The SR520 Program involved three major design-build projects including a pontoon fabrication contract valued at over $300M, bridge replacement and HOV project at over $800M and highway expansion project at over $350M. Work included three major bus transit stations, signalization, communications, maintenance base and toll systems.
Complete Support for Large Transportation Program Goals
In accordance with WSDOT manuals and guidance documents, the SR520 design build program totaled $4.6B and required significant advising, business and construction support. Otak worked with all partners in developing, implementing and executing initiatives, plans and support for permitting, design and construction delivery. The firm provided eight full time staff in roles ranging from inspection, scheduling and program management to claims, compliance and progress reporting. This included responsibility for all weekly, monthly, and quarterly reporting related to program delivery, finance and executive briefings.
In widening ground transportation access to the airport from four to six lanes, the arrivals road project for the Port of Seattle provides additional capacity and improves safety.
Air Cargo Road Safety Improvements and Arrivals Road Widening
Updates to air cargo road improved intersection operations, accommodated nonmotorized travel, improved employee parking and transit bus stops, upgraded the cell phone parking lot, and completed illumination signage and landscaping. Otak provided a part-time project manager to oversee this large civil infrastructure project at Sea-Tac Airport.
The City of Louisville faced a major challenge in improving South Boulder Road At-Grade crossings to ensure pedestrian safety while also managing federal requirements and associated documentation. Improvements at 5 different intersections involved the installation of pedestrian signals and would all be completed in accordance with CDOT local agency requirements.
Managing a Federally-Funded Project for Pedestrian Safety Improvements
Improvements to South Boulder Road addressed critical issues such as tie-in elevations at each intersection, and updated 30 plus year old traffic signal equipment with new high-intensity activated crosswalk (HAWK) systems while ensuring 13 ADA ramps meet all requirements. As a federally-funded, CDOT agency project, the project involved significant documentation. In close collaboration between all stakeholders, the Otak team led construction management, inspection, and materials testing services. Issues with tie-in elevations of the existing asphalt and the new asphalt were quickly resolved with field adjustments derived from a deep understanding of design concepts which ultimately led to 3% savings on the overall bid.
The reconstruction of a 3,700-foot segment of pedestrian path of Cottontail Trail in Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks improved its longevity. Over a three month duration, Otak played a critical role in evaluating the existing trail and building a team to successfully complete improvements that make the park more sustainable and ADA accessible.
Trail Improvements Add Durability and Accessibility
Cottontail Trail was realigned steep sections to meet ADA grade requirements and ditches for improved drainage. The design also replaced an existing turnpike section to eliminate its need for constant repairs which included an armored ford consisting of a concrete tread section with 24-inch culvert pipes. Colored concrete with exposed aggregate finish was selected to provide a durable, low-maintenance surface that blends well with the rustic rural character of the area. Otak was responsible for ensuring that the work was done right and on schedule despite numerous changes, acting as the eyes and ears for the owner throughout the construction process.
In addressing the gap in diverse and accessible education opportunities for youth faced by many rural areas, the Nestucca Valley High School Career Technical Education (CTE) Center was developed as part of a school bond program for the communities of Coastal Oregon. With a full complement of owner’s representative services, Otak led all aspects of project management from design to construction management in delivering this catalyst for real-world skill development to benefit the entire county of Tillamook, OR, for years to come.
Managing Development of a Flexible and Adaptable Education Facility to Benefit a County’s Communities
With forward-thinking goals around flexibility and adaptability, the design prioritized an expandable and flexible approach to be able to adapt quickly to industry-driven changes in the CTE program. Set behind the existing high school building for easy student and instructor access, a pre-engineered metal building (PEMB) was erected with a smaller “building within a building” constructed with a wood-framed second story inside the metal shell. Much more than a standard metal building, the facility features a custom wood-framed interior and an exterior with metal panels running horizontally rather than the standard vertical orientation while matching the adjacent high school’s colors. Overcoming a challenging site site with steep slopes, the hillside design also includes a private reservoir, filled by an artesian well, as a sustaining water supply system. By providing practical, hands-on learning experience for a variety of professional pathways while promoting an equitable and entrepreneurial culture, the Nestucca CTE Center aims to provide long-lasting benefits for its surrounding communities.
