As leaders in our industry, we feel it is important for our team to share and learn with our industry peers. The time we commit to local industry organizations only helps us better understand how we can improve on our project collaboration, development approach, and establish stronger teaming opportunities while maintaining the most up to date knowledge in our market. We accomplish these goals through participating and supporting industry organizations like:
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American Institute of Architects (AIA): www.aia.org
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Association of General Contractors (AGC): www.agc.org
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Association of the Wall & Ceiling Industries: www.awci.org
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Central City Association (CCA): www.ccala.org
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Construction Management Association of America (CMAA): www.cmaanet.org
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Construction Owners Association of America (COAA): www.coaa.org
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Finishing Contractors Association (FCA): www.finishingcontractors.org
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International Interiors Design Association (IIDA): www.iida.org
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International Union of Painters & Allied Trades Union (IUPATU): www.iupat.org
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Los Angeles Headquarters Association (LAHQ): www.laheadquarters.com
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Project Management Institute (PMI): www.pmi.org
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Southern California Development Forum (SCDF): www.scdf.org
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United Brotherhood of the Carpenters (UBC): www.carpenters.org
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USC Architectural Guild Association: arch.usc.edu
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Western Wall Ceiling Contractors Association (WWCCA): www.wwcca.org
KNOWLEDGE IS KEY.
Three Sharpe projects nominated and win LABJ Commercial Real Estate Award
This year’s 29th annual Commercial Real Estate Awards were held at the Intercontinental Hotel in DTLA. During the program, the most impactful projects completed within the past 12 months were recognized and honored including each award-winning project's developer, architect, and general contractor. These project teams have made key contributions to some of the highest-profile developments in L.A. Three Sharpe projects were nominated and all three won an award. Thank you to our field team, safety team, and all involved for your hard work, craftsmanship and productivity. A big thank you also goes out to all our industry partners. Congratulations to all.
Photography by Paul Bielenberg
MAYER BROWN LLP
Gold Award Winner - Tenant Improvement
Sharpe Project Team:
Project Manager: Jack Johnson
Supers: Larry Shufelt and Sammy Arellano
Foremen: Paul Martinez and Rafael Arellano
GC: Clune Construction Architect: Aref
This two-floor renovation was designed with growth in mind. Spanning the 47th and 48th floors of the Wells Fargo Building in Bunker Hill, it features a contemporary design with an interconnecting staircase, interior water feature, loggia, green walls, distinctive millwork, lighting and furniture elements.
The interconnecting staircase required extensive collaboration with the steel subcontractor to bring the design vision to life. The installation of the stair’s glass guardrail required the use of a button system on the ends of all the glass panels, connecting each to a single stringer that runs underneath the treads, which left the stairway entirely unattached to the perimeter wall. This gives the appearance that the steps are floating above the waterfall pond feature.
That specialized water feature and the loggia beneath the interconnecting staircase serve as a centerpiece of the firm’s office on both floors. The water feature consists of a set of five copper podium sculptures which span a 10-foot-width at the base of a staircase. These sculptures feature a combination of smooth and ridged surfaces, and they are elegantly finished with a dark bronze patina.
With long procurement times, permitting delays and intricate design features, having design-build assistance from the GC, the architect, and all the subcontractors was crucial in ensuring that final finishes were all tied into the space.
CT7 / 843 NORTH SPRING STREET
Gold Award Winner - Sustainability
Sharpe Project Team:
Project Manager: Stephen Trevino
Supers: Larry Shufelt and Sammy Arellano
Foremen: Adrian Ramos and Ivan Gonzalez
GC: Shawmut Architect: Lever Architects
The CT7 project, now called 843 North Spring Street, is a new kind of home for the next generation of tech innovators and creative leaders of Los Angeles. It raises the bar on biophilic and low carbon office design, introducing mass timber to the region on a bold new scale. It provides 145,000 square-feet of beautiful, flexible office and retail space distinguished by a showcase of exposed Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) panels.
Located on a sloped site in a dense urban setting, the design centers around a voluminous tiered vertical garden that begins at the public plaza level and is accessible from every floor. It seeks to bridge the gap between indoor and outdoor, fully embracing the local climate and maximizing access to daylight, fresh air, and views across the city. At 843 North Spring Street, the discovery of park-like greenspaces in unexpected places creates a unique experience for office and retail tenants as well as visitors from the neighborhood.
A vertical garden is central to the design. Like the ecosystem of a river canyon, the public plaza at the entry level is populated with lush shade-friendly plantings. The landscaping shifts subtly from floor to floor, responding to the shade and light at each tier of the garden, culminating in the roof deck’s bright oasis of native desert plantings.
The hybrid CLT structure plays a significant role in its low carbon sustainable design strategy, sequestering an estimated 1,357-metric-tons of carbon. It also includes a PV array, 200+ bike stalls, and EV charging stations. It is conveniently located adjacent to Chinatown's Metro station, with strong connections to city transit systems.
THE BROAD FOUNDATION AND BROAD FAMILY OFFICE
Silver Award Winner - Best New Headquarters
Sharpe Project Team:
Supers: Larry Shufelt and Sammy Arellano
Foremen: Gio Hernandez and Andres Gomez
GC: Sierra Pacific Constructors Architect: Shubin Donaldson
When The Broad Foundation and Broad Family Offices looked to move their headquarters from Century City to a location that’s more accessible to the people they represent and support, they decided on a new office in downtown Los Angeles. Located on Bunker Hill, one block from The Broad Museum, this high-rise office space is organized as a series of curated spatial experiences that help promote the company’s values. The space includes custom workstations, private office furniture, and conference tables to promote a collaborative and inspiring work environment.
As you proceed through the elevator lobby, your first experience is the Education Library – a warm, textured, inviting social space designed to express the Foundation’s emphasis on education. Filled with a rich material palette all the way up to the low coffered ceiling, it serves as a domestic, communal space aimed to induce curiosity and promote conversation. Fold-up windows help connect the Library to the Kitchen, simultaneously acting as a serving space for the combined social area.
Transparent private offices are in the project’s core while open workspaces surround the building perimeter creating an egalitarian bright work area filled with natural light and views of the city skyline. The architecture, with its clean, simple lines, and elegantly detailed office fronts trimmed in white oak, lends itself as the ideal backdrop to the client’s impressive art collection. It is complemented by the circulation spaces, which double as curated fine art galleries.
