DPR’s Newport Beach Office Constructs Building for Movie Industry Facility

What do Dustin Hoffman, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Sarah Michelle Gellar have in common? DPR Construction, its workers and its schedule, that’s what. While working on the 60,000-sq.-ft. Lantana West building for Lantana North Hines Development LLC, DPR workers saw Hoffman and Schwarzenegger coming and going from an adjacent building, and they adjusted their schedule so a love scene for Gellar’s “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” could be shot next door. “We had to make sure construction noise didn’t interrupt the shooting schedule,” said DPR Project Superintendent John Camp. The three-story reinforced concrete building, which sits on 100,000 sq. ft. of underground parking, will serve as a post-production facility for the movie industry.

Being Proactive Not Reactive

Along with the star quality of the site come challenges. Like many cities, Santa Monica has ordinances that impose restrictions on such things as noise, hours of operation and traffic. Camp met with the city before construction began and as a result, according to Joe Cave, DPR Project Manager, DPR has had a “very constructive experience” working with the city. “John took the initiative and found out up front what was needed and what their concerns were,” said Cave. “It’s all about getting along with your neighbors.”

In a survey of tenants in buildings surrounding the project, respondents spoke favorably of those working on the Lantana West site, and construction employees were invited to bring their daughters on a take-your-daughter-to-work tour. In turn, DPR demonstrated at Hines Earth Day Fair how it recycles construction materials.

A Polished Look

Rising west of the two-story Lantana Center, Lantana West is the latest in what will be a five-building complex. It is a highly articulated building, and its exterior features a number of materials. Several skin systems were analyzed to determine which were the most cost effective while meeting the architect’s requirements. “The owner, architect and DPR collaborated to meet Hines’ budget requirement,” said Project Estimator Phil Okerlund. “This rather extensive and time consuming process happens on virtually every negotiated project and is something DPR is good at.”

According to Project Engineer Shawn Amsler, exposed concrete and sheet metal grace the rugged exterior of Lantana West, and the few ceilings that exist in the building are translucent-the pipes are exposed for all to see.

“This little jewel of a building has the Gensler touch, and we had to be conscious of the fact that the rough work is really the finish work,” said Cave. A tribute to Hines’ foresight, Gensler’s design and DPR’s construction, the building was 100 percent pre-leased months before construction was complete.

The project kicked off in September 1999 and despite the fact that excavation and concrete work were done during the height of the rainy season (yes, it does rain in Southern California), DPR did not adjust the construction schedule. Once permits were granted, crews worked Saturdays to make up the weather delays at no cost to the project. This was due to local union rules, which allow Saturday work at straight time if a straight time day is rained out. The building was completed in September 2000.