Centered around a new multi-use path and reconstructed parking space, the City of Lafayette sought to make multi-modal improvements along South Boulder Road from Malory Street to 120th Street and on 120th Street from Eastwind Drive to Coal Creek. The Otak construction management & inspection team would keep the project to specifications and on-schedule.
Efficient Construction of Multi-Modal Improvements
Working with the Boulder County Transportation Department and the Colorado Department of Transportation, South Boulder Road would be widened with two thru-lanes; a center turn lanes; and bike lanes. The 10-foot wide concrete multi-use path runs along Merlin Drive from South Boulder Road up to the Alicia Sanchez Elementary School, and along Front Range Drive from South Boulder Road to the Lafayette Park-n-Ride. The path is accompanied by at 6-foot wide sidewalk as well as the reconstruction of the Lamont parking lot that expands parking space while also adding additional green space. A new signalized intersection at South Boulder Road and 120th Street aimed to improve traffic with turn lanes on the north, south and west legs and a dual left-turn lane for traffic traveling eastbound on South Boulder Road and turning left onto 120th Street. An existing ditch alongside 120th Street would be piped and a new storm sewer installed.
With approximately 96,000 feet of 36-inch diameter and 14,000 feet of 32-inch diameter raw water transmission pipeline, Southern Water Supply construction also required appurtenances running from Carter Lake in Larimer County south to Boulder Reservoir in Boulder.
Managing Water Pipeline Construction Across a Variety of Environments
Otak’s construction management team oversaw the roadway reconstruction and reclamation efforts for this project, which involved the installation of a 20-mile raw water pipeline that extends from Carter Lake to Boulder Reservoir. The alignment crosses open space, agricultural lands, roadway, streams, wetlands, and ditches. Some areas are environmentally sensitive and have very specific revegetation requirements. In particular, the stream crossings and wetland reclamation must be carefully monitored for compliance with 404 Permit requirements and floodplain regulations.
When it comes to project delivery, few methods are as cutting-edge as the design-build delivery, but what does it mean, and how do we differentiate it from a traditional delivery?
What is the Design-Build Delivery Method?
According to the Design Build Institute of America (DBIA), the design-build process is different from a traditional project delivery for a few reasons:
Rather than managing multiple contracts, the Owner manages only one contract with a single point of responsibility.
The single point of reference allows the designer and contractor work together from the beginning as a “Design Build Entity,” providing unified project recommendations to fit the Owner’s schedule and budget.
Any changes are addressed by the entire team rather than in siloes of the project, leading to collaborative problem-solving and innovation.
It all comes down to single-source contracting, but what’s important here is the culture of collaboration inherent in design-build. Teams truly work as a team without an adversarial relationship between subdivisions, and that means everything for successful, innovative delivery.
The Portland Building team at the DBIA Awards 2022
The DBIA has a storied history of sharing the wonders of design-build with the greater industry. Formed in 1993, it started as a handful of engineers, architects, and builders who sought to make project delivery both easier and scalable. The organization is now the authority on the design-build process, comprised of not just professionals but academics, students, and leaders from all over the country.
What’s more, they host one of the biggest industry events in the country commemorating use of the method every year.
What is the Design-Build Conference & Expo?
The Design-Build Conference & Expo happens in various locations and hosts a slew of industry professionals who come to network and learn from one another.
Projects from all over the U.S. are nominated for their historic delivery methods, and experts from across the AEC industry judge and award firms based on a variety of criteria provided by the DBIA.
“The Portland Building is by far, one of the defining projects of my career and one of the best teams I’ve worked with in my life.”
Miro Radoynovski – Portland Building Project Manager
Otak attended the annual event in Las Vegas in November 2022, where we were up for multiple awards for our owner’s representative work on The Portland Building in our home city of Portland, OR.
What Did the Portland Building Win?
At the 2022 Design-Build Conference & Expo, the Portland Building was nominated for three DBIA awards in the category of rehabilitation, renovation and restoration. The project ultimately swept all three.
