METHANE TESTING DTLA

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

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.

Terra-Petra to Sponsor The Future of DTLA Development Conference

Terra-Petra is proud to be a sponsor of “Building BIDs: The Future of DTLA Development” on Tuesday, October 10th at the City Club Los Angeles. Register here.

Downtown Los Angeles’ neighborhood stakeholders work diligently to make downtown a better place to live, work, and play. Some districts are long established supported by definitive identities, and continue to flourish; while others are emerging as relative newcomers with blossoming identities. Join us to hear directly from Business Improvement District (BID) leaders, developers and city officials for a forecast of what is to come, how the BIDs are a change agent for DTLA, and anticipated projects necessary to fulfill the goals of the respective districts.

MODERATOR
Eddie Kim
Los Angeles Downtown News

SPEAKERS
Mark Chatoff
Director, Fashion District BID / Owner, California Flower Mall

Bryan Eck
City Planner, City of Los Angeles

Ellen Riotto
Executive Director, South Park BID

Dan Rosenfeld
Investor, Argent Management, LLC

Jacqueline Vernon Wagner
Chief Administrative Analysis, City of Los Angeles

Terra-Petra Environmental Engineering Recognized in the LA Times as part of Wilshire Grand project - tallest skyscraper in the West.

Terra-Petra Team recognized in the LA Times as part of the Wilshire Grand project – the tallest structure in the west and the Los Angeles skyline.

The Wilshire Grand project grew from a handshake to become the tallest building west of the Mississippi. For three years, Times staff writer Thomas Curwen has chronicled its construction, from the initial planning phase to the topping off and final design touches. One the pages, are his stories of the Wilshire Grand tower.

To express his appreciation to all those who were involved with the Wilshire Grand project, Korean Air & Hanjin Group (property owner) Chairman Yang Ho Cho, placed the multiple-page advertisement in the Los Angeles Times  on June 27, 2017. He wanted to  publish the name of every person who worked on the project.

Working closely with A.C. Martin and Turner Construction on Los Angeles’ newest and tallest skyscraper, the Terra-Petra team is proud to be recognized in this LA Times piece (attached/linked PDF) above. 

The Trojan Marching Band headlined the special Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on the Plaza area to celebrate the Grand Opening of the Wilshire Grand Center (June 23rd). The media covered event was hosted by Korean Air & Hanjin Group. Chairman (and USC alum) Cho and his team also hosted a private party in the building that evening.

Below are a few highlights we grabbed during the grand opening ceremony—along with fresh photos of, what Chairman Cho describes as, “the crown jewel of Figueroa Street.” Again, Terra-Petra is proud to be recognized as part of this outstanding project.

USC Trojan Marching Band headlines Wilshire Grand Center Grand Opening June 23 2017

Terra-Petra Assists on Final Phase of Dana Strand Development in Wilmington

Terra-Petra has recently completed its role on Phase 4 of the Dana Strand project in Wilmington, California. Our team of environmental engineering professionals has been involved with this project since its inception, having worked on Phases 1, 2 and 3.

Earlier this week, nonprofit developers Abode Communities and Mercy Housing California convened in Wilmington to celebrate the groundbreaking of Vista del Mar and Camino del Mar, a new collection of 176 affordable homes.

In addition to housing, the $71 million development will offer 35,000 square feet of open and recreational space, as well as features uch as a computer lab, bicycle parking and on-site social services.  The property also is located in close proximity to the Wilmington Waterfront Park.

The projects are considered the fourth and final phase of the Dana Strand Village redevelopment, which has repurposed a 20-acre post-war military housing site.  A full buildout of the New Dana Strand, the culmination of a process that began in 2000, will provide housing for approximately 750 people.

Vista del Mar and Camino del Mar were through both public and private sources, including U.S. Bank, low income housing tax credits and tax exempt bonds from the City of Los Angeles.

Completion is expected in 2018.

Terra-Petra’s Abode Communities and Mercy Housing Project to Break Ground in Wilmington, CA

Terra-Petra has been honored to be a part of this incredible development in Wilmington, California. Abode Communities and Mercy Housing will celebrate their Vista del Mar and Camino del Mar Groundbreaking on September 14, 2016.

