Q&A with Norma Adjmi, senior director, human resources, BCCI Construction

What is your policy around office, work-from-home and hybrid? We encourage our employees to be in the office at least four days per week. Our industry requires in person team collaboration but we also recognize the importance of giving eligible employees the option to work from home at least one day per week to bring a balance to their work/home responsibilities.

How do you promote communication within the company? Our leadership team meets twice a month to discuss top issues and find solutions. We are organized into studios and our studio directors meet monthly with their teams as well as doing monthly 1:1’s with every employee.  We understand the importance of constant and consistent communication.

by Scott Snowden | Santa Monica Daily Press

A sizable crowd gathered on Ocean Avenue yesterday morning for the ribbon-cutting ceremony that marked the official reopening of the refurbished Georgian Hotel.

Arguably the city’s most notable architectural contribution to Santa Monica’s ocean-facing skyline, the Georgian Hotel had only been partially open since February and before that it had been completely closed for renovations and construction work since October 2022.

Jon Blanchard, owner and manager of the Georgian, said, “I’d been trying to acquire this particular hotel for about 13 years, from back when we first started our company.” The company he’s referring to is Blvd Hospitality, the same company responsible for developing the Ace Hotel and the Soho Warehouse, both in downtown Los Angeles.

“We were very fortunate that in the summer of 2020, after a long pursuit, the previous ownership group decided that it was time to sell and so we stepped in and acquired it at the end of 2020,” Blanchard says. “And we’ve spent the last two plus years in development, design and we started construction in March of ‘22. And now, here we are.”

Continue reading…

by Christina Perez | Vogue

The first time Jon Blanchard visited Santa Monica’s The Georgian Hotel, some 13 years ago, he was instantly struck. “I’ll never forget it,” he says of that moment. “It hit me like a bolt of lightning and I just knew. I thought, ‘one day, I want to own this place.’”

It’s easy to see why. With its bright turquoise exterior, striped awnings, and quirky Art Deco architecture, the building looks like something straight out of a Wes Anderson film. Located just a few blocks north of the iconic Santa Monica Pier, it presides over the bustling waterfront like a pastel beacon, begging to be admired. But up until very recently, there wasn’t much reason to actually venture inside. After a series of owners and a stint as a retirement home, the interior had lost much of its original charm.

Which was a shame. Because when The Georgian first opened in 1933, it was considered Southern California’s crown jewel. Locals called it the “First Lady”: nodding to its towering eight-story height, elegant aesthetic, and its reputation for hosting notable (and often notorious) guests. Clark Gable, Charlie Chaplin, and Marilyn Monroe were regulars, as were Bugsy Siegel and Al Capone. Much like the Chateau Marmont on the Sunset Strip, it was the place to see and be seen, except outside the front door, there were rolling waves, golden sand, and mountain views.

Now, The Georgian is beginning to resemble its old self again. In 2020, Blanchard’s company BLVD Hospitality—known for bringing the Ace Hotel and Soho House’s Soho Warehouse to Downtown L.A.—purchased the landmark property, finally making good on that long-ago lightning bolt. With the help of the design firm Fettle, Blanchard and his co-founder Nicolo Rusconi spent the last two years painstakingly refurbishing the hotel’s 84 guest rooms (including 28 suites), two open-to-the-public restaurants, dining terraces, art gallery, library, and lobby bar. 

Continue reading…

CoreNet Global Northern California

Join us as we delve into the world of ESG!

DATE: Tuesday, March 22, 2022

TIME: 5:30pm – 7:00pm

ESG is becoming synonymous with “sustainability” and is often strongly correlated to company financial performance and long-term value creation. This hour-long hybrid panel event will define and evaluate ESG from the Landlord, Design / Architect, and GC perspective. It will look at current trends and initiatives in our marketplace while forecasting future opportunities.

Topics for discussion –

• How is ESG being defined by each organization
• The kind of material risks and growth opportunities that have resulted
• ESG initiatives
  • To serve the company
  • To serve the greater community
  • Impacting clients / projects
• What are the latest ESG trends
• How do you suggest a company begins their ESG journey
• Looking forward, where are companies heading with ESG
  • From a Gensler Point of view
  • From a BCCI Point of view
  • From a Hudson Pacific Properties of view

Venue: The Collective: San Francisco // Zoom
Cost: Free to all

Speakers:
Kena David, Director of Sustainability, Wellness, & ESG, BCCI Construction
Kirsten Ritchie, Principal, Gensler
Ana Duffy, Sustainability Manager, Hudson Pacific Properties

Moderator:
Aliza Skolnik, VP, Director of San Francisco Office, ESD

International Living Future Institute

Join Speakers from ILFI, WRNS Studio and BCCI Construction for a special fireside chat about the Just Program.

