Alan Luna, James Bicamumpaka, Kathleen Lassle, and Toby Bender represented Webcor at SJSU's 2023 Science Extravaganza.
By James Bicamumpaka, Webcor Sr. Project Engineer
Assistant Project Engineer Alan Luna, Sr. Project Engineer James Bicamumpaka, Sr. Compliance Manager Kathleen Lassle, and Sr. Superintendent Toby Bender represented Webcor at the all-day Science Extravaganza held at San Jose State University on Saturday, Feb. 11. The event was organized by MAES Latinos in Engineering and Science, an organization focused on expanding opportunities for Latinx students and professionals in the fields of science and engineering. Each year, MAES organizes the Science Extravaganza, an event that exposes middle school students from the South Bay to career possibilities in the world of science and engineering.
More than 300 students from various South Bay middle schools and 10 companies including Webcor, Meta, NASA, Intuitive, and Genentech attended this year's Science Extravaganza. SJSU Dean of Engineering Sheryl Ehrman kicked off the day with a keynote speech discussing AI, its benefits, and how people can help chatbots improve the breadth of information they share by contributing to knowledge systems, especially areas about which little is known. After her speech, the students rotated between the workshop/activity stations hosted by participating companies.
Webcor's workshop featured a ladder toss game, an activity that was unanimously approved by Webcor's San Jose Community Engagement Committee during the event's planning process, which started in Q4 of 2022. For this fun and engaging workshop, teams of 4-5 students were required to:
This workshop required participating students to communicate clearly, pay attention to detail, follow a plan correctly, collaborate effectively with their teammates, and aim well when playing the game. The boxes contained not only the material necessary to construct the 1" diameter ladder toss game but also 1.5" diameter pieces and connection angles to complicate the activity a bit. If a team realized at the assembly area that they did not have the correct materials, they had to return all their material to the material sourcing area and start procuring a new set of materials before moving to the assembly area to construct the ladder toss frame.
Each student team greatly enjoyed the game and demonstrated excellent collaboration-first when reading the plans in detail, then when sourcing the correct material needed to build the frames. Students' laughter filled the room during the ladder toss game as their aim and throwing strategies were tested when trying to get the balls hanging on the horizontal frame members. (It was not easy when tossing the balls from 25 feet away.)
Before beginning the workshop activity, students learned about the Webcor team and the work each Webcor volunteer does on a regular basis. At the end of each workshop, the students also asked us any questions they had and shared their key lessons learned from the workshop, which many students mentioned were "working together" and "the importance of following a plan".
One of the day's highlights took place when Toby gave wholesome fatherly advice to a group of middle schoolers on pursuing their aspirations and staying focused on all that they put their hearts and minds to.
The Mission Rock Parcel F team celebrated topping out the level 6 "Mesa" podium with a classic Webcor BBQ.
On Feb. 22, the Mission Rock Parcel F team celebrated topping out the level 6 "Mesa" podium, pouring out level 1 built-up slab (BUS), and completing trade coordination early with a classic Webcor BBQ featuring our custom-made grill and trailer. Nearly 200 team members from Webcor Builders, Webcor Concrete, Webcor Drywall, Webcor Carpentry, PSG, ISI, Marelich, CEI, CMI, Spencer Masonry, Alliance, Clark Pacific, and Air Systems gathered for the topping out celebration at the waterfront project site in the heart of San Francisco's rapidly developing Mission Rock neighborhood.
"We're proud to share that the recent atmospheric river events did not pose any delays-in fact, we were able to accelerate our schedule from 6-day cycles to 4-5-day cycles," says Project Manager, Concrete Kenny Hua. "It's a powerful reflection of One Webcor's impact and the way we blend our roles and responsibilities as a unified team across multiple Webcor divisions."
During the BBQ, Kenny and Sr. Superintendent, Concrete Sergio Valencia congratulated attendees on the excellent teamwork performed amongst all trade partners/companies involved and thanked them for keeping the project site clean and organized throughout construction. "We look forward to finishing the project strong-safely and on schedule," Kenny says.
Parcel F is one of two projects Webcor's delivering for Mission Rock Partners, the second being Mission Rock Horizontal-Street Improvement Package (SIP) & China Basin Park (CBP). Parcel F expects to achieve LEED Gold® certification. Once complete, the 315,000-square-foot, 254-unit residential tower will offer 96 below-market rate apartments and ample amenity and retail space. The building's podium-aka the Mesa-creates multiple terrace levels that overlook the lively public space, cultivating an open community atmosphere.
A long-awaited groundbreaking took place at the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose with several Webcor representatives in attendance.
A long-awaited groundbreaking took place at the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose on Wednesday with several Webcor representatives in attendance.
Webcor is the general contractor for the Child, Adolescent, and Adult Behavioral Health Services Center, a 77-bed inpatient behavioral health facility that will also include outpatient urgent care for minors and adults, emergency psychiatric services, a pharmacy, administrative offices, and a pedestrian skyway bridge connecting to the existing emergency department.
The groundbreaking ceremony featured remarks by several dignitaries, many of whom focused on the mental health crisis that has been declared in Santa Clara Valley. County Supervisor Joe Simitan, who has been advocating for the facility for eight years, noted that children attending the same high school from which he graduated are experiencing mental health crises but have nowhere to go nearby. They and their parents wait hours in an emergency room before an ambulance transports them to facilities as far away as Vallejo and Sacramento. Parents are left to pay thousands of dollars for ambulance transportation because liability rules prevent them from driving their children to these facilities.
Simitan also noted that teen suicides are a growing problem in the area, highlighting the need for the facility. What is now a hole in the ground, he said, "will soon be the kind of acute care center we've so long needed, right here, close to home."
Michael Elliott, president and executive director of the Valley Medical Center Foundation, said there were two things of which he was sure the day the building opens. "The building will be state of the art, and things we can't anticipate will be needed." To ensure those unanticipated needs can be met quickly, he said, an endowment is being established.
Among Webcor representatives attending the groundbreaking were Executive Vice President Jit Pahilajani, Senior Vice President Tom Taylor, and Vice President Tolga Acar.
Highlights of the groundbreaking are covered in the SCVMC video below; you can also read architect/designer HGA's detailed account of the groundbreaking.
