The Judy & Richard Voltmer Sleep Center at Hoag Hospital, Newport Beach, CA

Project Description

Client:
Hoag Hospital

Location:
Newport Beach, California

Year Completed:
2010

Architect:
H. Hendy Associates

Products / Strategic Partners:
ARDEX Americas, Daltile,
Henry Adhesives, Tarkett | Johnsonite

Project Summary

Vision:
The Judy & Richard Voltmer Sleep Center at Hoag Hospital is a state-of-the-art facility designed to provide patients with a comfortable and private environment for extensive sleep studies. Universal Metro played a pivotal role in transforming the center, ensuring it reflects Hoag’s commitment to high-quality care and patient comfort. The center features eight private bedrooms, each equipped with its own private bathroom to offer a sense of relaxation and privacy throughout the sleep study process.

Universal Metro’s design team worked closely with Hoag Hospital to create a space that feels more like a luxurious hotel than a clinical setting. Each room is thoughtfully decorated with elegant floor and wall décor, and the luxurious Ralph Lauren linens add a touch of sophistication. By blending high-end aesthetics with functional space, the sleep center fosters a calm, restful environment, perfectly suited for conducting precise sleep studies.

This attention to detail aligns with Hoag’s reputation for providing top-tier medical services, ensuring that patients not only receive the best in diagnostic care but also enjoy an experience that is comfortable, supportive, and designed to make sleep studies as effective as possible.

Flooring That Inspires Young Minds: KidZone Christian Preschool, Santa Fe Springs

Surf, Sand, and Safety: Inside KidZone Christian Preschool’s Ocean-Inspired Flooring

When Four Square Church envisioned a new children’s school and ministry building in Santa Fe Springs, the goal was clear: create a space that would educate hearts and minds for eternity while supporting the everyday realities of early childhood learning. Universal Metro was selected to deliver a KidZone Christian Preschool flooring installation in Santa Fe Springs that blended creativity, safety, and long-term performance—setting the foundation for a space where children could learn, play, and thrive.

Designing a Child-Centered Learning Environment

Early childhood education environments place unique demands on flooring systems. Surfaces must be durable enough to handle constant activity, safe for young children, easy to maintain, and visually engaging. Working closely with Mimi Snowden Design, Universal Metro helped translate the project’s vision into flooring solutions that supported both the educational mission and the architectural intent of KidZone Christian Preschool.

The design concept centered on an oceanic theme, creating a joyful and immersive environment that sparks curiosity and imagination. This theme flows seamlessly throughout the building, reinforcing a sense of wonder while remaining grounded in practical, developmentally appropriate design.

Ocean-Inspired Flooring That Balances Fun and Safety

The flooring design at KidZone Christian Preschool plays a central role in bringing the ocean theme to life. Carefully selected materials and custom details transform floors into storytelling elements that guide children through the space.

Custom-cut porcelain tile flooring forms a playful surf-and-sand motif, visually anchoring classrooms and common areas with movement and color. Shades of blue, paired with natural textures, echo the calming and energizing qualities of the sea. Complementing these surfaces, blue glass mosaic accents add depth and visual interest, reflecting light and reinforcing the aquatic aesthetic.

Safety was a top priority throughout the project. A glow-in-the-dark safety tread system was incorporated in key transition areas and steps, improving visibility and helping guide young children safely through the building during low-light conditions. These subtle but impactful details demonstrate how thoughtful flooring design can enhance both form and function in educational spaces.

Trusted Partners, Proven Performance

Universal Metro collaborated with leading flooring manufacturers and material partners to ensure the project met the highest standards of quality and performance:

ARDEX Americas provided advanced substrate preparation and installation systems, creating a smooth, reliable foundation for every finished surface.
Burke Flooring contributed resilient flooring solutions well-suited for active learning environments where comfort and durability are essential.
Dal Tile supplied porcelain tile products that offered both design flexibility and long-term durability.
Tarkett | Johnsonite delivered specialized products for transitions, bases, and safety components that ensured continuity throughout the space.

