BrightView

Completes Design-Build Landscape Site Package on University of California, Merced 2020 Campus Expansion Project

By Brian Hoover, Editor / Photos provided by BrightView

University of California, Merced (UC Merced) became the newest campus to join the UC system on Sept. 5, 2005. UC Merced is not far from the famous Yosemite National Park and serves as a significant base of advanced research and diversification throughout the region. UC Merced recently completed a massive four-year campus construction expansion project, nearly doubling the size of the existing campus. This project was made possible by a coalition of organizations that together completed the largest public-private partnership (P3) social infrastructure project in U.S. history. The 1.2 million-gross-square-foot master-planned campus extension, known as UC Merced 2020, broke ground in October 2016 and was officially delivered to the University on June 1, 2020. The $1.3 billion project includes student housing, classrooms, teaching and research space, student wellness and counseling facilities, and recreational spaces. Delivery of the required milestone completion construction dates occurred in three phases, beginning in mid-July 2018, with the second phase finished in mid-2019, and final phase completed in June of 2018. The P3 development team, which branded together under the banner of Plenary Properties Merced (PPM), was led by developer and equity provider Plenary in partnership with Webcor Builders; Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP, the lead campus planner; and Johnson Controls, Inc., which is responsible for operations and maintenance.

Installing drainage in recreational field. BrightView utilized compact equipment to minimize field damage.

Removing winterization gravel around building to complete landscape installation.

Ripping subgrade for placement of blended topsoil.

The UC Merced 2020 Campus Expansion is the largest project ever awarded to Webcor Builders. Webcor Builders is a premier commercial construction service provider known for its innovative and efficient approach, a wide range of experience, and cost-effective design-build methodology. As the nation’s leading commercial landscape company, BrightView was chosen early in the pre-development process by Webcor Builders to provide the complete landscape and site hardscape design package. As one of the key design-build trade subcontracting partners to Webcor Builders, BrightView put forth an amazing design and worked tirelessly to meet all of design deadlines and technical specifications throughout the project. Jacob Gliddon was the Site Project Manager for Webcor Builders, and he worked closely with BrightView Landscape Development and other key collaborative design-build trade subcontractors. “BrightView assembled a great team for the UC Merced 2020 Project. They exceeded all expectations, and I look forward to working with them again in the future,” says Gliddon.

BrightView excavating for 3” mainline in recreational field.

Placing & spreading blended topsoil.

Skip Stevens, vice president and general manager for BrightView Landscape Development, says that BrightView was honored to have been selected early in 2016 as one of several design-build trade partners exclusively chosen for the UC Merced 2020 Project. “The delivery milestone dates had to be met within the covenants of the agreement between the developer and the UC. BrightView always recognizes the responsibilities that come with being the last guys out, and we are continuously aware of the incredible efforts that are required by our BrightView team members and trade partners to meet milestone completion deadlines and contractual obligations,” says Stevens. “I am extremely proud of BrightView’s design-build team members whom collaboratively partnered with Webcor Builders and the trade partner teams on this design-build to provide UC Merced with an incredible finished product.”

Removing soil material in landscape planter.

Trenching irrigation lines adjacent to curb & fence.

The $24 million BrightView design-build contract included a robust approach to water conservation that was a major focus of the landscape site design package. This included 61-miles of drip irrigation line installed by BrightView throughout all three phases and within the 250-acre campus work area. Additionally, BrightView designed and constructed a NCAA Div. I competition sports field along with multipurpose recreational sports fields, tennis courts, as well as bleachers and around 30-miles or 158,000 linear feet of irrigation hard pipe. BrightView also installed 805 trees, 41,000-plus shrubs, and other duties like native wetland and grassland hydroseeding, landscape drainage, site furnishings, outdoor bike storage facilities and the erection of several shade structures. BrightView blended around 40,000 cubic yards of existing on-site soil, blending and placing more than 500 cubic yards each day.

BrightView excavating tree pits in courtyard.

Dustin Harter was the Project Superintendent overseeing the UC Merced 2020 Project for BrightView daily. “Operating within an open and active campus was the biggest challenge on this project. We constructed our work within delivery phases one, two, and three, and our job was to efficiently and safely turn over each phase to the student body as completed,” says Harter. “There was a parking lot built across the street from the campus, and we were tasked with continuously maintaining safe pedestrian access. We established a flag crew at all crossings and entrances for the safe travel of students, faculty, operators, and laborers whose job it was to sweep the temporary walkways to keep them safe and dry. Safety was our number one concern as we concentrated on getting students and faculty to their newly built classrooms, dorms, cafeterias, and other facilities.”

Trench excavating in planting area.

Harter continues to point out that the use of heavy equipment and crews was predicated on precisely where they were at within each phase. “We continually maintained a minimum of six to eight team members on-site,” says Harter. “Toward the end of each phase, we would ramp up to as many as 35 crew members to meet all delivery completion dates.” Harter says that the UC Merced 2020 Expansion Project required the use of several types and sizes of heavy construction machinery. “We utilized John Deere dozers on the soil pile and Cat 325 excavators for the heavier digging jobs. We also made use of several John Deere 544 wheel loaders and a motor grader on the competition and recreational fields,” continues Harter. According to Harter, skid steers and mini excavators were also plentiful throughout the job site, along with the regular use of dump trucks, trenchers, and other smaller walk-behind pieces of equipment. “Most of the equipment on the UC Merced 2020 Project came from our BrightView owned fleet, but we supplemented as needed with rental machines,” says Harter.

Screening soil for soil blending operation.

Ray Tristan is the Pleasanton Branch Manager for BrightView Landscape Development, and he oversees operations throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and greater San Joaquin Valley. “I want to recognize our Operations Manager, Sal Ochoa, and say thank you to all of the management, trade partners, and every stakeholder that made this amazing project a tremendous success,” says Tristan. “We are currently working on several other projects within the UC system after proving ourselves on the UC Merced project and look forward to this trend continuing in the future.”

The UC Merced 2020 Project has been recognized with numerous awards, including the 2017 Infrastructure Journal Global Award, a 2016 P3 Award, a Public Sector Champion Award from the Performance-Based Building Coalition, and a 2017 award for P3 Social Infrastructure Project of the Year. Please visit https://merced2020.ucmerced.edu/ for more information on the UC Merced 2020 Expansion Project. For more information on BrightView Landscapes, please visit brightview.com or call 844-235-7778. Cc