Download Chamberlin News Spring 03 - Chamberlin Roofing and Waterproofing

News
SUMMER 2004
Chamberlin’s Restoration
Expertise Gives a Ft. Worth
Landmark a Second Life
Cats may have nine lives, but who has heard
of a skyscraper having two lives? That is exactly
the case in Ft. Worth, Texas. Chamberlin’s
restoration team is hard at work in downtown
Ft. Worth. Their task: to restore a landmark
and give it new life through a complete
metamorphosis.
Ft. Worth and developer/owner TLC Green
Property Associates I, L.P. agreed to abate,
renovate and develop the building. This
$65 million project would turn the
Bank One tower of office spaces into
The Tower, a high-rise condominium with
over 300 residences and 30,000 square feet
of retail stores, restaurants and offices.
The Bank One office tower at 500 Throckmorton
and Fourth Street in Ft. Worth was damaged by
a tornado that rocked downtown and destroyed
several buildings in its wake in March of 2000.
While the other buildings were rebuilt, the
Bank One tower was left abandoned for
almost three years.
To begin the project, CST
Environmental removed hundreds
of thousands of square feet of
plaster containing asbestos from the
vertical structural columns and other
areas. Being that this is a very delicate
process, Chamberlin was called in to
Plans were made to demolish the skyscraper and seal the outer walls to create an airtight
use the land for parking, but the discovery of
atmosphere inside the building.
asbestos and the high costs of abatement and
Chamberlin’s team installed a special
implosion made that plan impractical. In late
reinforced polyethylene material on
2003, principal architects, Corgan Associates, Inc., the outside of the building sealing
unveiled new plans to give the 37-story building all window openings without glass
a second chance at life, complete with a new use, using batten strips and fastening
a new name and a new design. The City of
anchors as required.
(Continued pg. 3...see TOWER)
Another Perfect Storm
INSIDE
this issue…
Liability Insurance . . . . . . . . . . 2
Bank One Tower
Transformed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
AGC Scholarship Recipients. . . . 3
Projects in Progress. . . . . . . . . 4
Guest
Column By:
With rising premiums and shrinking coverages, owners and
contractors have described the current general liability insurance
environment as the “perfect storm.” But this is by no means the
first perfect storm. The fact is, over the past 20 years the construction
industry has seen some tumultuous times in both cost of insurance
and in scope of insurance coverage.
As you may recall, in the mid 1980s the insurance industry
introduced a whole new general liability coverage format that
Edward G. Britt, Jr. contained numerous changes. This new general liability coverage
(Continued pg. 2...see INSURANCE)
(INSURANCE Continued from pg. 1)
format was developed in response to the “perfect
storm” of the early ‘80s. Two new emerging areas
of significant losses for the insurance industry
caused this storm: asbestos and pollution claims.
The cost of these claims had never before been
priced in the cost of insurance for the insured.
In response to the losses from asbestos and
pollution claims, the insurance industry reacted
by doing two things. First, they raised premiums
dramatically to cover the losses they were
encountering. Second, they severely restricted
the coverage afforded in their policies by issuing
endorsements to the general liability policies that
essentially excluded any coverage for losses arising
out of an event that involved their insured where
pollution or asbestos was the source of the claim.
Today, we are experiencing an event similar to
that which we saw in the ‘80s. It is the same
type of “storm” but with more and different
ingredients. In metaphorical terms, instead
of wind and rain, we have stronger elements
like lightning, thunder, smoke and fire.
The components in today’s insurance
market storm are EFIS, mold, terrorism and
construction defects on residential buildings (i.e.
condominiums, apartments, homes, town homes,
etc.) This storm, like the one in 1986,
is being caused by the substantial losses the
insurance industry has suffered on risks that
underwriters never anticipated and, therefore,
had not adequately priced in the cost of
insurance to their insured. This, in turn, has
not only increased premiums but has also
reduced the number of companies willing to
write insurance. But, most importantly for
building owners and contractors, it has
eliminated some important insurance coverages.
As a result of this “perfect storm,” current
insurance policies may look the same as their
predecessors on the surface, but they are indeed
quite different. As a certificate holder you can no
longer fully trust certificates of insurance to
fairly represent the coverage depended upon
in the past.
These changes are of particular concern in
regard to existing construction contracts. Some
of the changes in coverage will likely not be in
compliance with the contractual terms of work
currently under contract and in progress.
