GOLD MEDAL AWARD WINNER
The Building of America
Thomas & Mack Moot Court Facility at the William S. Boyd School of Law at UNLV www.constructionreviews.com
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Facts & Figures Owner: University of Nevada, Las Vegas, William S. Boyd School of Law Type of Project: A new courtroom and auditorium facility for the school of law Size: 6,700 square feet Cost: $4.6 million (total) Construction Time: June 2006 - June 2007 The Need: A new courtroom that provides a dynamic educational space for students The Challenge: Working on a small site, minimizing impact on students and faculty during construction, and dealing with rising construction costs
Las Vegas, Nevada
Thomas & Mack Moot Court Facility at the William S. Boyd School of Law at UNLV The Thomas & Mack Moot Court Facility at the William S. Boyd School
Gold Medal Award-winning Team Members Thomas and Mack Development Company Project Manager/ Construction Manager Rees Architecture, Planning, Interiors Architect Jaynes Corporation General Contractor The Plumber, Inc. Plumbing Contractor
of Law at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas is setting the precedent for courtroom innovation. The university received a $3.3 million gift from Joyce Mack and the E. Parry Thomas family, and a $600,000 gift from William S. Boyd to establish the new court complex, which sits adjacent to the William S. Boyd School of Law. The Moot Court will facilitate the school’s appellate advocacy training programs while providing an exceptional venue where they will host judicial proceedings by state and federal courts, including the Nevada Supreme Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Photos courtesy of UNLV Boyd School of Law
Circuit. It will also benefit the Kid’s Court programs at the William S.
and a 100-seat auditorium where
adapts to several different types of
Boyd School of Law, which prepares
legal education, simulated legal argu-
courtrooms.
children for actual court appearances
ments and court hearings occur.
Indeed, the courtroom layout is
and offers them strategies to reduce
Students will be able to experience a
a remarkably unique feature of the
stress when they are called to testify.
comprehensive picture of what hap-
complex, and the only one of its
The modern structure includes
pens in all courtroom settings thanks
kind in the world. The multipurpose
administrative offices, a courtroom
to the reconfigurable bench, which
space can be reconfigured to suit continued on page 5
gold medal award winner
arizona/nevada edition
The Owner’s Perspective with Christine Smith, Associate Dean for Administration and Student Affairs at the William S. Boyd School of Law at UNLV Q: What is the most innovative aspect of the project (or of the design/construction process, financing, environmental)? What could others learn from? CS: How the courtroom furniture is reconfigurable to allow for a multipurpose court: trial, appellate (three- to seven-person bench) and to use the room for purposes other than court proceedings, such as lectures, classes, administrative hearings and board meetings. Q: How did the strengths and experience of the project team contribute to the success of the project? CS: The project [team] had a wealth of experience, which enabled [its] members to work together creatively and collaboratively; to address challenges and find workable solutions; and to complete the building within budget and not sacrifice quality in the process. Q: Were there any innovative strategies involving improved quality, cost-effectiveness or cost reductions? CS: On this particular project, the university used a private project manager rather than the State Public Works Board to manage the project. We were able to realize substantial savings because the project manager was a senior vice president at the Thomas and Mack Development Company, a company owned by the donors of the building. Q: Was there anything in the project’s process from beginning to end that was different than what you had anticipated? CS: Using a project manager from a private firm enabled us to work more efficiently and cost effectively. Q: If another owner was about to commence work on a similar project, what advice would you offer from your experiences that
Photo courtesy of UNLV Boyd School of Law
he/she may not be aware of? CS: Employ a project manager. The owner should be involved in weekly project meetings. Q: In all your experiences as an owner, what were some of the best lessons you have learned? CS: The owner must play an active role in overseeing all aspects of the project. Always maintain open communication with all individuals and organizations involved with the project. And, do not be afraid to ask questions. The owner should be prepared for rising costs and be in a position to tap additional funding sources in the event costs rise drastically during the planning and building phases.
4505 S. Maryland Pkwy., Box 451003 Las Vegas, NV 89154 702-895-3671 www.law.unlv.edu
continued from page 3
several different types of trials, as
reconfigured or removed from the
place, the intimate learning environ-
up[s] as well as to its users,” he said.
well as serve educational purposes
room and stored in an adjacent, spe-
ment is more suitable for a classroom
This includes controlling the light-
for law students. Since a municipal
cially designed storage room,” said
setting.
ing, projectors and screens; the feeds
courtroom is different from a supe-
Christine Smith, associate dean for
“When the wall that separates the
to each of the projectors; the
rior federal court and a Supreme
administration and student affairs at
courtroom from the auditorium is
cameras; and the microphone. All
Court, the room allows for all dif-
the William S. Boyd School of Law.
in place, you can not tell that the
technology was designed to accom-
ferent types of configurations. An
The one-room structure is versatile
wall moves,” said Jeff Rensmon,
modate future use and upgrades as
appellate — three- to seven-person
and has the ability to morph into a
director of business development
well, taking growth and expansion
bench — is easily constructed, as
classroom or auditorium. There is a
for Jaynes Corporation, the project’s
into consideration.
well as an En Banc courtroom. The
movable wall that acts as a divider
general contractor. “It is a custom-
In its Southwestern desert environ-
dynamic area also allows for lectures,
between the auditorium and court-
built wall to match the adjacent
ment, The Thomas & Mack Moot
classes, administrative hearings and
room. When the wall is open, the
walls,” he said.
