Ellerbe Becket leads design for CSU Sacramento complex

Construction has started construction on the Broad Athletic Facility, the first phase of an ambitious sports complex project at California State University, Sacramento.

The $8.9 million, 26,000-sq.-ft. field house is the first component of the multi-faceted Alex G. Spanos Sports and Recreation Complex.

The Eli and Edythe L. Broad Foundation is providing a $2 million leadership gift for this new field house, which is designed for intercollegiate athletics.

The San Francisco office of Ellerbe Becket Architects is leading the design team of Hornberger Worstell of San Francisco and LPA Sacramento Inc. in developing the projects. The Broad (pronounced Brode) Athletic Facility (or field house), located south of the stadium, will include a 5,000-sq.-ft. weight room, as well as locker rooms, coaches' offices and meeting space for football and track and field. The Alex G.

Spanos Sports and Recreation Complex is a centerpiece of Destination 2010, an initiative to transform the campus into a premier metropolitan university and a destination campus. The complex is named for Alex G. Spanos, who along with his wife Faye, provided the initial leadership gift of $10 million. Groundbreaking for the second phase - a Recreation, Wellness and Events Center -is expected to occur in late 2007.

The project manager is Sacramento-based Tony Moayed Construction Services.

Graham Downes designs La Jolla hotel renovation

San Diego-based Graham Downes Architecture is designing the interior and exterior renovation of Hotel La Jolla, located at 7955 La Jolla Shores Drive in La Jolla. La Jolla Shores Hotel Ventures, LLC is the developer.

The remodel is focused on completely re-positioning the property by updating all public areas: the reception area, lobby lounge, bar and pool deck, as well as all 108 guestrooms spanning nine floors. The makeover is intended to be remarkable and signature, and will draw a new level of clientele to the property.

Graham Downes is serving as principal-in-charge for Graham Downes Architecture, with Maria Carrillo as project manager and Candice Treumpert and Jeanette Boettcher providing design assistance. Completion is expected by next spring.

Matt Construction finishes Mater Dei complex

Santa Fe Springs-based Matt Construction finished the Mater Dei High School Athletic Complex in Santa Ana. The $18-million project includes a two-story, 3,200-seat gymnasium, 32-meter pool with 12 lanes, a wrestling room, weight training center, locker rooms and offices for the coaching staff. Irvine-based The Austin Co. designed the building, which was dedicated on Sept. 24.

Matt Senior Project Manager Mike Fedorchek said, "The fully integrated, on-campus facility was built over a period of 13 months. Matt's first priority was staging a safe environment where construction could proceed while classes were in session."

Matt Construction's current school construction projects include the recently completed Colburn School of Performing Arts addition in Los Angeles, the Thacher School Theater and Multipurpose Room and the University of Southern California Data Center.

Nordby Construction completes new Comcast building

Santa Rosa-based Nordby Construction recently completed Comcast's new 64,000-sq.-ft. Technical Operations Center in the North Natomas region near Arco Arena in Sacramento.

The $12 million, single-story building is a concrete tilt-up structure built on an expansive, nine-acre lot, and will replace the existing headquarters for Comcast in Sacramento.

The new building will house approximately 300 employees.

Approximately one-half of the building is warehouse for storing equipment and cabling, and the remainder of the facility contains offices, conference rooms, a server room and tech area.

Extensive parking to accommodate up to 500 vehicles surrounds the building.

Architect Gromatzky Dupree & Associates designed the project.

"Despite some unexpected challenges from an unusually wet winter, we completed the new tech building on schedule," said John Bare, project manager of Nordby Construction. "Our client was enthusiastic that their employees were able to take occupancy while construction was on-going yet nearing completion."

Nordby Construction has also completed construction on a mixed-use project in Sebastopol.

The project is a 10-unit commercial/office and residential project developed on Main Street in downtown Sebastopol. Architect Kellogg & Associates of Santa Rosa designed the facility.

Six of the single-family units will range from three to four bedrooms. Four of the units are live/work lofts, providing retail on the first floor, and residential on the second floor.

All units are constructed within the City of Sebastopol's Green building program, and meet the "Gold" status requirements.

The 19,000-sq.-ft. project also includes landscaping and parking.

"With its sustainable construction components, this high-density construction project will provide high quality and environmentally-conscious buildings for the residents of Sebastopol." said Steve Kilgannon Evans, project manager of Nordby Construction.

