Gafcon announces completion of Coronado animal care facility

Gafcon Inc., a leading California-based construction management and consulting firm, announced today that construction is now complete on a new $1.6 million animal care facility located at 1395 First Street in Coronado, Calif.

Gafcon performed a constructability review and served as the construction manager for the 12-month project for the City of Coronado. The project involved the demolition of an existing parking lot adjacent to the Coronado Ferry Landing Marketplace and construction of a new 3,400-square-foot single-story concrete masonry building. The facility houses a variety of functional spaces including seven dog adoption areas, three cat community rooms, holding areas, quarantine areas, examination/treatment area, "get acquainted" room, food preparation space, grooming room and exterior dog exercise yard.

The facility was built to the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED Silver certification standards, incorporating a variety of sustainable elements including energy- and water-efficient fixtures, natural lighting, recycled building materials and construction waste recycling.

The new building reduces the environmental impact due to its proximity to public transportation, off-street parking for fuel-efficient vehicles, permeable concrete pavers and an infiltration system to reduce storm water runoff. The facility also reduces its potable water consumption through the use of water-efficient landscaping and artificial turf. The exterior masonry block walls utilized in the structure have a high recycled content and 50 percent of all wood products used are Forest Stewardship Council certified. The interior finishes all meet or exceed the standards for lowering indoor air contaminant levels and mechanical systems were flushed out prior to occupancy to further reduce volatile organic compounds. The project design also included multiple clerestory windows and skylights to optimize natural light and further reduce energy consumption.

The Gafcon project team included John Wilson, project manager; Penny Kronberg, constructability review/oversight; Anthony Trinca, constructability review; and Jamie Roberts, labor compliance.

Other members of the project team included Bill Cecil, capital projects manager for the City of Coronado; Davy Architecture, architect; Grahovac Construction, general contractor; Stedman Dyson, structural engineer; SB&O, civil engineer; Turpin & Rattan Engineering, electrical engineer; Rao Engineers, mechanical engineer; and Howard Associates, landscape architect.

The project was developed as the result of a joint-funding agreement between the City of Coronado and Pacific Animal Welfare Society, or PAWS, of Coronado. The previous shelter located on Orange Avenue was torn down to make way for senior housing units in 2006. Since that time, animal services have been housed in the basement of the Coronado Police Department.

The City of Coronado has retained Gafcon to provide construction management for a second project, the new Coronado Tennis Center.

About Gafcon Inc.
Founded in 1987 by Pam and Yehudi Gaffen, Gafcon Inc. is a leading development and construction management firm providing professional construction consulting, construction program management, real estate economics consulting, design management and construction-related claims support. The company employs more than 150 construction project managers architects, civil engineers, financial analysts, estimators, schedulers, quality inspectors and computer professionals. Gafcon maintains corporate headquarters in downtown San Diego, with branch offices in Irvine, Los Angeles and Oregon.