Best in Process – Rehabilitation / Renovation / Restoration
National Award of Excellence – Rehabilitation / Renovation / Restoration
National Award of Merit – Rehabilitation / Renovation / Restoration
The awards reinforced the success felt across the project team, including the city of Portland. For the DBIA, success is defined in a variety of ways and the details of the Portland Building were clearly aligned with those criteria.
Delivering an Award-Winning Project: What the DBIA Looks For
Winning projects are all evaluated on the same criteria, based on DBIA’s Design Build Done Right framework.
Projects are considered if they achieve the best value while meeting design and construction quality, cost and schedule goals. They must also demonstrate advanced and innovative application of total integrated project delivery, including design-build best practices to achieve exceptional outcomes.
Credit: DLR Group
But what is the Design Build Done Right framework?
The overview of it is that it’s a universally applicable set of best practices and principles that can aid in the delivery of any design-build project. The DBIA provides a set of guidelines, and more importantly real-world techniques, that facilitate successful projects from procuring services to execution, exemplified by the following aspects of delivery:
Schedule and cost performance
Effective processes
Interdisciplinary teamwork
Problem solving
Excellence in design
Use of technology
Diversity, equity, and inclusion
Based on these elements of successful design-build, Otak is proud to say we won multiple awards the evening of the conference, which we’ll get into next.
Building a Winning Case in The Portland Building
The Portland Building project is a 15-story high-rise occupied by City of Portland bureaus. As an internationally renowned architectural example of post-Modernism designed by Michael Graves, the building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and houses a number of government departments all working in tandem to make Portland run smoothly.
Exterior view of the Portland Building (Photo Credit: James Ewing, JBSA)
The project addressed the building envelope issues by covering the concrete façade with a unitized curtain wall and terracotta rain screen tiles that eliminated leaking while preserving its historic status and appearance. The restored façade also greatly improved the poor natural lighting which, combined with a full interior remodel, drastically transformed the building’s working environment. Otak also organized the temporary relocation of all the city’s 1,400+ staff to ensure that the city maintained normal operations throughout the project.
However, what’s really interesting (and unique) about the project is its cutting-edge delivery method, one that takes DBIA guidelines and brings them to the next level—progressive design-build.
Progressive Design-Build Delivery of the City of Portland’s Vision
The City of Portland initiated a $195 million project to reconstruct the building, making it the city’s largest capital project.
Such an innovative method of delivery was needed to address several of the City’s objectives with construction:
Fix the enclosure performance problems—no more leaks and better daylighting
Preserve the historic integrity of the exterior—get through landmark approval process
Upgrade the seismic performance of the building to an appropriate standard
Replace building mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) systems
Remedy urban design deficiencies at the base
Improve the workplace and public engagement areas
Meet requirements for LEED Gold
What Does Progressive Design-Build Mean?
Essentially, a progressive design-build delivery method is a form of early contractor involvement that can help reduce risk and increase collaboration among all stakeholders. It’s the way a construction project design is developed by the owner and design-builders using a step-by-step process.
The DBIA again states that progressive design-build allows the design and construction team to collaborate during the earliest stages of project development. This enables the greatest amount of engagement between the three key players in a construction contract: the owner, the designer, and the contractor. Ultimately, Otak advocated that this unique method was best for meeting the needs of the project in terms of complexity and scheduling needs.
Best Value for Dollar Spent: Collaborative Team Environment, Optimal Efficiency
The Progressive Design-Build model allowed for the right voices to be in the room to make the best decisions at the right time. From the outset, Otak successfully met the greatest challenge of the method—getting all team members to buy in to a lean design process and trust it would deliver an innovative project. The team also utilized the “SmartStart” partnering process, where we discussed and committed to an equitable allocation of risk and project progress which was key to establishing a collaborative environment.
Schedule, scope, and design intent were optimized, as the entire team was at the table making informed decisions each step of the way.
Planning sessions and project milestone dates were incorporated into scheduling from the very beginning to inspire active participation between stakeholders for effective schedule management.
Technology Utilization
Quality assurance and control was also highly collaborative, and we deployed high-tech tools like VR, Clash Detection, and Laser Scanning for building information modeling (BIM) work to improve access to facilities and streamline operations of the building post-construction.
