Thomas Plant Dies at 89

Tom Plant, founder of San Francisco-based Plant Construction Co., passed away late last month at the age of 89.

Plant was born in Sausalito and graduated from Tamalpais High School, where he met Patricia Tatterson. Patricia and Tom celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in 1997.

After graduating from high school, Plant spent some time at sea as a seaman on freighters and as a day machinist on tankers. During the latter part of the Depression, he drove a truck at the construction of Shasta Dam. He served his apprenticeship at Moore Drydock Co. in the machine shop, in the engine room of ships, in the structural steel shop and later as an engineering draftsman at Shell Oil Co.

Plant worked for the Pacific Bridge Co. as outfitting superintendent during the construction of the ARDs (seagoing floating drydocks). He moved across the bay to Bethlehem Steel Co., where he served as assistant to the general superintendent in charge of supervision of naval repairs, including the overhaul, modernization and re-gunning of the battleship Pennsylvania.

With his two brothers, Buck and Dave, he founded Plant Bros. Corp., General and Marine Contractors, in 1947. The company worked across the United States and Hawaii, but its principal field of activity was in the Bay Area, constructing and overhauling commercial buildings, factories and institutions.

In 1991, a successor company was formed, Plant Construction Co., managed by David Plant and owned by key members of his staff to continue and expand the construction side while Plant Bros. Corp. continued in the development and management of buildings.

Tom and Patricia lived in Sausalito and spent summers at Shaw Island, Wash. He was a commercial and instrument rated pilot, an open water diver and a member of the St. Francis Yacht Club, the San Francisco Yacht Club, Honolulu Ranch Duck Club and the Bohemian Club.

Plant is survived by his wife, Patricia, three children (Richard of Inverness, David of Woodacre and Marden of Belvedere), four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

WWCOT's Touschner Elected First VP/President-Elect at AIACC

Pam Touschner, AIA, partner in charge of WWCOT's Inland Empire and Coachella Valley operations, has been elected first vice president/president-elect for the American Institute of Architects, California Council.

Touschner will be the first woman to lead the 10,000-member trade group since Roberta Jorgensen, FAIA, in 1997 and only the fourth woman to hold the post since the AIACC was founded in 1946.

Her one-year term as president will start on Jan. 1, 2007 when she will succeed newly elected president John Melcher, AIA, of STV Incorporated, Rancho Cucamonga. This year's outgoing president is Stephan Castellanos, FAIA, of DCA, Valley Springs.

"Ms. Touschner has been very active in the AIACC for many years, serving on the board, executive committee and as vice president of legislative affairs," said Paul W. Welch, Jr., Hon. AIA and executive director of AIACC. "She has made great contributions to the profession of architecture in the state of California and we look forward to working with her further in her new position as president elect."

"In her two years as vice president of legislative affairs, Pam dramatically improved the communication between the AIACC and the California Legislature," added AIACC Director of Legislative Affairs Mark Christian. "Due to her efforts, the AIACC has a higher profile among our state's elected leaders, and our voice is more clearly heard on such issues as reasonable settlement reporting and unfair indemnification clauses." Touschner, who sits on the board of directors and executive committee for the AIACC, is a past president for the AIA/Inland California Chapter. Touschner is partner-in-charge of WWCOT's Palm Springs and Riverside offices and is currently responsible for several major projects with clients such as University of California Riverside, County of Riverside, Coachella Valley Unified School District, and Kaiser Permanente.

Recognized as one of the fastest-growing architectural firms in the nation, Santa Monica-based Widom Wein Cohen O'Leary Terasawa is a 100-person firm with other California offices in Riverside, Moorpark, Palm Springs, and one in Shanghai, China.

Other AIACC officers elected during the board meeting Nov. 3-4 in San Diego include Treasurer, John Grounds, AIA, of RBB Architects of Los Angeles; Vice President Legislative Affairs, Phil Bona, AIA, of WLC Architects of Emeryville; Associate Director-elect/North, Karen Lesney, associate AIA; Associate Director-elect/South, Jana Itzen, associate AIA; and Student Director-elect, Lucas Reams, AIAS.

Officers for 2006 include President, Melcher; First VP/President-Elect, Touschner; Secretary, Rose McNulty, AIA, of Asian Neighborhood Design, San Francisco; Treasurer, Grounds; VP of Communications and Public Affairs, Thomas Anglewicz, AIA, of M.W. Steele Group, San Diego; VP of Legislative Affairs, Bona; AIACC VP of Regulation & Practice, Jeffrey Gill, AIA, of MCG Architecture, Irvine; AEP Rep & Associate Director/South, Evelyn Lee, AIA, of Dougherty + Dougherty Architects, Costa Mesa; 2006-2008 Regional Director, Castellanos; and Associate Regional Director-elect, Jess Wendover, associate AIA.

Sacramento City Council Gives Green Light to Sutter Health Master Plan

The Sacramento City Council last week approved the EIR of Sutter Health's midtown master plan project, paving the way for a projected late 2006 start on the massive $456 million development.

The vote follows the unanimous approval of the City Planning Commission, and the Sacramento Design Review and Historic Preservation Board.

The Sutter Medical Center urban village project includes a new Anderson-Lucchetti Women's and Children's Center and comprehensive renovation of Sutter General Hospital and the Sutter Cancer Center. The project also features 32 new residential units; neighborhood-serving retail, restaurants and commercial space; a community parking garage; a new theater complex for the B Street Theatre and the Children's Theatre of California; and partnership facility-sharing relationships with Trinity Cathedral and other project partners.

Turner Construction and KMD Architects have been involved in the design planning stage for at least two years.