Court lends itself to the landscape,
board meetings.
university refers to this as its auditori-
According to Carlos Montenegro,
um, and the auditorium-style seating
project
Jaynes
the exterior of the building. Inside,
ular, making it possible to switch
overlooks the mock courtroom and is
Corporation, there is a tremendous
finishes consist of burnished concrete
courtroom
scenarios
manager
for
featuring natural stone accents on
All furniture in the room is moddepending
designed for students and onlookers
amount of technology placed inside
masonry unit (CMU) and stone tile
on the type of trial. “A jury box,
to carefully observe the legal process
the building. “The programs are cus-
walls, and makore wood wall panels,
witness stand and lectern can be
below. When the wall is closed, or in
tomized to each of the courtroom set
trim and furniture. continued on page 7
Photo courtesy of UNLV Boyd School of Law
gold medal award winner
arizona/nevada edition
The General Contractor’s Perspective with Jeff Rensmon, Director of Business Development, and Carlos Montenegro, Project Manager, Jaynes Corporation Q: What is the most unique or important feature of the facility (or
Q: What were the greatest challenges encountered on this project
of the design/construction process)?
and how, specifically, did you overcome them?
CM: [The] courtroom can be configured to a trial, appellate or En Banc
JR: One of the major issues was the location. This site is next to a
courtroom setup. Also, there is a tremendous amount of technology
major building on the University of Nevada Las Vegas campus. The
placed inside the building (including future use/upgrade), [and] the
site did not have street access and required us to stage at a remote
programs are customized to each of the courtroom set-up[s] as well as
site. We had to minimize the impact on the students‌at the same
to its users (controls the lighting, the projectors and screens, the feed
time we were trying to complete the project in time for fall classes. We
to each of the projectors, the cameras, the microphone, etc.)
were also able to save several trees close to the building in an effort to preserve the existing campus.
Q: What is the most innovative aspect of the project (or of the design/construction process)? What could other owners learn
Q: What were some of the lessons learned from this project?
from for their future projects?
JR: Communication and coordination between the owner, architect
JR: This project is designed to allow students to train in all courtroom
and end user was critical. To achieve the goals of everyone we had to
layouts. Did you know that a municipal courtroom is different
work as a team.
from a superior court, federal court or Supreme Court? They are, and this building allows users to practice in the actual layout for whatever courtroom. All the while they are still able to be connected electronically. All the furniture in the courtroom is modular. When the wall that separates the courtroom from the auditorium is in place you can not tell that the wall moves. It is a custom-built wall to match the adjacent walls.
3765 W. Cheyenne Ave., Ste. 200 Las Vegas, NV 89032 702-876-7524 www.jaynescorp.com
continued from page 5
Designing such a unique court-
hindered the completion of the
room facility comes with its challeng-
project. In order to overcome increas-
es, and among them was working on
ing cost issues, thoughtful value engi-
a small site in a highly populated loca-
neering that did not impact the qual-
tion. Since the Moot Court is directly
ity of the facility was used, accord-
adjacent to the law school, there
ing to Smith. The team at Jaynes
was no street access, so staging was
Corporation contributed to the value
required at a remote location. “We
engineering, providing the owner
had to minimize the impact on the
with updated pricing and constructa-
students…at the same time we were
bility suggestions.
trying to complete the project in time for fall classes,” said Rensmon.
Communication was the overriding factor that made this new
The Plumber, Inc. provided all the
courtroom an unequivocal success.
plumbing for this project, as well
The owner was involved in weekly
as the chilled and heated water for
project meetings and played an active
the HVAC systems; all equipment
role in overseeing all components
drains; and pump installations. Since
of the project. Maintaining open dia-
“the ceiling spaces were very tight
logue and not being afraid to ask
with all the plumbing, HVAC and
questions also contributed to the
lighting,” said Doug Williams, presi-
project’s triumph. “Communication
dent of The Plumber, the company
and
worked closely with the design and
owner, architect and end user was
construction team to “iron out” coor-
critical,” Rensmon said. “To achieve
dination issues.
the goals of everyone we had to work
Rising construction costs in Las Vegas also posed challenges that
coordination
between
the
as a team.” n — Megan Merritt Photo courtesy of Opulence Studios
Photo courtesy of UNLV Boyd School of Law
gold medal award winner
arizona/nevada edition
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