Additionally, since standardized contracts and
remedies contemplating these changes have not
yet been developed, it is likely there will continue
to be gaps between contractual requirements and
actual coverage provided. Obviously, any gap
between these two could work to the detriment
of the owner-contractor relationship. Eventually,
standardized contracts and remedies addressing
these changes will emerge. Until then, owners
and contractors alike need to draw upon the
resources of their insurance agents, attorneys,
and other counselors to identify potential
problem areas and develop creative solutions.
the endorsement from the various insurance
companies. Additionally, depending upon
whether you are an owner or contractor,
exclusions can apply differently. When evaluating
risk and risk management solutions, owners and
contractors alike must be aware of the impact
these coverage limitations have on the overall
operations of both parties.
Considering the volatile and mercurial nature
of the insurance industry today, it is absolutely
critical that all parties to a construction contract
fully understand their obligations and the
extent those obligations can be transferred to an
insurance carrier. Some of these obligations i.e.,
construction defects, EFIS and mold can have
catastrophic economic ramifications to the party
assuming these liabilities in the event they cannot
be transferred to an underwriter. Involving your
insurance agent and legal counsel in the initial
negotiation of a construction contract is more
important today than ever before. With the
current “storm” brewing, the expression
“buyer beware” is definitely in vogue in today’s
insurance environment.
In addition to serving as President and Partner of Bowen,
Miclette & Britt Inc., the author is the President of both
Camden Capital Mortgage, Inc., and Foster Insurance Services,
Inc. He has more than 30 years experience in the insurance
industry and holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics.
The adjacent tables identify common exclusions
and limitations in use today on general liability
and umbrella liability policies. Almost all
insurance companies
are mandating their
Exclusions Resulting From Present Day Issues
use as a condition
The following exclusions and limitations apply primarily to residential
of underwriting a
owners’ and contractors’ general liability and umbrella liability policies.
particular account or
class of business. It is
EFIS – Exterior Finish Excludes coverage for injury or damage connected to the
important to note
Insulation Systems
manufacture, sale, distribution, installation or service
there is wide variation
(Synthetic Stucco)
of an EFIS system.
of the definitions in
Mold
Excludes virtually all coverage for claims arising out of
presence of, exposure to or inhalation of fungi, including
all varieties of mold and bacteria.
These exclusions are uniformly attached to general liability and
umbrella liability policies for owners and contractors.
TRIA – Terrorism
Excludes coverage for liability or property losses arising out
of terrorist acts. This is of particular concern for large
property owners in perceived target areas. Coverage
buy-back is usually available.
Absolute Pollution
Excludes coverage for injury or damage
connected to the treatment, transportation,
disposal, storage, monitoring or clean up
of a pollutant.
Absolute Asbestos
Excludes coverage for injury or damage
in any way connected to asbestos
or manufacturing products
containing asbestos.
Residential Construction Excludes coverage with respect to liability arising out of the
Defects
completed operations hazard in connection with property
intended for habitation. *Note: There is little standardization
on what types of structures are to be considered habitational.
Most include single-family dwellings, apartments,
condominiums and townhouses. Some variations may
provide limited coverage if claims are brought within a
specified time limit. Other variations may include coverage
for completed operations, but only for work initiated after
the inception date of the policy thereby effectively
excluding completed operations for all previous work.
Exclusions Made In The 1980s
Mayor White Presents
AGC Scholarships to Chamberlin's
Lyle Coston and Adam Matthys
( TOWER Continued from pg. 1)
Bank One Tower Transformed
After asbestos abatement, Turner Construction
acquired the task of removing the entire interior
and exterior skin of the building. Interior and
exterior walls, air conditioning equipment,
plumbing and wiring were extracted until only
the skeletal concrete frame remained.
Chamberlin was responsible for the removal of
all exterior glass, glazing, mullions, louver panels
and temporary building wrap. In order to
remove the exterior skin, eight swing stage
scaffolds, one scaffold for each side of the
building, were rigged. The swing stage work
began at the 6th floor and worked its way up to
the 38th floor at roof level.
Removing the remaining glass on the structure
was no walk in the park, and safety was a big
concern.While Chamberlin was working on the
demolition of the upper levels of the building
in the middle of downtown Ft. Worth, new
construction was taking place below.
Chamberlin had to develop a 100 percent safe
and creative plan to prevent any and all debris
from falling and seriously injuring someone.
Chamberlin waterproofing Project Manager,
Bryan Payne, faced the challenge by coming up
with a creative solution that was two-fold.
First, the team put together the “swing stage
diaper.” “In order to prevent falling debris,”
Payne said, “we attached a mesh netting directly
to the building beneath the floor in which we
were working. The debris net was attached
using self-drilling screws and anchored into the
existing curtain wall frame system.” The debris
net hung under the swing stage and attached to
the top of the back rail thereby catching any
debris that might fall.