Together, these materials support the daily needs of a busy preschool while maintaining the visual integrity of the design.

Precision Installation and Project Coordination

Completed in the fall of 2008, the KidZone Christian Preschool project required careful coordination and attention to detail. Universal Metro’s team managed sequencing with other trades, maintained consistency across custom patterns and finishes, and adhered to strict quality and safety standards appropriate for early childhood facilities.

From substrate preparation to final installation, every phase was executed with precision to ensure the flooring would perform as intended for years to come.

A Lasting Foundation for Learning and Faith

Today, KidZone Christian Preschool stands as a welcoming, engaging environment where children can grow academically, creatively, and spiritually. The flooring serves as both a functional surface and a design element—supporting safety, encouraging exploration, and reinforcing the joyful mission of the space.

For architects, contractors, and institutions seeking expert preschool and education flooring solutions in Southern California, Universal Metro brings decades of experience, craftsmanship, and collaboration to every project.

Explore Our Award-Winning Portfolio

See how Universal Metro delivers expertly installed flooring across education, hospitality, and commercial environments

Santee Education Complex (Los Angeles, CA)

Project Description

Client:
Los Angeles Unified School District

Location:
Los Angeles, California

Year Completed:
2004

Architect:
HMC Group

Awards / Acknowledgements
Starnet Design Award Recipient

Products / Strategic Partners:
ARDEX Americas, Burke Flooring, Tarkett | Johnsonite, Roppe

Project Summary

Vision:
The design of this innovative facility reflects the industrial surroundings it is located in. The linear circulation in and in between the four buildings of the facility are similar to the flows of the adjacent railway, while the landscaped edges of the grounds meander like the nearby riverbed. Inside the buildings, Universal Metro installed flooring products from Azrock, Burke-Mercer, and Roppe.

Pasadena City Hall – Seismic Upgrade & Rehabilitation

City Hall chambers room with a table and chairs

Project Description

Client:
Pasadena City Hall

Location:
Pasadena, California

Year Completed:
2008

Project Value:
$ 392,790

Architect:
Bastien and Associates

Products / Strategic Partners:
Armstrong Flooring Inc., J + J Flooring Group,
Tarkett | Johnsonite

Project Summary

Vision:
Pasadena City Hall is one of the finest examples of the California Mediterranean style. It is the dominant building in the Pasadena Civic Center, which is a complex of government, institutional and cultural buildings that epitomizes the City Beautiful movement.

Since its opening on December 27, 1927, Pasadena City Hall has remained one of the most distinctive public buildings in the United States and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Universal Metro’s work on the building’s restoration project earned it a StarNet 2008 Design Award in the Enviromental Achievment Category.

Saperstein Critical Care Tower (Los Angeles, CA)

Project Description

Client:
Cedars Sinai Medical Center

Location:
Los Angeles, California

Surface Area:
250,000 SF

Year Completed:
2006

Project Value:
$ 1,550,686

Project Summary

Vision:
Following the devastating Northridge earthquake in 1994, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center needed to replace a badly damaged building. Working closely with Swinerton Builders, Universal Metro completed this eleven story (250,000 square foot) tower in 2006. Under the pressure of an incredibly compacted schedule, the general contractor leaned on Universal Metro’s team to ensure the accelerated scheduling demands could be met. Utilizing Universal Metro’s expert labor technicians, the final four floors were completed at one time under the direction of four separate crew leads. The work in this 150-bed facility included a moisture sealer and Ardex treatment, heat welded and self coved sheet goods, carpet, ceramic tile, and even a state-of-the-art helipad on the building’s roof.

Dignity Health BEIP – Glendale Memorial Hospital

Project Description

Client:
Dignity Health

Location:
Glendale, California

Year Completed:
2017

Project Value:
$ 332,900

Architect:
Devenney Group Ltd.

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

Project Summary

Vision:
Dignity Health operates a number of aging campuses where significant effort and time must be invested to improve campus and building aesthetics. These improvements were needed to upgrade the “look and feel” of the campus, furthering Dignity Health’s ongoing commitment to improve the appearance, operation, and functionality of each hospital campus, while providing quality and outstanding services to the people and communities served.

