Marpac Construction
Village Square II
Owner: Seattle Chinatown International District
Public Development Authority
Architects: Kubota Kato Chin/Kovalenko Hale Architects
Marpac’s value engineering and its dedication to retaining the original design intentions helped save money on Village Square II and finish the 139,000-square-foot mixed-use project two months ahead of schedule.
Initially designed entirely with brick veneer cladding, the building underwent a redesign to lower the budget while still keeping the intended look. Marpac proposed a blend of brick veneer, painted concrete, metal siding, vinyl siding and Hardi-panel siding.
Marpac also worked with the design team, including engineer I.L. Gross, to streamline all mechanical and electrical systems to further tighten the purse strings.
Marpac crews encountered challenging site conditions before construction even started. Heavy rains resulted in excessive groundwater, and enormous quantities of buried concrete foundation from the previous structure hampered excavation efforts. A monumental shoring system was built, consisting of 120 cantilevered soldier piles and treated limber lagging, to retain three bordering streets and an alley.
The five-story building includes affordable apartments, a Seattle Public Library branch, a community center and gymnasium, retail space and a parking garage. It has Asian-inspired characteristics, such as steel replicating Asian heavy timber construction, roof tile imported from Japan and a landscaped rooftop Japanese garden.
The project had no medical-only or time-loss injuries for its 16-month duration. Special safety meetings, in addition to scheduled weekly safety meetings, were held when a new subcontractor started work or a new task dictated the need for additional precautions. Also, an independent company inspected the jobsite bi-monthly.
ABC members on the job included DeBolte Plumbing and Heating, Matheus Lumber Co., Puget Sound Masonry and Restoration, and Otto Rosenau and Assoc.