Construction Divisions

Gary Graham

Sundt Construction, Inc. is pleased to welcome back Gary Graham as a senior estimator in the Tempe office. Originally joining the Sundt team in 2007, Gary brings more than 25 years of industry experience to his role, where he will lead estimating efforts for industrial construction projects throughout the Southwest. (Learn more here). Since Sundt believes that our people are the core of what we do, we wanted to get to know our returning team member. We recently spent a little time talking with Gary, and this is what we learned.

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grow up?

I wanted to be an airline pilot.

When you’re not at work, how do you spend your time?
I enjoy camping and fishing, as well as spending time with family and friends.

Who has inspired you the most?

My father. He is an incredible man.

How do you alleviate stress?

I love fishing. I find it incredibly peaceful.

What is your all-time favorite book?

Any Dirk Pitt Adventure by Clive Cussler.

What’s one thing on your bucket list?

To attend a Formula 1 race at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium or at Monza in Italy.

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The new West 7th Street Bridge in Fort Worth, Texas will be the only one of its kind in the state.

Developing innovative ways to build complex projects is one of Sundt’s specialties. Case in point: the $24.1 million reconstruction of the West 7^th Street Bridge in Fort Worth, Texas, a new landmark gateway between the city’s downtown and new cultural district that will feature two, 10-foot-wide pedestrian walkways and 12 precast concrete and stainless steel arches that run the length of the 980-foot-long structure.

When the first phase of construction begins in January 2012, Sundt will keep the current bridge open and operational while constructing the concrete arches offsite – with its own concrete crews. In the spring of 2013, the precast arches will be placed on both sides of the old bridge at night. Once they’re all in place, the old bridge will be closed and demolished and the new bridge will be built in its place – in just 150 calendar days. Area Manager Chris Cedar calls this phase of the project “tight, but do-able” with lots of manpower and planned overtime shifts. In fact, his aim is to open the new bridge earlier than its scheduled completion date of November 2013.

Using Building Information Modeling, or BIM, will help the team manage the project’s complexities, particularly the construction of the arches, because they contain many structural and lighting elements that have the potential to clash with one another if not planned precisely. BIM is a high-tech replacement for construction drawings on paper. Using multi-dimensional computer models, constructability issues can be identified and resolved before construction begins.

Approximately 300,000 pounds of polished stainless steel within the arches and bridge superstructure will be illuminated at night with embedded lighting, making the West 7^th Street Bridge a one-of-a-kind in the state of Texas.

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Designed as an open steel deck arch structure, the new Sellwood Bridge will complement its surroundings while providing ample space for all modes of travel.

When you combine Sundt’s size and proven ability to be innovative with the knowledge and experience of a local contractor, you get a project like the $160 million reconstruction of the Sellwood Bridge in Portland, Ore. Sundt and joint venture partner Slayden Construction used Building Information Modeling (BIM) and a sophisticated video presentation to develop and propose a faster, safer and less expensive method for reconstructing the aging bridge than was originally called for in the project’s Environmental Impact Statement. The approach will shorten the project schedule by approximately one year and reduce the cost to the owner, Multnomah County, by $5 to $10 million.

The 86-year-old Sellwood Bridge stretches 2,000 feet across the Willamette River. Rather than rebuilding it in sections and shifting traffic back and forth between the old structure and newly completed segments, the team will create a ”shoofly” (detour) bridge to keep traffic flowing throughout the project. The approach involves lifting the old bridge deck and truss with hydraulic jacks and moving it to one side, then placing it on a set of temporary piers and connecting it to temporary approach spans so that traffic can continue to use it while the new bridge is constructed.

What are the benefits? Creating a detour bridge is safer for construction crews and the public because it frees up the existing alignment for workers and keeps traffic out of the construction zone. By eliminating the need for complicated traffic phasing, it also shortens the project duration and therefore the overall cost. Another benefit is that it allows for a sleeker bridge design with fewer redundant features and fewer in-water impacts, which is better for the river’s ecosystem. 