Design:
“Hello humankindness” became the inspiration for this BEIP project, as Dignity Health’s corporate vision was ingrained into the renovation of Glendale Memorial Hospital’s 334-bed facility and 24-hour Emergency Department. The “Light of Day” Interior Finishes were designed to inspire healing: mind, body, and spirit. With splashes of colors complimentary to nature and life, floor covering finishes became the centerpiece to each space. Finishes included 12″ x 24″ Armstrong Raffia VCT (installed with running bond and accent colors), Armstrong’s Natural Creations LVT, a variety of sheet goods from Johnsonite / Tarkett, fabric-styled ceramic from Daltile, and Johnsonite rubber base throughout, all set atop a variety of Ardex setting materials (X32 mortar), waterproofing / anti-fracture membranes (8 +9), and underlayments, including Feather Finish and K60 Leveling Compound.

Construction:
Coordination of this six-story renovation was vital over the course of this 11-month project. Each phase was methodically planned, focused on minimizing adverse impacts to the healing process, all while maintaining a work space where demo, substrate remediation, and installation of intricate patterns and designs wouldn’t stand in the way of patient and provider access to each space by end of shift. This became especially critical in Mother-Baby Units, where cure times are no match for emergency C-sections and one-way paths of travel.

Placentia Linda Hospital – Main Corridor & Med-Surg Renovation (Placentia, CA)

Project Description

Client:
Placentia Linda Hospital (Tenet Health)

Location:
Placentia, California

Year Completed:
2017

Project Value:
$ 145,990

Designer:
Universal Metro

Products / Strategic Partners:
Amtico, ARDEX Americas,
GCP Applied Technologies,
Mannington, Roppe, XL Brands

Project Summary

Overview:
Placentia Linda Hospital, a member of Tenet Health, is a 114-bed, acute care hospital, servicing greater North Orange County, CA. For months, a major overhaul of the hospital’s Main Corridor and Med-Surg Unit was delayed and design plans seemed to be the biggest source of the problem. Despite regular meetings with their contracted interior designer, hospital management struggled to find common ground in their vision, and thus, the hospital’s COO and Facility Director reached out to Universal Metro for help. Grant Petruzzelli of Universal Metro quickly saw that the vision painted by the hospital was not reflected in the plans he was provided. They needed new ideas and quality solutions fast, and Universal Metro was up for the challenge.

Vision:
Drawing on the designs found in a collection of magazine ads, project photos, etc. that the Facility Director had collected to create her own vision of the project, Grant began incorporating as many design elements as possible to move the project forward. To do so, he had to combine both circular pattern accents with linear lines. With flooring material finishes already submitted, based on the original designer’s failed attempts, Grant worked diligently with Mannington’s District Manager to maintain the Amtico LVT finishes previously sampled. Using a half-running bond and a 12″ x 24″ format, Stone LVT was used as the field, providing a solid base for this busy hospital corridor. With a two-plank wide accent stripe running off-center in each corridor, from one end to the other, the lighter or darker Wood LVT stripes were in contrast to the circular designs that break up the monotony of corridors extending as much as 335′ in length. Nursing stations were accented with darker half-rounds, showcasing their location for those in need of help. At intersections, overlapping aesthetics added to the way finding theme, as their occurrence suggests whether patients or staff are walking North-South or East-West. Lastly, adjoining corridors that didn’t meet budget constraints are still complimented, despite their in-laid border design, with complimentary colors and finishes, and a linear dimension that could easily accommodate the next renovation and extension of the design. Lastly, the design focused on an underlying moisture condition that had to be addressed, and with the help of both Ardex Moisture Resistant Patch and Halex’s Versashield, a solution was provided, under budget.

