METHANE TESTING DTLA

Methane Testing Success on Building Renovation to Help House Homeless in DTLA

November 9, 2022
, , , City of Los Angeles, Enivronmental Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Methane Gas Detection, Methane Gas Inspections, methane soil gas investigation, Methane Testing

Terra-Petra provided methane testing services for an existing 3-story, slab-on-grade building located at 601 East 5th Street in Los Angeles, CA. The 16,500 SF 1922 building is being renovated as a homeless shelter. 

The building site is located within a City of Los Angeles Methane Buffer Zone. The methane soil gas investigation complied with LADBS Information Bulletin Ref. No. 91.7104.1, P/BC 2002-101, was performed under Terra-Petra’s LADBS Methane Testing Lab License #10224.

METHANE TESTING DTLA

Overcoming Methane Testing Difficulties

Terra-Petra has encountered a few difficulties performing work within existing buildings. One such difficulty is limited accessibility.Standard truck-mounted drill rigs can’t access the inside of a building if there’s not enough head clearance (ceilings lower than the top of the drill) or a limit on door opening size. 

Drilling equipment must fit through the front door, be lower than the ceiling, and be light enough to be handled by personnel or pushed on a hand cart.

Once inside the building, underground utilities may be challenging to locate, as DigAlert only identifies exterior utility lines. As-built plans are always essential when working indoors. If these plans aren’t available, utility clearance equipment may be employed.

About Core Cutting

Another difficulty is the existing concrete slab. Most direct push equipment can punch through existing concrete slabs, but leaves a less-than-optimal hole that needs to be repaired after use. Core cutting through the slab is another option that allows a clean cut through the slab and is easy to repair. 

Core cutting also adds time and costs to the project. But, if a slab is post-tensioned, it is imperative that the cables are located prior to entering the slab, since hitting a cable could damage the structural integrity of the slab.  

Methane Testing Downtown Los Angeles

These are just some issues associated with completing a methane investigation inside an existing building. Terra-Petra is, however, always well-equipped to get the job done, no matter the situation. And the success of the 601 East 5th Street building inspection has proved that to be true. We are proud to contribute to the Los Angeles City Center Redevelopment Plan.

Learn more about Terra-Petra’s methane testing and inspection services.

Methane Testing – Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles

September 16, 2022
Methane Gas Inspections, Methane Mitigation Design Projects, methane soil gas investigation, Methane Testing

Terra-Petra recently completed a methane soil gas investigation for a redevelopment project of an existing building on Wilshire Blvd. The site is located within a City of Los Angeles Methane Zone and Methane Buffer Zone.

The current phase will consist of routing new electrical conduit to two new underground transformer vaults. From the vaults, the conduit will proceed west to a new electrical Pull Station, then be encased in concrete on the inside north wall of the existing parking structure down to the lower level. There, it travels under the existing parking structure going south under the parking structure to the electrical room on the first floor of the existing building.

DWP requested that methane soil gas probes be installed along the entire path of the conduit. “The report needs to cover any area where the conduit, structures and equipment are going to be”. Conduit is placed and trenches backfilled and patched from the area of the future electrical room in the building, under the existing parking structure and encased up the vertical wall and stubbed out at location of the Pull Station. Based on DWP standards, the 2 transformer vaults and the Pull Station will be vented. Our testing area was limited to the lots within the perimeter.

Rampart Mint Welcomes 22 Formerly Homeless People

May 11, 2022
Methane Gas Inspections, Methane Mitigation Design Projects, Methane Monitoring, methane soil gas investigation, Methane Testing, Terra-Petra Company News

Rampart Mint Welcomes 22 Formerly Homeless People

Great article from beverlypress.com below about a this project in the Rampart Village area of Los Angeles.  Terra-Petra is very proud to have been a part of this project.  We designed and inspected the methane mitigation system during development, working with both the West Hollywood Community Housing Corporation and KFA.

Re-post of article from beverlypress.com

West Hollywood Community Housing Corporation is proud to announce the opening of Rampart Mint, an all-new, affordable apartment community for formerly homeless individuals. Located in the Rampart Village area of Los Angeles, Rampart Mint includes 22 permanent supportive housing units and one unit for an on-site resident manager.

