Insights and wisdom from our 2021 Bay Area Best Places to Work

Julia Cooper | San Francisco Business Times

Out of the challenges and changes of the last year, valuable lessons have been learned. We share some of the hard-earned nuggets of wisdom that companies on our Best Places to Work Lists will be taking with them as they move forward…

What changes are you hoping persist after the pandemic?

“We definitely have a better appreciation for remote work options with cloud-based communication, collaboration, and productivity tools. Given the pre-pandemic challenges with Bay Area traffic, we see ways to incorporate a remote workforce moving forward.”

Dominic Sarica, COO, BCCI Construction

General contractors on why company culture is important in construction

Tony Faccenda | SBE Today

For three consecutive years, the top concern among contractors has been recruiting and retaining employees, according to the 2018 Maryland Construction Industry Survey. In an industry facing challenges with technology adoption and labor shortages, it’s more important than ever to retain talent. Some contractors are using technology to attract new talent and decrease employee turnover, but the most important aspect of the workplace is creating a great company culture.

We asked some of the top general contractors in the U.S. and Canada on why company culture is so important in the construction industry and what their companies are doing to stand out…

Concentrate on quality and collaboration

“BCCI’s culture is known for having a very high level of collaboration and quality. A lot of people use the term ‘quality’ loosely, but we really back that up by delivering on our product. We have achieved zero punch lists far more than any other general contractor, and that’s according to most of our clients, not us boasting about our ability. It’s not something that’s achievable on every project, and we know that, but we want to target that as a true milestone. Another big thing is about being forward-thinking and focusing on collaboration from the front end. Everything about preconstruction involves preplanning a job from day one so that we’re spending less time in construction. These days, we spend twice as much on the front end and in preconstruction than we ever do in the field during construction.”

Don Tiefenbrunn, Vice President, Structures

Richard Procter | San Francisco Business Times

When construction on 85 Bluxome wraps up toward the end of this year, it will be first of its kind on the West Coast.

The office project in San Francisco’s SoMa neighborhood, developed by Bluxome Partners, has been designed according to the WELL Building Standard, a fledgling new system that hopes to be to human physiology what LEED is to energy efficiency. The standard is third-party certified by Green Business Certification Inc.

The standard — administered by the International WELL Building Institute — aims to promote the well-being of a building’s occupants. For example, the standard promotes healthy lighting and access to outdoor areas. The new, 57,000-square-foot office building at 85 Bluxome will feature a roof deck and fifth floor terrace, combining for 12,000 square feet. The project is between 4th and 5th streets and Brannan and Townsend streets.

Don Tiefenbrunn, the BCCI Construction project director for 85 Bluxome, was skeptical at first.

“When I first heard about it, I wasn’t too impressed,” he said. “But when I heard them talk about it in person, it made a lot of sense. I think the whole industry is going to end up moving in that direction anyway. I don’t think it’s going to add a lot of cost to most projects…”

Insights and wisdom from our 2021 Bay Area Best Places to Work

Julia Cooper | San Francisco Business Times

Out of the challenges and changes of the last year, valuable lessons have been learned. We share some of the hard-earned nuggets of wisdom that companies on our Best Places to Work Lists will be taking with them as they move forward…

Did the pandemic change your definition of what makes a good workplace?

“From a cultural perspective, the pandemic reinforced our values as an organization, the importance of regular, transparent communication, social connection, commitment, and teamwork. From a physical standpoint, we see workplaces evolving to accommodate a hybrid work model and provide different types of spaces that support employee health and wellness.”

Michael Scribner, President and CEO, BCCI Construction

News Release | The Registry

San Francisco, CA (June 24, 2016) – BCCI Construction Company (BCCI), the Bay Area’s premier commercial contractor, is pleased to announce its involvement in building the new 826 Valencia Tenderloin Center. The nonprofit, 826 Valencia, is dedicated to helping children ages 6 to 18 develop their writing skills and is one of San Francisco’s most notable educational organizations working towards closing the academic achievement gap.

