In 2017, the University of Washington Bothell (UWB) and Cascadia College engaged Mahlum to lead their Campus Master Plan (CMP) in which a bold vision for the future development of their co-located Bothell campus was established. A critical component of the campus vision was to redevelop Husky Village, a 1980s-era apartment complex on a 4.4-acre site that had been repurposed into student residences a decade earlier.
A BOLD VISION
The University’s desire to create a residential campus experience for its first year through upper-class students has resulted in the ~305,000 GSF Husky Village Redevelopment project. Currently under phased construction, the project consists of three, six-story residence halls that will hold 1,055 new student beds, and a separate two-level cross-laminated timber (CLT) structure that will serve as a dedicated dining hall for the residents as well as the broader campus community.
CREATING PARTNERSHIPS
To achieve timely project delivery, UWB created a new form of partnership for the campus — a ground lease agreement between themselves and Capstone Development Partners (CDP). CDP is developing the project, and its affiliate Capstone Management Partners will operate and maintain the four-building facility for up to 70 years. The Design-Build team of Andersen Construction and Mahlum joined Capstone to realize this $160M project, scheduled for phased completion by June 2023 and August 2024.
“ONE TEAM ONE DREAM”
Those of us in the AEC industry know that projects need to be completed “on time and on budget.” This decree became a little less predictable during the pandemic, which overlapped with the start of project design. Due to nationwide price escalations and material shortages, the Design-Build team had to make difficult choices to uphold design integrity while fulfilling the project mission of “maintaining well-designed yet efficient buildings delivered at a price that will ensure affordable units for the students.”
The project schedule also hinged on a timely permit review process. The City of Bothell’s significant contribution to keep the review cycles on schedule was a benefit to all, making the planned construction start in December 2021 a reality. But then the team hit an unforeseen obstacle — the Seattle Teamsters strike which halted concrete manufacturing and delivery. While we waited for the conclusion of strike negotiations, the Construction Team kept their focus on demolition completion, site clearing, and preparation, while the Design Team expedited shop drawings and submittal reviews. The delay caused by the strike ended up benefiting the project by allowing for a more thorough drawings review, which in turn minimized errors and rework later during construction.
Even though the construction start was delayed from Winter 2021 to Spring 2022, the Design-Build team adopted an attitude of “One Team One Dream” — working together to manage and maintain the overall schedule, with construction slated to be completed on time.
This project would not have been possible without the incredible work from the project team:
Developer: Capstone Development Partners
Contractor: Andersen Construction
Architect/Interiors: Mahlum
Landscape: Walker Macy
Civil Engineer: OTAK
Structural Engineer: KPFF
Energy/LEED: Rushing Company
Building Envelope: Morrison Hershfield
Acoustics: A3 Acoustics
Accessibility: Studio Pacifica
Mechanical and Plumbing Engineer: Auburn Mechanical
Electrical: Berg Electric
Fire Suppression: Western States Fire Protection
Surveyor: David Evans and Associates