Castaic High School (Castaic, CA)

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Project Description

Client:
William S. Hart Union High School District,
Kemp Bros. Construction

Location:
Castaic, California

Year Completed:
2020

Project Value:
$ 1,123,944

Architect:
Ruhnai Runau Clarke

Awards / Acknowledgements:
Starnet Design Award Recipient – Bronze Winner Education

Products / Strategic Partners:
Altro, ARDEX Americas, Armstrong Flooring Inc., Flexco Floors, Tarkett | Johnsonite, Tarkett Centiva

Project Summary


Spanning 256,230 SF, a new, state-of-the-art high school campus was built from the ground up over a majestic 58 acres. This seven-figure project included five classroom buildings, an administrative building, a science (STEM) classroom and library building, a gymnasium with locker rooms and training spaces, a performing arts building, a full-service kitchen / food service building, and a maintenance building.

Focused on the health, well-being, and performance of students, educators, and staff, this project utilized a framework from the Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) to ensure that energy, community environmental, and social goals could be achieved.

With performance, sustainability, and maintenance strategies in mind, this project featured a combination of both hard and soft surfaces, including wood and other earth-inspired textures from Armstrong’s Natural Creations LVT, as well as Standard Excelon and Raffia VCT from Armstrong. In areas where sound and performance were both deemed critical, like administrative offices and the library, Powerbond Carpet from Tarkett Soft Surfaces (Tandus) was used. Large-scale carpet patterns made a dramatic impact in these open space environments, and in smaller areas, like classrooms, different patterns were used side-by-side to add texture and dimension. Slip-resistant finishes from Altro enhanced the wellness and use of the sports therapy rooms, and rubber moldings from both Johnsonite Tarkett and Flexco complimented a wide variety of paint and other trimmings throughout each building.

While the flooring design inside each space was primarily comprised of earthy textures and gray toned finishes, the rolling foothills which surround the campus provided a uniquely Southern California backdrop. Large windows extending from the floor to the peak of each high ceiling brought in the soft brown tones of the high desert and bright blue skies. This open-air concept further reinforced the pursuit of wellness for students, teachers, and staff, while conscientiously recognizing how the environment outside can compliment the design inside.

Unique Installation Challenge:
Every large project poses its own unique challenges, but this is especially true when a project spans multiple years and a pandemic is added to the mix.

Contracted in 2017, we began our work on site in 2018 as the first building was turned over to us. Portions of this project were released on a building-to-building basis, and as buildings were made ready for us, we were coordinating material procurement, logistics, and labor to ensure that we didn’t hit any snags between phases. As such, material left over in one building couldn’t go missing between phases, as it could be critical square footage in the next building. Dye lots needed to be tagged, tracked, and stored accordingly to ensure cohesiveness between each install. And, the same labor team needed to balance demands of other projects with this schedule, as their familiarity of the site and scope was critical to field team communication and consistency in workmanship.

Beyond the logistical challenges this posed, the design and color schemes for the high school were completely changed half-way through the project, as the new high school redefined its identity and school colors. The new design forced additional scheduling delays, but we worked with the design and construction teams to ensure that finishes previously sourced could be maximized in the field before the new design scheme was incorporated into the remaining buildings.

After an unexpected rainy season pushed schedules even further in 2019, we navigated both design and unforeseen delays with trade partners to mitigate price escalations and freight burdens.

With less than a year until completion, the pandemic added an additional dimensions to this project. Working with the general contractor, we derived much of our COVID-19 response from the needs of this project, navigating new compliance requirement with substantial completion in our sights. Enlisting PPE and social distancing in the field, our team completed this project with new safety regimens in place, all while maintaining a consistent results. When students and teachers are able to return, a beautiful campus awaits.

