A 50-year-old office tower was never going to give up its secrets easily. Every wall opened during its conversion into Phoenix’s new police headquarters revealed another surprise. So how do you budget and plan for the unknown?
When the City of Phoenix, Arizona, decided to renovate a former Wells Fargo tower to house its police headquarters and 911 call center, the design and construction team went into the project knowing that the tower would reveal unexpected challenges within its 50-year-old walls.
The city brought onboard a project management team – including RLB specialists – to help the project partners adapt quickly without compromising program, budget or the city’s stringent requirements.
Expect the unexpected
Challenges arose almost immediately.
Upon beginning demolition, the project team discovered most of the 27-story building’s fireproofing material contained asbestos. While the contractor was equipped to carry out the abatement, the city required that its own environmental team handle cleanup and inspections. The project management team coordinated the shift in contracted responsibilities and moved remediation forward on schedule.
As work continued, additional obstacles emerged. Broken water and sewer pipes required full replacement. Outdated life safety systems needed to be brought up to compliance. The location for new electrical and networking infrastructure within the future 911 communications hub couldn’t be determined until the plenum was exposed.
As each new challenge emerged, early planning gave the project team the flexibility to adapt swiftly and keep moving.
Prior to construction, RLB’s cost team worked with project partners to create a realistic budget and schedule contingencies to accommodate unexpected challenges onsite. The design team’s initial facility condition assessment, together with input from the building facilities and maintenance team, designers, engineers and the general contractor, helped identify risks before demolition started.
Regular site visits and weekly coordination meetings meant that, as new issues emerged, the right people were already around the table to assess options and agree on a way forward.
Security behind the scenes
Advanced security and access control were integral features of the new police headquarters, and the city had non-negotiable requirements for vendors, systems and programming.
The project management team led coordination between the design team, contractor, facilities team and city partners to ensure the building’s wiring, hardware and life safety systems all performed to city requirements while meeting the firm budget.
The complexity and coordination were unlike anything the city had previously managed. Each of the 18 bureaus housed within the police headquarters carried its own nuanced security requirements. Administrative floors, for instance, were open to visitors within set hours, while holding areas were restricted to specific badge types.
“The project team’s adaptability, creative solution-building and proactive planning delivered an innovative project capable of meeting the needs of building occupants well into the future.”
Almost every floor relied on a unique team of vendors, some appointed by the city, others by the contractor. Security features had to be integrated with the fire alarm and related life safety systems. With ample planning and communication, the project management team ensured the right solutions were implemented on each floor on time and on budget.
No surprises, just solutions
The project team’s advanced planning and commitment to clear communication kept a complex redevelopment moving despite the unexpected challenge – ultimately increasing the value of the project delivered.
Work progressed through three Guaranteed Maximum Price phases, each providing an opportunity to reassess where costs could be managed to maximize the project’s US$132 million budget.
Fast facts
27 stories
The height of the former Wells Fargo tower converted into Phoenix Police Headquarters.
18 bureaus
Each with its own security and access requirements, all integrated into a single building.
US$132 million
The redevelopment budget, delivered through three Guaranteed Maximum Price phases.
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