pouring the foundation. We also enhanced the slab-on-grade reinforcement to support the large crane required to move the over 20,000-pound wall-forming panels for the board form concrete walls. Structural Engineer Rutherford + Chekene's collaborative approach to our ideas was instrumental in the plan's success. Together, we developed this structure and executed it with no safety incidents. 

Construction of MBARI’s new Instrumentation Integration and Testing Facility (Image courtesy of MBARI)

Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute Building Plans

Once completed, MBARI will use the new facility to support integration and testing of oceanographic equipment prior to deployment at sea. The multi-use building incorporates room for 35 people who will move over from the existing buildings.

“We are delighted to see the building taking shape after over a decade of planning and approvals”, said Keith Raybould, MBARI's Project Manager. “This addition to our campus will provide an important integration and test facility for assembling and testing new instruments and sensors prior to taking them across the road to be loaded for test deployments on our research vessels, in addition to supporting several other coastally dependent science and engineering research functions”.

Project Partners

In addition to McCarthy and Flad, major design subconsultants and trade partners who worked on the project include: exp Engineers, Collins Electrical Co., Axiom Engineers, FM Booth, BKF, Granite Rock, Rutherford + Chekene, Westco, and Rana Creek. 

About McCarthy 

McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. is the oldest privately held national construction company in the country – with nearly 160 years spent collaborating with partners to solve complex building challenges on behalf of its clients. With an unrelenting focus on safety and a comprehensive quality program that span all phases of every project, McCarthy utilizes industry-leading design phase and construction techniques combined with value-add technology to maximize outcomes. Repeatedly honored as a Best Place to Work and Healthiest Employer, McCarthy is ranked the 19th largest domestic builder (Engineering News-Record, May 2023). With approximately 6,000 salaried employees and craft professionals, the firm has offices in St. Louis; Atlanta; Collinsville, Ill.; Kansas City, Kan.; Omaha, Neb.; Phoenix; Las Vegas; Denver; Austin, Channelview, Dallas, and Houston, Texas; and San Diego, Newport Beach, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose and Sacramento, Calif. McCarthy is 100% employee owned. More information about the company is available online at www.mccarthy.com/es.

About MBARI

MBARI (Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute) is a non-profit oceanographic research center founded in 1987 by the late Silicon Valley innovator and philanthropist David Packard. Our mission is to advance marine science and technology to understand a changing ocean. Learn more at mbari.org.