STOBG Insights Magazine, Issue 1, 2023

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Publication Leadership:

Senior VP Marketing & Corporate Communications, Rebecca Leonardis

Editor, Alison Smith

Creative Director, Sarah Kennedy Lembo

Content Contributors: Breanna Ahern, Andrew Clark*, Forrest Cole, Leah Collie, Colette Finnerty, Melissa Funaro, Hilda Jara, Dhara Kanakia, Grace McKenna, Patrick Moriarty, Benjamin Patterson, and Carol Whetstine*

Proofreaders: Kari Mullen, Breanna Ahern, Caryn Norton

Special thanks: to the STOBG Corporate Marketing and Business Unit marketing teams.

*External Contributor

STO Building Group (formerly known as the Structure Tone organization) refers to a group of separate legal entities including:

Structure Tone, LLC

Structure Tone Southwest, LLC

Structure Tone International Limited (UK)

Structure Tone Limited (Dublin)

Pavarini Construction Co., LLC

Pavarini McGovern, LLC

L.F. Driscoll Company, LLC

L.F. Driscoll Healthcare

Govan Brown

Ajax Building Company

BCCI Construction

Layton Construction

Abbott Construction

RC Andersen

as well as their subsidiaries, joint ventures, divisions or affiliates. Each member company is an independent legal entity operating and providing services solely under its own name.

© Copyright STO Building Group, 2023. STO Building Group Insights is a publication of the STOBG Corporate Marketing Department 330 W. 34th Street, New York, NY 10001

It’s hard to put a finger on what makes a great culture, especially when you’re talking about the culture of an entire city. But one thing is for sure—the built environment plays a role. From the function of the building itself (think museums and performance venues) to its design and prominence in the community, buildings support culture. As builders, we’re incredibly proud to be a part of this culture creation, and this issue of STO Building Group Insights showcases some examples.

Abbott Construction is helping Los Angeles County highlight civic art in and around county buildings. Structure Tone New York worked with the Jackie Robinson Foundation to build an amazing new museum devoted to the baseball and civil rights icon. Govan Brown built a new venue for a farmer’s market that has become a Calgary landmark.

Structure Tone London is repositioning some of London’s historic structures. And the list goes on. It’s gratifying to read about the impact these projects have on their surroundings, but even more impressive to see the imagery and get a sense of what it feels like to be there. We hope these pages do it justice!

Culture certainly affects economy as well. This issue dives into how many Americans—and many companies—are capitalizing on the newly discovered culture of several upand-coming cities across the country. The growth of these emerging markets is affecting building sectors of almost every type, and we explore what we’ve seen through our projects and what we see coming down the pike.

We hope you find this as inspiring and informative as we do.

K. Donaghy Executive Chairman Robert Mullen CEO

James

NEXT-GEN HEALERS:

Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine

Offering a three-year path to medical residency, opportunities to work in underserved communities, and a diverse student community, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine has grown in numbers and in reputation. Located in Nutley, New Jersey, about 15 miles west of New York City, the campus is also home to the Hackensack Meridian Health Center for Discovery and Innovation, which focuses on cancer, infectious diseases, and regenerative medicine research. With over half of the students from New York and New Jersey, the school has a mission to keep more physicians living and working in New Jersey.

PROJECT DETAILS

Location: Nutley, NJ

Size: 20,000sf

Client: Hackensack Meridian

Architect: FCA

Engineer: WSP

Owner’s Rep: Stantec

Sector:

Healthcare/ Education

Completed: June 2021

THE ULTIMATE HEALTHCARE CURVEBALL

Hackensack Meridian Health (HMH) enlist ed LF Driscoll Healthcare’s New Jerseybased team to kick off a 20,000sf reconstruction of the School of Medicine. Preconstruction began in the middle of September 2020, when the world was in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The LF Driscoll Healthcare team worked closely with HMH during this early phase to determine how to take advantage of fewer people in the occupied building while keeping the project team safe.

The team divided the floor into four pods to organize the work, minimize disruptions as students returned to the space, and maximize the budget and material lead times. Physical work began in November 2020, demolition of the first two pods was completed by the end of 2020, and demolition of the second two pods in mid-February 2021.

“The phasing and sequencing of the pods allowed us to keep the crews separated and create an efficient flow of the project for field production,” says Steve Maszczak, LFD Healthcare project executive.

The growing number of COVID cases throughout construction and the increased safety protocols created a number of obstacles to schedules and coordination. But the team’s already deep-seated culture of safety also helped guide the way.

“Our Safety 360° culture had already reinforced an attitude of health and safety at all times,” says Frank Mascoli, LFD Healthcare superintendent. “We kept a close eye on all of the federal, state, and local laws, codes, and regulations and were able to progress construction on the school to keep it moving on time and on budget.”

STATE-OF-THE-ART TEACHING AND LEARNING FACILITY

With a steady scope, schedule, and plan of attack, the team was able to bring HMH’s vision to life. The colorful, bright space is a home away from home for the medical students and faculty, who spend most of their waking hours at school. Spaces for large and small groups, faculty offices, and student lounges are modern and comfortable.

The first pod consists of a 2,000sf learning studio, four small group rooms, seven private offices, a student lounge, and a pantry. The learning studio features 30 large screen monitors connected to a central broadcast system, a sound deadening portable partition, and it comfortably seats 130 students.

The second pod contains a 5,000sf tiered amphitheater which seats 177 students, eight small group rooms, two student lounges, and a pantry. Top of the line AV equipment includes three projectors, a variety of digital white boards, auto tracking cameras, six large screen monitors, and a central broadcast system. The third and fourth pods each hold 11 private offices, open office areas, two pantries, and a training/conference room.

In just 224 days after demolition began, the entire team felt an extra-special sense of accomplishment when the School of Medicine opened its new doors.

“This project in particular was so rewarding for our team,” says Joe MacInnes, LF Driscoll Healthcare sector leader. “While the world faced a health crisis, we were able to help create a place of learning for the next generation of doctors.”

PHOTOS LEFT AND ABOVE: © FRANCIS KAUFFMAN. PHOTO RIGHT: © JOHN BAER/BUILDING IMAGES PHOTOGRAPHY

TSX

B R O A D WAY: R A I S I N G H I STO RY I N

TI M E S S Q U A R E

Tune in to a special joint podcast episode to hear key members of the TSX once -in-a-lifetime projec t—including lif ting the historic Palace Theatre 30 feet in the air.

You can find the full episode on both “The Anti-Architect” Podcast and Building Conversations Podcast feeds wherever you listen to podcasts.

ABOUT ARTESIAN CONTRACTING CO., INC.

l Year established: 1987

l Location: Albany, GA

l Notable projects: Albany State University’s Nursing and Health Science Simulation Lab Facility, historic renovation of the HolmesHunter Building at the University of Georgia

Meet Glenn Singfield Owner of Artesian Contracting Co., Inc.

What achievements are you most proud of?

The team at Artesian is extremely proud of the relationship we have developed with Ajax Building Company over the past six years. Having completed over 100 commercial and more than 300 governmental projects, we are excited about the value we bring to their team. This relationship has allowed us to be granted two projects by the Georgia Board of Regents: Albany State University’s Nursing and Health Science Simulation Lab Facility and the historic renovation of the HolmesHunter Building at the University of Georgia.

Tell us about you and your company.

I’ve always had a desire to own a company that afforded everyone the opportunity to grow professionally and be financially rewarded. In 1999, while working at the Albany Chamber of Commerce as the Director of Governmental Affairs, I met the board chairman, Ben Barrow, who also was the CEO of LRA Constructors. With him as a strong partner and mentor, I purchased a small DBE firm in Albany, GA called Artesian Contracting Co., Inc.

What is your company’s specialty?

Artesian Contracting Co., Inc. is a HUBZone minority-owned business enterprise with a satellite office at Moody Air Force Base. In our 25 years of general construction, we have encountered a common thread with all our clients: the desire to build a beautiful, well-constructed facility in a time-sufficient manner for the best price possible. We have made it our goal to provide the community, the government, and surrounding industries with quality workmanship that is second to none in all areas of construction.

What was most helpful as your company first began competing in the local market? When we first began competing in the local market, it was and still is extremely important to nurture and develop our partnerships with the local subcontractors. Many times, this relationship required us to assure that these small sub-companies could make payroll and purchase materials. Working as

a partner with these companies gave us the opportunity to develop our compacity and, ultimately, gain a competitive edge.

How did your partnership with Ajax begin? What has the experience been like?

Artesian’s partnership with Ajax began about six years ago after meeting Mr. Ted Parker, Ajax’s director of community outreach. Ted was visiting Albany, Georgia, because Albany State University sought to construct a new Fine Arts Building, and since then, Ted has proven to be both a friend and confidant. I like to say, “If Ted Parker tells you it’s going to rain, get an umbrella.” As the majority-minority owner of Artesian Contracting Co., Inc., I’ve been most impressed with Ajax’s vision of the leadership and commitment to equity and inclusion. From the beginning, I’ve appreciated how the entire team has made sure everyone is valued and respected. Knowing that construction relies on a series of successful relationships, I’m very excited about the future of this partnership.

Do you have any advice for someone starting their own business in our industry and beginning the MWDBE process?