Co-developed with Affordable Living for the Aging, Rampart Mint is built on city-owned land. ALA will provide the on-site building management and has decades of experience working with special needs populations.

“When residents begin to move in, it makes the project real for us,” said Matt Mason, WHCHC’s director of real estate development. “We’re all very proud to be able to create quality affordable apartments for L.A.’s most vulnerable community members.”

The KFA-designed building includes a spacious community room with kitchenette, a computer area, a rooftop garden with amazing views of the city, a building manager’s office and social services office.

“This has been a labor of love,” WHCHC Assistant Project Manager Rachel Peled said. “These last few days putting the final pieces in place, knowing their life-changing value, was electric.”

Rampart Mint was built by Dreyfuss Construction. Pioneering universal design principles have been incorporated so every unit accommodates those with and without physical limitations. Residents can truly age in place without fear of displacement.

“I am so pleased to see the Rampart Mint project come to life,” said Los Angeles City Councilman Mitch O’Farrell, 13th District, who represents parts of the Westlake neighborhood on the Los Angeles City Council. “My office has actively supported this project from the beginning, and I welcome 22 apartments for chronically homeless individuals with special needs in the district I represent. I look forward to continuing our work with WHCHC to create more quality affordable housing, including supportive housing, for our most vulnerable.”

Read the complete article at beverlypress.com

Ivy Station Wins Gold In LA Business Journal 2022 Commercial Real Estate Awards

March 14, 2022
Enivronmental Engineering, Environmental Construction, Methane Gas Inspections, methane soil gas investigation, Methane Testing, Soil Gas

Ivy Station in Culver City won the gold medal in the LA Business Journal 2022 Commercial Real Estate Awards this month.  Terra-Petra worked on this project a couple years ago when it was in development performing all of the below grade environmental inspections.  It’s wonderful to see a project like this come to fruition and watch it win this award a few years later.

From The LA Business Journal March 7, 2022:

Located adjacent to the Culver City Metro E Line station, the 500,000 square foot, mixed-use Ivy Station provides a welcoming and active gateway to Culver City for residents, metro riders and visitors to the burgeoning area. Ivy Station links two rapidly evolving, but previously distinct and separate areas of Culver City – the lively historic downtown with its studios, restaurants and nightlife, and the Culver City Arts District with its growing roster of creative and media companies like WarnerMedia (based at Ivy Station), Apple, Sony and Amazon. Ivy Station’s large landscaped outdoor area is programmed with a host of activities such as games, fitness, movie nights, art shows, gift fairs and concerts to appeal to Ivy Station residents and businesses, commuters, and neighbors. With porous multiple points of access, the property encourages the community, Metro riders, Ivy Station residents and employees to walk or bike through this bustling area of Culver City. The prominent 5.2-acre Ivy Station site is located predominantly in Culver City with a portion, along Venice Blvd, located in the City of Los Angeles. The trapezoidal shape of the parcel created a complex geometry, which generated unique forms that provide the campus’ dramatic architecture.

DEC 21 – Progress Photo Update Methane Mitigation Design & Inspection DTLA

December 20, 2021
Methane Barrier Installation, Methane Gas Inspections, Methane Mitigation Design Projects, Methane Monitoring, methane soil gas investigation, Methane Testing

Methane Mitigation Design & Inspection

Here are the latest updated progress photos from December on this development in Los Angeles.  It’s been an exciting year in 2021 to be involved on this project.  Terra-Petra provided methane mitigation design and methane inspection services for this project.

We’re very proud to be a part of this project and to see the progress as it moves forward towards completion.  Click any photo below to enlarge.

If your development project, building or home is in need of Terra-Petra’s methane services, whether it’s methane mitigation design, methane soil gas investigation, methane inspection, methane testing, methane monitoring or methane consulting then Terra-Petra is your top resource.

Contact us today to learn more.

