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A retrospective of the first 100 years of work completed by Austin’s California Office.

The world anxiously anticipated the countdown to 2000 as computer experts warned of catastrophic errors related to the formatting and storage of calendar data for dates in and after the year 2000. But the potential to bring down worldwide infrastructures for industries ranging from banking to air travel didn’t materialize thanks to many preemptive strategies.  

Austin ushered in the 2000s with repeat business from legacy clients, new clients, and a successful transition to being a part of the Kajima USA group of companies in late 2005, contributing to the continuing growth of Austin’s California office throughout the 2000s.

Repeat clients included aviation, aerospace, and defense companies – most notably Boeing and Northrop Grumman. The office returned to Toyota with a series of national projects, undertook numerous new projects for Disney, and completed a long list of Southern California Edison projects under the seven-year agreement signed in 1997.

New clients and projects included a major seismic upgrade and renovation project for the US General Services Administration (GSA), emergency operations centers for Los Alamos National Laboratory and the County of Santa Barbara, and what would become new long-term relationships with Mater Dei High School and B|Braun Medical. In the late 2000s, the office launched the company’s plans to expand operations into Mexico, serving as the lead partner in Kajima-Alberici MX.

Aviation, Aerospace, and Defense

Austin completed over 175 projects for Aerospace Corporation, Boeing (and its heritage companies), Gulfstream Aerospace, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman (and heritage company TRW Space & Electronics) in the first half of the decade alone (between 2000 and 2005).

For Boeing Space Systems, Austin continued work at the Decatur, AL, 1.5 million SF Satellite Launch Vehicle Production Center supporting the relocation of the Delta II and III programs to the Decatur plant. Austin also worked in Long Beach, CA, supporting the C-17 Airlifter program facilities. Support included the design and engineering of a new fitness center to serve 10,000 employees of the C-17 program. Totaling 14,000 SF, the fitness facility included a cardiovascular training area, strength/weight training area, aerobics studio, locker and shower rooms, and administrative spaces. Exterior areas featured a running trail, a multi-use soccer/football field, and basketball, tennis, and sand volleyball courts.  Austin’s long relationship with Boeing, combined with recent experience completing a new fitness center for Southern California Edison in Rosemead, CA, made Austin the ideal choice for the project.

Northrop Grumman. The 2000s continued to be active in service to Northrop Grumman and heritage company TRW Space & Electronics in Southern California with more than 200 projects at the El Segundo, Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, and Palmdale, CA sites.

Automotive

Austin returned to the automotive industry following a short break during the 1990s with a series of projects for Toyota. This included design, engineering, and construction work at Toyota’s auto body plant in Long Beach, a vehicle repair facility in Torrance, CA, and modernizations and expansions at Toyota Motor Sales regional facilities in Boston, Cincinnati, Denver, Kansas City, and San Ramon, CA.

Entertainment

Austin actively continued the relationship that had begun in 1988 with The Walt Disney Company, with over 50 new design and engineering projects at the Disneyland Resort – over 40 projects in the first half of the decade alone (2000-2005). Most notable of these projects are the attractions infrastructure throughout the park, “back of house” support projects, and the Disneyland Hotel renovation and modernization.

Austin’s multi-discipline design and engineering team’s considerable experience with facilities infrastructure (across multiple industries) and understanding of the technical complexities of Disney’s attractions (based on decades of motion picture and television production facility experience) provided Disney with unequaled “industry cross-over” experience.

The Back of House group of projects included:

• The New Entertainment Center, adjacent Rehearsal Hall, and Recording Studio
• Uniform Issue and Cast Lockers
• Supply Chain Logistics Warehouse
• Transportation Center
• Tram and Vehicle Maintenance Centers

Austin was selected as the Architect of Record and Engineer for the major renovation of the Disneyland Hotel based upon their knowledge of the hotel complex infrastructure from prior projects, multi-disciplinary in-house team approach, and experience working with the company. The Austin Team completed a comprehensive Condition Assessment of the three main towers of the hotel complex then proceeded with Schematic Design, Design Development, and preparation of Construction Documents for the renovation. During construction, Austin provided full-time on-site representation and on-call engineering support from its Irvine, CA, offices.

The Disneyland Hotel renovation was a multi-year project encompassing the full renovation and modernization of the hotel’s original three main towers, including 970 guest rooms, top-floor suites, and lobbies. The 1955 hotel underwent a head-to-toe makeover that encompassed every guest room. The new guest rooms were conceived by designers at Walt Disney Imagineering with a concept that included many Disney touches, such as hidden Mickeys in the carpeting, the bathrooms, and other niches, and headboards that light up with a fiber-optics display of the world-famous Disneyland fireworks above Sleeping Beauty Castle.

The rooms were outfitted with energy-efficient lighting and double-paned, energy-efficient windows that were tinted blue to give the towers a new exterior look. The work was done in phases, with the Dream Tower completed first, then the Magic Tower and Wonder Tower rounding out the project. Disney maintained a high occupancy level at the hotel throughout the renovation, with construction crews sensitive to maintaining a positive guest experience.

Austin also provided construction management staffing support (construction project managers and superintendents) for constructing the California Adventure theme park addition to the Disneyland Resort.

Mater Dei High School

In 2000, Mater Dei High School, and the Diocese of Orange County, CA, selected Austin to provide design and engineering services for a series of new projects, including a library, sciences building, student activities center, gymnasium, aquatics center, athletic fields, and performing arts center.

Mater Dei is the largest Catholic High School west of the Mississippi and is well known nationally for its academic and athletic programs. Austin was introduced to Mater Dei through our Disneyland relationships and is proud to continue to serve Mater Dei, now entering our 23^rd year.

Southern California Edison

In 1997, Austin signed a major seven-year agreement with Southern California Edison as their sole facilities design, engineering, and construction partner. Between that signing and the end of 1999, Austin was awarded 95 projects. Between 2000 and 2005, Austin was awarded an additional 78 projects. Representative projects included call centers, data center upgrades, a complete renovation of the Rosemead Headquarters (including a new central plant), regional service centers, and training centers.

Federal General Services Administration (GSA)

Austin completed two design-build projects for the Federal General Services Administration (GSA), including the modernization of the US Geological Survey campus in Menlo Park, CA, and a seismic upgrade, renovation, and modernization of the Santa Ana Federal Building also in CA.

Austin was selected for the Santa Ana Federal Building project based on its design-build experience, multi-disciplinary in-house design and engineering capabilities, and proposed solution to responding to the building’s seismic performance deficiencies.

Los Alamos National Laboratory (Department of Energy – DOE)

Austin was awarded the contract based on its design-build experience and expertise in high-reliability operations centers. “In addition to its unique one-stop-shop approach, The Austin Company presented an innovative solution to difficult design parameters,” shared the construction manager for the Cerro Grande Rehabilitation Project.