I would first suggest that they develop a commitment to the local market by getting involved with their local Chamber of Commerce and contractor association. I would also advise them to focus on their strengths instead of trying to be the best at everything. Finally, I’ll say that if you’re looking for a get-rich-quick scheme, you are in the wrong business. Construction requires long hours and very hard work to be successful.

PROJECT STRYKER DUBLIN: The Past and Future of Entertainment

As esports continue to rise in popularity across the globe, Los Angeles-based video game developer, publisher, and esports tournament organizer, Riot Games, was ready to go bigger and bolder.

In 2021, the company launched an ambitious effort—dubbed Project Stryker—to develop Remote Broadcasting Centers (RBCs) in three separate locations: North America (Seattle), Europe (Dublin), and Asia. These centers produce, broadcast, and distribute international live gaming competitions and events in multiple languages to a global esports fan base. RBC locations were chosen based on time zones eight hours apart, allowing each facility to work a shift, then transfer operations to the next facility. The studios have the capability to create their own in-house productions and also allow remote regional tournaments and events to connect to their technology infrastructure and central data centers at a rate of 100 GB per second.

According to Structure Tone project director Des O’Toole, Dublin is the first of the three Project Stryker locations and is currently operating on a 24/7 basis. “There are nearly 50 employees today, and they are tracking towards 75 by end of Q1,” he says.

As part of an industry that thrives on adrenaline, Riot Games could not have chosen a more apropos location for its Dublin home. The project repurposes the former Wright Venue, a five-storey, iconic nightclub and entertainment venue known for being home to the largest disco ball in Europe.

To harness that inherent energy, the design focused on adaptive reuse, which also proved a sustainable and time-saving approach. The program included maintaining the existing

concrete building shell and repurposing the three-storey atrium to reduce the embodied carbon of the project. In just 24 weeks, 49,000sf of carpet, tiling, wooden flooring, and existing MEP were stripped out and replaced with a facility that meets the specific technical needs of the Riot Games team and their mission to be the most player-focused gaming company in the world.

Shifting from a beloved former nightclub into a state-of-the-art production facility wasn’t simple, of course. Some of the key challenges involved:

Strip out: All flooring and wall finishes were stripped back, leaving exposed concrete, or “grey box” conditions, which gives a strong industrial feel to the space. The

team reconfigured the floor spaces, removed existing stairs, and adjusted floor slabs for new ones.

Acoustics: Given the sophisticated visual and audio quality of these games, the acoustics had to be spot on. Walls were designed to strict acoustic requirements, and additional acoustic panels were surface mounted. The ceilings of the broadcast studios were sprayed with insulation. All cabling containment systems, ventilation ductwork, VRF pipe work, and plumbing were surface mounted at a high level in the hallways without passing through any of the production control rooms. “We had to make sure the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing layout did not compromise the specialized audio equipment and acoustical treatments in the video and audio production areas,” says O’Toole.

Upgraded structural elements: New glazing and balustrades were installed around the atrium perimeter overlooking the original nightclub dance floor. A large internal scaffolding system and a spider crane were used to lift the glazing panels into place. On the exterior, the team built a new roof structure to cover the canteen—originally the smoking area of the nightclub days. Extensive façade work was needed in order to address cracks and resulting water leaks.

As a result, Project Stryker blends that legacy of the past with technologies of the future. The building is equipped with a large technical operation center, six insert studios, six production control rooms, six audio control rooms, and graphic stats bullpens for ingame camera operators and editors. Up to six live events can be broadcast at a time to a global audience. At the same time, the space was built for its employees’ needs as well, with small and large meeting spaces, a canteen, and a wellness center—plus the iconic disco ball, front and center in the building’s central atrium.

PROJECT DETAILS

Location: Dublin, Ireland

Size: 49,000sf

What do you do with a 1,500-pound disco ball?

Weighing in at over 1,500 pounds, and too large to fit through any of the doors, Europe’s largest disco ball had to be stored on-site during construction. It was moved several times during the project to accommodate the work—a feat in and of itself.

Client: Riot Games

Architect: Henry J Lyons Architects

“Project Stryker has been a labour of love for our whole team at Riot Games,” says Allyson Gormley, Riot Games director of global operations. “We are extremely proud of this Dublin facility and its importance as a global first for Riot Games. The approach to building this ground-breaking, next-generation project was ambitious, and we could not have done it without the partnership, innovation, and commitment from Structure Tone and our partners.”

Ultimately, both Structure Tone and the Riot Games team came out as winners—and it isn’t game over yet.

“This was our third fit-out for Riot Games, and we’ve introduced them to our colleagues at Abbott Construction to work on the next Project Stryker in Seattle,” says O’Toole. “It’s all thanks to the strong relationship we’ve built. A true win-win.”

Engineer: Axis Engineers

PM/Quality Surveyor: KMCS

Sector: Commercial Completed: March 2022

BUILDING FOR A NEW GENERATION: Florida State University Student Union

Engagement, connection, community. Those are the hallmarks of effective student unions at colleges and universities across the globe. Not only do these gathering places serve a function for students, but they also provide a space for inclusivity and equity while educating students in leadership and social responsibility. With this in mind, Ajax Building Company successfully transformed Florida State University’s 269,000sf Student Union into an upgraded social and collaboration space fit for the next generation of leaders.

AN EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE

Comprised of several different buildings, the original FSU Student Union opened in 1952, when the university had fewer than 5,000 students enrolled. With enrollment now at 45,493, Ajax was selected to build an improved facility, while keeping the FSU tradition alive. Pursuing LEED certification, the project team began construction for the new, four-story Student Union in 2018, organizing the work into five phases for its open and futuristic design.

Phase 1: Demolition. According to Dane Chrestensen, assistant project manager at Ajax, the original student facility was comprised of six interconnected buildings, all built at different times. “The buildings had to be demolished to allow for the new Student Union to be constructed in their place,” says Chrestensen. “Our team planned meticulously to avoid disrupting the operations of the union for as long as possible.”

Phase 2: Foundations. In the second phase, the Ajax team conducted mass excavation for the new building. As the facility included a below-grade basement, the project team installed caissons and pile caps to support the foundation walls. David Boe, senior superintendent at Ajax, states that protecting the basement from varying water levels was key. “The variable water table elevation presented some water intrusion and slab float concerns, so we moved up the basement slab elevation and added a waterproof slab liner instead of a vapor barrier,” he says. “This step required us to build top-down with the basement slab being the last one placed.”

Phase 3: Waterproofing. The project team procured and erected the steel structure in phase three, while the foundation and basement walls were waterproofed from the exterior.

Phase 4: Partial Release of Build Out. The exterior elements of the new Student Union, including brick, windows, and roofing, were subcontracted, and installed.

Phase 5: Final Release of Build Out. Finally, in the last phase, the project team completed the systems, interior construction, and finishes.

IN WITH THE NEW

Building an educational space for the future means embracing future-thinking ideas. The Ajax project team collaborated with the subcontractors and architects to produce a decorative, modular aluminum railing system that creates a more modern finish for the new Student Union. The railing system was designed to be hung from the edge of the high floor deck for easier installation and served as an alternative to the heavy steel and welded rails that were included in the project’s original design. Additionally, the team placed a patio paver roof over the entire south end of the facility’s basement. The roof created an outdoor space where students and faculty could socialize.

“We spent plenty of time in the value engineering process,” says Chrestensen. “We held numerous meetings with the owner, users, and design team to discuss potential savings options. Lighting, surfaces, electrical and HVAC equipment, and more were analyzed.”

OVERCOMING OBSTACLES

As with any project, there will be a few challenges and lessons learned that arise during each construction phase. According to Chrestensen, budget constraints, which resulted in comprehensive design changes during the middle of construction created challenges within the project schedule alone—not to mention the impact of the pandemic. To

stay on track, the team constantly coordinated with vendors to provide estimated dates for materials arriving at the project site.

“The constant changes made scheduling work a challenge,” says Chrestensen. “They also created a reduced time available for installations.”

The food service areas of the Student Union were one of the most challenging for construction. For example, 28 walk-in freezers were ordered for the Student Union’s food service development. However, the fire-rated insulation material required for the freezers was delayed due to the pandemic. As a result, the freezers were one of the last elements installed in the kitchen.

“We guided this project through nothing short of a perfect storm of real obstacles,” says Boe. “But with consistent communication with staff and subcontractors, our team was able to develop and manage the constant changes in workflow.”

A STUDENT UNION TO REMEMBER

While Ajax is a frequent builder in the higher education sector, few projects have included the variety of spaces under one roof that the new FSU Student Union has to offer. Amenities include a Bowling and Billiards Center, the FSU Bookstore, a five-restaurant food court, and an art center equipped with a pottery studio. The building also includes a large ballroom that can be used as one 15,000sf meeting area or divided with 30ft operable partitions into five separate meeting spaces.

PROJECT DETAILS

Location: Tallahassee, FL

Size: 269,000sf

Client: Florida State University

Architect: Lewis + Whitlock Workshop Architects

Engineers: H2 Engineering (MEPF); Moore Bass Consulting (civil); Bliss & Nyitray Inc. (structural)

Owner’s Rep: Kim Strobel-Ball, FSU

Sector: Education

Completed: August 2022

Technology is more present than ever, including areas for plug-andplay devices and in-house screens and projectors.

Despite the hurdles, the response of the entire FSU community confirmed it was all worth the effort.