Terra-Petra Adobe Communities project, Wilmington CA 2016

Terra-Petra performs subterranean waterproofing inspections for new Academy Museum project

Terra-Petra heads environmental engineering and waterproofing design, inspection and systems for the new $300-Million Academy Museum project at Wilshire and Fairfax Avenue which is slated to complete in 2018. 

STEVEN SHARP
June 14, 2016 for Urbanize.LA.

Even June Gloom failed to put a damper on construction at the LACMA campus on the Miracle Mile, where the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' (AMPAS) long-awaited museum is well underway.

The $300-million undertaking, located at Wilshire Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue, will create a showcase for AMPAS' vast collection of filmmaking artifacts, including tens of thousands of still photographs, screenplays, production and costume design drawings, manuscripts and storyboards.  These assets will be displayed through a series of galleries, exhibition spaces, educational spaces and on-site theaters.

The museum, designed by the famed Italian architect Renzo Piano, will restore the May Company Wilshire department store, a Streamline Moderne structure built  in 1938.  North of the historic building, the project will add an eye-catching spherical glass structure, replacing a surface parking lot and a 1946 annex to the department store.

Completion of the Academy Museum is expected in Spring 2018.

Terra-Petra designs subterranean waterproofing on DTLA Oceanwide Plaza

Working closely with Oceanwide Plaza, LLC Vice President Peter Lai (featured in the video below), Terra-Petra designed the subterranean waterproofing  (which Terra-Petra is also still currently inspecting).on the walls of Oceanwide Plaza project site – easily seen via the aerial camera shots in the video. Lendlease, an international property and infrastructure company, recently announced the completion of the initial mat foundation pour for the Oceanwide Plaza development in Downtown Los Angeles to allow for vertical construction of the project to begin. Read the article here

Read the full article here.

Terra-Petra Environmental Engineering Helps Developer with Pico Gateway Apartments Project Success

Terra-Petra designed the environmental engineering designs and waterproofing systems for this multifamily property in the Pico-Robertson neighborhood just sold for $22.4M a few years back. As always, Terra-Petra is quite proud to be a part of the revision and revamping of land that was up until today, unusable. The revitalization of the LA Basin continues with environmental engineering being a key component of developers' success stories. So now, in what is becoming to be known as an increasingly popular Westside area, this building is being described as a “very high-quality property in a great location." 

This Week's LA Deal Sheet

The fully occupied Pico Gateway Apartments location offers 48,275 SF of rentable space, including 7,500 SF of ground-floor retail, 39 apartments and more than 135 underground parking spaces. Just two blocks from Beverly Hills, which is also a draw, apartment amenities include double sinks for preparing kosher meals, maple hardwood floors, double-paned windows to block out street noise and appliances. 

There is also an optional Shabbat elevator for residents to use on the Jewish Sabbath. Projected growth in the area is making the neighborhood increasingly popular. A recent study shows the population on the Westside could grow by 3.4% over the next five years. 


Read the full story about this properties sale at: Bisnow.com

Terra-Petra Supports Los Angeles Micropolitan Project General Contractor

Terra-Petra supported Frymer Construction to successfully ensure the environmental integrity of the Micropolitan at Urban Lights Multifamily Community project — located near the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the up-and-coming LA Metro Purple Line station in Downtown Los Angeles.

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The Micropolitan is situated near the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and is within a two-minute walk of the Los Angeles Metro Purple Line station, which will soon debut.

The Micropolitan is situated near the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and is within a two-minute walk of the Los Angeles Metro Purple Line station, which will soon debut.

LOS ANGELES — A private 1031 exchange investor has purchased The Micropolitan at Urban Lights, a 45-unit multifamily community in the Miracle Mile submarket of Los Angeles, for $27.1 million. The community is located at 739 S. Ogden Drive.

The Micropolitan was built in 2015. It is situated near the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and is within a two-minute walk of the Los Angeles Metro Purple Line station, which will soon debut.

Ron Harris and Paul Darrow of Institutional Property Advisors represented the seller, Micropolitan, a subsidiary of Psomas, in this transaction.

 

Park Fifth development in DTLA will break ground in April

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

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