University of California – Santa Barbara

Austin constructed an Engineering Sciences Building (for nanotechnology) at the University of California’s Santa Barbara campus.

B|Braun Medical

In 2005, Austin began providing design and engineering services for B|Braun Medical in Irvine, CA. Austin has served B|Braun continuously since that time.

International Projects

In the late 2000s, Austin launched plans to expand operations into Mexico, with the California office as the lead partner in what would become Kajima-Alberici, MX. More on these projects in the 2010s article.

Join us next in the next blog as we discuss the 2010s.

“You can use an eraser on the drafting table or a sledgehammer on the construction site.”  

These words were spoken by none other than Frank Lloyd Wright, and while the tools of the trade may have changed, the sentiment has never been truer. 

The modern eraser for any complex build is a process known as clash detection. Before components are ordered, delivered, or prefabricated, a digital representation of those components is combined in a virtual 3D environment and compared. The software can quickly point out where one component collides with another. Examples include a drainpipe running through a foundation footing, a sprinkler head in conflict with a duct, or light switches buried inside a column. 

Due to the rigid necessity of many architectural and structural elements in a design, it is not uncommon for contractors and others to refer to clash detection as MEP coordination. The operative assumption is that various mechanical, electrical, and plumbing components must be adjusted and routed around conflicts.  

Ultimately, all the hard clashes are resolved. The only question is whether clashes are addressed through updates to virtual models and drawings or in the field. Working through clashes in the design phase is more efficient and cost-effective than on the construction site.

In his book, The Checklist Manifesto, Dr. Atul Gawande visited an active construction project and marveled at using a software application he referred to only as the ‘Clash Detective.’ The sobering message for the AEC industry is that we were presumed ahead of other industries (such as healthcare) in applying our knowledge to work through every possible conflict. It seems clear that in 2022 and beyond, building projects that skip design review through clash detection exercises are not meeting the standard of care for our industry. 

Many potential issues go beyond a software’s current identification capabilities, so involving field personnel in the review of models is always a good idea. The experience gained on one project leads to checking for the same challenges on future projects.  

Case in Point 
Building professionals should understand early in the design process about connection points for building services. Somewhere between all the code books and the operations manuals, there are some practical minimums for equipment clearances. Only veteran modelers are savvy enough to show such clearance zones within the computer’s representations. And often, those who have worked in the field have insights into where following the manual or meeting the minimum code requirement isn’t going to provide the best result.  

There is not, in fact, a computer application called clash detective. Until recently, this model-checking feature was only found in a single software tool. One of the most powerful changes in the methodology was when it became possible to identify conflicts and share the exact 3D viewpoint (and notes for resolution) with the modeler in their authoring application.  

Prior to this change, it was necessary to hold clash review meetings so everyone could crowd in together to see the issues for the first time. Now tracking issues and sharing them can occur within minutes of identification. We can keep the topical dialogue outside of regularly scheduled meetings. Instead of walking into a model review meeting and not knowing what issues will be raised or that you’ll be tasked to fix, team members can turn to assignments on the tracked issues list.  

Meetings can then be used to check and confirm that things have been (or soon will be) resolved. We can delve deeper into an issue, increasing both awareness and the possibility that someone else on the team may have a better idea of how to resolve the conflict.  

Another change seems to be in the air. While clash detection was once a discrete activity with the potential of not applying the coordination of models to the building process, it is now feasible to manage the 3D model changes, field reports, and digital images in one unified platform. Knowing that the same models can serve both aspects of quality assurance helps us to deliver our customer’s projects on time and with a minimum of re-work.  

Thank you to Nirav Mehta, Mark Osborne, and Brian Zuzik for contributing to this blog post.  

With business from legacy clients and the addition of new—including international—clients, the 1990s were a period of continued growth. The office produced major projects for aviation, aerospace, and defense, as well as key projects in broadcasting and entertainment, newspaper printing, and publishing. This work, coupled with a significant contract with Southern California Edison and international projects in Japan, China, South Korea, and The Philippines, kept the office fully utilized.

Aviation, Aerospace, and Defense

In the 1990s, no market growth was greater for Austin than in aviation, aerospace, and defense. Austin worked on over 150 projects for multiple companies in the industry, including Boeing (and its heritage companies), BF Goodrich Aerospace and Rohr, Inc. (today both are a part of Collins Aerospace), Hughes Aircraft Company (now a part of Raytheon), Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman (and its heritage companies), totaling nearly $1 billion in today’s market.

The largest of these projects was for Boeing Space Systems. The project supported the race to win a large share of the rapidly growing space launch market. Already a key rocket supplier, McDonnell Douglas Aerospace (now a part of Boeing), headquartered in Huntington Beach, CA, selected Austin in early 1997 to begin conceptual design for a new rocket manufacturing plant. It was the first such facility in nearly 40 years and was designed to produce what would be its newest product, the Delta IV rocket series. Austin completed the conceptual design within five weeks and proceeded with further design and cost estimating.

In June, Austin was released on the preliminary design and development of a 1.5 million SF Satellite Launch Vehicle Production Center. In late November, Austin was awarded a design-build contract for the project partnering with J.S. Alberici of St. Louis, MO. Austin served as the A/E of record.

Design activities ramped up dramatically through March 1998. Austin’s A/E team refined the design through the application of value engineering and the use of principals identified with the worldwide trend toward the “Lean Aerospace Initiative.”

Following a demanding 26-month construction schedule, the facility was completed in late 1999, allowing initial production to begin in February 2000.

• Over 2,000 drawings were issued for the project
• Over 4 million cubic yards of earth were moved during grading and excavations
• 14 miles of pilings were driven
• At its peak height, the building soared to 140 feet and averaged 75 feet
• Truss lengths up to 220 feet created clear spans and supported 33 bridge cranes with capacities of up to 30 tons
• The entire facility was environmentally controlled to 72 degrees Fahrenheit 24/7/365
• At its peak, the construction workforce numbered 1,400
• In today’s market, the project would be valued at nearly $600 million

Today, the complex is operated by the United Launch Alliance (ULA), a joint-venture company of Boeing and Lockheed Martin. The complex produces the well-known Delta IV, Atlas V, and Vulcan Centaur rockets.

Boeing Sea Launch, Austin implemented upgrades to over 200,000 SF of existing facilities and constructed two new buildings, including a Payload Integration Facility at a 75-acre site formerly occupied by the U.S. Navy in Long Beach, CA. A project worth $40 million in today’s market.\

Northrop Grumman. The 1990s was a busy time with a list of more than 50 projects in Southern California. Austin designed, engineered, and constructed facilities at Northrop Grumman’s El Segundo, CA facility to accommodate the relocation of B-21 Labs from Pico Rivera, CA. This project would amount to nearly $40 million in today’s market.

Austin has served Northrop Grumman in California and nationally since the 1960s – over 60 years.