“The students and community at FSU were so excited about the new space, especially the restaurants,” says Chrestensen. “At the end of the day, our team delivered a magnificent project and we’re happy to see that almost all of the seats are full on any given day.”

Marking Success:

AllianceBernstein’s New Office Headquarters

In 2018, AllianceBernstein (AB) announced it would be moving its New York City headquarters to Nashville, Tennessee. The global investment management firm chose Layton Construction to complete the 205,000sf high-end build-out within Nashville’s newest mixed-use complex, Fifth & Broadway.

As part of the STO Building Group family, our business model is built on the connections we have with our clients. We don’t just build spaces; we build relationships. To this end, we prioritize reliable coordination, transparent communication, and creative problem solving in the hopes that owners will continue to work within the family in the future. By balancing these elements during a complex project in an unprecedent ed time, the Layton team encapsulated these values throughout the entirety of the AllianceBernstein project in a multitude of ways—resulting in a lasting relationship that spread to other STOBG entities.

DETAILS MATTER

AllianceBernstein is a multi-billion-dollar firm that desired high-end finishes throughout their

eight stories, including robust A/V capacity and monumental staircases running through every floor. The space also features 5,000 light fixtures, brick accents, and a combination of

carpet and polished concrete floors to round out a modern feel.

Designed and built to be flexible, the office’s top floor houses a large multi-purpose room, pre-function area with a large format LED screen and complete bar, multiple meeting spaces, a full catering kitchen, dining space, and a double-height conference center. The office areas feature open-concept workspaces and breakout rooms to facilitate a collaborative work environment. Demountable glass partitions, which were built off site and transported for installation, will allow AB to reconfigure the space in the future if needed.

The sensitive nature of AB’s business required specific acoustical considerations to retain privacy and confidentiality. Layton worked closely with architecture firm Gensler

to source appropriate wall coverings and acoustical panels for the workspaces that fit within the aesthetic AB and Gensler desired. Ultimately, FilzFelt, a wool material product from Denmark, offered the greatest variety to fit with the overall office vision while remaining functional. “We, in concert with Gensler, program manager Gardiner & Theobald and AllianceBernstein, explored ways to create a space that was conducive to the type of work environment in which AB operates, most notably one that possessed the necessary functionality while limiting sound transmission and remaining creative in visually separating the spaces,” said Brooks Rutledge, vice president of Layton’s Healthcare Group and main relationship point of contact for AB.

ABOVE AND BEYOND

The data-heavy nature of AB’s business requires a robust cooling system for the servers and complex computer equipment within the space. At the request of AB, Layton coordinated with the base-building contractor to install a separate critical load cooling system on the roof of the building. This system works in addition to the building’s equipment as a failsafe to not overload the standard cooling system.

In order to successfully execute the additional system, Layton worked strategically with the base builder and ultimately chose to contract directly with their structural engineer to maintain continuity and familiarity with the project. This allowed Layton to seamlessly coordinate with both teams to complete critical elements of the project, including structural redesign and demolition for the monumental stair in addition to accommodating the increased weight for the additional chiller.

Working with AB, Layton executed an early release package to source the chiller and properly coordinate with the appropriate trade partners and structural engineer for installation. We also had to coordinate with the base building contractor to ensure relevant trades had completed necessary work prior to installation. Further complicated by COVID restrictions and long lead times, coordination and communication between Layton and all involved parties was paramount.

The building location on Broadway, the busiest street in Nashville, created another element of coordination not commonly found in a tenant finish project. The AB space

occupies the top eight floors of the 24-story Fifth & Broadway building. To safely maneuver the chiller to the roof, the Layton team coordinated with both building and city officials to place the chiller via helicopter. This required not only a comprehensive delivery plan but also completely closing Broadway during the low-level helicopter flight in the middle of the night.

SETTING PRECEDENTS IN UNPRECEDENTED CIRCUMSTANCES

As with most construction projects, the team typically encourages architects, owners, and owner reps to physically visit the site. However, construction on the AB space began during the COVID pandemic. With no client site visits, Layton developed a detailed plan of communication, 3D modeling, and virtual StructionSite walk-throughs to keep AB informed during every step of the construc tion process.

“ This project set many precedents, not the least of which was a scope implementation free of a single visit by owner, architect, or program manager until such time as occupation was imminent. Meetings were held virtually through Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or FaceTime— whatever it took,” said Rutledge.

Due to COVID complications and the complexity of the project in general, Layton’s coordination with the base-building contractor began early. The team conducted multiple constructability reviews, developed step-by-step plans for coordination with the base-building contractor and structural engineer, and extensively planned for the added difficulty of a top floor, multi-level build-out on a tight site.

PROJECT DETAILS

Location: Nashville, TN

Size: 205,000sf

Client:

AllianceBernstein/ Gardiner & Theobald

Engineers: Robert Derector Associates, Consulting Engineers; Cerami; Stanley D. Lindsey & Associates, LTD (structural engineers); Next Step Design Group

Architect: Gensler

Sector: Commercial

Completed: August 2021

BUILDING STRATEGIES AND RELATIONSHIPS

Project relationships are multi-faceted, and this project was no exception. Given the multiple elements that contributed to the complexities of the project, the Layton team took a particular focus in maintaining positive relationships throughout design and construction. “Gensler did a great job of helping Layton visualize the details to develop and cater to the needs of the space. Working with the trade partners to develop these details and see them brought to fruition was no easy feat. However, despite the hurdles, everyone worked together as a team and created a space in Nashville that is unparalleled,” Rutledge said.

With Rutledge providing client insight and lessons learned at the helm of the client relationship, the AB build-out is a testament to the STO Building Group’s values. While this project was filled with unexpected hurdles, through creative solutions and communication, Layton was able to craft a space AB is happy to call home.

Alternative Project Delivery Defined

As architects, engineers, owners, and construction managers embrace innovation at all stages of the project process, the industry has also begun to reevaluate how these stakeholders partner to deliver top quality projects, on time and on schedule. The STO Building Group family of companies has been leveraging alternative project delivery models for more than a decade now. Here, a handful of experts share how an integrated approach can add value.

What’s the difference between design-assist, design-build, and integrated project delivery (IPD)?

Burton: In design-build, the design team and the contractor are tied together and contractually share the risk. In construction management at-risk, or design-assist, the project is managed similarly to design-build projects, but the owner actually holds separate contracts for the designer and the contractor. This approach puts the owner in a position where they must facilitate issues that arise in scope between the designer and the contractor.

Hanzel: The big difference between IPD and design-assist is that the owner and the key trade contractors in an IPD agreement really share the risk and the success of the project. Because it’s a multiparty agreement, IPD projects tend to be more collaborative earlier in the project, which creates greater cost transparency throughout the process.

Gray: There’s more than one way to approach these delivery models. Govan Brown recently completed a project where we entered into a “hybrid” design-build agreement with the owner. The structure of this agreement had the owner holding the design contract through the schematic design and design development of the project, then the final design responsibility was assigned to Govan Brown for the construction documents and construction administration phases. This allowed the owner to maintain full control of the design itself but transferred the risk related to drawing coordination and administration to Govan Brown. This model was suitable for that owner as the design details were very important to them but they wanted to significantly reduce their risk on the project.

Why are more clients exploring alternative delivery models?

Soviero: Many clients have been reevaluating the layers of consultants and looking to put their trust in a proven strategic partner who can engage all parties up front at the inception of the project. The consultants’ agreements are held by the design-builder, and the terms and conditions are shared with each of the consultants. It becomes one team with one master agreement. This often naturally leads to less change orders and a reduction in schedule—which means the client is saving time and money.

Hanzel: LF Driscoll recently successfully completed an IPD project with a large healthcare client who I’ve worked with for years. On prior projects, I had been involved in excess of $800M worth of GMP-type contracts—and although those projects went very well, when it came time to build this flagship project, they chose an IPD model for a couple of key reasons: 1) an opportunity to be innovative early in the design process, 2) to create a more collaborative design and construction execution process that the entire team contributed to for a better outcome, 3) to reduce the number of change orders, and 4) to encourage resolution from any disputes between the construction manager and the architect when it came to design and scope. Although the IPD process was not without learning curves, it resulted in a highly collaborative project where all team members were vested in the project’s success—which ultimately delivered a leading-edge hospital.

How can builders drive value for clients on design-build and IPD projects?

Burton: Everyone talks about value engineering—but it typically comes after the fact. You’ve already made a run at the design and the budget, and quite frankly, it hasn’t worked. So now you’re working backwards to redesign or reestablish a level of material, which is costing you valuable time. With IPD and design-build jobs, Layton Construction can establish priorities with the client and put together an early budget—giving us a pre-established target value design to work towards. It’s a proactive

Colin Gray, President, Govan Brown

David Burton, Vice President, FDBIA, Layton Construction

Stephen Soviero, Executive Vice President, Structure Tone New York

Ed Hanzel, Vice President, LF Driscoll

move that allows us to react to supply chain challenges, get ahead of labor shortages, and work towards an end that’s acceptable to all.

Soviero: I agree, the value lies in the cost certainty and a proactive target value design. This approach results in the ability to identify and mitigate future risk very early in the process. Another benefit is the client gets a team leader—a single point of contact. This is ideally someone who’s experienced with construction, design, engineering, AV, furniture, etc. That’s a huge value-add when you’re on the design-build type of contract.