Construction:
The new design put forth by Universal Metro was met with open arms, forcing Grant’s design consultation on surrounding finishes (wall features, doors, and casework) and meetings with the new architect, who focused on everything but the floors. Due to the unforeseen costs associated with the initial designs, the Facility Director relied heavily on Universal Metro to provide a lower cost solution to address the moisture issue. As such, the project was value engineered using Versashield MBX, allowing up to 98.9% RH coverage, while not compromising the Mannington Amtico flooring finishes to be installed above. Additionally, because the hospital’s main corridor is the primary source of travel throughout the facility, the installation of 9,000 SF of floor covering needed to be mobilized over 6 phases, each requiring demolition, a custom tape grid for the VersaShield installation (as specified by an on-site, Technical team from Halex), and customized field cuts, adapting the design, initially drawn in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, to templated patterns that could be used in the field for consistency and design cohesion. Coordination with the facility was integral to our success, as phasing plans were adjusted to census needs, initial maintenance requirements, and paths of travel. Ultimately, Placentia Linda was left with a solution to their moisture issues, a durable and beautiful new floor, and a basis for future designs and renovation themes.

Providence Disney Family Cancer Center, 4th Floor (Burbank CA)

Project Description

Client:
Providence

Location:
Burbank, California

Surface Area:
3,500 SF

Year Completed:
2017

Project Value:
$ 35,640

Architect:
Boulder Associates

Products / Strategic Partners:
Antron, ARDEX Americas, Armstrong Flooring Inc.,
Atlas Carpet Mills, Mannington, Roppe

Project Summary

Overview:
The Roy and Patricia Disney Family Cancer Center is a beautiful Medical Office Building in Burbank, CA, serving as an extension of neighboring Providence St. Joseph Medical Center. The 4th Floor remodel of “DFCC” fell under the strict guidelines of OSHPD, and consisted of a reallocation of offices, creation of new clinical spaces, a new Waiting Lobby layout, and a complete overhaul of finishes throughout.

Vision:
Providence Health has done an incredible job branding their facilities, throughout greater Southern California, with natural palettes that combine wood grains with very popular linen-styled sheet goods. This project was no different, allowing patients that frequent Providence’s facilities to be comforted knowing that the finishes match the same level of care that they value and trust. With a strong base of Realities wood-grain sheet vinyl throughout much of the space, the unique architecture of the building was accented with Paradigm sheet goods, which consists of linen-like patterns and striated designs. As such, ceiling curvature was mimicked on the floor, accenting the Nurses’ Station, as well as the rounded windows surrounding the infusion clinic. The natural light that the building radiates throughout the space, but was complimented with the warm balance of colors found in both the floors, cabinetry, and solid surfaces. Other natural green tones were introduced into the clinical space with privacy curtains and glazing, which separated each station along the large glass windows. The waiting lobby consisted of a beautiful carpet pattern from Atlas, complimented with striated glazed panels which seamed to mirror the same pattern style of the Paradigm Sheet Vinyl in the adjoining clinical space.

Construction:
As is pivotal with any sheet vinyl installation, floor preparation was an integral part of this project. Paint markings from prior work in the building had badly stained prior floors, and thus, Universal Metro meticulously addressed all markings prior to moving forward with cementitious underlayment. Also cause for concern was the outside lighting, with large floor-to-ceiling windows surrounding the workspace. As such, self leveling and floating the surface was a crucial element of this successful installation. Lastly, the architectural elements of the project, such as the rounded cuts along casework, windows, and matching ceiling curvature above, were addressed with precision out in the field, as templates failed to account for as-built ceilings, casework, etc. In the end, Universal Metro’s commitment to preparation created a beautiful finished product, void of imperfections caused by exterior glare and reminiscent of the beautiful design that Boulder Associate Architects and Providence Health System set out to achieve.