Secondly, and most uniquely, all remaining glass
was completely covered with an elastomeric
sheet membrane. “This sheet membrane,
which is actually designed for below grade
waterproofing, bonds tenaciously to glass,”
Payne said. The Chamberlin crew was then able
to safely break the windowpanes to the inside of
the building without the risk of losing shards of
glass below. Once the glass was removed, the
glazing was cut and the mullions were detached
and then demolished with pry bars.
After the demolition was complete, the process
began to transform the building into The Tower.
Chamberlin restored the concrete frame by
utilizing high strength mortars to patch the
spalling and damaged concrete beams and
columns on the exterior of the building. An
elastomeric coating was installed on all exterior
exposed concrete surfaces after the completion
of the entire exterior wall package to provide
a new cosmetically appealing look and also
to protect the concrete skin from future
water infiltration damage. Chamberlin also
constructed 372 new apartment balconies
and installed a concrete topping on each to
create positive drainage.
The building now has an entirely new exterior
building envelope. The former tower, slick with
reflective windows, now is encased in a cool,
blue-green shell with inset balconies that create
a sort of basket weave effect. The lower level is
reconfigured from its familiar angled concrete
columns into a box base skirt consisting of five
floors and two below grade levels that contain
retail stores, restaurants and office space.
The roof of the skirt features patio areas, a
dog-walking path and a swimming pool for the
condo owners. The Tower is scheduled to be
finished and occupied in early 2005.
Payne reflects on the project with pride: “One
thing that I consider the most unique about
Chamberlin’s role in this project versus other
projects is the degree in which we were able
to impact the schedule. All finishes, dry wall,
etc. could not take place until our work was
complete and the new glass was installed.”
Chamberlin’s 20+ employees working on the
exterior skin went the extra mile, sometimes
working seven days a week in order to stay
ahead of the curtain wall contractor’s work.
Undoubtedly, it was the Chamberlin team’s
commitment and creative problem solving that
enabled them to both meet the project deadline
and save the owner money. Chamberlin’s
Superintendent, Paul Watson, applied his
years of experience and lead crews to complete
the demolition work 30 days ahead of schedule
and under budget — a feat companies with
less manpower and experience may have not
been able to deliver.
Matthys and Coston with Mayor White at AGC Breakfast
honoring scholarship recipients.
Congratulations to Chamberlin’s very own Lyle Coston
and Adam Matthys on receiving The Associated General
Contractors of America’s Excellence in Leadership scholarship
awards. Mayor White presented the awards to Lyle and
Adam. Both are project estimators at Chamberlin and are
pursuing their Bachelors of Science in Business Management
at The University of Phoenix, Houston campus.
After the ceremony Lyle and Adam expressed their
gratitude to the AGC: “We would like to thank the members
of the Excellence in Leadership committee for helping young
people like us achieve our goals of becoming leaders in the
construction industry.” The Excellence in Leadership forum
began awarding scholarship money in 1996 and as of
this year has provided over $100,000 in scholarship funds
to 41 students pursuing degrees related to careers
in construction.
After two years of studying Environmental Engineering at
Texas A&M Corpus Christi, Lyle Coston followed his desire to
pursue a career in construction. The common sense nature of
construction had always been an attractive option, so Lyle
began working in a field operations position with a small
waterproofing contractor in Austin. In fairly short order Lyle
was offered a position in the office developing estimates and
managing projects. When the opportunity came nearly four
years ago to join Chamberlin in the estimating department,
Lyle jumped at the chance. Lyle’s knowledge has continued to
grow in Chamberlin’s waterproofing and caulking business as
he has become involved with many larger, more complicated
projects including the UT MD Anderson Ambulatory Clinical
Building project and the Federal Inspection Services
Superstructure at Intercontinental Airport Houston.
Adam Matthys’ story is similar to Lyle’s in that he also left
college initially to become involved in construction and
worked in operations for a small waterproofing contractor.
Adam joined Chamberlin over three years ago, and, at a very
young age, was given the responsibility of managing projects.
With many successful projects under his belt, including the
Galleria expansion and the Inn at the Ballpark, Adam was
promoted to an office position where he could put his
firsthand knowledge and experience with a variety of
waterproofing systems to work as an estimator. Adam humbly
acknowledges, “The AGC Excellence in Leadership scholarship
boosted my confidence level and reinforced my goal of
finishing my formal education.”
PROJECTS in Progress…
Ashton Place — Dallas, TX
ISEP — FIS Building Superstructure/APM Station
and Platform — Houston, TX
New Construction Roofing
Owner: The Hanover Company
Architect: Gromatzky Dupree & Associates
General Contractor: Hanover R.S. Limited Partnership
Scope of Work: Roofing, sheet metal and flashing
Contract Amount: $280,000 (approx.)