How do you gain buy-in and build trust between stakeholders?

Soviero: Leveraging an alternative delivery model requires a total rewiring of the traditional thought process, and there’s certainly a learning curve associated with that. So again, I think having that team leader constantly going over lessons learned and keeping the team on point is extremely important. Not only are they driving the process, but they’re able to help the client and all the internal groups understnd how these delivery methods will be beneficial in the long run.

Hanzel: On the same IPD project I recently completed, almost everyone involved had very little or zero IPD experience—it was a shift for all of us. Approximately 100 people from 12 firms were co-locating in a central office and, suddenly, we had to learn to operate as a team. The construction team was primarily made up of trained engineers, and working day-to-day with a group of architects, you realize pretty quickly that we all process information differently. Team building activities

early in the project were really important. We even did personality profiles, which were vital in helping us understand how different people think and communicate.

Gray: That certainly rings true for me. On our first major design-build project, we had some challenges communicating with the architect, because as Ed said, we think about things differently, we communicate differently, and we react differently. So, we took that lesson forward and decided to hire a design manager to work with our team. She’s a Govan Brown employee, but her job is to liaise with the consultants and the architects because she can speak their language—and it’s been very successful. It allows for smoother communication and we’re able to operate better as a cohesive group.

Burton: You can’t underestimate the importance of that mental shift. There’s a new level of trust that’s required. In this market, we must trust each other—it’s the only way to succeed. It’s important to choose team members who trust each other, speak openly, and communicate constantly.

Design-build, design-assist, IPD, hybrid approaches—what’s the difference between each of these delivery methods and how do owners determine which approach is right for them?

To learn more, tune in to the Building Conversations podcast: Alternative Project Delivery Defined

The Deeper the Roots, the Greater the Fruits The Calgary Farmers’ Market

Almost two decades ago, the Calgary Farmers’ Market (CFM) opened its doors. Originally leasing a historic airplane hangar, Calgarians immediately showed up in droves to source local goods and support small businesses, turning CFM into a local institution in the process. This past year, in the summer of 2022, CFM expanded its reach, opening a second location at the city’s western edge, with Govan Brown’s Calgary team responsible for the interior fit-out. CFM West now stands as one of the last landmarks you see heading out on Canada’s Highway 1 toward the Rocky Mountains and one of the first to greet you coming into the city.

With the community top of mind at every stage, it’s fitting that bringing CFM West to fruition was like a modern-day barn raising. Having been handed over the core and shell building from the base builders, Govan Brown’s Calgary team built-out the 59,000sf space, including the main market space, a food hall with 12 commercial kitchens, a second-floor event space, and a kids play area. Govan Brown also supported in fitting out each individual stall for the 67 small business vendors who now call CFM West home.

HIGH YIELDING SOLUTIONS

Given the impressive number of stakeholders involved, the team pushed themselves to innovate and come to the table with unorthodox solutions to project challenges. One challenge: those 67 vendors. The team utilized a vendor coordinator, a designated point person to simplify the complex process of managing numerous vendors simultaneously. The team also leveraged their previous experience in building out hospitality spaces similar in typology which gave them a framework to develop an execution plan. Tackling the space in sections helped to structure the site as well as the manpower, ensuring the work was efficient and performed safely. From bringing drawings sketched out on napkins to life to adjusting to design changes, agility was the name of the game.

“They were very accommodating when we had to change. We had equipment come in with different electrical, but they were always willing to find a solution to our problems,” Sharla Dube, owner of Cherry Pit & Better Juice Bar, said of the Govan Brown team’s amenability. “They’re my genie in a bottle because they came up with solutions to every problem.”

NO KINKS IN THE CHAIN

But before they could get to vendor build out, the team first had to consider the supply chain. To ensure the project was completed in time for their summer 2022 opening, a heavy pre-order effort was required, with much of the raw material being ordered pre-shop draw-

PROJECT DETAILS

Location: Calgary, AB

Size: 59,000sf

Client: Calgary Farmers’ Market

Project Manager: CBRE

Architect: Riddell Kurczaba

Engineer: DBk Engineering

Sector: Retail/Hospitality

Completed: August 2022

distribution panels, ensured the team was at the helm of the schedule, not the supply chain.

“

The Govan Brown team was really easy to work with,” said Stacey Petropoulos, general manager of CFM. “They kept their cool, pulled it together, and got the project done.”

By making it a priority to get ahead of the supply chain, the team was able to eliminate it as a stressor they’d have to contend with downstream and deliver on schedule in spite of pandemic challenges.

The team’s commitment to the project and drive to go beyond convention was of course done in an effort to deliver a space CFM and its vendors could be proud to call home. But seeing the project as a chance to give back and support Calgary and the greater Alberta community was also a motivating factor, says Graham Polson, Govan Brown senior project manager. “I was born and raised in Calgary. A lot of our trade partners were local. This project provided a unique opportunity to get

Cultural Connection: The Princeton University Art Museum

Art creates connections. And for the Princeton community, next year will see the reopening of a new and improved art museum that will, as the university puts it, “bring the university community together and serve as a cultural gateway to the Princeton campus for the wider public.”

The Princeton University Art Museum—one of the oldest art collecting institutions in North America—will be located on the site of the previous museum. With construction led by LF Driscoll, the 144,000sf facility will be spread over three floors, a significant expansion. In fact, the new museum will increase educational spaces by over 300% and the exhibition area by nearly 65%, not to mention the added accessibility of fewer floors.

The design is a piece of art in itself—a unique combination of concrete, structural steel, bronze, and glulam (glued laminated timber) beams. That distinct combination of structural elements defines not only the museum’s design, but also its construction. Now underway for almost two years, construction on the project has entailed intense planning and coordination to tackle potential challenges. How have they managed it so far?

1. Prepping. With such a variety of structural components—and required specialist subcontractors—the LF Driscoll team had to very clearly define the scope, safety requirements, and logistics of working together on the site. “Between the steel erector having two cranes, the glulam contractor having a crane, and the concrete contractor having a crane, it’s a chess game of logistics here,” says Al Sampson, LFD superintendent.

2. Sharing. Add to that the other projects happening on campus, and it became a perfect storm—making it perfectly clear that coordination was a must. “The university estimates that the peak of manpower across their projects is thousands of workers,” says Sampson.

3. Respecting. Now add an active college campus, bustling with students and staff traveling between dorms and academic buildings, to say nothing of public visitors to the campus. “Access to the jobsite is tight and challenging, along with noise restrictions,” says Ken Innella, LF Driscoll president. “We had to plan strategically for middle-of-the-night deliveries, academic breaks, and weekends. From the beginning, constant communication with the Princeton team has made this all come together.”

4. Protecting. The glulam beams are delivered to the site as a finished product—but they are also part of the building’s structure. So, that means they have to be installed into the superstructure without compromising their condition, including weather protection and even just getting them to the site—the largest beams are over 70 feet long. “It was a highly coordinated effort with an escorted load permit to bring these beams down from Canada,” says Sampson. “We also worked with the university to reestablish some access and entry points with added paving and

PROJECT DETAILS

Location: Princeton, NJ

Size: 144,000sf

Client: Princeton University

Engineers: Silman (structural) Kohler Ronan (MEP)

Architects: Adjaye Associates (design architect); Cooper Robertson (executive architect)

Sector: Education/Cultural

Completed: 2024

regrading to make it safe for these vehicles to pass through.”

5. Connecting. Wood has a very different tolerance from structural steel, and then again from concrete. Glulam has the tightest tolerances because of the way the beams connect to each other. The LFD team had to invent ways to adjust the steel to accommodate the glulam tolerances and work with the concrete. “It has taken lots of coordination to get those structural elements to work together as designed,” says Bill Shaeffer, LFD project director. “It’s really astounding to see it fitting together.”

For the university, the new facility’s opening in late 2024 will mark the latest chapter in the art museum’s storied history.

For LF Driscoll, the project has presented an opportunity to support the arts and the greater Princeton community.

“The culture of teamwork fostered by Princeton has just been incredible,” says Innella. “This is a very special project that will undoubtedly become a cultural landmark for the entire community and the nation.”

BACK IN BUSINESS: Boston’s Office Towers

Those who have proclaimed the death of the office should take a closer look at Boston. The Structure Tone Boston team is working with several clients to fit out new office space in some of the city’s most notable new (or newly refurbished) towers—in many cases well before construction of the base building is even complete.

Take, for instance, the new offices of a global investment firm in the Winthrop Center tower. Structure Tone Boston is leading the 115,000sf anchor tenant fit-out while the tower is still under construction. How? Structure Tone sector leader Ryan McGuigan, and area manager Jim Custodio, give some advice.

Be flexible. “Everything is based on the base builder’s approach and scheduled completion dates,” says Custodio. That said, every change to the base building schedule affects fit-out. MEP system layout, for example, may change several times. “Our floor plans are based on the base building’s temporary systems,” says McGuigan. “We coordinate regularly to relocate our systems and update our tie-ins.”

Be productive. Adjust to keep the project moving. Assign dedicated staff to strictly manage schedule coordination, or schedule deliveries for second shift. “Our supers keep a tight pulse on what the building has going on vs what we need to get done,” says McGuigan.