Barnhart completes Canyon Crest Academy, UCSB parking garage

San Diego-based Barnhart, Inc. completed Canyon Crest Academy, the San Dieguito Union High School District's newest high school facility, in September.

The campus features classrooms, a science/art center, theater, fitness center, laboratories, athletic facilities, multi-purpose rooms, restrooms, administration offices, multi-media labs and shade structures. The gymnasium is the tallest building on campus, topping out at 55 ft. and is one of the largest high school gymnasiums in California. The campus measures 225,891 sq. ft. over 61 acres.

The campus partially opened in September 2005 to freshman and sophomores. By 2008, CCA will have grades 9-12. The campus, designed by NTDSTICHLER Architecture, has a master plan capacity of 2,400 students.

Barnhart, Inc. has also finished a new $17.2 million parking structure for the University of California, Santa Barbara.

The structure measures 341,000 sq. ft. and will add 1,128 parking spaces to the campus. The building has six stories, including one subterranean. Items in progress include structural steel elevator and stair tower installation, aluminum façade fabrication and installation, metal stud framing installations, wire rope railing installations, site lighting, site concrete, asphalt paving and completion of street improvements.

Work begins on WWCOT-designed fuel station

Construction has started on the WWCOT-designed Riverside County Fleet Service Fueling Station in Rubidoux for the Riverside County Economic Development Agency, reported WWCOT partner-in-charge Pam Touschner.

The new Fleet Services project, which is replacing an outdated facility located in downtown Riverside, is designed in a mission revival style that responds to the context of historic Riverside. The building is characterized by extensive use of cement plaster, wooden pergolas, red mission tile and a two-story bell and clock tower. The single-story building will include space for administration, operations, information technology functions, dispatch, conference and training rooms. Situated on a five acre-site along Mission Boulevard at the gateway into Rubidoux, the office building will be set back from the street and will feature extensive landscaping and decorative hardscape including a Spanish-style fountain at the corner of Mission and Crestmore Road. A 35,000-sq.-ft. maintenance and refueling station backs up to the office space providing the county with ample truck and car maintenance bays, car wash, canopied fueling island, and surface parking for 170 vehicles.

Construction is expected to be completed by summer 2007.

R.D. Olson finishes apartment complex at L.A.'s Union Station

Irvine-based R.D. Olson Construction has completed a Class A apartment complex and connection bridge on both sides of Union Station in Los Angeles -- one of the busiest transportation hubs in the country.

The depot, where the Metrorail, Amtrak, MTA, DASH and Metrolink converge, remained in full operation during construction of Union Station Village.

The complex is owned by Lincoln Property Co.

The new addition skirting the 65-year-old Union Station consists of two five-story buildings, one sitting partially atop the Metrolink tunnel. Olson also built a 72-ft. bridge over Union Station's service entry that connects the apartment buildings at the third floor level. This added convenience allows residents to travel from one structure to the other without having to traverse the busy street-level crosswalk.

Building the complex was tricky. Olson had to ensure construction did not interrupt transportation services, which meant working unusual hours, relocating lots used for taxi and bus passenger pick up and drop off, and arranging for temporary travel routes.

The 273,000-sq.-ft. Union Station Village was designed to bode well with the look and feel of the historic transportation depot, all the while, having all the amenities of the day. It is home to 272 studio, one- and two-bedroom apartment units (six are double-sized) and 150,000 sq. ft. of subterranean parking.

A rooftop pool sits upon one of the apartment buildings, giving bathers a distinct view of the city. A recreation room on the fifth floor and a full gym with sauna and locker rooms also was built for Union Station Village residents. Two elevated open air courtyards lavishly landscaped with trellises and tiled water features with falls add a natural sense of beauty to the heart-of-the-city placed complex. Each of the buildings has a radius entry with 10,000 sq. ft. dedicated to administrative offices and a recreation area. Ground level also houses the Internet Café--a private area where residents can enjoy a cup of coffee and while hopping online. Construction costs totaled $35 million.

GMP Architects of Santa Monica designed the complex, which supports the city's long-term improvement plans to the west of Union Station Village. Plans include renovating specified areas on and around the legendary Olvera St., such as the installation of new stairs and seating at the central plaza.