Project Description: 21-story residential tower in Dallas Arts District
New Construction Waterproofing & Roofing
Owner: The City of Houston
Architect: PGAL Architect
General Contractor: Clark/Mission A Joint Venture
Scope of Work: Roofing, sheet metal, flashing, below grade waterproofing,
expansion joints, joint sealers, traffic coating, resinous flooring
Contract Amount: $1,500,000 (approx.)
Project Description: Basement plus 2-level above grade international flight
inspection terminal and parking garage
Panalpina — Houston, TX
New Construction Waterproofing
Owner: HICTC Houston, L.L.C.
Architect: Burns & McDonnell
General Contractor: D.E. Harvey Builders
Scope of Work: Tilt panel sealants, slab on grade sealants, site paving sealants,
epoxy coating, diamond hard sealer
Contract Amount: $250,000 (approx.)
Project Description: 375,000 square foot distribution warehouse and office
Park Lane Village — Lewisville, TX
Roof Replacement
Owner: TCP Realty
Scope of Work: Roofing and sheet metal
Contract Amount: $75,000 (approx.)
Project Description: Single-ply re-roof and installation of standing seam metal
roof on shopping center
North Lake College — Irving, TX
Harris County Juvenile Justice Center — Houston, TX
Remedial Waterproofing
Owner: Dallas County Community College District
Architect: Exterior Consulting Innovations, Inc.
General Contractor: Chamberlin Roofing & Waterproofing, Ltd.
Scope of Work: Masonry restoration and plaza planter waterproofing
Contract Amount: $1,300,000 (approx.)
Project Description: Athletic department, gymnasium, classrooms and
student services buildings
New Construction and Remedial Roofing and Waterproofing
Owner: Harris County
Architect: Morris Architects
General Contractor: Satterfield and Pontikes Construction, Inc.
Scope of Work: Roofing, sheet metal, flashing, security sealants, water repellant,
pavers, masonry restoration, sheet damproofing, window sealant
Contract Amount: $1,200,000 (approx.)
Project Description: Re-roofing and waterproofing of 8-story courtroom,
administration offices and youth detention center
West Hills Mall — Huntsville, TX
Roof Replacement
Owner: TCP Westhills Partners, L.P.
Scope of Work: Roofing and sheet metal
Contract Amount: $170,000 (approx.)
Project Description: Tear off and reroof 66,000 square feet over TDC offices
and Kerr’s Store
Texas Stadium — Irving, TX
Remedial Waterproofing
Owner: City of Irving, TX
Scope of Work: Pedestrian deck coating system
Contract Amount: $100,000 (approx.)
Project Description: Home of the Dallas Cowboys
Jack S. Blanton Museum of Art — Austin, TX
University of Houston MD Anderson Library — Houston, TX
New Construction Waterproofing
Owner: University of Texas at Austin
Architect: Booziotis & Company Architects
General Contractor: Skanska USA Building, Inc.
Scope of Work: Below grade waterproofing
Contract Amount: $160,000 (approx.)
Project Description: 60,000 square feet of Phase I of Art Museum
New Construction Roofing
Owner: University of Houston MD Anderson
Architect: Morris Architects
General Contractor: Gilbane Building Company
Scope of Work: Roofing and sheet metal
Contract Amount: $700,000 (approx.)
Project Description: 50,000 square foot library on University of Houston campus
SPECIALTY CONTRACTING SERVICES
WATERPROOFING/CAULKING
ROOFING/SHEET METAL
ROOF MAINTENANCE/LEAK REPAIR
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
• One source roofing &
waterproofing
• Roof surveys, evaluations &
budgeting
• Custom maintenance plans
Joint sealants
• Expansion joints
Membrane waterproofing • Damproofing/flashing
Elastomeric wall coatings • Water repellants/
Traffic coatings
metal flashing
BRANCH OFFICES
HOUSTON
BUR
EPDM rubber
Modified bitumen
PVC/TPO thermoplastic
• Metal standing seam
• Roof related sheet metal
• Gutters/downspouts
Call our nearest local office or 1-800-749-1432
DALLAS
7510 Langtry
Houston, Texas 77040
Ph. (713) 880-1432
Fax (713) 880-8255
2346 Glenda Lane
Dallas, Texas 75229-3317
Ph. (214) 273-9110
Fax (214) 273-9120
Active Members of:
HOUSTON
AMERICAN SUBCONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION
HOUSTON CHAPTER
• Professional mechanics
• Service 24 hour/
365 days a year
• Free estimates
AUSTIN/SAN ANTONIO
204 West Powell
Austin, Texas 78753
Ph. (512) 275-1600
Fax (512) 275-1603