Build To Serve
Hello,
As most of you have heard, the leading economic indicators are pointing to a coming recession. While this very well might be the case, Watkins Landmark is very confident we will be able to thrive in the upcoming turbulent economy without much impact to our business. There are several factors which give me the confidence to make such a statement. First our strength and backlog in the multifamily niche of the construction market. Recession aside, California still has a severe housing shortage. Second, since the onset of COVID, WLC has coalesced into a leaner and more efficient operation. Third is the diversity of our project portfolio. We are not a niche builder. While multifamily projects make up the majority of our ongoing and backlogged projects, we are equally proficient in sporting facility, hospitality, faith based, restaurant, office, automobile facility and retail projects. Not many general contractors can perform at a high efficiency across multiple construction sectors.
This month’s newsletter contains articles on our two biggest projects under construction and our culture section. The first article is on our Frontwave Arena (new home of the San Diego Sockers) project in Oceanside. Our second article is on our Union Apartment Complex project in Chula Vista. Our Culture Section features the Annual Watkins Landmark Picnic at Moonlight Beach in Encinitas.
Thank you for all of your comments and suggestions for our newsletter over the years. We truly try to incorporate the best of your remarks into our periodical. You can always click on my name and email me at Jody James Watkins with any observations or critiques.
Sincerely,
Jody James Watkins
CEO/Founder
WATKINS LANDMARK CONSTRUCTION
San Diego / Inland Empire
Frontwave Arena Project Update
By Krysten Santiago, Business Development Coordinator
with Keagen Fritz, Assistant Superintendent
On July fifth, Ownership broke the exciting news of the fresh partnership between San Diego Sockers and Frontwave Credit Union as they proudly announced the newly named Frontwave Arena. With the intention of transforming the entertainment scene in North County San Diego, Watkins Landmark Construction gains momentum as we move through phase one of Infrastructure and begin foundation work for the new arena.
In the last update, WLC was in the process of soil improvements with the RAP system by Geopier. With all the underground gravel columns in, we have been steadily completing the Infrastructure portion of the project. Our new roadways are rough graded, and we have since shifted to wet utilities. The new sewer lines are in, and we are currently installing the new storm drain system with the new water system to follow. Dry utilities are up next, along with flatwork.
On the Arena side, the project team worked diligently with the design team and the City of Oceanside to secure our building foundation permit, allowing us to ramp up production significantly. As we fine grade and cut for the varying slab sections in the event level following a successful Precon, structural concrete preps to dig footings. Once fine grade is complete, structural concrete will be off and running in tandem with plumbing and electrical as they install underslab MEPs. There is a substantial amount of foundational work to place, given the project’s scope, and the site will be quite busy over the next few months.
Looking to the near future, the project team anticipates the next major phase of construction; standing the building. The structure is a pre-engineered metal building, so it will be pre-fabricated on site inside the arena footprint and pieced together. Sr. Superintendent, Bill Bagby, spoke on this massive undertaking, “we will have three large cranes on site weighing over 180 tons. One on the event level and two on the concourse level erecting the building simultaneously. Once the building is standing, we’ll be able to install the interior steel and place the precast for the seating, event level, and suite level.” This is easier said than done, as the coordination for this phase will be extensive. “The trick with putting the building up is that once a section is up, we have to start installing steel on the inside while the next section of the building is erected. There’s quite a bit going on at the same time, and it requires a lot of coordination, but we’re confident that everything will go according to plan.”
Watkins Landmark Construction would like to give a big thank you to Phil Silvagio & Josh Elias (Oside Arena Holdings), Mark Radelow (Sudberry Properties), and Anthony Mayes (Nixon Development) as they have been instrumental in support of the project.
The Frontwave Arena team consists of Bill Bagby (Sr. Superintendent), Matthew Dolan (Sr. Project Manager), and Felipe San Martin (Project Engineer). Recently added to the project is Keagen Fritz (Asst. Superintendent). The anticipated finish date for the Frontwave Arena is Q4 of 2023.
Union Apartments Project Update
By Krysten Santiago, Business Development Coordinator
with Oscar Iniguez, Sr. Superintendent
Our team at Union Apartments is making an eager dash for the finish line, with the end in sight, as units are already being rented out as early as August 15th, at the newly named Union Apartments in Chula Vista. Our last update back in April gave way to the beginnings of the punch listing process whereas now, it’s coming to an end.
According to the Sr. Superintendent on the project, Oscar Iniguez, “Right now we’re finishing up the punch listing of buildings B-G and I can confidently say we are 100% ready for the final clean and lockdown, and are ready to turn over to the owners. The final items include: the refrigerators being finished and delivered next week for all units and the gas being connected to all buildings tomorrow (Thursday, July 28th). Then, there’s the final individual house meters that are being finished next week, however Buildings F&G are completed.”
Due to the move-in of the new occupants, that means the team needs to get TCO (Temporary Certificate of Occupancy). The punch list needs to be fully complete and all appliance deliveries need to be finished by their next deadline of August 15th. “We need to finish Fire Life Safety which include operational fire alarm, fire sprinklers, means of egress, street improvements (striping/signage) and lighting, after that, our focus is on the pool, and even then, the pool deck is being poured today (Wednesday, July 27th). Lastly, the stucco is starting next week on the pool building and inside is drywall and finishes while the flooring is being installed August 9th.”
The largest building is A, with 66-units to be completed. “We’re getting the texture done on the second floor tomorrow and Friday. Then we’ll go on to painting, cabinets, and flooring with all the finishing trim. The 3rd floor is 2 weeks behind it. Then the 4th floor is 3 weeks behind that. We should be done by the end of September. The elevators start construction next week Aug 4th 2022 and should be a 3 week buildout. Once Building A is complete, we will do the punch listing and get Final Certificate of Occupancy; To be able to achieve this we will need Bonita Glen Drive Improvements signed off, Landscape Final, Engineering, Planning Final Building Inspection.
The team is finding that their final challenges come down to the manpower and availability of materials as we’re still dealing with cases of Covid-19 in this 5th-wave. “30% less manpower really affects everyone.” The reliability from subcontractors puts strain on the project, but that doesn’t make the goal of completion any less achievable.
When asked what the final push looks like, Iniguez says that “It’s all about the final sign-offs and tests. The fire department needs to test the fire valves and sprinkler temperature, while HERS tests need to be conducted as well Title 24. The building inspectors need to check every single switch, GFI, faucet operational hot water coming out, toilets flushing, doors locking and air conditioner working properly. But you know, I’m confident that we should be able to deliver 6 buildings by mid-August and the remaining balance of the project in October.”
Oscar commends his team for being diligent in their combined efforts in getting the project done, even working on the weekends to ensure everything goes smoothly and according to the schedule as well as the assistance from our clients at Silvergate Development.
The Union Apartments project team consists of Geoff Sherman (Sr. Project Manager), Oscar Iniguez (Sr. Superintendent), Marco Peña (Assistant Project Manager), Jesse Nelson (Assistant Superintendent) Julian Schacht (Assistant Superintendent) and Jose Ramirez AKA Little Oscar (Project Engineer) The Union Apartments are scheduled to be fully completed by October 2022.
Culture Section: WLC Annual Company Picnic
Each year the Watkins team rendezvous at a local beach to take in some fun in the sun to create some more great team-building memories. Approaching the random spot in the sand starts with a few company canopies and is filled with many more by our great team member and their families along with amazing food and fun beach games! This year’s spot was Moonlight Beach in Encinitas where the team enjoyed some surfing, Jenga, cornhole and just some good relaxation. Special thanks to Geoff Sherman for bringing his BBQ ribs. They were huge hit!
