Webcor Builders Awarded Contract for California Memorial Stadium

08/17/2009

BERKELEY - Bay Area-based Webcor Builders has been selected as the construction manager for the seismic upgrades and modernization of historic California Memorial Stadium. Webcor's management and staff will begin work immediately on a host of pre-construction and planning tasks, such as estimating, constructability reviews and bid package preparations.

"Webcor is honored to be working with the University of California to rebuild Cal's Memorial Stadium in Berkeley," said Thomas Mead, senior vice president of Webcor. "We are proud to have built many of the Bay Area's signature buildings, and because there are many Cal alumni at Webcor, there is definitely an extra level of excitement about this project."

Recently, Webcor Builders directed the construction of the Cathedral of Christ the Light in Oakland, the 60-story tall Millennium Tower in downtown San Francisco and the new California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. Like Memorial Stadium, each of these projects presented unique and interwoven construction challenges.
"We are thrilled to have Webcor's outstanding team of innovative builders and their demonstrated track record of quality high-profile projects throughout the region." said Assistant Athletic Director Bob Milano Jr. "We also need to recognize all of the builders who enthusiastically participated in the bidding process and thank them for their interest."

No on-site construction will begin until full-project budget and financing approval is granted by the UC Board of Regents, planned for later this fall. Webcor's immediate engagement with pre-construction efforts will only improve the project's planning and eventual execution. During their last meeting in July 2009, the Regents approved funds for planning work to proceed immediately. Construction on the stadium is slated to begin in late 2010.



The widely-acclaimed California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco was designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Renzo Piano and houses the Steinhart Aquarium, Morrison Planetarium, millions of scientific specimens and thousands of live animals. The academy is Platinum LEED certified and is covered by a "green roof" the size of approximately two football fields.

The project included a mix of both public and private funding and fell under the jurisdiction of the San Francisco Department of Public Works. Webcor's early work with the city to improve the public subcontractor bidding process provided a $4 million savings to the project and resulted in two new pubic bidding ordinances signed by Mayor Gavin Newsom. The project was finished within budget requirements and ahead of schedule.

<< back