During the 1990s, Austin also designed, engineered, and constructed multiple projects for Lockheed Martin Aeronautical Systems (Skunk Works). This included expansions to Buildings 636 and 637 in Palmdale, CA, (originally built by Austin in the late 1980s). Austin also supported Lockheed Advanced Development Company’s move to Palmdale.

Austin recently completed (Spring 2022) Lockheed Martin’s Building 648 Advanced Aerospace Manufacturing Center at the Palmdale complex, some 35 years following the 1980s relocation of Skunk Works to Palmdale.

Broadcasting and Entertainment

As the digital broadcast era began to take hold in the 1990s, Austin was active globally in new television broadcast facilities. Austin was instrumental in replacing aging 1950s facilities through modernization and upgrades to existing facilities.

Austin completed more than 60 projects for broadcasting and entertainment clients during the 1990s, including projects for ABS-CBN Broadcasting (Manila, Philippines), Fox Television, Meredith Corporation (Television Broadcasting), Munhwa Broadcasting (Seoul, Korea), National Broadcasting Company (NBC), Republic Broadcasting (Quezon City, Philippines), Tribune Broadcasting (KTLA-TV5), and The Walt Disney Company.

A prime example of the California office’s work during this time was two projects for Meredith Corporation. This work included a 45,800 SF television broadcast station, KPDX-TV, in Portland, OR, and a 53,900 SF television broadcast station, WGCL-TV, in Atlanta, GA.

Austin continued their relationship that had begun in 1988 with The Walt Disney Company. Austin undertook 25 design and engineering projects at Disneyland in this decade and our first construction project at the park, Tomorrowland.

Newspaper Printing and Publishing

Newspaper print circulation in the US peaked in the 1980s, and Austin’s business in this market was booming in the 1990s. Austin’s California office did work for Copley Newspapers (San Diego Union-Tribune, Torrance Daily Breeze, and multiple papers in Illinois), Cox Arizona Publications, The Daily News (in Valencia), Dow Jones & Co., Imperial Valley Press, Oxnard Press Courier, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, and West Coast Community Newspapers.

Southern California Edison

In 1997, Austin signed a major seven-year agreement with Southern California Edison as their sole facilities design, engineering, and construction partner. Between that signing and the end of 1999, Austin was awarded 95 projects. Representative projects included call centers, data center upgrades, a complete renovation of the Rosemead Headquarters (including a new central plant), regional service centers, training centers, and even a pole climbing school. Austin implemented more than $120 million in projects.

International Projects

Austin’s California office supported a series of international projects throughout the Pacific Rim. These included projects in Japan, China, South Korea, and The Philippines.

In Japan, Austin participated in six major projects in partnership with a consortium of Japanese companies as a part of the US/Japan construction agreement reached in May 1988. Under the agreement, the Japanese government ensured that American companies could participate in competing for the construction of public works, such as airport projects. Austin’s responsibilities on these projects included value engineering, selection of subcontractors, and construction management.

Projects included the 800,000 SF Wing B of the Asia and Pacific Trade Center located on Nanko Island in Osaka Harbor, a 290,000 SF passenger terminal at the Hiroshima Airport, and a 1.3 million SF air cargo terminal and baggage handling system at the Kansai Airport. The Kansai Airport project represented the largest civil construction project in which an American company participated since the US/Japan construction agreement was signed.

Other Industries

Other industries served by Austin Western in the 1990s included food and beverage, general manufacturing, and continued work for the U.S. Postal Service.

Join us next in the next blog as we discuss the 2000s.

The 1980s were a period of expansive growth for The Austin Company. Legacy clients continued to trust Austin with their facility design, engineering, and construction needs. And new clients in Aviation, Aerospace and Defense, Automotive, Broadcasting, and Entertainment benefited from Austin’s expertise. 

Aviation, Aerospace, and Defense

Representative clients and projects during the 1980s included:

• Douglas Aircraft Company (today a part of Boeing)
• Lockheed Martin Aeronautical Systems
• Lockheed Missiles and Space
• Northrop Corporation (today, Northrop Grumman)
• Northwest Airlines

Northrop Corporation (today, Northrop Grumman) Northwest Airlines

For Douglas Aircraft Company (a division of McDonnell Douglas Corporation – now a part of Boeing), Austin designed, engineered, and constructed a 1.1 million SF high-bay aircraft assembly building in Long Beach, CA.  (2022 Construction Value:  Over $400 million.) The complex produced the well-known C-17 Globemaster III airlifter.

For Lockheed Martin Aeronautical Systems (Skunk Works) Austin designed, engineered, and constructed two major projects:  a 200,000 SF composites manufacturing facility – Building 636 and a 125,000 SF metallic fabrication center – Building 637 in Palmdale, CA.  (2022 Construction Value:  Just under $250 million.)

The Skunk Works is well-known for its work in advanced aircraft design.  Austin recently completed (Spring 2022) Lockheed Martin’s Building 648 Advanced Aerospace Manufacturing Center at the Palmdale complex, [insert link to project profile] some 35 years following the relocation of Skunk Works to Palmdale in the 1980s.

Austin also did work for Lockheed Missiles and Space during the 1980s in Sunnyvale, CA, and at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

For Northrop Corporation, Austin designed, engineered, and constructed a 240,000 SF advanced production development center for the F-5G in Hawthorne, CA. (2022 Construction Value: Over $82 million.)

Austin has served Northrop Grumman in California and nationally on a nearly continuous basis since the 1960s.  Within the past ten years, Austin’s Western office led the implementation of three major projects for Northrop Grumman in Florida and California. Austin is presently working on multiple projects at Space Park in Redondo Beach, CA, where it has served Northrop Grumman for more than 35 years.

Automotive

Representative clients and projects during the 1980s included:

• American Honda Motor Company
• Toyota Motor Sales

For American Honda, Austin designed a series of Rider Education Centers for street and off-road motorcycles, ATVs, and SXS off-road vehicles. These facilities included plants located in Georgia, New Jersey, Ohio, and Texas.

For Toyota, Austin designed and implemented the interiors for Toyota’s U.S. headquarters (then in Torrance, CA), and designed, engineered, and constructed a parts distribution center in San Ramon, CA.  (2022 Project Value: Over $75 million.)

Broadcasting and Entertainment

Representative clients and projects during the 1980s included:

• Meredith Corporation (Television Broadcasting)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC)
• The Walt Disney Company

Austin continued its work in the broadcast industry begun in the 1930s, designing, engineering, and constructing a new 31,700 SF television broadcast station, KVVU-TV, in Henderson, NV for the Meredith Corporation.  This was the first in a series of new television broadcast facilities that Austin would do for Meredith across the country.  (2022 Value: Just under $12 million.)

For National Broadcasting Company (NBC)Austin continued its work at the Burbank Studio, which began in the 1950s, completing the site’s development.  Among other projects, Austin designed, engineered, and constructed the last new production studio – Studio 11, totaling 62,000 SF. (2022 Construction Value: Over $22 million.)