The new Sellwood Bridge will be complete and efficiently transporting motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians across the Willamette River in 2015.

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Sundt employees installing pervious concrete

Sundt is paving the way to better value for our clients with the use of pervious concrete, an innovative product that helps owners lessen the environmental impact of their projects – and possibly save money at the same time. Embracing this green product – and investing in the training and equipment that go with it – is just one of the ways Sundt is distinguishing itself as a leader in sustainable construction.

How does pervious concrete work?  When rainwater sheets over large areas of impermeable (traditional) concrete, it picks up many pollutants which it then carries to treatment facilities, rivers and streams. Pervious concrete is different because it’s designed to be porous so that rainwater can pass directly through it, thereby reducing storm water runoff – and pollution – and recharging underground water supplies.

On new construction projects, pervious concrete can be designed to be the site’s main storm water retention system, which allows for less elaborate (and less expensive) sewer systems and other drainage features. In many cases, using pervious concrete allows a larger area of a project site to be developed, which, for owners, translates to greater value.

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Artist's rendering of Sundt's $48 million Warrior in Transition (WT) barracks project at Fort Sam Houston, Texas

Sundt would like to take a moment today, Veterans Day, to salute the brave men and women of the United States armed forces who have put their lives on the line for our freedom. Their sacrifices and hardships are difficult for most of us to imagine, but nonetheless we are deeply grateful for their selfless service.

When our service members return from overseas combat, whether it’s to prepare for their next mission abroad or to return to civilian life, they often bear physical and emotional scars that require special care.  That delicate transition is being made a little easier thanks to the treatment available at the Warrior in Transition (WT) barracks that have been completed at a number of military installations around the country.

Sundt will soon complete one such facility at Ft. Sam Houston, home of the San Antonio Military Medical Center, which reflects our pride in our service members. Built to accommodate up to 360 returning soldiers, the $48 million WT barracks feature a two-bedroom apartment-style design. Through the use of subdued lighting, residential-style furnishings and household common areas, the new WT barracks provides service members a sense of normalcy, as well as the chance to adapt to the new lifestyle they’ll experience when they return to the civilian environment. Proximity to world-class medical and therapeutic facilities, combined with a deep devotion to patient-centered care – both physical and emotional – mean our best and bravest will be treated with the respect they deserve and given the chance to return to their communities in the best condition possible.

In addition to our current project at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, Sundt has completed a $30 million WT project at Fort Bliss, Texas, and has three others underway: at Fort Hood, Texas; Fort Polk, La.; and Fort Sill, Okla. These are some of the most meaningful projects we undertake as a company because they allow us the chance to give back to the men and women in uniform who have given so much to all of us.

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Sundt employees placed the concrete foundation for the new playground equipment at Mesa Verde Elementary in Tucson.

Friends and family of Christina-Taylor Green, the youngest victim of the shooting rampage that occurred in Tucson last January, now have a place where they can remember her and be inspired by her short life. The Christina-Taylor Green Little Hands Playground at Mesa Verde Elementary school was built with contributions from a number of organizations, including $13,000 worth of concrete construction donated by Sundt’s Concrete Division and coordinated through the Sundt Foundation.

The project was organized by the Christina-Taylor Green Memorial Foundation as a living memorial and much-needed improvement to the aging playground, which hadn’t been upgraded since the school was built 35 years ago. Christina-Taylor was a third grader there when she lost her life last January during a public “meet and greet” event with Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.

The new climbing structures and playground equipment rest on a floor of rubber tiles (for improved fall protection) and are canopied by an expansive shade structure. Volunteers from Sundt poured the 2,500-square-foot, four-inch-thick foundation, which includes a four-inch curb around the perimeter to frame the rubber tiles. They also installed the aggregate base course sub base and water-cured the slab to prepare it for the tile adhesive.   

“Sundt was privileged to be part of this project,” said Sundt Foundation Vice President Tom Crohurst. “We hope the playground brings joy to many children, just as Christina-Taylor Green did to those who knew her.”

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Construction site for The London Bridge in 1971. This year the bridge celebrates four decades in Lake Havasu City, Arizona.