Founded in 2002 by author Dave Eggers and award-winning educator Nínive Calegari on the premise that strong writing skills are fundamental to future success, 826 Valencia offers writing, publishing, and tutoring opportunities to inspire under-resourced students and ignite a love of learning. With the support of over 5,000 volunteers in now eight centers across the country, 826 National helps over 30,000 children a year.

“I’ve always wanted to get involved with a project that would really give back to the city that has been so good to BCCI. I really believe in what 826 Valencia stands for, the children it serves, and the changes they’ve seen in the neighborhoods where they are located,” says BCCI President and CEO, Michael Scribner.

BCCI donated its labor and fees to support the new 826 Valencia Tenderloin Center and spearheaded an outreach program with the local subcontractor community that proved tremendously successful. The renovation is the largest charitable project BCCI has been involved with to date.

The Tenderloin was an ideal location for 826 Valencia’s expansion in San Francisco because of the great need for safe spaces for youth and a lack of educational programs in the neighborhood specifically for writing. Located at the corner of Golden Gate Avenue and Leavenworth Street, the space was in poor condition after the close of a corner market once notorious for criminal activity. Among other things, the building had once been used as a carriage repair warehouse, a former film archive, and a Filipino restaurant.

The retrofit of the 5,000 square foot ground floor space included extensive demolition, abatement, structural upgrades, and tenant improvements to create a safe and comfortable environment for children to learn and thrive. With a series of modifications to the building over its hundred-year history, structural deficiencies and many unexpected conditions were uncovered. New footings were poured and structural posts and beams were installed to support the unreinforced masonry structure. Modern materials, such as redirecting light film, were used in the build-out. The team also took advantage of the extraordinary salvage opportunities available in the Bay Area, incorporating reclaimed doors, wood, mirrors, windows, sheet metal, and a fireplace. One of the gems found during demolition was vintage, hand-painted wallpaper that included the image of a map. It was protected during construction and used as a final finish in the space.

As with all 826 locations, the new space includes a themed retail storefront, King Carl’s Emporium, which students traverse before entering the writing lab. With eclectic design elements such as a fog bank, rope shelving, a trapdoor, portholes, and a wall of doors, the store reinforces a theme of exploration. The interactive wall of doors is the gateway to the student writing lab, providing various options as points of entry: through a standard door, a bunny door, and even a hidden passageway in the fireplace. Once inside the writing lab, a treehouse play structure is perched high above the room with treasures tucked in cubbyholes below. Two different floor levels in the writing lab, an existing condition revealed during demolition, turned out to be a benefit, supporting multifunctional use for tutoring and for presentations. Beyond the writing lab is a meeting room and 826 Valencia’s new administrative office to support the nonprofit’s operations.

The design of the project is the result of an incredible collaboration between multiple firms, including MKThink, Jonas Kellner, INTERSTICE Architects, Gensler, and Office. MKThink and Jonas Kellner took the lead on the interior architecture for the writing center while INTERSTICE Architects created the vision for the exterior. Gensler drove the retail concepts, designing the interiors for the emporium, while Office worked on the store branding, signage, and product design.

The generous contributions from subcontractors and suppliers, all provided at cost or in-kind, amounted to nearly $2 million. These contributions included a complete design-build mechanical system by Anderson Rowe and Buckley. McMillan Electric, Paganini Electric, and Sprig Electric partnered to provide a complete electrical build-out based on Glumac Engineering’s electrical design. Ayoob & Peery completed all of the plumbing work for four restrooms and a staff kitchen. Richard Hancock signed on to do all of the wood structural framing with DW Nicholson and B Metals did the steel portion of the structural framing. Golden Gate Fire Sprinklers installed a new sprinkler system. Flooring was a team effort completed by California Wood Floors, Nor Cal Wood Flooring, Majestic Floors, Tandus Centiva, Deanza Tile, Bay Area Concrete, Emser Tile and Shaw floors. California Drywall Co., Stockholm Construction, and Surber Drywall Construction divided framing, drywall and taping,as well as finishing to provide a complete drywall scope. Painting was performed by Giampolini and Monticelli Painting and Decorating. Progress Glass Company and Mission Glass Company partnered to perform all of the glazing scope. Design Workshops completed the wall of doors feature, and Commercial Casework provided kitchen millwork.