A huge part of this effort was not only relocating all city employees into temporary office spaces, but also bringing them back when construction was completed, and the building envelope was brought up to code. Thanks to the progressive design-build method these goals were accomplished through early planning and team effort to get the job done.
Design Solutions to Historic Reconstruction Challenges
With every project comes challenges. This can be particularly true for buildings of historic relevance, for which the Portland Building is a perfect example.
The City’s vision was such that the building needed to be drastically updated while maintaining it’s iconic design elements, while enhancing the working environment. The existing concrete exterior, external glazing, the famous Portlandia sculpture, and getting the space approved as a city landmark were all hurdles that made progressive design-build the choice of the greater team.
View of “Portlandia,” the copper sculpture at the Portland Building (Photo Credit: James Ewing, JBSA)
Considerations were also made to maintain the internationally recognized post-Modern architecture style, and the stakes were high. The building has historic significance of “exceptional importance” on the National Register of Historic Places, which means extra care had to be taken in order to both preserve and renovate the space. The building also needed to be upgraded from a sustainability perspective, a viewpoint that has become an Otak calling card.
Sustainable and Efficient Systems
In terms of being sustainable, the Portland Building was truly brought into the modern era. The project made improvements to light fixtures allowing for greater daylighting, reducing energy costs and carbon footprints in the process.
The envelope of the building also needed to be revitalized in order to fix leaking issues in a famously rainy city. Low emitting materials were also used to compensate for the existing concrete of the structure, which we did by improving existing mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems, among others.
The project also pursued a LEED Gold Building certification, and the team’s efforts led to the project exceeding it’s goals in achieving both WELL and LEED Platinum certification.
Public Involvement and Inclusive Project Goals
Not only did the project need to be sustainable, but it also needed to be equitable to address the needs of the city and align with its values. The vision was to both inspire and influence the public, leading to a two-fold goal— serving the public well and becoming an employer of choice to bolster talent acquisition into the space. To align with those goals, our team led visioning sessions on both the public and employee experience, ultimately transforming the building’s poorly lit, substandard interior into a truly exceptional interior experience for all.
Social and community impacts were also top of mind. A targeted community outreach effort was implemented to ensure DMWESB firms were aware of upcoming opportunities. This effort included informational meetings, open houses, trade show events, one-on-one meetings, and sourcing a local non-profit to provide consultation to DMWESB firms bidding on the project. Additionally, the project promoted design and construction career opportunities by hosting eight separate tours for high school and college students. Otak is proud to say that in the process we exceeded MWDBE goals.
The End Result
By utilizing a progressive design-build framework, inspiring both the team and the community, and delivering on early promises thanks to early planning, the result of our efforts yielded a multi-award-winning project.
Otak would like to extend a formal thank you to the DBIA for bestowing us with these accolades, which we take to heart. We’re proud we had the opportunity to play an outsized role in the successful delivery of the project, and our mission to transform the built environment while keeping the community in mind remains one of our cornerstones.
You can find out more about the complete list of DBIA award winners, and we look forward to the opportunity of highlighting our projects in the future
Otak takes pride in highlighting new members of our team who remind us of our core values. Meet Adreanna Broussard, project controls analyst with TWG, and the subject of today’s staff spotlight.
Craving Disruption
Adreanna Broussard knew from an early point in her career she wanted to play an active role in the built environment. A voracious learner, she had early dreams of getting into architectural engineering, however the University of Texas at San Antonio, her alma mater, did not offer that degree. Faced with uncertainty about her next steps, she leaned on her family for guidance.
“I craved the disruption that civil [engineering] provides. It’s a comfortability with being uncomfortable that has made me a better professional and better able tackle challenges within a constantly changing industry.”
Adreanna Broussard
With her father an electrical engineer and her mother a nurse, the values of hard work and determination saw her take an interest in civil engineering. Adreanna identified the value of the field as part of the same world, where she could make an impact on how communities are built and experienced. She was drawn to the dynamic factors of the profession. In her words, “I craved the disruption that civil [engineering] provides. It’s a comfortability with being uncomfortable that has made me a better professional and better able tackle challenges within a constantly changing industry.”
