Wilshire Grand Tower Topped Off March 2016 – Video Recap

March 15, 2016
, , , , , , , City of Los Angeles, Construction Industry, Environmental Construction, Environmental Engineering, Los Angeles Economy, Methane Mitigation Design Projects, Uncategorized, Waterproofing

Wilshire Grand Center is a 335-meter (1,099 ft) skyscraper under construction in the Financial District of Downtown Los Angeles, California. The tower will become the tallest building in Los Angeles, the tallest structure and the second tallest building west of the Mississippi River upon completion. The building will be part of a mixed-use hotel, retail, observation decks, shopping malls and office complex, expected to revitalize downtown Los Angeles and the area surrounding the building. The development of the complex is estimated to cost $1 billion. The plans currently include 67,000 square feet (6,225 m2) of retail, 677,000 square feet (62,895 m2) of Class A office space and 900 hotel rooms. InterContinental is the tower's hotel component, comprising 900 rooms and suites occupying the 38th to the 70th floors. Estimated date of completion March 8, 2017. Terra-Petra is proud to have been a part of this project during initial record concrete pour. 

Park Fifth development in DTLA will break ground in April

February 23, 2016
, , , , , , , City of Los Angeles, Employment News, Environmental Construction, Environmental Engineering, Inspections, New Projects, Uncategorized

Based on its intimate knowledge of the City of Los Angeles plan checking requirements, Portland-based architects, Ankrom Moisan brought in Terra-Petra environment engineers to work with the firm's in-house design team to help with design as well as consult on code-complaint systems for the Park Fifth project. The mixed-use development will replace parking lot near Pershing Square in Downtown Los Angeles and is scheduled to break ground in April. 

Read more about this exciting project on Urbaniz.LA.

The project is being designed by Portland-based Ankrom Moisan Architects, and will be

Terra-Petra provides Deputy Inspection Services for DTLA Blossom Plaza

February 23, 2016
, , , , City of Los Angeles, Construction Industry, Inspections, Terra-Petra News, Uncategorized

We are honored to have worked on Blossom Plaza with another Los Angeles area environmental engineering firm to provide our Deputy Inspection Services that ensure the integrity and health of this project's land development process in Downtown LA's Chinatown. 

Blossom Plaza Takes Form in Chinatown – Long awaited mixed-use development rises near Chinatown Station.

Read this Story via Urbanize.LA 

Blossom Plaza Takes Form in Chinatown
Blossom Plaza Takes Form in Chinatown

 

Oceanwide Plaza – now under construction in Downtown Los Angeles

February 5, 2016
, , , , , , , , City of Los Angeles, Construction Industry, Enivronmental Engineering, Los Angeles Economy, Terra-Petra News, Uncategorized

"We've been involved with the Oceanwide Plaza project going back more than 11 years. It's good to see the project finally break ground and to see the team's vision becoming Oceanwide Plaza Downtown Los Angeles, Californiaa reality," says Justin Conaway, Terra-Petra Vice President and General Manager. 

DOWNTOWN'S $1B OCEANWIDE PLAZA
Patricia Kirk, Bisnow

Representing China’s Oceanwide Real Estate Group, local brokerage firm Kennedy Wilson has established a new website for Downtown LA’s $1B Oceanwide Plaza, which is under construction, and posted new renderings of the project.

Designed by the Los Angeles office of RTKL, the nearly 1.5M SF development on a 4.6-acre site at 1101 S Flower St includes three high-rise residential towers with 503 condos and 183 hotel rooms, 167k SF of retail space and 1,444 parking spaces.

Plans also call for a series of pedestrian paseos between Figueroa and Flower streets, a 37k SF open-air deck atop the retail space, and large public plaza for visitors to sit and enjoy the modern landscape, according to Urbanize LA. Additionally, a 32k SF LED ribbon, possibly the largest on the West Coast, will wrap the building's podium along Figueroa between 11th and 12th streets. [ULA] 

Oceanwide Plaza Downtown Los Angeles, California Oceanwide Plaza Downtown Los Angeles, California

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Terra-Petra contributes to new projects transforming Downtown LA

January 26, 2016
, , , , , , , , , , , , , , City of Los Angeles, Environmental Construction, Environmental Engineering, Environmental Health, Los Angeles Economy, Methane Barrier Installation, Methane Mitigation Design Projects, Terra-Petra News, Uncategorized, Waterproofing

As one of the most well-known environmental engineering and building waterproofing companies in the Los Angeles basin, Terra-Petra is currently working on or has completed some very high-profile projects in the Downtown LA area. Some of the most notable projects, among many others, include:

The Wilshire Grand Tower – the Wilshire Grand skyscraper will one day be the tallest west of Chicago. (Terra-Petra photo of project start to the right.)