Construction Progress Photos

UPDATED Progress Photos – Methane Mitigation Design Los Angeles

November 21, 2021
Methane Gas Inspections, Methane Mitigation Design Projects, Methane Monitoring, methane soil gas investigation, Methane Testing, Terra-Petra News, Terra-Petra Press

Methane Mitigation Design & Inspection

More updated progress photos on this development in Los Angeles.  Terra-Petra provided methane mitigation design and methane inspection services for this project.

We’re very excited to be a part of this project and to see the progress as it moves forward towards completion.  Click any photo below to enlarge.

If your development project, building or home is in need of Terra-Petra’s methane services, whether it’s methane mitigation design, methane soil gas investigation, methane inspection, methane testing, methane monitoring or methane consulting then Terra-Petra is your top resource.

Contact us today to learn more.

Construction Progress Photos

Methane Mitigation Design & Inspection – Construction Progress Photos

October 7, 2021
Methane Gas Inspections, Methane Mitigation Design Projects, Methane Monitoring, methane soil gas investigation, Methane Testing, Terra-Petra News, Terra-Petra Press

Methane Mitigation Design & Inspection

Recent drone images show construction progress on this development in Los Angeles.  Terra-Petra provided methane mitigation design and methane inspection services for this project.

If your development project, building or home is in need of Terra-Petra’s methane services, whether it’s methane mitigation design, methane soil gas investigation, methane inspection, methane testing, methane monitoring or methane consulting then Terra-Petra is your top resource.

Contact us today to learn more.

Construction Progress Photos

Methane Mitigation Design And Consulting – Los Angeles, CA

May 26, 2021
Methane Gas Detection, Methane Gas Inspections, Methane Mitigation Design Projects, Methane Monitoring, methane soil gas investigation, Methane Testing

Terra-Petra’s Environmental Engineering Division has been engaged by IBI Group to provide methane mitigation design and consulting services for a City of Los Angeles project known as the Hollywood Sanitation Yard in Los Angeles, CA.

The proposed new yard is for the City of Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation (BOS) Wastewater Conveyance Division. The site area is approximately 38,500 square feet, with about 13,000 square feet of existing one-story garage and office building to be demolished for the new facility. Approximately 8,500 square feet of 2-story new building will house office spaces, locker rooms, restrooms, exercise room, kitchen, assembly room, storage and other support rooms for the building to accommodate the daily yard operation.

Terra-Petra is recognized as an SBE and provides On-Call Consulting Services.

Soil Gas Investigation Los Angeles, CA

March 25, 2021
Methane Gas Detection, Methane Gas Inspections, methane soil gas investigation, Soil Gas, Terra-Petra Company News, Terra-Petra Press

In early January, Terra-Petra performed a soil gas investigation (SGI) in Los Angeles, CA, in accordance with LADBS guidelines (Information Bulletin Ref. No. 91.7104.1, P/BC 2002-101) under Terra-Petra’s LADBS Methane Testing Lab License #10224, for a major property developer.

We are pleased to continue the partnership to provide mitigation design and consulting services. The project consists of the construction of a new slab on grade warehouse building with a building footprint of approximately 169,253 SF.

There are as many as six (6) oil wells on this property, three of which may fall under the footprint of the new building. The scope of work includes methane mitigation plan design (passive system) and permitting, methane gas detection system design (active system) and permitting, and construction administration support.

Landfill Monitoring And Reporting – Penrose Landfill

March 25, 2021
Methane Monitoring, methane soil gas investigation

Terra-Petra has provided ongoing regulatory monitoring and reporting of the Penrose Landfill, in Sun Valley, since 2002. The scope of our activities has included monthly and quarterly monitoring and reporting of perimeter monitoring probes in compliance with South Coast Air Quality Management District Rule 1150.1 and CalRecycle’s Title 27. The regulations require former landfill sites (such as this) to manage fugitive methane gas emissions offsite to levels below 5,000 ppmv.

This work has included routine gathering and evaluation of field data and the preparation and submittal of a report summarizing all monitoring readings as well as laboratory analyses of landfill gas grab samples.

We are also obligated to conduct annual ambient air sampling (weather station and integrated air sampler) and reporting from surface gas emissions into the atmosphere. All monitoring work is carried out under the direction of our Senior Project Scientist and reviewed and stamped by our Registered Civil Engineering crew.

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