Volkswagen of San Bernardino (San Bernardino, CA)

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Project Description

Client:
Volkswagen of San Bernardino

Location:
San Bernardino, California

Year Completed:
2013

Project Value:
$ 106,291

Architect:
Studio IV

Products / Strategic Partners:
ARDEX Americas, Daltile, Custom Building Products, Patcraft, Pergo, Schluter

Project Summary

Vision:
This project combined the use of several resilient finishes, each designed with weight capacity and style in mind.

Daltile’s porcelain tile was installed throughout the open space, with inlays of laminate flooring from Pergo installed in Waiting Areas and desk jump stations. The earth tones utilized created a natural environment, which was complimented with outside light and white accents – a strong compliment to the VW brand.

Joshua Medical Center (La Palma, CA)

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Project Description

Client:
Joshua Medical Center

Location:
La Palma, California

Year Completed:
2017

Project Value:
$ 694,550

Architect:
Visioneering Studios

Products / Strategic Partners:
Amtico, ARDEX Americas,
Armstrong Flooring Inc., Dal Tile,
Gerflor USA, Tarkett | Johnsonite,
Mannington

Project Summary

Vision:
The Joshua Medical Center job was a coordination effort of many different Starnet vendor teams and materials. Specified by Visioneering Studios in Irvine, Universal Metro was chosen to install Ardex K-15 & GS-4 underlayments in combination with Gerflor resilient, Amtico LVT, Armstrong LVT, Mannington carpet, Johnsonite base, and ceramic from Daltile. This project was a Medical Office Building repurposed to be used as a Medical Center Clinic in the City of La Palma, CA. Joshua Medical Clinic is comprised of a team of physicians and PAs that base their success on their patients’ long-term good health. They believe in personalized and comprehensive health care, through physical, emotional, and spiritual healing. Our team at Universal Metro installed patient rooms, physical therapy rooms and corridors that enabled the Joshua Medical Center to have a seamless feel to their caring healthcare perspective. One of the major challenges that we had at the Joshua Medical Center project was dealing with the various elevations on the existing wood substrate. Considering the unique flooring design proposed, which included curvatures and circular patterns, we decided to engineer a system to remediate the existing wood substrate conditions with application of Ardex primer, topped with Ardex GS-4 in various thicknesses, ranging from 1/8″ to 2″ depths. Consequently, Mannington sheet vinyl was installed on a smooth and flat substrate resulting in an unique design and an authentic finished floor. Another challenge was to install flooring while the facility was at full operation. With that regard, we closely followed a phasing plan in order to keep the business unaffected. The finished project was inspiring as you can see in the photos.
 

Providence Little Company of Mary (Torrance, CA)

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Project Description

Client:
Providence

Location:
Torrance, California

Surface Area:
146,000 SF

Year Completed:
2015

Project Value:
$ 821,925

Architect:
Providence Corporate Real Estate

Products / Strategic Partners:
Amtico, Antron Carpet Fiber, ARDEX Americas,
Burke Flooring, Henry Adhesives, Mannington

Project Summary

Vision:
“ 90 DAY MIRACLE”. Refresh the Providence Healthcare, Little Company of Mary campus in the City of Torrance within a 90 day window, in order to use the available hospital matching fund budget before it expired.

Design:
Required use of Mannington Products as part of the Providence Healthcare buying group program. Developed a plan and design to refresh and maximize the five floors (approximately 150,000 square feet) of this healthcare facility using a $1.6 million dollar budget.

Construction:
Managed the process and installed half of the $1.6 Million dollar project that had to be completed within 90 days in an active running facility. Limited shutdown time with multiple trades from Universal Metro, Inc. working alongside another firm, Golden State Flooring, to complete the project. Attended Daily Meetings and Weekly Strategy Meetings.

Install:
Universal Metro estimated, budgeted, procured, and installed 50% of the floorcoverings, approximately 75,000 square feet of the project, including: Mannington Antron carpet tile, Mannington Biospec, Amtico with a special pattern, Mannington base cove, Ardex Rapid Moisture systems and underlayments. Rory Schneider the project manager for Providence stated in the closeout meeting, “the work you have done in the past 90 days is truly a miracle, thank you.”