The Metropolis, a $1B development is one of the largest mixed-use projects under construction on the West Coast.

Oceanwide Plaza will break ground in spring 2015. This $1B project will have a total of three towers and an expansive above-ground outdoor space. A five star hotel and 200k SF of commercial space will be included. There will be 504 condos and 183 hotel rooms.

South Park Mega-Project (Chinese developer Shenzhen Hazens) is a three towers along Figueroa Street across from L.A. Live. A 30-story hotel tower would rise at the northwest corner of Flower and Eleventh streets. A 30-story condo tower would be at Figueroa and Eleventh streets, and a 42-story condo tower would be at Figueroa and Olympic.

According to the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS), the "flurry of activity" in the recent years is defiantly the biggest construction boom they have witnessed since the 1980s.

However, LADBS does say that it is yet to be seen if it's the biggest boom in history or not. 

Stay tuned.

4 DEVELOPMENTS THAT WILL TRANSFORM FIGUEROA
Los Angeles Mixed-Use Jan 14, 2016 Jerry Liu, Bisnow, LA

We already told you about some of the mega-projects that will reshape Sunset Boulevard, perhaps one of the most famous thoroughfares in the world. But if you're really following what's hot in LA, it's all about Downtown. So we decided to take a look at some of the developments that will reshape the future of one of Downtown's most notable streets:

1. Circa
Location: 1200 Figueroa Players: Hankey Investment, Jamison Services, Falcon California Investments, Highlands Capital, Harley Ellis Devereaux, LendLease. Completion date: Late 2017. The $500M project will build twin 35-story towers housing 648 luxury condos on top of a seven-story retail podium. There will also be 48k SF of retail and 1,770 parking spaces. This project broke ground in summer 2015 and features a curved glass look that offers a panoramic view of LA, and many other neighboring high-rises, including the Metropolis. Bisnow chatted with Hankey president Scott Dobbins this week to get the latest status update on the development.

2. Oceanwide Plaza
Location: Figueroa and 11th Players: Oceanwide Real Estate Group. Completion date: 2018, condos hit the market in 2017. Breaking ground in spring 2015, this $1B project will have a total of three towers and an expansive above-ground outdoor space. A five star hotel and 200k SF of commercial space will be included. There will be 504 condos and 183 hotel rooms total. Chinese firm Oceanwide had previously acquired the development from New York City-based Moinian Group. This will be the first real estate venture for Oceanwide outside China.

3. Shenzhen Hazens
Location: Entire block bounded by Figueroa, 11th Street, Flower Street and Olympic Boulevard Players: Shenzhen Hazens, Gensler Completion date: After 2020. It's no secret Chinese firms are transforming the LA landscape. Shenzhen Hazens will add to the mix with a $700M redevelopment in the Luxe Hotel area. The project plans to break ground in 2017 and will be split into two phases. Phase 1 would build two 30-story towers, one residential and one hotel. Phase 2 would completely replace the Luxe Hotel with a 42-story residential tower. Expect the finished mega-project to have 650 luxury condos, 250 hotel rooms and 80k SF of retail space. We caught up with Shenzhen Hazens Group executive project director Sonnet Hui recently to get more on the company's plans.

4. MyFigueroa
Location: Four miles of streets from Downtown LA to South LA. Players: LADOT, Troller Mayer Associates, Melendrez, GEHL Architects. Completion date: 2017. Promising to make it easier for transit and bicycle users, this project will start in late spring 2016 and complete in 2017 under a $20M budget. It will link USC and Exposition Park to Downtown LA with better signals, signage, crosswalks, transit platforms, bikeways and trees. There will be on-street, fully separated bike lanes on each side of Figueroa for 27 signalized intersections. There will also be a lot more accommodations for public transit, including for the Silver Line and the upcoming streetcar service.

Terra-Petra Partners with Law Firm Wactor & Wick in Downtown Los Angeles

April 27, 2015
, , , , , , , , City of Los Angeles, Enivronmental Engineering, Environmental Health, Terra-Petra News, Uncategorized

With an increase in the amount of expert environmental work requested by law firms throughout California in recent months, Oakland, California environmental law attorneys, Wactor & Wick LLP recently hired Terra-Petra to perform a methane soil gas investigation for a Methane Buffer Zone site in downtown Los Angeles.Terra-Petra was selected based on its expertise and knowledge in the field of methane soil gas and upon its prior work on numerous projects throughout the Los Angeles Basin over the last 25 plus years.. 