DATE: Friday, December 3, 2021

TIME: 10:00am PT/1:00pm ET

ILFI’s Just label program allows organizations to demonstrate a commitment to becoming more equitable and inclusive, promote transparency within their company and industry, and take tangible steps toward progress.

During our next Living Future Member event, connect with two Just organizations as they showcase their experiences completing their Just labels and opportunities for change they see for their industry.

SPEAKERS
Sandy Sechang, Just Sales Manager, ILFI
Melinda Rosenberg, Partner, Director of Human Resources, WRNS Studio
Kena David, Director of Sustainability, BCCI Construction

Please note: this event is available only to active Living Future Members. The registration page can be found in the Member Dashboard in the “Explore Member Benefits” page.

Not a member? Join today! Contact membership@living-future.org if you have questions.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Recognize how the Just label can support diversity and inclusion in the workplace for various business types.
Recall opportunities for organization-wide collaboration in pursuit of a Just label.
Describe the impact on staff after achieving a Just label.
Identify resources available to support the achievement of a Just label.

CONTINUING EDUCATION
This event is approved for the following continuing education credits:
1 General LFA (Living Future Accreditation) CE credit

The 15 Best Commercial Contractors in San Jose, California

GC Magazine

What makes a great structure? A great design plan and durable construction are both integral parts of creating a powerful space. San Jose, California is a city home to dozens of great contractors ready to make your commercial plan become a reality.

To help you achieve the perfect space, we’ve curated a list of the best commercial contractors in San Jose, California. Each contractor is chosen based on their years of service, number of commercial projects, and recognitions received. For a commercial space built by the best, take a look at our list below. 

BCCI Construction

1160 Battery St. Suite #250, San Francisco, CA 94111 Contact

BCCI Construction has built exceptional commercial structures and interiors throughout the West Coast since 1986. Michael Scribner, president and CEO, and Dominic Sarica, AIA, COO, share a deep passion for great design and construction. Both leaders have developed a team of subject matter experts and craftspeople skilled in commercial construction work. Its team also comprises LEED and WELL accredited professionals who ensure projects are not only well-planned and constructed but also energy-efficient and healthy for occupants. Because of its construction prowess and sustainability efforts, San Francisco Business Times and San Jose Business Journal have featured the company in its publication.

BCCI has worked with many notable clients in the Silicon Valley region, including Google, Accenture, Adobe, and Presidio Bay Ventures. One of the firm’s recently completed projects was for McAfee’s new headquarters in San Jose. Utilizing a design-build delivery model, BCCI built out the 72,200-square-foot office complete with an executive briefing center and two floors of open workspace connected by an architectural stair. Despite challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, the solution-driven team modified and adjusted the overall plan to meet the client’s budget and schedule. McAfee’s new headquarters was completed in August 2020 to the highest quality standards, earning a zero punch list.

Yoga Sanctuary Rises in Palo Alto

THIS ARTICLE WAS PUBLISHED IN THE ‘Q’ – THE REGISTRY’S PRINT PUBLICATION – APRIL 2013

Neil Gonzales | The Registry

John Berg’s new ultra-luxurious yoga studio in Palo Alto was never the property owner’s expectation.

Completed in 2010, the new building replaced a vacant gas station. It was ready for stores, restaurants or maybe a bank, befitting the commercial vibe coming from the popular shopping plaza nearby in the tree-lined neighborhood known as Midtown. The sleek structure at 2995 Middlefield Road with its green-tinged, glass-wall windows and a latticed appearance from the heat-reducing louvers around the second-story exterior has many environmentally friendly elements.

Then Berg popped his idea on the landlord: Why not lease the entire two-story, 6,500-square-foot building to a high-end yoga studio consistent with the technological and cultural sophistication of Silicon Valley? Erik Corrigan, a real estate investor and broker, was intrigued. “He never thought he was going to get so lucky and have one guy take it for 10 years,” said Berg, 54, who became deeply committed to yoga after being diagnosed with lymphoma a number of years ago.[quote]“Every choice I made for the center I tried to think of what would be inviting and comfortable but also respectful to the environment and beautiful.” John Berg, owner & founder, Samyama Yoga Center[/quote]

“But the owner is thrilled,” said Berg, cancer-free and looking fit and trim. “He has given me essentially carte blanche. He says, ‘What you’re doing to this building is so far beyond what we ever imagined.’”