 

Unique Installation Challenge Strategy

The 90 day miracle was born out a special meeting of the following: Providence Project Managers, Providence Design Team, Universal Metro Leadership, Golden State Leadership, LCOM Facilities Team, LCOM Administration and the Mannington Representatives As the team was already in full throttle with their EPIC conversion they were skeptical that any work above $200,000 could be fit into the schedule, let alone 1.6 million. Universal Metro stepped in and partnered with Golden State Flooring (Steve Gaydos) our prior VP. Providence felt comfortable that if any two companies could team up and complete the remodel it would be our partnership (formed from 20 years of friendship). The local Mannington team in tandem with UMI and Providence Design worked to source materials that were available and materials that could be made quickly to keep the production moving. Design flair was achieved with Mannington Scena Carpet tile and Amtico in a three size interplay. The basement moisture levels were solved to using Ardex Rapid as the moisture mitigation system. Daily site and weekly strategic meetings were key in creating space available in a full census hospital. The EPIC director managed all the access to the space needed to work days, nights and weekends.

 

Reagan UCLA Medical Center (Los Angeles CA)

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Project Description

Client:
UCLA Health

Location:
Los Angeles, California

Surface Area:
1,000,000 SF

Year Completed:
2008

Project Value:
$ 7,002,832

Architect:
Perkins + Will Architects
Pei Partnership Architects

Awards / Acknowledgements:
Starnet Design Award – Grand Prize Winner

Products / Strategic Partners:
ARDEX Americas, Armstrong Flooring Inc.,
Flexco, Henry Adhesives, Mannington,
Milliken, Mohawk

Project Summary

Vision:
Built to be the most modernized healthcare facility in the world, the building is over 1,500,000 square feet and is the largest single healthcare building west of the Mississippi.

Installation:
Universal Metro invested 6 years, and at times over 40 staff members to complete the 1,000,000 SF project.

Design:
Well over 100 individual SKU’s were involved from manufacturers like Mannington, Armstrong, Mohawk, Flexco, Ardex, Lees Carpets, Milliken, and Henry’s Adhesives; all of which were managed by Universal Metro.
 

California Proton Treatment Center (San Diego, CA)

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Project Description

Client:
Scripps Proton Therapy

Location:
San Diego, California

Surface Area:
102,000 SF

Year Completed:
2013

Project Value:
$ 594,255

Architect:
Haskell Interiors

Products / Strategic Partners:
ARDEX Americas, Armstrong Flooring Inc.,
Dal Tile, Henry Adhesives, Mannington,
Mohawk, Roppe


Project Summary

Vision:
Develop the leading proton therapy institute in the world in collaboration with Scripps Medical Center. Partner with Varien Medical Systems and Advanced Particle Therapy by providing the most advanced healing radiation machinery available. Develop the facility in order to protect all other diagnostic and outpatient treatments from radiation (15’thick slabs were constructed).

Design:
Extensive use of a “Grand Gallery” lobby that links the facility to the open spaced diagnostic and outpatient treatment areas and into the “Healing Gardens” which in combination with the warm floor and wall color palette create healing elements to inspire and maintain the patients quality of life during treatment.

Construction:
The 102,000 square foot facility was designed with Building Information Modeling to facilitate the integrated network of mechanical, electrical, concrete shielding systems, overall layout and floor design.

Install:
Universal Metro estimated, budgeted, procured, and installed all floor coverings on the project: sheet vinyl, heat welding, resilient tile, ceramic tile, porcelain tile, carpet, carpet tile, base cove (millworks for design element), Ardex underlayments, Ardex MC moisture mitigation systems (to solve the moisture levels with 15’of concrete), and Johnsonite stair treads (for patient safety).