Be safe. With multiple jobs underway, safety is paramount. “Curtainwall construction was

Working It

Structure Tone is currently helping clients move into several of Boston’s premier office towers: Winthrop Center

1001

happening simultaneously with our work. We had to closely review their safety plan and update our own to make sure it all aligned,” says McGuigan. “And we made sure we communicated these factors to the team every day.”

Be partners. “We meet frequently with the base building team to manage expectations and understand each other’s requirements,” says McGuigan. “We’re partners in this.”

THE JACKIE ROBINSON MUSEUM: Honoring a Legend

“

The Jackie Robinson Museum is the realization of a dream for my family. My mother has long hoped for a permanent space where people learn about the issues my father cared deeply about and the change he fought hard to affect,” said David Robinson in a statement. “We hope the Museum will be a place to not only learn more about his time in baseball and love of sports, but about all that he did to contribute to social progress. We extend our deepest appreciation to everyone who helped make this dream a reality.”

Following years of planning, a museum dedicated to barrier-shattering baseball legend and civil rights icon Jackie Robinson is open in downtown Manhattan. In partnership with Zubatkin, Gensler, ME Engineering, and the Jackie Robinson Foundation (JRF), Structure Tone New York transformed the ground floor of 75 Varick Street, a landmark building, into The Jackie Robinson Museum.

Adjoining the JRF offices—built by Structure Tone in 2009—the 19,000sf museum debuted in the summer of 2022 with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony and grand opening event. Leveraging Structure Tone’s previous experience in the space and client relationship with Gensler’s expertise in museum and digital experience design, the museum realizes JRF’s goal to preserve Robinson’s remarkable legacy as the first African American to play Major League Baseball in 1947, serves as a venue for conversations about social issues, and provides educational programming.

Mike Noblin, account executive, and Andrew Smith, project manager, have been part of this account since building the foundation’s offices over a decade ago. “The museum was a really exciting project to be a part of,” says Noblin. “Andrew and I were honored to work for the Jackie Robinson Foundation again. They’re one of the best clients we have.”

BUILDING A LEGACY

Featuring 4,500 artifacts and 40,000 historical images, the museum highlights the Brooklyn Dodgers legend and his contribution to both sports and life at large in a renovated space that features permanent exhibitions and interactive displays, flexible event areas with retracting walls, and a reference library. Construction of the space included additional facilities, such as a reception lobby with coat check, museum store and gift shop, pantry and warming kitchen, theater, and additional classrooms.

The outside of the museum is just as cool as the inside, with an outer glass façade and public entrances on both Canal and Varick Streets. To craft an exterior display, Structure Tone’s project team worked with the exhibit designers and specialty subcontractors to install an architectural metal pan ceiling to showcase polycarbonate panels with a graphic overlay—creating a custom scrim wall that wraps around the perimeter and is visible from Canal Street.

Structure Tone superintendent Mike Sansone describes the excitement driving the team on-site: “The most important thing was getting construction done before Rachel Robinson’s (Jackie’s wife) 100th birthday. That milestone dictated our schedule. As we inched closer to that date, we really stepped on the gas to get everything done.”

AN IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE

For years, museums were experienced as cultural, historical vaults, with a “look, but don’t touch” policy. But today, people are realizing that museums serve a different purpose as places to discover the past firsthand. Working off Gensler’s design, the Structure Tone team built a space that incorporates a range of involvement, inspiring people to engage with history rather than merely observe it. It’s a true example of how impactful a cultural institution can be.

Exciting and innovative exhibits, including a media-based experience featuring photographs, video clips, and additional memorabilia, allow visitors to better understand the racism and prejudice Robinson encountered on and off the baseball field. Self-guided touchscreens invite

visitors to interact with real-time polls and learn about Robinson’s lasting influence on sports, politics, and entertainment.

One of the coolest displays is an interactive model of Ebbets Field, home of the Brooklyn Dodgers. The reproduction of this famous baseball diamond uses storytelling projection that highlights various baseball memories, including famous World Series plays and Rachel Robinson’s seat during games. Another momentous exhibit, Living Legacy, uses personal interviews and firsthand accounts from 42 influential people, including fellow baseball players and former presidents, to describe Robinson’s life and the change he created.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Enhancing its parent foundation’s mission of promoting higher education, the museum features over 11,000sf of permanent and rotating exhibitions to educate, inspire, and challenge people of all ages. The museum joins JRF Scholarship and JRF IMPACT, an online community for Black college students, as one of the foundation’s three core initiatives, and will host programs focusing on important issues such as civic affairs, economic empowerment, and educational access. Even the museum’s grand opening included several special events, including a block party and screenings of the History Channel documentary After Jackie

Structure Tone New York is getting involved in community outreach at the museum too. Last fall, members of the Structure Tone project team, including Smith and project executive Stacey Dackson, brought a group of Boy Scouts Explorers downtown to tour the site. The Boy

Scouts Explorers is a program which brings high school students into different types of business to learn about career choices. While visiting the museum, the teens learned about its construction, while also being led through the space by the Jackie Robinson Foundation’s Director of Operations LaTonya Johnson.

A GRAND SLAM

During construction, the team never lost sight of the fact that they were creating history. “This was the project of a lifetime,” expresses Dackson. “LaTonya [Johnson] and Della [Britton Baeza] from the Foundation dedicated so much time bringing this project to life and working to complete Rachel Robinson’s vision. I’m very proud of the role Structure Tone played.”

Sansone agrees, “Building this museum will be a part of my legacy, for my children and grandchildren. I never realized how impactful Robinson was in the civil rights movement; learning about him and what he stood for has started conversations and opened dialogue between me and my grandkids. I hope everyone in the city takes advantage of spending some time there.”

At the end of the tour, the group met with STO Building Group’s Executive Chairman, Jim Donaghy, who posed with them for a photo, all donning classic Brooklyn Dodger caps with Robinson’s immortal #42 on the front.

Smith recalls how engaged the group was during the tour, “The underlying message of civil rights meant a lot to these Explorers, many of whom are minorities or people of color who want to go to college and pursue a career in the industry.” Smith also notes how Structure Tone’s project team planned an activity to teach the Explorers about the museum’s construction. “Usually, the Explorers visit a site that’s still in progress, under construction. Since the museum was completed, we organized a sort of scavenger hunt. We showed them ‘before’ photos of various areas of the museum and they had to find the finished spots. It was a cool way to educate and entertain without being on an active jobsite.”

chicken coop DATA CENTER?

Is it a or a IT’S INNOVATION!

Data centers create a lot of hot air, which means ventilation is essential. The most efficient way to solve that challenge? Let nature takes its course. In this “chicken coop” data center design, we allowed the principles of physics—heat rises—to play an integral part in the design. 100% outside air is drawn into the building through an array of louver and fan walls. By utilizing hot/ cold aisle separation, evaporative cooling, and louvers for heat rejection in the cupola, this facility achieved an annualized Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) of 1.08.

Yahoo! Data Center

“Structure Tone was a successful leader in delivering one of the most efficient and environmentally friendly data centers on the planet.”—Scott Noteboom

Rugged Robotics: Advancing the Future of Construction

They’re featured in films, literature, and throughout pop culture…usually as a threat. But have no fear— robots are here to enhance our society rather than take it over. In the construction industry, robots can work alongside humans to help keep them safer and increase productivity. Here, Structure Tone Southwest operations manager Ryan Davis details their collaboration with Rugged Robotics, a Houston-based construction technology company, and the significance of robots on construction sites.

robot to be fully self-sufficient and work from several different file types including the .CAD and .RVT files that we have access to on every project. Their team did the in-house programming to overlay the information from different sheets and then showed up on site to operate the robots.

What benefits have you seen so far?

Our Structure Tone Southwest team is currently working on the offices of a large investment bank, which was a challenging project to lay out manually due to the site conditions and model discrepancies.

What is Rugged Robotics?

They are a robotics company focused on the construction process. Their primary product so far, a field layout robot, marks fully coordinated designs directly onto unfinished floors. We are using that tool on some of our projects in Texas.

Why did you want to try out on-site robotics?

The most significant challenges in today’s construction market are the shortage of experienced tradespeople, low productivity rates, and budgetary constraints. As we have seen in other industries, robotics may be the answer to mitigate these issues, as safety is one of the essential advantages of using robotics on project sites. They aid in decreasing bodily injuries from heavy machinery, sharp objects, and machines that typically run at

hot temperatures due to repetitive motion traditionally performed by manual labor.

How did you determine which direction to go?

Several robotics companies are looking to perform layout. Initially, I first came across a developer based in California that builds robot-powered tools for the modern construction workforce. When we were able to set up a meeting, they were not fully servicing the Texas area at the time—as well as other barriers such as having to train our staff to operate the new technology and only utilized fully coordinated BIM models, which on many jobs we do not have.

We also began coordinating with Rugged Robotics, a Houston-based company, who takes a different approach. They designed a

The manual design of the space would have taken approximately two weeks. In contrast, the designated robot completed it in half the time, including the walls, headers, outlets, data, AV, and light fixtures.

What do you see in the future for robots in construction?

At Structure Tone Southwest, we plan to collaborate with Rugged Robotics to bridge the gap between common field challenges and the thought processes of the experienced teams to perform the layout generally. They have graciously taken these lessons learned and passed them on to their engineering staff. We were thrilled to have them back on our project sites to review the manual layout and see if they were able to solve any issues.

