CSU Chico Sutter Hall

During the design phase the owner had a program change causing a four-month delay to the schedule and a $3 million increase to the project. Sundt’s preconstruction team worked with all stakeholders on innovative measures to save time and money while mitigating disruptions. The entire project team focused on finding alternate systems to successfully bring the project back to the original budget. In conjunction with the university, Sundt developed an aggressive plan that included phasing the project into four stages, off-site prefabrication, and phased turn-over dates. Throughout the process, additional design and scope revisions impacted the project schedule, but we developed recovery plans and committed additional staffing. The end result was that Sundt was able to reduce the project schedule and meet all university milestones, including keeping our commitment to open the building in time for the start of the 2010-2011 academic year.

Although not part of our original contract, Sundt decided to model the metal studs, MEP, Fire Protection system, structural, ceiling and structural concrete. By using BIM on this project we were able to save the four-month impact to the schedule and meet the student move-in date.

Sutter Hall was located between two existing student housing buildings on campus. To lessen the impact of construction to these buildings Sundt utilized Tubex, an augured-in piles system. Unlike traditional pile systems the Tubex system produced less noise, no more than a lawnmower, and contained the machine vibration to the project boundary.