The Walt Disney Company. In 1988, Austin began a nearly 35-year service relationship with Disney at the Disneyland Resort that continues to this day.

Data and Operations Centers

Representative clients and projects during the 1980s included:

• Arizona Public Service
• Cedar-Sinai Medical Center
• Chevron Oil Field Research
• Douglas Aircraft Company
• First Security Company
• Kaiser Permanente
• Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
• Salt River Project
• Security Pacific National Bank (today a part of Bank of America)
• Southern California Edison

While the 1980s were big for Aviation, Aerospace, and Defense projects, it was also a momentous decade for Austin in Data and Operations Centers, with ten major projects (listed above) totaling millions of square feet.

Security Pacific National Bank. Representative of Data and Operations Center projects was Austin’s work for Security Pacific. Austin designed, engineered, and constructed a new 688,000 SF operations center in Brea, CA. This was the fourth data center for Security Pacific by Austin. Truly state-of-the-technology at the time, the operations center could process over 3 million checks per day, with an employee population of 2,500.  Operational reliability was critical.  Supporting this reliability was an uninterrupted power supply, served by a gas-turbine-powered cogeneration system, which produced all power required for the building (the public utility was the backup supply).  Although the Brea Operations center represented the leading edge of data-processing technology (in the 1980s), it was designed with the flexibility to accommodate future changes in technology. (2022 Construction Value: Over $325 million.)

Bank of America (including heritage Security Pacific National Bank) operated the facility for over 39 years – in recent years, as a call center.  In late 2021, Amazon acquired the facility for its use as a call center.  Photos of the building look the same as they did on that opening day in 1982.

Logistics / Distribution

Representative clients and projects during the 1980s included:

• Kaiser Permanente
• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
• U.S. Postal Service

For Kaiser Permanente, Austin designed, engineered, and constructed a central pharmacy facility in Downey, CA.

For the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Austin designed and engineered a series of three Area Oriented Supply Depots in California, Pennsylvania, and Texas.  Representative of these three depots is the Lathrop, CA facility serving ten Western states and the Pacific.  At 832,00 SF, the facility contains inventories of 157,950 small items and 83,600 pallet-size materials. Austin also implemented and installed computer-controlled warehouse material handling systems.

For the U.S. Postal Service, Austin designed and engineered a 318,000 SF General Mail Facility in Santa Ana, CA.

Other Industries

Other industries served by Austin in the 1980s included Food and Beverage, Newspapers, and Real Estate Development.

Join us next month as we discuss the 1990s.

Our executive team has been talking about trust and being a “trusted partner” a lot lately. Trust is ethereal. It’s intangible but being able to trust someone—a spouse, a friend, or a business partner—seems substantive, almost spiritual. Trust carries weight and significance, and consequence.

Trust between organizations is complex. It begins with a one-to-one relationship between key individuals. The trust they create then works like a flywheel, creating momentum and building broader trust between the two organizations. From there, every interaction between the client and Austin either accelerates that flywheel or slows it. In other words, the trust between a client and Austin grows or diminishes.

It has been said that the sales process starts the flywheel in motion. It is the character of the salesperson representing Austin that creates alignment with our client’s needs, opens communication, and builds a sense of reliability. This foundation gets the flywheel moving. It is what creates trust.

The larger the organization, the more flywheels there are to maintain. Each flywheel represents a different trust relationship – trust between client and suppliers, for instance. Each one must be maintained and serviced, or it slows down. These flywheels are connected, so they will slow if trust at any level of our relationship with our client is violated. Logically it follows that these flywheels will speed up and create more momentum when the keepers of the flywheels are engaging and collaborating well. Trust is high, and the relationship is strong.

In the complex relationships between companies doing business together, there will always be developments that slow the flywheel. People are not perfect. Competing influences can sometimes require compromises with a client. It’s at these times that the trust you’ve built —the momentum in the flywheel—can overcome an application of friction. It is up to the keepers of the flywheel to maintain the momentum.

One of the most common events that slows a flywheel of trust is bad news. Situations beyond our control like labor shortages and supply chain challenges can cause delays and cost escalation. How does one deal with bad news and maintain the trust of the client? To begin, both parties must understand that bad news is a part of every meaningful relationship. However, how the parties deal with the bad news can be a strong catalyst for building trust. The ability and commitment to overcome challenges by working together is what forges a strong, trusting relationship. Bad news is an opportunity to grow trust. Embrace it!

At a recent event in the bakery industry, Tim Cook, Chairman of Linxis, shared his communication policy when it comes to sharing bad news with a customer. He said, “Be transparent. Be expedient. Be consistent.” This is a powerful reminder of what is at the very heart of building trust.

When bad news surfaces, own it. Don’t slow the flywheel. Feed the trust built with the client by communicating early. It’s helpful, but not always necessary, to have a solution ready when presenting a problem, especially if the problem is significant. It’s better not to wait until a problem is vetted and solved. Sometimes the solution will take time and money, and you may not even be sure the solution will work. Be expedient about the news to ensure that you stay ahead of it. Reliable communication – even if you’re communicating bad news – builds trust and keeps the flywheel moving. Get ahead and stay ahead of the problem through communication.

Being transparent with bad news is difficult. You want to be perfect for a client; you want to be the hero. But that is not feasible in today’s complex environment. Disclosing a problem is confessing that our quest for the perfect client relationship has failed. Even when everyone performs their function at the highest level, OBE (overcome by events) occurs. Being transparent makes us feel vulnerable.

Patrick Lencioni, in his book The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, suggests that without trust, you cannot have an open and honest debate. Trust forms the basis for open dialog. Where there is a collaborative environment searching for a solution, trust is built, and progress is achieved. In other words, transparency— facing a problem alongside an informed client—can keep the flywheel moving to preserve or even increase trust.

Trust is not something to create blindly because it comes with an element of responsibility. We must always remember that people are fallible. We hold people accountable for their commitments and trust their intent and competence to do what’s right. But we must always be aware of the flywheel and be prepared to nurture trust in whatever form necessary for our clients to be successful. We must do what’s necessary to be our clients’ most trusted partner. Life, and work, are better when you work in an environment of trust. When there is a bond of trust, everyone gains the benefits of collaboration and the joy of community that comes from sharing success.

“The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them.”

Ernest Hemingway

“You must trust and believe in people, or life becomes impossible.”

Anton Chekhov

“Trust is the glue of life. It’s the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It’s the foundational principle that holds all relationships.”

Stephen Covey

The International Baking Industry Exposition is the largest trade event for the grain-based foods industry in the Western Hemisphere. Held September 17-21, 2022, at the Las Vegas Convention Center, this unique event features the latest innovations, new ingredient formulations, and insights.

Austin’s site location and design-build experts versed in baking and snack production will be on hand to answer your bakery design questions. Whether you are looking to build new, update, or expand, Austin is your source for smart bakery design. Let’s start a conversation; stop by booth #1310.

