C.W. Driver Completes $110M Civic Center Project

NEWPORT BEACH, CA—C.W. Driver, a leading builder serving the Western U.S., has completed construction of the Civic Center and Park Project for the City of Newport Beach.

Located at 100 Civic Center Drive, next to the Newport Beach Central Library, the 117,000-SF project, which has been under construction since May 2010, adds 17,000 SF to the two-story library, a new 450-space parking structure, an 88,000-square-foot office building, and a community room and city council chambers totaling a combined 12,000 SF, and creates the city's fifth-largest park at 14 acres, with its first-ever dog park. Construction costs totaled approximately $110 million. The new civic center, which officially opens in May, is currently slated for LEED Silver certification, with the possibility of LEED Gold.

Construction was broken down into three stages: The first phase, which began in May 2010, involved massive dirt removal and shoring work to prepare for the new parking structure and park; the second phase included constructing the parking structure, and began in early 2011; the final phase of the project began in early 2011, encompassing the library, park and city hall building construction.

Nearly 300,000 cubic yards of soil were removed from the site to lower the new buildings below a public view plane to preserve views of the Pacific Ocean. The parking structure can accommodate 450 spaces, 100 of which are allotted to the library, and can be accessed from the main entrance to the Civic Center or from the library's parking area.  

The library expansion included 17,000 square feet of additional construction and a second entrance on the north side that effectively connects the library to the City Hall and park. A new pedestrian bridge connects the south and north park parcels, provides views of the park, Civic Center and Pacific Ocean, as well as decreases the impact of pedestrian traffic crossing the busy San Miguel Avenue.

The new City Hall, which houses about 220 employees, also includes a 150-seat City Council Chambers, an emergency readiness center, a new community room and  a one-stop permit center. The exterior is constructed with glass and steel with a wave-like roof to give the building an iconic look and a sustainable future. With special features to maximize wind and solar efficiency, the building is projected to save more than $85,000 per year in energy costs compared to a traditional new building.

The Newport Beach Civic Center and Park Project joins a number of other civic projects C.W. Driver has been involved with, including the City of Laguna Niguel City Hall, the City of Beverly Hills Public Works Warehouse and Shops; the Palm Desert Administrative Facility for the Coachella Valley Water District; the Victoria Gardens Cultural Center and Library for the City of Rancho Cucamonga in addition to the recently awarded City of Manhattan Beach, Manhattan Beach Library.