What is a Professional Engineer (PE)?
A PE, or Professional Engineer certification, signifies that one is recognized by the state as an owner of their work and an expert in the field. Adreanna says a PE opens the doors of the engineering world, enabling those who earn it to work independently, as a consultant, or as an integral member of different firms helping guide projects along. Upon gaining the certification, she will be able to officially sign and stamp official documents as the PIC, and further elevate her aspirations of becoming a luminary in the industry.
Applied Learning
Adreanna credits her hands-on work in civil engineering after completing her degree for making her the well-rounded professional she is today. With an understanding of how projects work on the ground level, she’s able to make quick decisions and see the big picture. As a current project controls analyst, she’s responsible for scheduling, monitoring cost, and managing a wide scope of factors that come with reporting on a project’s lifecycle. However, like a true Otakian, she seeks to continuously improve and grow her skillset. She’s currently doing this by studying for her PE exam, with plans to take the test in November.
Practicing Preparation
When asked about her approach to preparing for the exam, Adreanna emphasizes while studying is important, it goes deeper than textbooks, and she draws on her experience from the totality of her career. She’s seen firsthand and worked with the people who bring design plans to life, and her early opportunities allowed her to wear many different hats, gaining experience with every aspect of the design-build process from paperwork to planning.
Like her, the test is practical. A believer in the power of education and like a true engineer, she loves to learn and take things apart, understanding the science and the art behind building a structure. There’s also an ethical component to the exam, which aligns deeply with her belief in equitable placemaking and community building. Unafraid to bury herself in a practice test or book, Adreanna’s tenacity gives her confidence and motivation to keep studying, to keep working, and keep being the best she can be.
Identity and Aspiration
While looking to elevate herself within the industry, she is also mindful of the space she inhabits within it. It’s no secret the AEC industry, especially in positions of leadership, lacks a diversity and depth of perspective from female leaders as well as leaders of color. She acknowledges this reality, yet views it as an opportunity to rise to the occasion. For this, she relies on experience she’s gained outside of work as a Division I NCAA basketball referee. A similarly male-dominated world, she is well-versed in making her voice heard, her decisions final, and her respect earned not just from her identity, but her experience as a professional. Being a referee taught her how to be accountable, how to carry herself with a professional demeanor, and how to navigate complex and high-stakes situations. She says she draws on this experience almost every day. Adreanna wants to be that leader that breaks the ceiling, and knows what she brings to the table.
Adreanna’s Role Within Otak
To say Broussard’s experience is valuable would be an understatement. She knows her value, and was seeking an employer who understood it too. Dave Hawkins, principal at TWG, knew this and brought Adreanna on without hesitation. When asked about her experience since coming under the Otak umbrella, she emphasizes her appreciation for our community of people, our culture, and our network to which she now has access. Otak is proud to have someone like Broussard among our ranks, and her value, especially from us, will only grow as she grows.
When asked what she would tell potential engineers looking to advance their careers, her advice is to be patient, go at your own pace, and be aware that not all journeys are linear. Every experience is unique, and Broussard emphasizes that her journey, while different, only makes her a stronger professional and a better person.
We’re excited to see her career grow at Otak. Well done Adreanna!
Adding seismic resilience and capacity to serve a growing community, the Benton County Courthouse and Emergency Operations Center would be developed as two buildings on a 20-acre greenfield site. As owner’s representative, Otak has provided leadership on this project through significant permitting and land use processes in each step of bringing this concept into reality.
Streamlining Multiple Project Phases to Improve Community Facilities
Across approximately 48,892 square-feet over three stories, the new Benton County Courthouse is designed to support multiple essential community functions. Development of this greenfield site (with no existing infrastructure) required extensive master planning, including space for sufficient public parking as well as secure staff parking. With four courtrooms, jury deliberation and assembly spaces, among other offices, the design also incorporates safe circulation for judges, victims and other user groups outside the courtroom. The new Emergency Operations Center is a 7,490 square-foot facility that adds multiple rooms for training, search and rescue, and space for other emergency activations. That building utilizes a pre-engineered metal building (PEMB) structure to optimize the project budget.
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