Don’t Miss Education!

Designed for Success – Making the Right Choices for Your Bakery

Saturday, September 17, 2022, 8:30 am – 9:30 am

Encore Presentation Sunday, September 18, 2022, 11 am – 12 pm

Dave Watson has nearly 40 years of experience in the food industry. He serves as one of Austin’s Baking & Snack Subject Matter Experts and Project Manager. His expertise spans a comprehensive range of food plant engineering aspects, including robotics and packaging automation. Dave gained much of his experience during his tenure at Pepperidge Farms/Campbell’s. He began as a project engineer and then managed the design and construction of Pepperidge Farm’s flagship plant in Denver, PA.

Dave earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Drexel University (1981) and his M.B.A. from Saint Joseph’s University (1996). He has served on the American Society of Baking (ASB) Executive Committee, Bakery Equipment Manufacturers Association (BEMA) Baking Industry Forum Committee, the American Baker’s Association (ABA), and the International Baking Industry Exposition (IBIE) 2010, 2013, 2016, and 2019 Committees.

His education session includes real-world scenarios that set the stage for an open discussion about renovating, expanding, or building a new facility. Both large and small bakery designs will be covered, including:

Sanitary Design

Air Flow

People Flow

Material/Ingredient Flow

Project Cost

Pay-back

Schedule

Working Within Occupied Spaces

Green Field vs Brownfield Common Pitfalls

Planning to attend? Use code EXH1310 for 20% off!

Construction professionals know that reinforced concrete, as a building material, offers unique benefits to structures. Buildings made of reinforced concrete are incredibly robust, exhibit outstanding performance in corrosive environments, and possess inherent fireproofing capability.

A special type of reinforced concrete structural element is the precast double T concrete beam (double-T beam), which is used as a vertical support element in floor and roof systems. A double-T beam is cast in a factory in a sectional shape that resembles two “T”s joined together – hence the name “double-T” (see Figure 1). The double-T beam offers superb cleanliness due to the elimination of dust-collecting horizontal surfaces, making them ideal candidates for buildings with clean production needs as in some food and medical devices manufacturing.

This system also allows for long spans of more than 60 feet and thus is often chosen for buildings requiring voluminous column-free space (like parking garages and open manufacturing plants).  Furthermore, the double-T beam concrete allows for superior longevity even in harsh building interior conditions (such as steam exposure).

The vertical stem of the T makes it hard for conduit and lighting to be routed, so it’s very good for facilities where there is enough headroom for process utilities and lighting to be placed below the T and above the ceiling.

Precast vs. Cast-in-Place Factory workers prepare long double-T-shaped casting beds in a linear assembly.

Cast-in-place construction refers to concrete structural elements cast at the location of the final position in the building. The double-T beam is precast in a factory and fabricated off-site in a factory. It is shipped to the project site, where it is set into its final building position. Precast construction allows for superior fabrication quality control and important beam-strengthening operation known as prestressing to take place. As the name suggests, prestressing is a factory operation that applies a “pre-force” onto the beam before the application of building loads. The prestressing operation is critical to provide the double-T beam with adequate strength and stiffness to support significant loads over long spans. The prestressing operation is generally completed as follows:

Factory workers prepare long double-T-shaped casting beds in a linear assembly.

Workers position reinforcing into the casting beds per the Structural Designer’s details and specifications.

Workers will pre-tension special types of high-strength reinforcement called “strands” which have been placed into the casting beds.  The pre-tension operation occurs by anchoring one end of the strands to the casting bed, and then pulling on the strand from the far end with a hydraulic jack, producing tens of thousands of pounds of tension in the strand (see Figure 2).

Concrete is then poured into the casting beds with the strands held in high tension.

When the concrete has cured, the external pulling force in the strands is removed. The strand immediately attempts to shrink back to its unstretched shape – but it is now restrained along its length by the newly cast concrete.  This permanent tension in the strand thus manifests as a stabilizing compression force in the double-T beam (the prestressing force).

Creating the Roof Structure

A typical length of a double-T beam is 70 ft long by 10 ft wide. The beams typically also have an upwards camber due to the prestressing operation. These beams are shipped from the factory to the project site on truck beds. Cranes at the project site latch onto the double-T beams at pick points and lift and set them to their final positions in the building. As the positioned beams begin to support building loads, the prestress is induced upward, and the camber flattens to a horizontal level. 

The robust double-T beams have a relatively large area (700 SF for a 70 FT long x 10 FT wide beam), so large areas of floors and roofs are quickly constructed as the beams are erected into place.

An important component of most double-T beam floor and roof assemblies is the cast-in-place concrete topping diaphragm.  The topping is a thin layer (typically 2-1/2 to 4 inches thick) that provides a level horizontal surface across the entire floor or roof and acts as a structural “diaphragm” (A structural diaphragm is a thin, stiff plate that provides lateral stability to the structure when it is subject to seismic and wind forces). During the factory production process, grooves are fashioned across the tops of the double-T surfaces; the cast-in-place topping concrete keys into these grooves and allows the topping and precast double-T to act compositely (in unison) to resist the superimposed floor or roof loads. 

Maintenance-free

Precast concrete requires little to no maintenance after installation. By contrast, steel assemblies often require patching, repair, and reapplication of fireproofing, insulation, and any paint coatings.

Special Considerations for Precast Concrete

Precast double tees are unique products that are built by precast concrete companies. Typically, the precast concrete company is subcontracted by the general contractor for a project. The distance of the closest precast concrete plant to the project will dictate the cost of shipping to the project site. However, in most locations throughout the United States, precast concrete elements can be shipped at competitive prices.  Here are a few important considerations for using double-T beams for your project: 

• Concrete Super-Structure. Double-T beams are optimally connected to concrete girders, concrete columns, and concrete walls.  All these supporting building components are typically precast (in a factory and shipped to the site), but it is feasible to cast-in-place (use formwork to cast the members at their final position). Either way, it is important to remember that double-T beams are typically part of overall concrete buildings. 
  
• Shipping. As discussed, precast double-T beams need to be shipped to the job site. So, the location of the closest precast concrete company, shipping costs, and shipping schedule need to be factored into the overall project scope.
  
• Installation. Concrete double-T beams and other concrete precast elements are heavy (typical single element weights can be 25 Tons or more). Crane selection, crane staging, and construction site safety plans are critical aspects for the design and construction team to assess and plan. 

A client’s unique needs are always at the forefront of our design process. To learn if precast concrete roofing is right for your project, reach out to our team.  

Along with continuing business from legacy clients, the 1970s were a period of significant growth— a lot of projects and many new client names—for Austin’s California Office (Western District at the time). 

New clients and projects for Austin, California were substantially in two markets: General Industrial and Operations Centers (Data Centers), the latter being an emerging market in the 1970s for Austin worldwide.

