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Peninsula Covenant Church needed to document their facilities to determine how to serve the needs of the congregation and community.  We prepared as-built plans of their entire campus and all of the buildings and calculated the legal occupancy of every room and building.

USL Capitol experienced consolidation of the bay fill beneath this pier supported building.  This left the building suspended in space on its piers.  We analyzed the potential damage that a second earthquake would cause to this unusual situation, designed a way to safely fill this void without damaging the building or causing further consolidation, and monitored construction of the repair for compliance with specifications.

When OSHA changed window washing & unscheduled maintenance regulations for buildings taller thank 75 feet, CB Richhard Ellis needed to upgrade their roof-mounted building maintenance equipment. We designed a swingstage installation. When bids for the new system were too expensive, we requested a variance from OSHA, received it, and changed the design to a Controlled Descent Apparatus system.

Richlen Construction started installing davit bases for a new swingstage system on a renovated high-rise building based on another company’s design.  Richlen discovered that the bases were too low to be waterproofed; also, the swingstage davits could not be attached to the bases.  We redesigned the roof access and davit bases to overcome both of these problems and improve overall life-safety without delaying construction.

This is a commercial office building redesign and tenant improvement project. The structure of two buildings were redesigned and merged to improve space utilization for Southward & Associates. This was accomplished with minimal disruption to the company's workflow by effective relocating employees between the two buildings as construction work was being done.

Commercial office building design / tenant improvement / T1

A commercial office building redesign and tenant improvement project.

A commercial office building redesign and tenant improvement project.

A commercial building redesign and tenant improvement project.

A commercial building redesign and tenant improvement project.

Penthouse redesign at a landmark Art Deco building in the heart of Oakland's Civic Center for the California League of Conservation Voters.

A penthouse redesign at an art deco building in the heart of Oakland's Civic Center for the California League of Conservation Voters.

A penthouse redesign at an art deco building in the heart of Oakland's Civic Center for the California League of Conservation Voters.

A penthouse redesign at an art deco building in the heart of Oakland's Civic Center for the California League of Conservation Voters.

A penthouse redesign at an art deco building in the heart of Oakland's Civic Center for the California League of Conservation Voters.

A penthouse redesign at an art deco building in the heart of Oakland's Civic Center for the California League of Conservation Voters.

An approximately 66,000 sf / $4M factory remodel feat for Quanta Computers, Inc., in Fremont, CA. This was a multi-phase two-year project that involved mechanical, electrical, structural, egress, lighting, and accesibility upgrades to an existing building tilt-up concrete building with a wood-framed roof. The factory's production equipment was not part of the cost of this project. This work was done while an existing factory was in operation and was phased-out while the new construction was built.

We started this project as a "simple" foundation replacement under a 1960's vintage home on the old salt-flats of Foster City. Given the extent of the required demolition, the owners then requested a second story over their garage and a new master suite. To enhance energy utilization, we replaced all the old windows and added insulation. As part of the wall damage repair, we redesigned the entire façade to a Spanish Mediterranean style.  Of course, we redesigned the interior.

After almost 40 years, this contemporary home on one of Foster City’s canals was ready to be remodeled.  We enlarged & combined the kitchen & family room into a great room.  We enlarged & re-arranged the master suite to provide his & hers toilet & dressing facilities plus a private study overlooking the canal.  We redesigned windows & eaves to control heat & light on the expansive southern canal exposure.  We enlarged the formal dining room & tied it to a new exterior deck through French doors.  We redesigned the upper deck to protect it from wind & rain.  And we redesigned the back yard to create an outside entertainment area.

Dr. Fuery purchased a beautiful turn-of-the century mansion in Piedmont, California.  We were hired to design a two level addition on the residence.  We also were hired to prepare cost estimates for numerous renovation alternatives that included an underground garage, expanded back yard with retaining walls and drainage, partial foundation replacement, a kitchen remodel, and repair of extensive decay and termite damage throughout the structure.

California Culinary Academy needed to choose between renovating and replacing their existing dormitories.  We inspected the buldings, prepared as-built plans, identified building components and systems that needed to be repaired or replaced, solicited bids, and categorized the work according to funding source, deferred maintenance, capital improvement, and life safety upgrade.