Lake Havasu City would be virtually unknown today if it weren’t for Robert McCulloch. In the early 1960s, the city’s site was a barren World War II auxiliary airfield with no population to speak of. But McCulloch, an industrialist and a developer, thought it was the ideal place to relocate his large chainsaw company while creating a new community in the desert.

About the same time that McCulloch was planning to develop Lake Havasu City, the London Bridge in England was literally sinking into the River Thames. The bridge had been dedicated in 1831 and was in a state of disrepair. Because refurbishment was no longer practical, the City of London decided to auction the bridge to raise funds to build a replacement.

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This spring, Sundt Construction, Inc. promoted Wayne Einbinder to vice president to spearhead the company’s recently established special projects division. The division focuses on construction services for large-scale projects ($100 million or more) with external joint-ventures, as well as those projects requiring the multi-discipline expertise unique to Sundt. The division supports the contractor’s long-term goals for growth regionally and nationally.

In May, Einbinder and the Special Projects Division – in collaboration with Sundt’s Sacramento office – celebrated its first project win with the award of the contract for the Kings County Courthouse in Hanford for the Superior Court of California, County of Kings, by the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC). Located in the Central Valley, the $100 million courthouse is the largest courthouse project Sundt has been awarded by the AOC to date.

Einbinder is no stranger to overseeing large-scale construction projects, which made him a perfect fit for leading the Special Projects Division. His work portfolio features more than $1 billion in education projects across seven different campuses. Einbinder’s experience also includes a $2 billion prison program for California Department of Corrections, a $2 billion airport program with Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and an $800 million program with the City of Phoenix.  Click here to learn more about Einbinder and Sundt’s Special Projects Division.

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Rendering of the Sellwood Bridge, a Slayden-Sundt heavil civil construction project near Portland, Oregon.

It’s been a big summer for Sundt’s heavy civil construction team. For starters, the construction company’s Heavy Civil Division was recently selected for two new projects at the Fort Bliss military installation in El Paso, Texas: the Scout Reconnaissance Crew Engagement Range Complex project and the Beaumont Army Medical Center Site Infrastructure Improvements project.

Additionally, the Division is excited about Sundt‘s recently opened satellite office in El Paso, located just 10 minutes from the airport and easily accessible from Interstate-10. Home to about 70 Sundt employees, the El Paso office will support the newly awarded heavy civil construction projects at Fort Bliss, other Sundt projects already underway at the military installation, as well as future opportunities for various company divisions in the West Texas and New Mexico markets. Fred Stone and his staff have been instrumental in the development of owner and subcontractor relationships in the region and will continue to lead Sundt’s efforts there. The company has also welcomed new local talent aboard, including Project Superintendent Ron Parks, who brings decades of scheduling experience and local knowledge to the staff.

Lastly, the heavy civil construction team is looking forward to launching two other projects it was awarded during the past two months: W. Seventh Street Bridge project in Fort Worth, and the Sellwood Bridge project in Portland. Construction on both the Texas and Oregon bridges will launch in 2012.

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Sundt Construction, Inc. recently completed work on new Warrior-in-Transition (WT) Barracks at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas. The design build construction project, which houses returning soldiers with traumatic brain injuries, post-traumatic stress disorder and other injuries, was the very first to receive funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act – topping the list of “100 Recovery Act Projects Changing America” according to a fall 2010 report released by Vice President Joe Biden. The report named the WT Barracks the No. 1 example of successful initiatives born out of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, also known as the Stimulus Package.

This federal construction project’s design is a hybrid of a private-sector apartment and a medical-type facility. Most wounded soldiers residing in these WT barracks are able-bodied but coping with brain injuries or other related limitations. For that reason, the facility includes a myriad of way-finding features, such as designated color schemes for each floor and hand and lean rails for taking breaks. Its campus-minded layout also contains multiple lounge areas to encourage interaction, as well as an outdoor courtyard with a healing garden, walking trail, labyrinth, seating areas and covered canopies for
recreation and reflection.

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