Dignity Health BEIP – Northridge Hospital

Project Description

Client:
Dignity Health

Location:
Northridge, California

Surface Area:
97,000 SF

Year Completed:
2017

Project Value:
$ 839,733

Architect:
Devenney Group

Products / Strategic Partners:
American Olean, ARDEX Americas,
Armstrong Flooring Inc., Tarkett | Johnsonite

Project Summary

Design:
“Hello humankindness” became the inspiration for this BEIP project, as Dignity Health’s corporate vision was ingrained into the renovation of Northridge Hospital’s 409-bed acute care medical center. The “Light of Day” Interior Finishes were designed to inspire healing: mind, body, and spirit. Flooring finishes became the centerpiece for this project, bringing over six floors and more than 97,000 SF back to life with a re-energized, cosmetic face-lift. Combining natural woods in sheet vinyl and LVT finishes with natural tones and textures in 12″ x 24″ VCT, patient care areas were restored with vibrance and new energy. Finishes included Armstrong Raffia VCT (installed with running bond and accent colors) in most corridors, elevator lobbies, and nurses’ stations; Armstrong’s Natural Creations LVT in the Cafeteria; a variety of sheet goods from Johnsonite / Tarkett, including Acczent Wood fields surrounded by complimentary solid homogenous sheet from their iQ Natural line; glass tile accents from American Olean made an impact on wet walls, and Johnsonite rubber base and transitions complimented trims throughout.

Construction:
Coordination of this six-story renovation was vital over the course of the 11-month time frame. Each phase was methodically planned, working with directors, hospital leadership, CMs, PMs, Superintendents, and multiple trade foremen to reduce adverse patient impacts, while promoting an efficient pace that allowed for accessibility at shift’s end when necessary and a strict attention to design detail, always. Extreme moisture conditions were alleviated with Ardex’s MC Rapid Moisture Control System using V1200 Self Leveling and K60 Leveling Compound to off-set extreme leveling needs after revelation of ceramic under mulitple layers of resilient demo. Walkable traffic was necessary within hours, as high impact areas, like the Cafeteria, remained open during work. Phasing forced intricate patterns to be cut in half with plastic containments, forcing crews to interlace and double-back efforts to ensure consistency and quality. Coordination and communication were vital, as this project, which originated out of general budgets, was specified on the fly, as field conditions following Universal Metro’s demolition revealed how unforeseen variables would be addressed, both from the design of Devenney Group’s architects and with the technical expertise of Universal Metro’s mechanics.

Providence St. Joseph Bi-Plane Angiography (Burbank CA)

Project Description

Client:
Providence Health

Location:
Burbank, California

Surface Area:
2,104 SF

Year Completed:
2017

Project Value:
$ 9,615

Architect:
C|A Architects

Products / Strategic Partners:
ARDEX Americas, Mannington

Project Summary

Vision:
Providence’s commitment to Mannington Commercial is strong, and is especially evident in the products that their designers specify. Using a combination of both cherry toned, Realities wood-grain sheet vinyl and the linen-like style of Paradigm sheet vinyl, C|A Architects provided a natural and soothing environment within the space that has become synonymous with the Providence brand. Understated in many ways, this space was still elegant and contemporary. With such heavy equipment moving into the space, the flooring design was used to accent a beautiful machine, while helping to set a peaceful tone for those entering the space to undergo testing.

Construction:
In order to accommodate this installation, floor preparation was essential. First, moisture tests revealed that Moisture Control would be necessary, and thus, Ardex MC Rapid was used to alleviate the risk of moisture failure in one primary room of the project. Within the equipment room itself, Siemens – the manufacturer of the Biplane Angiography machine – required a level surface in order to ensure proper balance in the equipment. As such, Universal Metro self leveled the suite, using Ardex K60, providing a flat, smooth, and level substrate, ready for new sheet vinyl and a very sophisticated piece of equipment. Mannington’s sheet vinyl was installed to perfection – providing a stunning, natural palette to a beautiful new space.

Portfolio Tag: Universal Metro

Project Description

Project Summary

Surf, Sand, and Safety: Inside KidZone Christian Preschool’s Ocean-Inspired Flooring

Designing a Child-Centered Learning Environment

Ocean-Inspired Flooring That Balances Fun and Safety

Trusted Partners, Proven Performance

Precision Installation and Project Coordination

A Lasting Foundation for Learning and Faith

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