CEM 75 Drill Rig in action at the project site in Los Angeles, CaliforniaWactor & Wick LLP was founded in 2002 by two former EPA enforcement attorneys. The firm provides cost-effective solutions to reduce environmental risks to clients such as property owners, developers, manufacturers, retailers, lending institutions, mining companies, attorneys and consultants. Wactor & Wick is rated as a Pre-Eminent law firm and both partners have earned the Highest (AV) Rating from Martindale-Hubbell for Legal Ability and Ethical Standards, the Super Lawyer rating (top 5% of all lawyers), the Superb rating from Avvo and have been named in The International Who’s Who of Environmental Lawyers.

According to Vice President and GM, Justin Conaway, Terra-Petra determined that the use of a CME 75 Drill Rig was imperative in reaching our designed depth of 50 feet below surface grade in the gravel like soils at this specific site (based on the Wactor & Wick's due diligence on the project), Terra-Petra also determined that typical direct push probe drilling equipment would not have been able to reach a depth of even 15 feet given the specific conditions of the site.

"We had a great experience collaborating with Wactor & Wick and are looking for more opportunities to work with other such accomplished law firms in this industry," said Conaway, "Wactor & Wick is extremely knowledgeable about environmental regulations; they are very diligent in their effort to coordinate this investigation. We really appreciate working with a law firm that is dedicated to getting the job done right."

 

Terra-Petra Managing Removal of Asbestos Containing Material in Downey, CA

March 11, 2015
, , , , , City of Los Angeles, Construction Industry, Enivronmental Engineering, Environmental Construction, Terra-Petra News, Uncategorized

Terra-Petra is serving as the environmental engineer of record for a large retain development in Downey, California. The project is well under construction and has included the demolition of some existing buildings and mass grading for the site.

During grading activities, the contractor had uncovered several old abandoned concrete encased pipes buried in the soil. Terra-Petra was called out to analyze the concrete for asbestos content and to manage the removal of the material as needed. 

Terra-Petra's Senior Project Scientist was able to mobilize to the site within 24 hours of the contractor reporting the discovery of potential ACM materials on the property. Within 48 hours, samples were collected and the results were received back from the lab stating: "the black felt/fibrous material showed negative for asbestos. The light-colored pipe encased in concrete showed positive for asbestos and will require special handling."

Terra-Petra is in the process of mobilizing its Industrial Hygienist to the site to manage the removal of the ACM per the local state and federal standards.

Historical Use of Asbestos
During World War II, use of Asbestos Containing Material (ACM) products peaked, and the shipbuilding industry utilized the mineral extensively. From the early 1900s to the 1970s, asbestos was the ideal material to use.

Why asbestos? Simple: It was cheap, durable, flexible and naturally acted as an insulating and fireproofing agent. The construction and manufacturing industries fell in love with its potential and used asbestos-containing products whenever possible.

Malignant mesothelioma, otherwise known as mesothelioma cancer, commonly develops in the lungs of people exposed to asbestos. Effective treatments are available to ease symptoms and improve your prognosis.

The cancer usually affects the thin, protective membrane surrounding the lungs, heart or abdominal cavity. Doctors diagnose an estimated 3,000 cases a year in the United States, and the majority of those are traced to job-related asbestos exposure.

Although asbestos use declined dramatically in recent decades in this country, the incidence of malignant mesothelioma remains steady. That difference can be traced to the distinct latency period linked to the cancer.

The disease can take anywhere from 20 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos before it shows obvious symptoms and an oncologist can make a definitive diagnosis.

While no cure for the disease exists and the prognosis is typically poor, researchers made significant progress in recent years in understanding the cancer and developing new treatment options and alternative therapies.

Terra-Petra congratulates newest DMBI inspectors

February 20, 2014
, , , , , , City of Los Angeles, Construction Industry, DMBI, Environmental Construction, Environmental Engineering, Environmental Health, Terra-Petra Company News, Terra-Petra News, Uncategorized

Terra-Petra congratulated its newest DMBI inspectors, Dave Akers, Kevin Costa, and Hector Flores earlier this month. On Monday, February 3rd, 2015, the three newest members of the Terra-Petra Deputy Methane Barrier Inspection Team successfully passed the written and oral portions of the DMB) examinations issued by the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS). Dave Akers, whose history with Terra-Petra dates back to 2005, passed the test for a second time.

The addition of three new DMBIs to the Terra-Petra inspection team is a testament to the company’s exciting expansion and its efforts to continue to grow as an industry leader. As the onslaught of construction projects continues, Terra-Petra continues to stay prepared and flexible to meet clients’ inspection demands. Terra-Petra leads the environmental engineering industry, now, with 10 Deputy Methane Barrier Inspectors on staff. The extension of the design division will ensure that Terra-Petra retains its competitive edge. 