The medical complex is designed as a regional medical facility to meet Sacramento's healthcare needs for the next 50 years, and serve the needs of patients in Sacramento, Placer, El Dorado and Yolo counties' and patients across 27 counties in Northern California and western Nevada.

Sutter Health said the new Women's and Children's Center will offer the highest level of neonatal and pediatric intensive care and other services, and the remodeled Sutter General and Cancer Center will house new space for orthopedic, spine, neuroscience, cancer, transplant and medical/surgical services.

"This is a great day for Sacramento," said Tom Gagen, CEO for Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento. "I want to thank Mayor Fargo, the city council, city staff and our neighbors and project partners for their help in creating a project that is truly a model neighborhood project and adds a new dimension to Sacramento's future.

"This project is exciting because of our inclusive planning process and a redevelopment design that offers a model in-fill development for the nation. This is truly a community project."

In addition to numerous community endorsements, the Sutter midtown redevelopment project is also endorsed by SACOG, the Sacramento Area Council of Governments; the Sacramento Metropolitan Air District and Sacramento Regional Transit.

"The mayor and the city council have launched a national model for infill development. There is nothing like this around the country," said Buck Busfield, producing artistic director of B Street Theater and Children's Theatre of California. "The B Street theatre, innovative housing, neighborhood retail -- all of this will improve business and cultural opportunities in midtown. All this alongside a leading medical center for the region."

"We've been working together for four years with Sutter and the B Street Theater and this unique partnership will enhance our city in exciting ways never before seen in Sacramento," said the Reverend Canon James Richardson, associate dean at Trinity Cathedral. "We expect to be partners with the hospital, the theater and the neighborhood for many years to come. Truthfully, the continued health of our congregation is tied to these projects."

Sutter Health said the new Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento will provide significant economic benefits and jobs not only for the city, but also for the surrounding region. The new medical complex will provide jobs with a payroll of $435 million for approximately 4,000 employees, almost half of whom will be residents of the city. And Sutter Medical Center generates $500,000 annual government tax and fee revenues for the city. Overall, the completed project is estimated to have a $1.5 billion annual economic impact on the region, including supporting 5,500 jobs with a payroll of $205 million.

The Sutter Medical Center project now enters the detailed permitting and site development stage with the city of Sacramento while the Office of Statewide Health Planning Department will review its health plans. One of Sutter Medical Center's project partners, LoftWorks is prepared to begin work on the project's housing in March, and construction will begin construction on the community parking garage at the same time.

The entire project is expected to be complete by 2010.

Earth Tech Awarded NZ Contract

Long Beach-based Earth Tech Inc., a business unit of Tyco International Ltd, and a global provider of consulting, engineering and construction services, has been awarded a US$20 million contract for the Eco Care Wastewater Project for Mangawhai in New Zealand. This is Earth Tech's first design, build, operate project in New Zealand.

Earth Tech will design, build, and operate a complete wastewater system for Mangawhai township, a popular beach resort located in a sensitive estuary and marine environment 1.5 hours north of Auckland. Earth Tech will operate the scheme for 15 years in partnership with the Kaipara District Council, including collection, pumping, treatment and disposal of all wastewater.

The Eco Care Wastewater Project will be an important addition to Earth Tech's portfolio of water and wastewater projects in Australia and Asia. Earth Tech-operated wastewater treatment and recycling schemes in Australia now deliver a substantial component of all recycled water in Australia.

Solar Firms Sign Supply Deal

Sunnyvale-based solar cell/solar panel manufacturer SunPower Corp. has signed a $330 million supply agreement with global solar systems provider PowerLight Corp., also based in Sunnyvale.

The deal calls for the delivery of solar panels through 2009. SunPower's products will be incorporated into PowerLight's advanced solar power systems for commercial, government and new home residential customers worldwide.

"This agreement marks another milestone in SunPower's growth strategy as we continue to build out our global customer base," said SunPower CEO, Tom Werner. "PowerLight is a widely-respected market leader and we are thrilled to be able to marry our high-efficiency solar panels with their innovative solar system designs and product offerings."

The contract covers a variety of SunPower solar products to be incorporated into PowerLight projects worldwide as well as in their home state of California. A significant product covered under the contract is a custom-designed solar panel used in PowerLight's SunTile roof integrated system for new home construction. Using SunPower's uniformly black A-300 solar cells, SunTile interlocks with roof tiles and shingles to provide an aesthetic, architecturally seamless look for sunlight-to-power solar technology.

The contract was signed at the end of the third quarter of 2005.
Volume deliveries under the contract begin in 2006 and ramp up with SunPower's planned capacity expansion.

"SunPower's high-efficiency solar technology improves the financial and performance equation of our products and systems," noted PowerLight's President, Dan Shugar. "We're focused on delivering maximum value to our customers and SunPower's technology fits perfectly with our application platforms."

PUC Increases Solar Funding

The California Public Utilities Commission has increased funding by $300 million for solar photovoltaic technologies. The proposal would provide $2.8 billion of incentives toward solar development over 11 years. It also develops complementary policies and rules, sets new incentive levels, and addresses program administration.

This is the first step in jumpstarting the PUC's implementation of what was originally called the Governor's Million Solar Roofs Initiative, which is now called the California Solar Initiative. The PUC said it has consistently expressed support for solar, other renewable resources, and clean distributed generation as environmentally sound technologies for assuring reliable electricity supply for California.

The proposal also reduced the rebate level for solar photovoltaics from $3.50 per watt to $2.80 per watt of installed capacity. The new rebate level will be for new projects that sign up for funding in 2006. For projects already on the waiting list, the rebate level will be $3 per watt, which corresponds to the previously announced reduction in the rebate level that would have automatically gone into effect in January.

The full 10-year California Solar Initiative funding and framework will be considered at the PUC's Jan. 12 meeting.