General Industrial

Representative clients and projects during the 1970s included:

• American Honda
• Beckman Instruments
• Chevron Oil Field Research
• The Clorox Company
• Jafra Cosmetics
• Smith Tool
• Stauffer Chemical
• Steelcase
• Syntex
• Toyota Motor Sales

For American Honda Motor Company, Inc. Austin designed, engineered, and constructed a 300,000 SF Regional Parts Distribution Center in Stockton, CA.  (Equivalent to $165 million in today’s market.)

For Beckman Instruments, Inc., Austin designed, engineered, and constructed 12 projects throughout California.  Four were significant design, engineering, and construction projects, including a corporate data center, laboratory, manufacturing, and office buildings.  (2022 Value: More than $135 million.)

For Chevron Oil Field Research Company, Austin designed, engineered, and constructed a 76,000 SF office building in La Habra, CA.  (2022 Value: More than $26 million.) This was the first in a series of projects for Chevron at the La Habra Research campus.

For The Clorox Company, Austin designed, engineered, and constructed a research building in Oakland, CA. (2022 Value: $34 million.)

For Jafra Cosmetics, Austin designed, engineered, and constructed a cosmetics manufacturing plant in Canoga Park, CA.  (2022 Value: $30 million.)

For Smith Tool Company, Austin designed, engineered, and constructed 11 projects, including a forge shop. (2022 Value: More than $26 million.)

For Stauffer Chemical Company, Austin designed, engineered, and constructed a research laboratory in Richmond, CA. (2022 Value: Approximately $50 million.)

For Steelcase, Inc., Austin designed, engineered, and constructed a 330,000 SF expansion to their Tustin, CA, office furniture manufacturing facility. (2022 Value: More than $56 million.)

For Syntex USA, Inc., Austin designed, engineered, and constructed a laboratory facility in Palo Alto, CA.  (2022 Value: $70 million.)

For Toyota Motor Sales USA, Inc., Austin designed, engineered, and constructed multiple facilities for Toyota, including a 220,000 SF distribution center in San Ramon, CA, and a 90,000 SF office building in Torrance, CA. (2022 Value:  $75 million.)

Operations Centers (Including Data Centers)

Representative clients and projects during the 1970s included:

• First Security Bank
• Security Pacific National Bank
• United Airlines
• Valley National Bank

For First Security Company (Bank) Austin designed, engineered, and constructed a 195,000 SF bank operations center (data center) in Sal Lake City, UT. (2022 Value: More than $50 million.)

For Security Pacific National Bank, Austin completed eight planning projects (data center related, including planning for a new major data center in Brea, CA, that would become a significant design, engineering, and construction project for Austin beginning in 1980.

For United Airlines, Inc., Austin completed the design and engineering for a new 55,000 reservations center in Los Angeles, CA. (2022 Value: $20 million in construction .)

For Valley National Bank, Austin designed, engineered, and constructed a nearly 100,000 SF computer center in Phoenix, AZ. (2022 Value: Close to  $50 million.)

Legacy Clients

Austin received continuing business from legacy clients in the 1970s, including continued work for NBC (started in the 1930s), completing more than 40 projects in Burbank during the 1970s alone. Projects included designing, engineering, and constructing a new 76,500 SF technical and office building. (2022 Value: $25 million.)

Austin also continued with work for Northrop Corporation completing a series of projects at the Hawthorne, CA site.

All totaled, Austin undertook more than $1 billion (in 2022 dollars) in work during the 1970s, averaging $100 million a year over the ten years, with much of the work being awarded in the late 1970s and construction rolling over into the 1980s. Austin also moved its primary California office from Los Angeles (Wilshire Blvd.) to Irvine, CA, in 1975 (18800 Von Karman).

Join us next month as we discuss the 1980s and Austin’s California office continues to grow.

The Austin Company announced that Chris Jackson had been promoted to Vice President Operations and General Manager for Austin Eastern Operations, reporting to Senior Vice President of Operations, Matt Eddleman. For the near term, Jackson will continue to lead the Eastern Operations Preconstruction Department.

Austin also announced the promotion of Fabricio Salinas to Managing and General Director of Austin Mexico Operations. Project operations, engineering, preconstruction, and sales will report to Salinas, who will be supervised by Eddleman.

“It is always an honor to promote from within. Chris Jackson has been with Austin for seven years and has been a vital part of our Preconstruction Department. He has demonstrated his leadership abilities and commitment to client relations. Likewise, Fabricio Salinas, who has worked for Austin for five years, embodies Austin’s values and has been a highly effective manager of our operations there. We look forward to his leadership there as we seek to grow our presence and success in Mexico,” said President and CEO Mike Pierce.

A retrospective of the first 100 years of work completed by Austin’s California Office.

Austin continued with project work for NBC in Burbank, completing more than 20 projects in the 1960s alone. For ABC, Austin completed approximately ten projects, including their Hollywood television studios (see photo below).

Following the entertainment industry business segment, Austin completed an additional 15 projects for Technicolor Corporation, a client and part of the industry that Austin served over the next 30 years.

Lockheed (Lockheed California Company) became an active client in 1962, a relationship that continues today. Austin’s work at Burbank Airport (see Through the Decades – The1930s) provided the connection to Lockheed, who, until the late-1980s, also called the Burbank airfield home. Austin’s nationwide work in the aviation industry for companies including Boeing, Douglas, and McDonald made the engagement with this new client seamless for Austin– we knew aviation.

Austin also began major work with Northrop (Northrop Corporation Norair and Space Divisions), completing more than 30 projects during the 1960s. These facilities were home to the Northrop F-5 family of supersonic light fighter aircraft. This included the original F-5A and F-5B Freedom Fighter. Though primarily designed for a day air superiority role, the aircraft was also a capable ground-attack platform. The F-5A entered service in the early 1960s. During the Cold War, over 800 were produced through 1972 for U.S. allies. Though at the time the United States Air Force (USAF) did not have a need for a light fighter, it did procure approximately 1,200 Northrop T-38 Talon trainer aircraft, which were based on Northrop’s N-156 fighter design.

Austin once again demonstrated its broad range of aviation experience opening doors to work in the aviation and defense industry across the country. This included projects with Grumman on the east coast beginning an active and ongoing relationship with Northrop Grumman that has spanned more than 60 years.

Other clients with multiple projects during this time included familiar names such as Ford Motor Company, Montgomery Ward, Sunkist Growers, the Bureau of Yards and Docks, and U.S. Navy Facilities Engineering Command (collectively known today as NAVFAC). Less familiar names (today) included Burroughs Corporation, Pacific Southwest Realty (Security Pacific National Bank) – today a part of Bank of America, the Upjohn Company (now a part of Pfizer), and several Southern California newspaper printing companies – which would become a significant market segment for Austin in the decades ahead. Join us next month as we discuss the 1970s as Austin’s California office ventures into a series of new and expanded market segments and relocates from Los Angeles to Irvine, California.

