With more than a decade of building great things in Sacramento, DPR Construction, Inc., is converting a 95,000-sq.-ft. former Blue Diamond almond warehouse into a new 77,500-sq.-ft. facility to house the Sacramento Employment & Training Agency (SETA). Working for owner/developer McCuen Properties, DPR is providing preconstruction and general contracting services for the $11.8 million project, which is getting under way this week. Located on Del Paso Boulevard in the North Sacramento Redevelopment Area, the project also includes the renovation of 17,500 sq. ft. of space for the County of Sacramento.

The transformation of the 1970s-era, tilt-up concrete warehouse includes raising the surrounding grade to improve accessibility; installation of ramps and other ADA compliant design elements; seismic retrofit of the foundation and roof; interior demolition and buildout; construction of a new façade; and utility upgrades. When completed, the single-floor space will contain offices, training rooms, conference space and a childcare center. DPR will also demolish blighted structures on neighboring parcels to make way for a 375-space parking lot.

In addition to foundation upgrades and new roof, DPR's seismic work will reinforce the structure's walls to accommodate 48 new windows. According to DPR's Craig Greenough, who is serving as project executive, one of the biggest challenges will be completing the seismic retrofit work without interrupting the interior construction schedule.

"Like many of the projects we build, we are working on a pretty tight timeline, but through careful planning and scheduling of resources, we will finish the demolition portion of the project and seismic upgrades to the exterior as efficiently as possible so that work can proceed on the interior," notes Greenough. "Even with the fast pace of construction, our focus at DPR remains on safety. Whether it's zero recordable injuries or zero defect closeouts, we take a collaborative approach with all members of the team to reach project objectives."

SETA is a joint-powers agency of the City and County of Sacramento and provides regional services through its One Stop Career Centers and programs, such as Head Start, Community Services Block Grant and Welfare to Work. The new facility will consolidate four other SETA locations and provide space for all of the agency's 280 employees.

In addition to DPR and McCuen, the project team includes: shell architect LPA Architecture and Planning, interior architect Breschi & Patterson Inc., structural engineer Marr Shaffer & Miyamoto, mechanical design/build contractors Cal Air (HVAC) and J.W. McClenahan Co. (plumbing), and electrical design/build contractor Schetter Electric. The anticipated date of completion for the project is January 2003.

About DPR Construction, Inc.

A local builder with national capabilities, DPR Construction, Inc., has been "building great things" in Sacramento since it was founded in 1990, including such notable projects as the Butte Community College Allied Health / Public Services and Public Safety facility, Oracle Rocklin, Calif. campus, Blue Shield customer service center, University of the Pacific Health Sciences Learning Center and Clinic Building, Autowest Amphitheatre, NBA Sacramento Kings and WNBA Monarchs practice facility, Sutter General Hospital expansion and remodel, and Sacramento Bee building expansion.

Specializing in technically demanding projects in corporate/speculative office, healthcare, entertainment, education, mission critical (data/telecom facilities), biotechnology/pharmaceutical, and warehouse and distribution industries, DPR has been recognized for its unique collaborative approach in both the national and local market. DPR's office is located at 1451 River Park Dr., Ste. 210, Sacramento, and can be reached by phone at 916.568.3434 or on the Web at http://www.dprinc.com.

In addition to Sacramento, DPR has offices in Phoenix, Ariz.; Newport Beach, Pleasanton, Redwood City, San Francisco, San Jose and San Diego, Calif.; Denver, Colo.; Atlanta, Ga.; Portland, Ore.; Austin, Dallas and Houston, Texas; Fairfax and Richmond, Va.; Seattle, Wash.; and Singapore.