It’s true, Corrigan said. The building shell, now owned by a Corrigan family partnership, is the handiwork of Palo Alto architect Ken Hayes of The Hayes Group. It has 22-foot ceilings on the first floor and 16-foot ceilings on the second that “allow dramatic open spaces,” Corrigan said. “As I broker I knew that tenants gravitate toward interesting properties.”

Work on the Samyama Yoga Center began last summer. Its design sits head-and-shoulders above the strip-mall studios that have popped up across the country. Expected to open in April, Samyama features ultramodern amenities that belie the ancient practice it embraces. The first floor has a dedicated retail shop, spa-quality restrooms, a massage-therapy area and a lounge. Upstairs, a stunning main studio and a smaller, more intimate one await practitioners of yoga, a spiritual discipline involving stretching, breathing and meditation that originated more than 5,000 years ago on the Indian subcontinent.

Throughout, the center boasts state-of-the-art mechanical systems, including lighting and sound that can be controlled by iPad or iPhone. The energy-efficient systems follow standards established by the building’s shell construction, which earned LEED Gold certification. The center also incorporates renewable and alternative materials such as bamboo, a hardy and sustainable resource.

“Every choice I made for the center, I tried to think of what would be inviting and comfortable but also respectful to the environment and beautiful,” said Berg, Samyama’s founder and lead instructor. He worked closely with design firm Brick LLP in Berkeley and San Francisco-based BCCI Construction Co. to realize his vision for the interiors. The luxurious appearance ultimately is supposed to help yoga enthusiasts find true inner healing as well as a sense of communal harmony…

Benny Evangelista | SFGATE

Square has leased about 150,000 square feet of space over four floors, enough to expand to about 1,000 employees within a year. But Square also has options on more space that would accommodate up to 2,000 employees.

It seems fitting that the next tenant is a tech company that built its business around mobile payments processing technology and now processes about $15 billion in transactions per year.

The press tour also gave Mayor Ed Lee a chance to tout the central Market district’s growing tech workforce…

News Release | Daily Pacific Builder

BCCI Construction announced that it recently completed architectural design and renovation services at 1045 Bryant Street, a hundred-year-old brick and timber building in the SOMA District of San Francisco. The building was recently purchased by developer Presidio Bay Ventures.

The repositioning of the project was completed by BCCI’s Structures Division, which specializes in core and shell construction for commercial buildings, with particular expertise in major building renovations and historic restorations.

Renovations of the 32,950 sq-ft, three-story building included removal of the existing exterior façade to expose the masonry brick underneath, construction of a new building entry point and lobby space, and installation of new storefront windows, elevators, interior stairs, roof, and mechanical shafts. A new heating and ventilation system was installed along with electrical system upgrades.

BCCI’s team utilized a reverse engineering approach to design to the developer’s budget, taking into consideration zoning and building code requirements to best position the property for asset return. The result is an upgraded building with modern amenities in the heart of the city’s technology center that offers abundant natural light, expansive city views and on-site parking.

The first floor space is home to the new Cambria USA showroom, while the second and third floors are leased to a startup drone software company. All tenants have access to vertical bike racks and an outdoor patio.

The structure, originally constructed in 1916, is located in the heart of the city’s technology center, and within walking and biking distance to San Francisco’s best restaurants and shops. In addition, Cambria Gallery – San Francisco, the only family-owned, American-made natural quartz producer in North America, has a stunning showroom on the ground level.

The repositioning project at 1045 Bryant Street is one of the latest completed by BCCI’s Structures Division. Other projects include 85 Bluxome, The Battery, Canon METC West, and Clearview Business Center.

About Presidio Ventures
Founded in 1998, Presidio Ventures is the wholly owned early stage investment vehicle of Sumitomo Corporation. Since its inception, Presidio Ventures has invested in over 100 U.S. startups for a total investment amount of $200 million. Presidio Ventures is comprised of ten investment professionals across offices in Silicon Valley, Boston, and New York, who split their time between new investment and business development for our companies.