Fair Oaks Foods plans to construct a fully cooked bacon facility in Davenport, Iowa. The $134 million investment includes a 150,000-square-foot facility in the Eastern Iowa Industrial Center and will create an estimated 247 new full-time jobs. The plant is expected to commence operations in early 2024.

The project was announced during a press conference on Tuesday, June 14, with representatives from Fair Oaks Foods, the City of Davenport, and the Quad Cities Chamber.

The Austin Company will serve as the design-builder for the project. Austin Consulting, an arm of The Austin Company, assisted Fair Oaks Foods with site location evaluation for the project. Austin, established more than 140 years ago, has a long history of building for the food and beverage industry. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Austin also has offices in Atlanta, Georgia; Irvine, California; Kalamazoo, Michigan; San Luis Potosi, Mexico; and London, England. Austin also recently purchased Gala and Associates, an engineering company in Beverly Hills, Michigan.  

“We value our role in this important investment made by a great company in a vibrant and progressive city. We are looking forward to a fruitful partnership that will deliver a successful project to all stakeholders,” said Austin President and CEO Mike Pierce.

Fair Oaks Foods, headquartered in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, is a family-owned meat processing company and the 11^th largest Black-owned business in the U.S. Founded in 1985, it produces and supplies a variety of protein products, including bacon, meatballs, pork, and turkey sausage to food service, national grocery stores, and quick-serve restaurants globally. The Davenport facility will expand the company’s current capabilities and produce fully cooked bacon.

Critical to Mental Health, Productivity, and Quality Work

Do you ever get to work, turn on your computer, work through lunch, and before you know it, the time has come to pack up and go home, yet you don’t feel like you have had a real conversation with anyone? I’m sure this happens to many of us more often than we would like. The demands of work are sometimes high. If we continue to do this day in and day out, there is a price to pay, and it is a serious one both for the individual and the company.

A robust social network is associated with a reduced risk of depression and anxiety, lower levels of stress, increased motivation to engage in self-care, and longer life. Conversely, studies have noted, “Low social interaction was reported to be similar to smoking 15 cigarettes a day and being an alcoholic, to be more harmful than not exercising, and to be twice as harmful as obesity.”

I am certainly not saying don’t work hard, but I am saying that humans were not created to live isolated and alone. We all inherently need relationships. All of us want to feel valued, heard, and loved. When we don’t, there are consequences such as irritability, loneliness, and increased stress. From a business perspective, those who don’t intentionally prioritize relationships are less collaborative and less productive at work.

More than 3 in 5 employees with high social connectivity report being highly engaged, whereas just over 1 in 10 employees with low social connectivity consider themselves highly engaged at work. Employees with strong social bonds with their coworkers are more motivated to perform. Individuals who report having a best friend at work are seven times more likely to exhibit better engagement, customer relations, work quality, wellbeing, and a lower risk of injury.

When was the last time you asked someone about their life? Not just, “How was your weekend?” but things like, “What kind of stuff do you do outside of work?” or “I saw the birth announcement of your daughter. How is parenthood treating you?” On the flip side, you must allow yourself to be vulnerable enough to share things about your life with others. Some of us are uncomfortable doing this, but if you start sharing even a few details about yourself, you will develop relationships that will change you, your attitude, and your health.

Over time these relationships get stronger as trust builds. Trust fosters kindness, generosity, and appreciation. All of these are things I believe are things we want, need, and desire.

If you are someone whose job is to manage others, it is imperative that you build strong relationships with your team. Do you recall having a boss that only talked to you when they needed something from you? How did this make you feel? Did you feel a sense of loyalty to that person? Outstanding leaders are masters at building solid connections with those that work for them. It has been said that people JOIN companies, people LEAVE managers. I think we can all resonate with this statement. As a manager, schedule time in the week to touch base, open up and connect genuinely with your team. I guarantee you will find your team more engaged and productive, take on more accountability instead of blaming others, and solidly have your back.

The next time you find yourself staring at your computer screen for hours upon hours, take a time out and get out of your chair to connect with someone for a few minutes. The benefits of really getting to know someone are exponential.

While The Austin Company is a fully integrated design-builder, there are times when we are called upon to work collaboratively with other architecture or engineering firms on specific projects.

Projects of the size and scope Austin design-builds require a team of architects, engineers, preconstruction, and construction managers to realize a stakeholder’s vision. With experienced professionals—all under one roof—who are accustomed to collaborating with in-house team members and a wide range of sub-consultants and contractors, there are several key things that ensure a smooth process when various firms are engaged in Austin projects.

Solid Communication Lays the Groundwork

Our teams discuss the different methods of communication and the best times for their use.

The best way to communicate is in-person, where teams can see each other’s body language and hear the tone and words. The next best option in our connected world is to call and talk with the person. Body language may be lost, but at least the tone and the words can still convey the issue, and there is back-and-forth to confirm that both parties understand. Both types of ‘verbal’ communication forms can be followed up with an email, RFI, or other documents for the record and ensure both people understand the question and the answer. These verbal communications also help to develop the relationship between team members as they naturally discuss ‘how was your weekend’ etc. as a greeting. These personal connections can help everyone work toward the common goal of a finished project for the owner when there are challenges on a project.

If verbal communication isn’t possible, written communication, about individual issues (not 50 at once), with all the appropriate references/backup to give context for the scope, schedule, or cost, is also an effective way to communicate. Written communications are best used to document the final plan/decision.

Text messages straddle the line between verbal and written communications, and our teams are coached to use them only for quick, easy, yes/no type questions just to keep things moving. Texts should not turn into a multi-page book. Longer, more complex issues should be dealt with in-person, with a call or other written method.

Even the most articulately written pieces of communication can be unclear to team members or taken in the wrong ‘tone’ or ‘context.’ Having a clear channel of communication established will help resolve questions quickly and keeps everybody moving in the same direction.

Throughout the project, changes to both cost and schedule will no doubt happen. It’s important to be able to alert team members on all sides – design, construction, and the client when changes occur to minimize frustration on the job site.

Programmed Team Communications

From the start of a project, the preconstruction plan validates that the design and build teams are on the same page, working toward unified goals. Before any discussion on phased builds or constructability reviews takes place, Austin establishes a smooth information flow between the architectural and construction teams. The elements that are coordinated include:

• Construction control schedules and long-lead planning
• 30/60/90-% drawing and/or model reviews
• Bid package plans / scope / timing
• Weekly or bi-weekly calls

Ongoing communications for the construction administration of a project (submittals, RFIs, punch list, etc.) are key to keeping the normal project operations moving forward. Strong relationships among team members, organized reviews and consistent reporting help everyone stay on top of open items.

It is valuable to the project to have the design team onsite regularly to chase any solutions needed, as well as observe their design coming to fruition.

