SAN FRANCISCO—With the unprecedented spike in transit projects taking place in the Bay Area, developers have shifted to maximizing parking structure space to provide attractive and functional facilities without monopolizing or expanding the footprint. McCarthy Building Companies has been involved in building these structures on retail sites in the region for Westfield Corporation, Irvine Company and BART. In the first of a two-part exclusive, Rodney Riddle, vice president of parking structures at McCarthy Building Companies, discussed some of the hot trends, innovative cost savings and design-build concepts of parking structures.

GlobeSt.com: What are the hot Northern California markets for parking structure construction and what is the current and future state of development?

Riddle: Northern California is currently experiencing a surge of development in multiple sectors, which is driving the need for an increase of parking structure construction. Right now, transit development is a major factor driving the need for more parking, especially with the BART extension plans underway in the South Bay. We're also seeing a lot of office and medical development coming back as a result of the growth.

As we move forward, these areas, particularly transit development, will continue to be hot, making certain that parking will remain a necessity. We'll see a lot of development centered around these areas, which will be interesting to watch from a parking perspective as real estate will continue to be a challenge in the region.

GlobeSt.com: What are some innovative ideas that owners can utilize in order to reduce the costs of parking structures?

Riddle: There are a few ways owners can mitigate cost without sacrificing the quality. If an owner is in the early stages of engagement with a contractor, I would recommend bringing their contractor in as early as possible to evaluate the potential foundation systems, which is a large percentage of the overall cost because these structures are so inherently heavy and need to support very large loads. McCarthy encourages early access because it allows us to survey the area and conduct research into the best foundation to fit the project's budget, schedule and overall end goals. Getting us engaged early in the process also allows us time to do most of the prefab work off-site. Any labor that can be done in a controlled environment off-site ultimately reduces the cost for the owner.

Owners may also consider working with designers and contractors to create a modular, repetitive design for structures. This type of design allows the labor force to work with the same pattern on a repeat cycle, thereby eliminating the margin of error that can occur when the design varies. This method is also conducive to the speed and efficiency in which the structure is built.

Another idea for owners to think about is the type of final look they want their structures to tout. McCarthy provides clients with a higher finish on concrete, which incorporates the architectural elements of the structure for an aesthetically pleasing finished product without the added cost of extra labor or skin.

GlobeSt.com: Is design-build becoming more popular as a delivery method for owners wanting to build parking structures and if so, how does it benefit them?

Riddle: Design-build is a delivery model that is gaining popularity year after year. A design-build project creates a relationship between the owner, architect and contractor where they become one entity, with the architect and contractor managing the timeline and progress of the project. From an owner standpoint, procuring this type of delivery model is especially attractive because it reduces their risk and places responsibility on the design and construction teams to manage the project and ensure that timeline and budget expectations are met. Owners are then freed from the burden of being in the middle of design coordination, making the contractor more accountable. Another appealing reason to move forward with design-build is that parking is a niche market. It takes a certain expertise to successfully complete a parking structure, and while these structures look easy from the outside, there are many tips and tricks to make it lighter and more efficient without letting the design get out of hand. With design-build, owners are afforded all the benefits, best practices and honed-in craftsmanship that these partners have gleaned though years of expertise.

GlobeSt.com: What are the hot Northern California markets for parking structure construction and what is the current and future state of development?

GlobeSt.com: What are some innovative ideas that owners can utilize in order to reduce the costs of parking structures?

GlobeSt.com: Is design-build becoming more popular as a delivery method for owners wanting to build parking structures and if so, how does it benefit them?

Instant Insights /

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