50 Years of BUILDING COMMUNITY

Since its founding 50 years ago, creating positive impacts in the community has been an essential part of Structure Tone’s core values. From volunteering and fundraising to stepping up during crises like 9/11 and Hurricane Sandy, Structure Tone’s dedication to its communities was a major focal point of the organization’s 50th anniversary.

As part of a “time capsule” display at the milestone celebration event, Structure Tone offices in New York, New Jersey, Stamford, and Philadelphia expressed gratitude to various community partners and commemorated their relationships by looking back at special events that have taken place over the past five decades and highlighting the permanent, positive impacts that have stemmed from them.

The Community exhibition showcased more than a dozen letters from charities, foundations, and other groups, all congratulating and thanking Structure Tone for its commitment and generosity over the years. These organizations included ACE Mentor Program, Boy Scouts of America, Catholic Charities, Friends of St. Dominic’s, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Muscular Dystrophy Association, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Outreach Project Inc., Salvadori Center, Special Olympics New York, St. Francis Food Pantries and Shelters, and United Way of New York City.

The display also consisted of framed artwork created by the Inner City Scholarship Fund and Muscular Dystrophy Association, a special scouting outfit gifted by the Boy Scouts of America, and a unified soccer ball to represent Structure Tone’s relationship with the Special Olympics, among other mementos. Photographs of Structure Tone teams at various athletic fundraisers, like Tunnel to Towers, American Heart Association’s Wall Street Run & Heart Walk, and Climb to the Top MS, were featured as well.

Sharing past moments with these incredible partners was one of the most meaningful parts of celebrating Structure Tone’s golden anniversary. Dermid Kelly, regional vice president of Structure Tone Philadelphia, agrees:

“

At Structure Tone, we’re committed to making a positive impact where we live and work. We’re proud of our legacy of building not just buildings, but also a community of employees who care about each other and those around them.”

Sign of the Times:

Repositioning London’s Financial Times Building

With thousands of years of activity, the streets of London, England are lined with historic buildings that have marked the skyline for decades—sometimes centuries. A stroll down these same streets with the Structure Tone team would showcase how many buildings today are currently being repositioned—that is, sensitively and respectfully transformed into properties that are more appealing to the modern tenant and environmentally sustainable.

One example is the Financial Times (FT) Building in London’s South Bank. Structure Tone is working with WPP, the world’s largest marketing and communications services company, to reposition this former newspaper headquarters into part of WPP’s expanding London campus. As the third WPP project for Structure Tone, this redevelopment is part of the firm’s global “campus” strategy to increase collaboration, inspire creativity, improve efficiency, and reduce office costs.

Located in the South Bank area, west of London Bridge and close to the Tate Modern and Shakespeare’s Globe, this culturally vibrant area is key to attracting and retaining talent. ”Between the former FT Building site, Sea Containers, and Rose Court, WPP is bringing together more than 10,000 team members who were previously spread out across multiple locations,” says Kevin Crane, Structure Tone operations director. The building itself will include employee-friendly amenities such as showers, cycle storage, catering facilities, and private bathrooms.

The project involves substantial refurbishment of the existing building, incorporating horizontal extensions on three sides of the building and the addition of another floor, bringing its height to seven storeys. The frame will then be enclosed with new transparent, double-glazed unitized and curtainwall systems. Inside, the capital plant and lifts will be replaced, and new MEP installed. The existing sprinkler tanks will be repurposed to provide attenuation, reducing the effect of stormwater discharging into the drainage system. At roof level, the plant rooms will be housed within prefabricated plantrooms concealed by PV cells from above, and concealed from view via a new 7-metre-high plant screen.

Externally, the areas around the building are to be hard and soft landscaped to provide new public realm spaces. “These new public spaces add a whole new dimension,” says Crane. “Not only will the end users of the building be able to utilise the external area, but the general public will have access to the historic areas of Borough Market and beyond.”

The building design targets a BREEAM Outstanding rating, with a particular focus on specific materials and equipment. For example, the new piles and foundations utilise recycled aggregates. The heating and cooling system are supported by air-source heat pumps, and the percentage of waste diverted from landfill is targeted to be above 95%.

This focus on sustainable design is done with an eye on the project’s bottom line. Increasing amounts of evidence challenge the perception that sustainable buildings are more expensive to design and build than those that simply meet regulatory requirements. Projects using BREEAM, for example, demonstrate that sustainable options often add little or no capital cost to a development project. Where such measures do incur additional costs, these can frequently be offset through lower running expenses, ultimately leading to savings over the life of the building.

In addition to all the physical updates, this project is changing how people work downtown. As part of The London Plan 2021, this office area reflects the local authority’s commitment to ensuring small business can operate within the centre of the city of London.

PROJECT DETAILS

Location: London, England

Size: 282,000sf

Project Manager: Hollen LLP

Engineer: HDR

Architect: BDG Architecture + Design

Cost Consultant: Quantum

Sector: Commercial

Certification: Targeting BREEAM Outstanding

Refurbishing a City

Structure Tone London is currently working on several repositioning and refurbishment projects across the city, including:

UNCOMMON Templar House, Holborn

Maslow’s Regency House, Soho

Aviva Golden Square, Soho

LONDON

It’s incredibly rewarding to partner with WPP to leave a legacy,” says Kevin Crane. “We love the challenge of finding ways to update and repurpose key buildings like this one, and we’re proud of the contribution this makes to supporting a more responsible built environment and maintaining our connections to the city’s rich history.”

REPOSITIONING to Reduce Carbon

By Brooks McDaniel, SVP of Building Repositioning

Buildings are responsible for a significant portion of global carbon emissions. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the building sector is responsible for around 40% of total global energy consumption and about 28% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing the carbon emissions of the building sector is an important step in addressing climate change.

Operational carbon, which refers to the greenhouse emissions from the use of fossil fuels for heating, cooling, and powering buildings, can be reduced, often significantly, during a repositioning project. By selecting modern and more energy efficient building systems, appliances, lighting, and façade, the energy consumption of a building is typically much lower than the pre-existing building. This has the secondary benefit of reduced operational expenses.

Embodied carbon in building materials also plays a significant role in the total emissions. Embodied carbon refers to the greenhouse gas emissions that are associated with the production, transportation, and assembly of building materials used in construction. Most of the embodied carbon exists in a building’s structure, in the form of concrete and steel, the two most energy-intensive materials in the built environment. By retaining the structure of an existing building, instead of tearing it down and constructing a new building, the majority of the embodied carbon is retained and serves as the building block for the next iteration.

Lastly, by repositioning a building to be more attractive to tenants or buyers, the building’s occupancy rate can be increased, thereby reducing the overall carbon usage per person.

looks back on 40 years.

Seattle in the ‘80s was an exciting place to do something new. Starbucks was still a local coffee joint at Pike Place Market. Amazon was still the rainforest. Abbott was created to be different in the world of construction: a refreshing choice for quality service, talented craftspeople, problem solving, and collaboration. Going four decades strong, this personal, powerful approach is how they keep on growing.

Abbott Construction is created in Seattle

A carpenter by trade, John Abbott had risen through the ranks of leadership working for other companies. He understood the sacrifices employees made to grow a construction business, so he started Abbott with the idea that everyone could win together. It worked.

1983

1985

Abbott’s reach extends into Washington and Alaska

First Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) Award

Gold Hill Mill, Boulder, CO

1986

Abbott helps found Construction Industry Training Council (CITC)

A nationally accredited construction skills training program based in Washington

Los Angeles, CA office opens

First OSHPD healthcare project

1998 1993 2004

Projects

continue

to increase in size and magnitude

First Canadian project

Whole Foods Market, Vancouver, BC

Abbott merges with the STOBG family of companies

Tacoma, WA office opens

Top 20 US Markets to Watch From Emerging Trends in Real Estate 2023 n STOBG Office

FOLLOWING THE ROOFTOPS: America’s Emerging Markets

Middle America. The Heartland. “Flyover” states. Whatever term you prefer, it’s undeniable that the area between the two US coasts is seeing a surge of popularity. Thanks to a host of factors—from the pandemic to tax benefits and cost of living—several key cities are emerging, and bringing jobs, infrastructure, and economic growth with them.

According to the Emerging Trends in Real Estate 2023 report published by PwC and The Urban Land Institute, a set of “magnet” cities are the new markets to watch, rivaling the established economic hubs of the Northeast and Southern California.

A number of factors are driving people to these emerging markets, says Eugene White, executive vice president of client relations at STO Building Group. “Cost of living, quality of life, politics, taxes—they are all major draws,” he says. “And as more people and more companies move to these regions, the real estate market follows suit.”

Add to that the biggest catalyst of all: the pandemic. While this growth was already underway, the Emerging Trends report confirms that the pandemic “supercharged interregional migration patterns to leading Sun Belt and lifestyle metro areas, as well as intraregional migrations from central business districts to suburbs.”

In just a few short years, the metro areas of cities like Nashville, Denver, Phoenix, Austin,

San Antonio, and others have exploded, and the repercussions are rippling through a number of commercial real estate sectors.

OFFICE

According to the Emerging Trends report, the magnet markets, particularly concentrated in the Sun Belt, are the place to be for corporate expansions and relocations. “These markets are large and diverse but still affordable, forming powerhouse economies that attract a wide range of businesses,” says the report.