Unique Installation Strategy:
Universal Metro worked hand in hand with the Design Build Team and the Building Information Modeling systems put in place and create the first of its kind facility in the world. From the air freighting of specials materials to meet the needs of the most technologically advanced equipment and computers in the world to solving the moisture problems of 15′ of concrete Universal Metro managed and guided the floor covering product scope from inception to completion. With 102,000 sf of floorcovering to be coordinated and installed in four main areas of the facility, UMI worked closely with the Haskell Design Team in daily and weekly meetings to overcome the avalanche of issues that come from building a first time industry leading building. Our 30 years of expertise combined with our “Project Engineering system” was the key in the keeping pace with the constant changes and difficult requirements.

 

Beverly Hospital Cosmetic Upgrade (Montebello, CA)

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Project Description

Client:
Beverly Hospital

Location:
Montebello, California

Surface Area:
41,600 SF

Year Completed:
2017

Project Value:
$ 680,475

Architect:
SWA Architects

Products / Strategic Partners:
ARDEX Americas, Armstrong Flooring Inc.,
Mannington, Tandus Centiva,
Tarkett | Johnsonite

Project Summary

Vision:
Operating in buildings constructed in the 1960s and early ’70s, Beverly Hospital put forth an initiative in 2016 to cosmetically upgrade their primary facilities, including the Emergency Department (6,300 SF), Main Entrance (3,500 SF), Cafeteria (2,000 SF), Conference Rooms (3,800 SF), and all corridors accessible to patients and visitors, from the Basement Level through the Fifth Floor (approx. 26,000 SF). Designs compliment the architecture of the past, while gracefully modernizing the finishes.

Design:
Without major changes to the original shell, designers set out to incorporate architectural elements like interior brickwork into their design, while reinvigorating the nostalgia of the over 50 year old buildings with past-century, pastel wall colors and a heavy reliance on the contemporary and timeless beauty of Mannington’s Paradigm Collection to set the mood for each rejuvenated space. Wayfinding accents were incorporated using Mannington’s seamless transitional patterns, like Streamline, Flow, and Intersect, and carpet became the centerpiece of each room it was used in, including the Main Lobby, Cafeteria, and Conference Rooms, with beautiful styles from Tandus and Mannington.

Construction:
Balancing census and capacity constraints with a need to open corridors to traffic at the end of each shift, Universal Metro worked with the General Contractor and facility’s Project Manager to provide demolition of existing floor covering and substrate remediation at the front end of each phase, providing walkable paths of travel, prior to installing on subsequent shifts. Moisture Control was necessary in several areas, and due to structural changes between wood, concrete, and even, Terrazzo substrates, Ardex’s primer and self leveler were commonly used with Ardex MC Rapid, when necessary. With more than 75 total phases, each consisting of at least two days or nights, crews worked around the clock to complete the project within 11 months. Spray adhesives and faster setting underlayments were vital to afford the hospital with a quick-turnarounds during each phase. The end result was a beautiful throwback to yester-year’s architecture, and beautiful new modern finishes.

 

Aloft Hotel – “LA LA Land” (El Segundo, CA)

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Project Description

Client:
Aloft Hotels

Location:
El Segundo, California

Year Completed:
2017

Project Value:
$ 143,735

Architect:
Design Atelier

Products / Strategic Partners:
ARDEX Americas, Armstrong Flooring Inc.,
Chapco Adhesives, Tarkett | Johnsonite,
MATS Inc., Milliken

Project Summary

Vision:
The Aloft Hotel project encompassed a total remodel and retrofitting of the historic Hacienda Hotel in Los Angeles. First impressions are important, and after landing at LAX International Airport around the corner, guests are welcomed by the glamour that is Los Angeles, with Hollywood lights shining in the distance. This ocean-close hotel is flanked by palm trees and accented with clean lines and an interior with vibrant flashes of color and a 1960’s retro feel, familiar to La La Land. Each floor’s curved white balcony doors, seen from on the face of the hotel, have been remodeled with the feel of luxury ocean liner. Inside, the design is sleek and modern, with a retro flair and the flooring follows suit. Colorful, bright, edgy, graphic and abstract are all words that describe the feel of the interior flooring styles. Ardex Feather finish, Armstrong vinyl composition tile, and several different custom Milliken carpets were installed in this 246 room hotel. Johnsonite base as well as Mats, Inc. walk off mats were also utilized to round off this unique design.