Typically on a commercial build-out, there is one subcontractor hired per trade to complete all of the scope for their particular specialty. However, on the project for 826 Valencia, there were many instances where multiple subcontractor firms, that are usually competitors, worked side-by-side to shoulder the work in a trade and minimize the final cost to the project. A complete list of the build team partners is detailed below.

The highly anticipated 826 Valencia Tenderloin Center, which is located at 180 Golden Gate Avenue, celebrated its Grand Opening on May 19, 2016. Working together with community partners, its programs will be in full swing for the new school year this August so that more students can “set forth and explore” and discover their untapped writing potential.

Build Team Partners

Gree’s Big Office Fills Small Screens

Hayden Dingman | The Registry

Gree asked San Francisco’s Quezada Architecture and San Francisco’s BCCI Construction Co. to combine the best of Gree’s Japanese culture and the San Francisco start-up ethos. This principle drove the construction (and later, expansion) of Gree’s 65,000-square-foot office, adapted from a cold shell at China Basin’s 185 Berry St. on the border of tech-heavy South of Market Street and the booming Mission Bay…

by AIA San Francisco

About this Event

In 2019 there were over 10 construction firms on the San Francisco Business Times’ “Best Places to Work in the Bay Area” list, but no architecture firms. In this session, we will learn valuable lessons about what it means to build a people-based practice from key leaders in construction, and how we can apply their best practices to the architecture profession.

Companies on the “Best Places to Work” list not only offer fun perks, but they also prioritize work-life balance, team building activities, giving back to their community and individual growth. All three of our panelists were chosen from the 2019 list, including Jon-Michael Johnson, Founder & CFO of Principal Builders (#2, Small Companies), Fran O’Sullivan, Vice President & CFO of Dome Construction (#28, Midsize Companies), and Steve Lawler, Director, Architecture of BCCI Construction Co. (#9, Large Companies).

Learning Objectives

1. know why a people-centered culture is important to a firm’s success, sustainability and social impact
2. understand the impacts of a people-based practice on performance and projects
3. see how a strong firm culture can improve client services and help with business development
4. know how to foster individual growth through core values, goal setting, coaching and carefully managed staffing

San Francisco, CA (April 29, 2021) – Global real estate company Jamestown today announced it will invest in a clean energy transition at Levi’s Plaza to reach net-zero carbon operations by 2025. The effort positions the property to be the first existing, large-scale commercial campus in San Francisco to reach net-zero carbon…

“We couldn’t be more pleased that Jamestown has targeted a net-zero carbon footprint for the Levi’s Plaza campus,” said Michael Scribner, President and CEO of BCCI Construction, which is a leading commercial builder on the West Coast. “As a tenant and as a contractor, it is gratifying to have our headquarters located at a property that shares our commitment to sustainability and is taking significant steps towards a more sustainable future.”

Tenderloin to get semi-permanent food hall, spotlighting woman-, minority-owned businesses

Carrie Sisto | Hoodline

Plans for a female-led food hall that will stand for approximately five years in the Tenderloin took a step forward this week, as the city announced a lease and some financial support.

The food hall will occupy the old US Post Office building at 101 Hyde St., which is eventually destined to become an affordable housing development under the aegis of the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development.

Construction on the housing project is slated to start in 2025, but in the meantime, the long-vacant post office space will be leased to La Cocina, a non-profit that works to support woman- and minority-owned food businesses and lower their barriers to entry into the restaurant industry. 

The La Cocina Municipal Marketplace will serve double duty as a below-market-rate retail and commercial kitchen space for woman-owned businesses looking for a start in the city, as well as an affordable food option for Tenderloin residents on tight budgets…