Those companies, in turn, attract more people and more companies. It’s a ripple effect, says White. “Tech firms, for example, follow the talent to these cities, then law firms and other service providers do the same. We’re definitely seeing that with our clients, and have ourselves expanded our own organization to serve clients in many of these cities.”

(See map, above.)

Leading in the report’s rankings is Nashville, TN, where global investment management firm AllianceBernstein (AB) recently moved their corporate headquarters.

“We chose Nashville because it is a vibrant and growing city that is committed to supporting local businesses and attracting new talent, says Lev Gordon, SVP and head of global real estate, design and construction at AB. “There is palpable, positive energy in our Nashville office, and we continue to be very pleased with the caliber of talent we have found in the region.”

Once complete, AB’s move promises to bring more than 1,200 corporate office jobs to the Nashville area.

HEALTHCARE

More people means more need for healthcare facilities. “Infrastructure follows the rooftops, as they say,” says Cris Bryant, executive VP of healthcare for Layton Construction. “Whether it’s inpatient, medical-surgical, or wellness-related, all of these healthcare needs have increased in these markets as more people move to them.”

and Layton. “It’s the exact community hospital model we’re talking about for a growing population,” says Francis.

INDUSTRIAL

More rooftops mean more “stuff”—so the industrial market is also catching up in these growth cities. Denver, again, is a perfect example. In 2016, RC Andersen followed a client to Denver to build a 1,000,000sf, fast-track warehouse. That project was a success, and the ball began quickly rolling from there.

“The industrial market has had an 8.9% growth rate since we’ve been here,” says Jim Modafferi, RC Andersen’s Denver-based regional operations manager. “Our projects kept setting Denver size records to the point that opening up a permanent office just made sense.”

MISSION CRITICAL

“While demand for data center infrastructure has been growing for the last two decades, it has exploded in recent years, leading to some of the largest developments, leases, and transactions ever seen in the industry.”

One example is Denver. UC Health opened a brand-new hospital in 2019 and are expanding it again due to the surge in population growth. The same is true of Billings and Bozeman, Montana—Layton is working in both cities to replace or expand their major hospitals thanks to the growing interest in moving to areas with a simpler way of life. Some call it the “Yellowstone Effect,” referring to the popular TV series, says Bryant. “Postpandemic, folks realized they don’t have to live where they work—they can live anywhere in the country,” he says. “Whether it’s moving to a warmer climate like the West Coast of Florida or to beautiful western landscapes they see on Yellowstone, it’s happening.”

The same migration is happening in Texas. Expanding suburbs are bringing more healthcare to the state. What’s more, COVID prompted many healthcare networks to divert resources to inpatient care. But now, the flood gates have reopened, says Greg Francis, VP of healthcare at Structure Tone Southwest (STSW). “Healthcare systems are catching back up to serve their communities,” says Francis. “They’re competing for new customers in the suburbs and spending big dollars to do it.”

In San Antonio, for example, the county health system is planning to build two new suburban hospitals on the east and west sides of the city, one of which was recently awarded to STSW

As the pandemic drew more people to these “lifestyle” cities, it also raised expectations for delivery. According to the Emerging Trends report, more than 90% of consumers expect delivery in three days or fewer, and 30% expect same-day delivery. Some cities, such as Las Vegas, Phoenix, Dallas, and others, are still catching up, says Eric Nay, executive VP at Layton.

That observation from the Emerging Trends report reflects exactly what STO Mission Critical is seeing with their clients. In fact, STOMC was selected last year to lead construction of a first-of-its-kind, Gigawattscale master planned data center campus in Frederick, Maryland. Cities like Dallas and Phoenix are also seeing exponential growth in data center construction. It makes sense, of course—more people need more data.

“Data will drive the development of these emerging cities,” says Terence Deneny, VP of STO Mission Critical. “The costs to transmit data from hubs to these cities will get more expensive, and the latency to get it from point A to point B will impact the user experience. So we expect to see more of a hub-and-spoke model for development, where these spoke data center locations will support the secondary cities with growing populations.”

“Dallas is the largest industrial market per square foot in the country,” he says. “It’s a regional hub for everyone moving into Texas and a smart place for all of that distribution.”

And while warehouse and distribution facilities are critical in these markets, they’re also growing in the cities in between—like Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, and El Paso. “Developers are looking for crossroad areas, low costs, and available labor, which makes those markets attractive,” says Nay.

While cities like New York will never go out of style, the Nashvilles of the country are making for some exciting opportunities, says White.

“It’s been incredible to leverage all of the relationships we have across the STO Building Group network to help our clients as they grow. Whether we’re local to the area or we’re deploying a team to work with our alliance partners, we’re there, and we can transfer the lessons we learn from one project to the next to create the best possible outcomes for everyone.” Issue 1 2023

THE SUPPLY CHAIN: THEN & NOW

Q&A with a Purchasing Expert

Almost three years have passed since the pandemic threw a major wrench into the supply chain. What issues still remain? Are things getting better?

David Hamilton, vice president of purchasing at Structure

Tone, has been keeping a close eye on this ongoing ripple effect, and here shares some lessons learned and what he is seeing going into 2023.

What supply chain issues have lingered?

Obtaining pervasive products such as resin and microprocessors has been significantly challenging. Resin affects everything from paint to circuit boards, so its absence can affect the entire supply chain. Specific geographical issues have been another concern. The war in Ukraine, for example, really heightened our radar for what’s going on across the globe and how it affects the supply chain. What’s more, certain equipment, such as air conditioners, require a plethora of parts from all over the world. Challenges like raw materials in Ukraine and shipping into ports on the West Coast can impact critical components, which, in turn, could delay an

entire project. We have expanded our vision into the future wider than ever and now conduct weekly meetings with our team of procurement specialists across the organization to analyze global issues and continue to plan and prepare at a local level.

What new challenges have emerged?

The continued growth of the data center market, coupled with supply chain issues, has caused large IT and tech companies to place large orders just to secure a place in the equipment queue. Circumnavigating this can be challenging since when these orders are placed, it’s unclear at times if those materials will actually be used. Some manufacturers have had to readjust their factory processes

David and his team produce a bimonthly supply chain market update. To review this report, visit our website or follow us on social media.

to put orders together and, in some cases, our team members have flown out to the factories to review and observe production first-hand and make sure our project orders are fulfilled.

How has this situation affected our relationship with subs, suppliers, etc.?

We have enhanced our relationships at the CEO level while strengthening and deepening our relationships with local distributors. This whole journey has also enhanced our efforts to map the supply chain, which is very cumbersome. Ideally, we are trying to ensure an overall global view where we can understand better where the pain points are and how to take opportunity with those who have better capacity or ability to produce.

What do you see coming in 2023 and beyond?

We have had a number of unfortunate subcontractor defaults in the last few months and anticipate this could be a continuing trend. Many over-committed due to PPP loan forgiveness, which provided some of them with

a false sense of financial buoyancy. In other words, their bid estimates were based on a false sense of security. Now with inflation, they are facing sticker shock on orders for materials for the projects they bid on months or even a year ago. Another trend is that suppliers are tightening their credit terms with subcontractors because of the volatility in the market. After seeing a couple of defaults, they are reigning in and ultimately becoming less flexible.

Another upcoming issue is the mandatory repayment of Small Business Administration pandemic loans. The SBA issued nearly $390 billion in COVID disaster loans. Due to the low interest rate, nearly four million small businesses and nonprofits took out these loans during the pandemic, and starting in January 2023, the SBA is requiring them to pay. Identifying whether or not a company we work with is paying off an SBA loan will become a new prerequisite for our firm, coupled with tracking PPP forgiveness.

That said, one of the key benefits of being part of a large, global organization is that we carry a lot of weight in the market to help influence outcomes. By leveraging our economies of scale, we have been successful in navigating many of these challenges. We make sure we’re communicating with our vendors, trade partners, and clients and forging relationships across the industry worldwide. That has helped tremendously in managing these challenges in a proactive manner.

Checking In on Tying Off

Whether in the office or on the jobsite, STO Building Group employees start every meeting with a “safety moment.” Sharing these short stories or lessons helps remind our staff and partners about the importance of 360-degree awareness and our safety culture— everybody, everywhere, every day. The following account is a recent example from a Pavarini North East superintendent, illustrating how carefully inspecting harnesses and abiding by specific safety regulations are essential to avoiding accidents.

On a recent project, we worked on a new two-story bank with the top of the roof at 30ft above ground. On the second day of erecting steel, I noticed the ironworker connecting the roof steel was straddling the beam with both feet on the bottom flange and walking to the next beam. As he was bolting the connections, he was wearing a harness that wasn’t tied off. I stopped the project to review safety with the subcontractor. The steel subcontractor did have a 60ft boom lift on-site, which the other ironworker used to connect the beams. During our discussion, the foreman noted that OSHA 29CFR 1926.760 Subpart R allows connections up to 30ft in a controlled decking zone. I reminded him that PCC zero tolerance is anyone above six feet must tie off. He asked me to confirm with my safety department, and he agreed that his workers would use a “beamer” and tie off while I followed up.

I contacted my safety officer, who explained that connectors must have site-specific training for each project, not just connector training. Thankfully, the ironworkers were tied off for the remainder of the project.

