Organized Labor

Construction of the new home for the non-profit SPUR (San Francisco Planning and Urban Research) at 654 Mission Street is proceeding ahead of schedule, according to general contractor Nibbi Brothers. The $8.347-million construction project broke ground at the end of March and is expected to be completed by April 2009. Designed by Pfau Architecture Ltd., the SPUR Urban Center will be a 15,000 square foot facility featuring exhibition spaces, community meeting rooms for up to 125 people, and research facilities for SPUR volunteers, staff, and the general public.

Nibbi provided extensive pre-construction and value engineering services for the new SPUR Urban Center. Nibbi's Senior Project Manager Tom Giarrusso said that the Urban Center will be a four-story building with full basement. The first two floors will hold the main exhibition gallery and multipurpose room. The third floor will hold administrative offices and the fourth floor will hold an urban affairs library.
According to SPUR, "Urban Center" is a term used to describe any institution whose core mission is to inform and engage the public in urban planning and public policy. Based on data from like institutions in Chicago, Washington, D.C., and New York, SPUR expects to attract more than 150,000 visitors to the Urban Center in its first year.

For almost 50 years SPUR has worked in the areas of regional planning, economic development, housing, transportation, and sustainable development, including green building and energy conservation. The organization's goal to "establish San Francisco as a leading global city in sustainable development," is reflected in the design and building practices for the Urban Center. Giarrusso said the building would be LEED certified. Much of the material from the old three-story building at the site was recycled and the new building uses some recycled materials. In addition, the new building will use high efficiency lighting controls and energy efficient HVAC systems. SPUR's Executive Director Gabriel Metcalf said the building would also have a "green roof" that can collect and conserve water. He called it a "micro version" of the green roof that tops the new Academy of Sciences Building in Golden Gate Park.

About five or six ironworkers were busy installing rebar on the ground floor level during a recent visit by Organized Labor to the site, with electricians set to begin work. Giarrusso said more workers were on the job on days when concrete was poured. The limited space posed some challenges for the contractor. The building has a structural steel frame with a glass façade spanning the ground and second floors.
A description on SPUR's website notes that the design, "allows visitors visual access into the exhibition gallery from the street. The partially open ceiling and two-story windows lend an airy feel to the hall, bathing it in natural light. Sliding walls create flexible meeting spaces on the ground floor that will be available for user by SPUR committees and community groups."

The organization touts the state-of-the-art Multi-Purpose Hall, with a seating capacity of 125 people, a built-in sound system, and projection area: "The second floor reception area can be used as supplemental space for large exhibits carried over from the Main Exhibition Gallery, or for secondary exhibitions. The sliding walls can be drawn to divide the gallery and meeting hall for dual use. A modern kitchen creates an opportunity for SPUR to host catered events or rent the space to outside groups for private receptions."

The third floor will have SPUR offices in a combination of open, flexible workstations and closed offices, and public meeting areas. Dividers constructed of natural materials absorb sound and operable windows provide light and ventilation. A fourth floor Urban Affairs Library and 400-square foot outdoor deck that serves as a reception area will be available for use by the general public.

The design and engineering team for the project includes Pfau Architecture LTD, Forell/Elsesser Engineers, Inc., Flack + Kurtz Inc., Charles M. Salter Associates, Shen Milsom Wilke, ARS Consulting, Martin M. Ron Associates, Treadwell & Rollo, Inc., KCA Engineers, Inc., and Linton Stables, III. The overall costs of the project, including site acquisition will be about $16 million.

Part of the funding came from the issuance of California Municipal Finance Authority bonds in the amount of $6.935 million, which, under the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982, provide a financing vehicle for non-profits like SPUR and the Contemporary Jewish Museum. The project has been in the works for almost five years. SPUR raised over $10 million in pledges and donations to build and equip the Center.

When completed, the new facility will enable SPUR to engage more community members in the democratic process to deal with issues of economic growth, improved public transportation, and increased access to affordable housing; provide informational resources for public policy and urban planning and create a more informed public dialogue on public policy and urban planning issues.

"SPUR is a member-led organization" said Gabriel Metcalf, SPUR executive director, "and the Urban Center will allow many more of the community to become involved in making San Francisco a better place to live and work. It will be an inviting and open presence that is as transparent as we believe public policy making should be."

Metcalf said that the organization is a leader in promoting in-fill development that could create jobs and benefit the building trades. "There's a good level of connection between SPUR and the Building Trades," he said, noting that the Building Trades are represented on SPUR's Board of Directors by SFBCTC Secretary-Treasurer Mike Theriault and Jim Salinas of Carpenters 22. "We hope the Urban Center can become the center for people who want to get involved with planning for the City,' Metcalf said. "We want to invite building trades union members to get involved."

For more information on the SPUR Urban Center, check SPUR's website at www.spur.org.