Forell/Elsesser Engineers utilize seismic isolation method

The city of Pasadena recently showed off its newly renovated, and seismically upgraded, City Hall to local dignitaries and the public.

The original architect on the circa-1927 project was Bakewell + Brown of San Francisco; the facility is part of the National Register of Historic Places.

The architect on the retrofit project was Architectural Resources Group of San Francisco, the structural engineers was Forell/Elsesser of San Francisco, the construction manager was Los Angeles-based DMJM Management and the contractor was Clark Construction via its Costa Mesa office.

In order to save the historic elements of the building, along with certifying safety in the event of an earthquake, the city chose seismic isolation as the most efficient retrofit system.

Forell/Elsesser says the successful project consisted of removal of the original basement floor slab, excavation and installation of a new foundation, placement of a new basement floor transfer system, and installation of 240 friction pendulum isolators between the foundation and basement level. The firm adds that conventional shear walls were installed on the east end of the building’s wings, and the existing arcade was demolished and replaced with a new structure that ties the building’s two wings together.

FTR begins Orange County water quality lab project

Irvine-based FTR International Inc. has started work on the Advanced Water Quality Assurance Laboratory project in Fountain Valley for the Orange County Water District.

This construction project was awarded to FTR on May 21 after being the lowest responsible bidder in the amount of $21.2 million.

The 34,000-sq-ft project is a free-standing, two-story structure to house water testing laboratories and office facilities. A total of 15 laboratory rooms equipped with the most advanced instruments and equipment will be built to test drinking water for the entire county.

This new laboratory will incorporate green building practices, including the use of locally manufactured materials with recycled components and low emissions of volatile organic compounds, recycled water for onsite landscape irrigation and use of highly efficient heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment.

Rudolph and Sletten start Sacramento museum expansion

Redwood City-based Rudolph and Sletten has broken ground on a 100,000-sq-ft expansion of Sacramento’s historic Crocker Art Museum, which will triple the current size of the facility. The new wing, designed by Gwathmey Siegel & Associates of New York, will be on the west side of the existing buildings. .

The new building will be physically separate from the existing buildings, allowing the Crocker Art Gallery to maintain its position as the centerpiece of the complex, according to the architects. Pitched skylights will create a dynamic roofline and allow for controlled natural light to enter the permanent collection galleries.

The new building will provide a single entry point to the Museum from O Street, adjacent to the existing entrance. A 7,000-sq-ft courtyard will extend from the new building’s reception area to the original Art Gallery building, allowing for a subtle transition from “new” to “old.”

The ground level of the expansion features a new main entrance for the museum. This fully accessible entrance will be positioned diagonally from the existing entrance and eliminate the current need for a separate handicapped entry. Upon entering the museum, visitors will be greeted by a dramatic two-story, glass-walled atrium opening on to the new courtyard.

San Francisco Public Library breaks ground on Portola Branch

CLW Builders Inc. of San Francisco has started work on a new Portola library branch for the San Francisco Public Library. Located at the corner of Bacon and Goettingen streets, between E.R. Taylor Elementary and Martin Luther King Jr. Middle schools, the new single-story Portola branch will replace the storefront spaces on San Bruno Avenue, leased by the library for more than 50 years. The new branch is scheduled to open in early 2009. Designed by the architecture team of Noll & Tam and Stoner Meek, the branch will have a prominent reading area, an expanded children’s section, a designated teen area, a program room with after-hours access for community meetings, more functional staff spaces, a small garden and a main entrance on Goettingen. Sun-shading devices resembling book spines and well-placed functional windows for natural lighting and ventilation will add to the design. The construction of the new branch is funded by a $105.9 million bond measure passed by voters in November 2000 and is part of the largest building campaign in San Francisco Public Library history. The Branch Library Improvement Program calls for 17 branches to be renovated, four leased facilities to be replaced with city-owned buildings, two branches to be replaced with new buildings, and one brand-new branch in Mission Bay.

Gafcon oversees construction at new health science building

Hensel Phelps and Fentress Bradburn Architects were selected in a design competition to build a 70,000-sq-ft project at University of California Irvine.

The two companies will build the $29 million Humanities Gateway with groundbreaking set for fall.

The Humanities Gateway will be the fifth building in the Humanities quad and will include features such as an auditorium and film screening room. The Gateway will also use outdoor spaces to take advantage of the California weather. The building will use daylight along the perimeter of the building using large glass panels to reduce energy consumption.

The project will start in fall and is expected to be completed in June 2009. The project is part of the Coast Community College District Bond Program, funded by Measure C, a $370 million bond passed by local voters in 2002. The program calls for facility and infrastructure improvements at the three colleges within the district – Golden West College, Orange Coast College and Coastline Community College.

The Gafcon project team includes Robin Duveen, Los Angeles division manager and Joe DeMello, project manager.

Gilbane selected as program manager for school district

The Gilbane Building Co. was chosen to provide program management services to the Sweetwater Union High School District in the San Diego area. The district serves more than 42,000 students in grades 7-12, as well as thousands of adult learners within its 150 sq mi radius, making it one of the largest school districts in Southern California. The architect is BCA Architects, with Gilbane’s Western regional office overseeing the work.

The bond program is currently valued at $644 million with potential matching state funds of an additional $300 million for a total of nearly $1 billion. The projects will be focused on 16 high schools, 14 middle schools and 10 adult and vocational schools. Plans call for the upgrading of classrooms, and the repair and maintenance of building infrastructures to improve the District’s ability to deliver instructional programs. Other district facilities projects may be considered for the program. Work is scheduled to start immediately and continue for the next seven years.