Pavarini North East takes safety to heart—at work and at home. Hear more from the team in this video.

INNOLABS: A Vision Realized

King Street Properties’ life sciences complex in Long Island City, Innolabs, is coming to completion.

A direct response to LifeSci NYC, a $500M, 10-year plan to invest in New York City’s life sciences community, the completion of Innolabs will mark a milestone in the city’s plan to keep life sciences talent, capital, and institutional connections within the five boroughs.

Led by Pavarini McGovern, this monumental repositioning involved converting and expanding an existing 161,266sf, Class B office building into 244,692sf of Class A life sciences space. Ultimately, the team replaced and reinforced the structural system, combined three existing buildings, expanded with two new additions, and built out four additional stories, all primarily constructed with reinforced concrete and some structural steel. The new layout allows for multi-tenant floors, making Innolabs a best-in-class purpose-built lab building in New York City.

THE SPACE:

l Ground floor: planned 15,000sf vivarium

l Floor 1: amenity space

l Floors 2–5: 185,000sf of leased space

s Loading dock

Read more about the Innolabs project via this link

s New lab space

s Open offices outside labs

s Main lobby/entrance

Art in Unexpected Places

People tend to think of civic art as outdoor sculptures, but in Los Angeles there are unexpected ways to experience it. For example, civic art is a glowing fused glass partition in the local urgent care center; it’s the swerving ramp under the skateboarder’s wheels at the park; it’s the coloring book created for children whose parents are staying at a public hospital.

s A fused glass panel featuring a vibrant olive tree doubles as an urgent care dividing wall at the Olive View Restorative Care Village. Art by Ball-Nogues Studio, photography by Joshua White

The Los Angeles County Civic Art Collection is comprised of historic and contemporary civic artworks of all kinds located on County properties. Working with artists, County departments, and communities, the Civic Art Division commissions socially engaged civic artworks, as well as supports conservation efforts, artistic and cultural services, and an evolving array of programming throughout the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County in all five Supervisorial Districts.

How can civic art make a difference at a local level? With Los Angeles being the most populous county in the US at over ten million residents, the Department of Arts and Culture’s Civic Art Division seeks to conduct “placekeeping,” which is responding to and supporting cultures in the many communities they serve.

For example, the goal for civic artworks at the Olive View Restorative Care Village—built by Abbott Construction—was to create a welcoming and healing space where patients and staff felt deeply rooted in the surrounding community. The Civic Art Division hosted meetings with community members to find out what kinds of artwork they wanted

on-site, while also capturing emotive goals in their own words. These words then formed the guiding principles for artists in their design development.

Finished pieces were met with great enthusiasm by the community, and included two outdoor murals, a micrography triptych, and a fused glass panel. Conveying an overall sense of upliftment, they celebrated Olive View’s local culture, history, and deep connection to nature.

Partners in Art

In the last 10 years, Abbott has proudly partnered with Los Angeles County in the construction of seven new design-build facilities, featuring over 25 separate pieces of civic art. Pictured here are just a few of them.

r The children’s lobby at the Sheila Kuehl Family Wellness Center stirs imagination with its 16’ photo mural “Mythical Forest” and mural divider “Magical Deer.”

Art by Christine Nguyen

r

“Sunrise over the San Gabriels” is a 20 x 40 foot handpainted aluminum mural that rises off and above the building to convey a sense of hope at the Olive View Restorative Care Village. Art by Renée Fox

The Real Estate Rollout Blueprint: How to Deliver Consistency

In today’s market, uncertainty is part of the process. From labor shortages to supply chain issues, there are a number of factors that can impact your project’s cost, schedule, and quality. Now picture building 10 projects across 10 cities—all similar in size, scale, and scope—in less than two years. How can owners and developers avoid compounding change orders, costs, and coordination issues during real estate rollouts with so many variables?

Here, members of STO Building Group’s Global Services team—a group designed to service national clients with projects spanning multiple markets—share their tips on how to achieve a smooth rollout.

1. Engage the general contractor early. When developers embark on a real estate rollout program—a package of similar projects spanning several markets that are awarded together—they’re typically looking for an architect with national reach who can guide the entire collection of projects, building in consistency through design elements from start to finish.

When choosing a builder, the approach is a little less prescribed. Traditionally, owners and developers must decide between a local general contractor for each project or a national GC that can leverage their local teams to handle the day-to-day of each individual job. Either option, especially when the builder is brought on after the design is finalized, can lead to consistency challenges during the rollout. After decades of experience honing their approach, the Global Services model addresses this consistency challenge in two ways:

l A Single Point of Contact. Global Services assigns all their clients a single point of contact (SPoC). The SPoC becomes the client’s one-stop-shop for all construction information for the duration of their rollout and beyond. They’re also dedicated to facilitating communication between project teams in different locations, who are often solving similar field issues.

l The Playbook. Specifically developed and implemented for each client, the Playbook is a living document that each project team builds on as they get more familiar with the client and the work. It outlines the key players, the geography, the client’s goals and priorities, as well as their preferences when it comes to project details—down to who is handling the furniture delivery. At the start of a job in a new location, the Global Services lead hosts a kickoff meeting with the project team to review the client’s playbook and discuss lessons learned from previous jobs.

“Having that main point of contact and a few of us regionally developing an individualized playbook means that our clients don’t have

to reinvent the wheel every time they start a new job,” says Mallory Wall, BCCI vice president of client services. “Instead of the client contacting prior project teams to solve the same challenges, we’re making that phone call and resolving the issue on their behalf.”

2. Support opportunities for shared success. In the AEC industry, the client’s win is everyone’s win. When establishing partnerships for a rollout program, creating and supporting opportunities for alignment is another strategy that can help ensure all parties are invested in the success of the projects. For instance, establishing a Master Service Agreement (MSA) that maximizes that partnership—whether that means allowing the contractor to have the local market fees or competitive insurance rates—this approach leads to shared savings and reinforces the “in it together” mentality.

“Having contractual alignment means pulling Global Services into the team so that the communication happens between the client, the builder, and the design team,” says Rob Leon, STOBG Global Services executive vice president. “Our goal is always to build strong partnerships with our clients and foster relationships that last.”

3. Communicate effectively. Communication is essential for any job, but during a rollout, having the right conversation at the right moment can save time and costs on multiple jobs at once. Understanding the value of top-tier communication—especially during a rollout—Global Services is purposefully structured to make the most of the group’s connections.

l The Network. A defining feature of Global Services is the vast network of companies and experts that allow STOBG to deliver projects for clients anywhere. Depending on the location of the project, the Global Services lead and his or her team will work directly with an STOBG company or a strategic alliance partner. The alliance partners are an elite group of contractors who work with Global Services through MSAs to execute projects outside of STOBG’s geographical reach. Over time, several alliance partners, including BCCI, have even joined the STOBG family.

BCCI became part of the STO Building Group in 2019, but as a former alliance partner, I’ve been working with the Global Services team for over 26 years,” says Wall. “I’ve watched Global Services grow, expand, and evolve into this powerful network of relationships and seen firsthand how we can leverage each other’s diverse strengths and perspectives.”

l The After-Action Review. To leverage the network’s varying skillsets, abilities, and lessons learned, Global Services holds an after-action review after each project closes. This process gives the team time to revisit challenges on the

Building with Global Services: McDonald’s

When gearing up for their 10-project, 10-city corporate interior rollout, McDonald’s learned about STOBG’s Global Services group through the project architect. After hearing more about the Global Services approach and meeting the team, McDonald’s established an MSA with STOBG. Between 2018 and 2020, Global Services team members worked with STOBG companies and local alliance partners to complete McDonald’s 10 offices. The SPoC, the McDonald’s Playbook, and regular after-action reviews proved to be extremely valuable—particularly when it came to delivering consistent millwork.

The first project within the rollout was McDonald’s flagship project in Nashville. One of the biggest challenges was the millwork that surrounded the office’s large ice machines. The machines required more

job, document how they were solved, and brainstorm strategies to avoid parallel issues on the next project. Each after-action review is added to the client’s playbook for future project teams to reference.

“That intercompany communication is truly a best practice that sets us apart,” says David Ransome, STOBG Global Services vice president. “Our global teams are the glue that tie all the business units together—joining forces to avoid complications and problem-solve before issues arise.”

l Shared Expertise. Another hallmark of the Global Services approach during a rollout is communicating industry standards and market conditions with clients regularly. The group has employees dedicated to keeping a watchful eye on local markets and reporting back on factors that have the potential to impact budgets and schedules.

“We have real-time data on what’s happening at the local level, from permit lead times to labor issues,” Leon says. “We compile all that information into a regular benchmarking report that helps our clients understand what’s happening across different markets.”

For global clients looking to deliver consistent, top-quality spaces for employees in all markets within a short window of time, building today can be quite the challenge. Implementing these tips from experts who have done it time and time again, and partnering with teams who can learn as they go, is invaluable.

breathing space than the original drawings allowed for, plus the millwork shop drawings didn’t exactly match up with the architect’s intent. After rework, the issue was resolved, and the millwork challenge was included in the 360° after-action review.

“

We’re communicating these challenges from project to project, so by the time we made it to the last project in this 10-job rollout, it was pretty seamless,” Ransome says. “We had minimal change orders and barely any rework.”

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