San Diego Spectrum
San Diego Spectrum is a commercial development whose delivery depended heavily on site development and infrastructure rather than on building construction alone.
The construction challenge
On most commercial projects the building is the least uncertain element. Grading, utility service, drainage and water quality facilities, offsite improvements, and agency approvals carry the schedule risk and the cost variance, and they are frequently the least attended to during design.
San Diego's storm water and water quality requirements have grown substantially more demanding, and treatment facility sizing and location can materially affect a site plan. Utility service, particularly electrical, involves lead times that are outside the owner's and the contractor's control and that have lengthened in recent years.
Offsite improvements triggered by trip generation or by conditions of approval are another common source of surprise. They are agreed to during entitlement, frequently without a construction cost analysis, and then arrive as an obligation with its own permitting, right of way, and traffic control requirements.
Outcome and takeaway
The commercial projects that finish on budget are the ones where site development, utility service, and offsite obligations were priced properly during preconstruction rather than discovered during construction.
- Project
- San Diego Spectrum
- Location
- San Diego, California
- Sector
- Commercial
- Firm role
- Preconstruction and construction management services
- Licensure
- California A General Engineering Contractor #777345
- Further detail
- Additional project information is available on request. Contact us.
Scope elements
The categories of work this project type involves.
- Site development and grading
- Wet and dry utility infrastructure
- Storm water treatment facilities
- Paving and site improvements
- Offsite and frontage improvements
- Building construction coordination
- Agency permit and approval management
- Cost control and change management
Related projects
Business park site development including grading, utility infrastructure, and pad preparation.
San Diego County, CaliforniaCommercial and Auto RetailSunroad Auto ParkAutomotive retail development with specialized site requirements and manufacturer brand standards.
San Diego, CaliforniaUrban ResidentialEscala at Mission CityUrban residential development in Mission Valley with constrained site conditions and dense construction logistics.
San Diego, CaliforniaWorking on something like this
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