MemorialCare Hospital (Los Altos, CA)

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Project Description

Client:
MemorialCare

Location:
Long Beach, California

Surface Area:
13,000 SF

Year Completed:
2013

Project Value:
$ 576,168

Architect:
RTKL

Awards / Acknowledgements:
Starnet Design Award Recipient – Silver Winner Environmental Achievement,
Installation used for National Ad Campaign for Multiple Vendor Partners

Products / Strategic Partners:
ARDEX Americas, Armstrong Flooring Inc.,
Dal Tile, Flexco, Henry Adhesives,
Tarkett | Johnsonite

Project Summary

Vision:
Bring together the most advanced healing technology in community healthcare along with state-of-the-art medical and surgical products, in order to provide excellent clinical outcomes through an amazing array of support services, resources, and nurse practitioners that few non-acute clinics across the country offer.

Design:
Extensive use of open space combined with the elements of environment friendly Bio Based floor covering materials like Armstrong’s Striations (new) to achieve the design focus of “Live Healthy”; to promote healing through nurturing spaces; and to empower patients through information and education.

Construction:
Convert a Borders book store space in a busy shopping center into the most advanced clinic in the county. Dal-Tile combined with Schluter trim on both the top and bottom scores created an incredible bold and linear design element while achieving the statutory sanitary cleanliness codes. The design build of the facility also included an Ardex moisture mitigation system to allow for long term uninterrupted care.

Install:
Universal Metro procured and installed all floor covering over a customized Ardex Moisture Control System, inclusive of Ardex MC Rapid, Ardifix, K-15 Self Leveler, and GS-4 Self-Leveling Repair Underlayment for wood subfloors.  Flooring finishes included bio-based tile, resilient, porcelain tile, stone, carpet, and base.

 

 

Environmental Achievment Strategy

Extensive use of open space combined with the elements of environment friendly Bio Based floor covering materials like Armstrong’s Striations (new) achieved the design focus of “Live Healthy”; to promote healing through nurturing spaces. Using the product in over 13,000 sf (3/4) of the project the Bio Based tile allowed for the project to incorporate sustainable design into the construction. Migrations with BioStride contains rapidly renewable resources, uses 10% recycled content and meets the standards of California Section 01350 for low VOC emissions. BioBased Tile EQ4.3, MR4.0, MR5.0*, MR6.0

 

LA Kings Office and Training Facility (El Segundo, CA)

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Project Description

Client:
LA Kings Training Center

Location:
El Segundo, California

Year Completed:
2015

Architect:
Haskell Interiors

Products / Strategic Partners:
ARDEX Americas, Bentley Carpet, Armstrong Flooring Inc., Tarkett | Johnsonite, Daltile, Henry Adhesives

Project Summary

“The L.A. Kings – Stanley Cup Champions”

The Vision:
Re-Create an environmentally sustainable World Class facility for Sports Champions within the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo, California. A facility where a winning professional sports teams are connected to the general public; including the Los Angeles Lakers and the L.A. Kings Hockey organizations. Incidentally, Universal Metro did the remodel of the facilities 15 prior. Says a fan who uses the facility, “How cool is it to play hockey, while a pro team practices on the rink next to you?”

The Design:
Creative use of flooring to tie in the team colors of “Black, White and Gray” in the remodel of the space and to have all the Kings operations under one roof, from the: corporate offices, team lockers, a new training gym, a media screening room, a physical therapy suite and main lounge.

The Construction:
Manage the installation of a multitude of floor covering products, including Bentley carpet, Armstrong Striations VCT, rubber flooring and wood. The crown jewel being one of the first open air training gyms in the world.

The Install:
Universal Metro estimated, budgeted, procured, and installed 100 % of the floor coverings on the project.