Terra-Petra named methane design engineer and subterranean waterproofing consultant for Korean Air Wilshire Grand project

December 22, 2013
, , , , , , , , , , , , City of Los Angeles, Construction Industry, DMBI, Environmental Engineering, Environmental Health, Los Angeles Economy, Methane Barrier Installation, Methane Mitigation Design Projects, Terra-Petra Company News, Terra-Petra News, Uncategorized, Waterproofing

Wilshire Grand Hotel Los Angeles - AC MARTINTerra-Petra is proud to announce its role as the methane mitigation design engineer and subterranean waterproofing consultant for what will be the tallest building west of the Mississippi, the Korean Air Wilshire Grand project. Once completed, this 73 story skyscraper will top out at 1,100 feet tall and offer 5 levels of subterranean parking below grade. Earlier this year, Terra-Petra contracted with the prestigious architectural design firm of AC Martin Partners to prepare the methane mitigation and waterproofing system construction documents.

Terra-Petra had a very tight window in which to complete our design work, given the discovery of the methane mitigation design requirement only weeks before the foundation only permits were to be pulled. Fortunately, due to the strong capabilities of the Terra-Petra design team, we were able to deliver the necessary drawings on time in order to ennsure the project remained on schedule with no delays.

On November 21, 2013, Terra-Petra attended a pre-construction meeting, with Turner Construction, to discuss the installation of the methane mitigation/waterproofing system for the project (which is scheduled to start in December). Terra-Petra will also be performing the Deputy Methane Barrier Inspection (DMBI) work for the duration of this project.

“It's not every day that you get to say you had a hand in designing the tallest building west of the Mississippi. I am very appreciative of the opportunity that AC Martin has given Terra-Petra to be a part of this prestigious project. You never want to start behind the 8 ball and have to design to an extremely expedited schedule as we had on this project, but we did it! I feel that the work Terra-Petra has carried out is a testament to who we are as a company; knowledgeable, responsive, dedicated and really good at what we do. Needless to say I am very proud of my team," said Justin Conaway, Terra-Petra's Vice President and General Manager. 

According to the Wilshre Grand Center's website: “Starting in 2012, the property at the site of the former Wilshire Grand Hotel will be cleared to make way for a visionary new hotel and mixed-use building. Under the leadership of Korean Air, the developer of the project, the new building will revitalize the property and allow the site to continue being the indelible landmark it has always been. Doors will open to L.A. and the world in 2017, building upon the Wilshire Grand’s rich history." 

Additional highlights: 

  • This innovative project will be a completely new and unique experience in Los Angeles’ downtown. When the doors open in 2017, the project will be one of the most advanced, sophisticated, sustainable and unique buildings in Southern California.
  • With a unique “sky lobby” offering unparalleled views of the city and a breathtaking infinity pool, the building will rise 73 stories in the air as Los Angeles’ second tallest building.
  • 900 state-of-the-art hotel rooms, which will be operated by a flagship luxury hotel brand, will set a new standard for hospitality in Los Angeles.
  • 400,000 square feet of Class ‘A’ office space will attract high-end business leaders and make the building a global engine for business.
  • 45,100 square feet of new restaurant and retail space housing world-class restaurants will make this an epicurean delight and drive downtown’s food and cultural renaissance.
  • Pedestrian friendly access to downtown, as well as local and regional transit connections, will make the project a central and easily accessed location for visitors and Angelenos.
  • Innovative outdoor space and exterior plazas will invite guests and visitors to experience the true Los Angeles lifestyle and climate

For more information go to: www.wilshiregrandcenter.com. 

Related articles and websites:

http://www.wilshiregrandcenter.com/
​http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-property-report-20130808,0,976227.story#axzz2lJN2SaRf

INSPECTION UPDATE: 4661 W. Wilshire Blvd. Methane Zone Property

November 21, 2013
, , , , City of Los Angeles, Methane Gas Inspections, Methane Mitigation Design Projects, Uncategorized

Terra-Petra is serving as the Deputy Methane Barrier (DMBI) and Waterproofing inspector for the Wilshire Condominium project at 4661 W. Wilshire Blvd. The condominium project was designed by Archeon Group Architects and is being constructed by Becker General Contractors, Inc. The methane barrier membrane installation is being performed by Ralph Ray Construction.

Terra-Petra’s DMBI Eduardo Rangel is serving as the projects inspector. Terra-Petra’s Daniel Valdez (Inspection Supervisor) is onsite today conducting a tutorial for the Terra-Petra office staff to bring them up to speed on the nuances of the Vapor Lock-M system, one of the many approved methane barrier membranes in the City of Los Angeles.

Terra-Petra is a big proponent of cross training our staff to provide them with an appreciation and understanding for each field of work that we can handle. This approach has proven to be invaluable in our success as a company as all staff members have a better grasp of each person’s roll with the company.

We've found that the guys are very supportive of one another and tend to “pull together" to finish projects and ensure a high quality work product for our clients.  

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