Walk a Mile Cross-Training

Cross-training that focuses on understanding the challenges faced by all members of the project team build better relationships. Designers who have experience in construction management and construction teams who work closely with the design process have a much better understanding of what goes into each phase of a project and the roles and responsibilities they each play.

A stronger relationship forms when architecture, engineering, and construction team members attend each other’s meetings and understand each other’s difficulties. For example, when an architectural team attends a site review walk and helps avoid issues in the future, or when Austin’s construction managers sit in on design reviews and their comments add positively to the overall design.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Starting a conversation from a place of respect goes a long way in setting the tone. When both sides think about the challenges the other is facing and how both can work together toward their shared goal (a successfully completed project), the communication starts from a much better place.

Poor working relationships add a layer of disfunction that must be managed, otherwise, these interactions can take valuable effort and resources away from the project. Conversely, when issues arise, having everyone on the same page solves problems much more quickly. Teams—whether in-house or blended—are the foundation of every project. Team members are most productive when they collaborate with trust and respect and hold one another accountable.

People, not companies, build projects!

Working collaboratively is key to a successful project. Clear communication, inclusive meetings, cross-training, and mutual respect are a few of the ways we make working with professionals outside of our organization work.

The Austin Company including Austin’s site selection consulting arm, attends SelectUSA, June 26-29, 2022. Held in Washington, D.C., SelectUSA is a government program led by the U.S. Department of Commerce that focuses on facilitating job-creating business investment in the United States and raising awareness of the critical role that economic development plays in the economy. Since its inception, SelectUSA has facilitated more than $91 billion in investment, creating, or retaining over 115,000 U.S. jobs.

Hosted by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo, notable speakers presenting at the conference include Cabinet members, governors, thought leaders, and C-suite executives from U.S. and global companies. The event features business and networking opportunities for participants committed to innovation and entrepreneurship.

Austin continues to lead the way in helping companies gain a foothold in the U.S. market.

Attending

Jim Cathcart, Regional Sales Director  

Matt Eddleman, Senior Vice President of Operations

Jonathan Gemmen, Senior Director, Austin Consulting

Lynn Huff, Director of Project Planning

Matt Poreba, Director, Austin Consulting

Katie Riegelman, Director – Incentives, Austin Consulting

Brandon Talbert, Managing Director, Austin Consulting

Tamara Zupancic, Director of Marketing and Communications

National Broadcasting Company’s New Burbank Studios

It was the late 1940s; Radio City West in Hollywood had been converted for television, and NBC had launched its newest television station for Los Angeles (now known as Channel 4, KNBC). NBC was quickly outgrowing the iconic Hollywood broadcast center. As production increased, the need for more space became apparent. The network, and its then-parent, the Radio Corporation of America (RCA), decided to build a new television studio complex. Internally nicknamed NBC Color City, the studio would be exclusively equipped for color television broadcasting, a technology that RCA (Radio Corporation of America) was still developing.

A site in Burbank was selected. However, the United States was at war in Korea, and like during WWII, steel, aluminum, and copper wire went to defense contractors first. Before NBC bought the land in Burbank, it needed assurances from the National Production Authority that it could get the required materials to support the construction of its new studios.

In October of 1950, NBC made the first public mention of their intentions in a brief article in Broadcasting Magazine.

NBC TV Center sees January Start – “With building permit and materials clearance from National Production Authority in Washington expected by mid-January, NBC will break ground for its proposed new West Coast $25 million radio-TV center in Burbank, California, late next month, according to present plans.

 “NBC has earmarked around $2 million for the first unit of the project which will front on Alameda and California Sts., it was said.”

RCA, NBC’s parent company, had purchased the property in Burbank from both the city of Burbank and Warner Bros. Studios executive Jack Warner, and turned yet again to The Austin Company to design, engineer, and construct the new 48-acre television studio complex that would become NBC’s new West Coast Headquarters. The first pencil went to paper on the design in February 1951. Construction began in March, two months later, with Studios 1 and 3 opening on October 4, 1952, for black and white television, not color.

These new studios were unlike any others designed and constructed to date. Unlike the typical motion picture theater of the time with its small stage and maximum seating capacity, NBC’s new television studios were designed with large stage areas and auditorium seating for only 500. This allowed plenty of room for scenery, acting, and an operating area for the cameras and associated equipment.

NBC Studios 1 and 3 were in heavy use from the start. But color television would have to wait for approval from the FCC until December 1953. In the east, NBC’s first color studio was The Colonial Theater which came online as an experimental facility in March 1953. NBC Brooklyn 1 was the second color studio in September 1954.

Burbank’s color studios were added one by one. Studio 2 was built first, followed by Studio 4, and were called the first television studios built just for color. These two studios, and the entire Burbank complex, were dedicated on March 27, 1955 – two and a half years after the opening of Studios 1 and 3. On May 30, 1955, Humphrey Bogart would make his first (and last live) appearance on television in Studio 2 when he, Lauren Bacall, and Henry Fonda starred in The Petrified Forest, the first “Producers Showcase” live color drama broadcast from NBC Color City West.

Studios 1 and 3 followed in transition to color with upgrades to electrical and air conditioning systems (also by Austin) to accommodate the added requirements for the color television cameras.

Austin upgraded and expanded the studio complex’s production and technical facilities as television grew and technology advanced throughout the 1960s, 70s, 80s, and 90s. The last of seven major television studios, Studio 11, was completed in 1984.

Regarding the design and construction of the first phase in 1951-52, the October 1952 issue of Radio Age published the following:

• NBC’s New TV Center on West Coast Finished in Record Time
• Roomy Studios and Service Quarters Embody the Latest Advances in Design and Construction.
• Two large studios and a vast service building operating at high speed.
• Spacious facilities for stars, including dressing rooms with showers, and a steam room.
• Ten additional dressing rooms; four for choruses.
• Large rehearsal halls
• Carpentry shop, paint shop, and large scenery storage area.
• Structural innovations [by Austin], including site-cast concrete wall panels [not standard in 1951-52 as they are today], speed up construction.

NBC Burbank hosted the production of many of the iconic variety and game shows from the 1950s through the 1990s, including The Tonight Showbeginning in 1972. In that year, Johnny Carson moved the show to California from New York, where it remained until 2014. The show would return to New York with Jimmy Fallon as host ending a 42-year era of the show’s taping from Southern California.

The Tonight Show broadcast from Studio 1, except when Bob Hope produced his specials. The show moved to Studio 3 when Jay Leno became the host and then to Studio 11 in March 2010, until the show’s move back to New York.

Hollywood Squares was produced at NBC Burbank from 1966 to 1980.

Local Los Angeles television station KNBC moved to the Burbank complex in 1962, where it operated until moving to the Universal Studios lot in 2014.

The Burbank complex (once nicknamed NBC Color Studio) was The West Coast home of NBC Television for 62 years.

Join us next month as we discuss the 1960s and Austin’s California office ventures into a series of new market segments.