2023 Construction Guide

CONSTRUCTION GUIDE

Philadelphia’s commercial construction industry is working to increase collaboration on projects, to make building safer, and to be more inclusive.

Women are Taking Their Places in Philadelphia’s Construction Industry

What do you love about working in the construction industry?

One thing I love about the industry is the people. Construction is a team effort, and no one person does it all. Every person brings different views and experiences, which aid in the success of the project. I get the opportunity to work with owners, architects, consultants, subcontractors, etc. Together, we overcome obstacles and hurdles as one team.

Women currently make up only about 10.9% of the entire construction workforce in the US (2022 statistic from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). Philadelphia’s commercial construction industry, however, is ready to change this statistic. For Women in Construction Week 2023, GBCA reached out to several women working on project teams to learn more about what it takes to be in the industry.

What advice do you have for women interested in a career in construction?

Be relentless. Take classes, read books, attend seminars. This industry is filled with individuals eager to share their knowledge, so take advantage of their wisdom. Stop waiting to feel ready for the next big job or promotion. Be decisive and hard-working. Pick yourself up when you fail, forgive yourself for not being perfect, and keep moving forward.

I love collaborating with everyone involved: the owner, design teams, management teams, and the trades in the field, all of whom collectively make a vision a reality. I love being on site, facilitating a building’s taking shape, knowing first-hand the countless details, and helping resolve the challenges that come up. I love seeing these buildings that have contributed to the growth of Philadelphia, the city in which I live.

My advice for anyone who is interested in a career in construction is to leave your ego behind, but never underestimate your abilities. It is impossible to know everything, and you must be willing to learn and accept help. At the same time, do not be afraid to speak up for fear that you might be wrong. At the end of the day, getting involved will only build up your confidence.

I love watching a project come together over time. There is a tangible product at the end of all of your hard work and problem solving that you can showcase!

There are no two projects exactly alike and each day has its own set of challenges. I’m constantly learning and growing.

The construction world is not monotonous and changes at a fast pace. I must walk into work and be on top of my game each day to keep up with it. I love adapting to the daily, sometimes hourly, challenges.

Always be curious about your work and about others. Develop genuine relationships – these individuals will be a great source of advice and support throughout your career. Ask questions, especially to tradespeople as they are the experts in their fields. Don’t be afraid to get out of your comfort zone and always seek out opportunities for growth.

There is always something to learn from anyone in this field, regardless of their rank. Use that to your advantage to become better, wiser, stronger. Women in this industry constantly support and mentor other women in the field. Organizations such as CREW, PWC, NAWIC, and GBCA have women who are committed to helping other women. Get involved, learn, and then pay it forward.

Be true to who you are and do not be intimidated by others who may be louder or profess to know more than you. At the same time, be humble and understand that we can learn every day from those with more experience than us.

General Contractor and Construction Management Services

JANNEY APARTMENTS

Being developed by HumanGood, once completed the community will contain 47 spacious one bedroom apartments in the Port Richmond section of Philadelphia. The apartments are designated for seniors aged 62 and for low income earners. The new four-story building will have modern finishes, accessible features, and a beautiful courtyard for residents to enjoy and all energy efficient appliances.

OLD FIRST HOUSE

Domus was recently hired for the construction at Old First House located at 322-40 Race Street in Society Hill. In order to construct the new building, an existing rowhome will be demolished and the existing historic structure will be relocated adjacent to the site and renovated for the Church. The new five story building once completed, will contain thirty-four apartments and commercial space. The building is being designed to meet Passive House Certification and to be Enterprise Green Certified. Work is anticipated to start June 1, of this year. The developer for the project is Community Ventures and the design architect is OZ Collaborative.

THE KEYSTONE

Domus was hired for pre-construction services in 2021. This allowed the owner to know their expected cost throughout the entire design process and go right into construction eliminating a drawn out bidding process. Work consists of a new 7-story residential building, 2-story steel and concrete podium with 5 levels of wood framed construction above containing 220 apartments. Amenities include lounge, fitness room, coworking space, and a best-in-class 12,000 square foot rooftop lounge. The rooftop includes a dramatic sawtooth shade structure, trellis area, grilling and kitchen stations, multiple fire pits and seating areas, enclosed dog run, and an expansive array of planters and landscaping. A 2024 occupancy is being planned.

The answer to improving quality, speed and cost of construction in Philadelphia

The Penn Medicine Pavilion in West Philadelphia is a monumental feat of construction. The cuttingedge $1.6 billion facility represents what’s possible when contractors, architects and owners work in lock step from start to finish.

“Every aspect of the design and building process was geared toward collaboration,” explains John DeFazio, senior vice president at LF Driscoll. “If it weren’t for that, the project would have never come together in such an extraordinary way. The facility is beautiful, its clinical functionality is incredible, and, remarkably, there were no cost or schedule issues.”

While project delivery methods such as the integrated project delivery (IPD) model used for the Penn Medicine Pavilion are still a minority in the market, the benefits of closer collaboration among building industry stakeholders are clear. Encouraging collaborative project delivery methods such as IPD, design assist, and delegated design, the General Building Contractors Association (GBCA), the local chapter of the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) and AIA Philadelphia, the local chapter of the American Institute of Architects, are working to strengthen partnerships between contractors, designers and engineers. The goal? To deliver better buildings — and better outcomes — for their clients.

Building productive partnerships

The AIA/GBCA Joint Committee fosters dialogue around designers’ and contractors’ shared interests. The group — co-chaired by DeFazio and Joshua Levy, AIA LEED AP, senior director of planning for Genesis AEC — brings constructors and designers together to discuss strategies for working together, often with owners’ involvement.

“For the longest time, the prevailing thought in the design world was that it was an architect’s responsibility to protect building owners from being taken advantage of,” notes Levy. “We have come a long way since then. Today more and more architects and constructors embrace that as a joint responsibility and are working together to deliver what’s best for the owners. That’s ultimately what’s best for all of us.”

“We want to make sure we have an open line of communication, which eventually produces a better product for our clients,” says Maura Hesdon, general manager of Shoemaker Construction Co. and a member of the national AIA/AGC Joint Committee. “We’re also focused on encouraging collaboration earlier and earlier in the design and construction process.”

In fact, research published in 2022 by AIA and AGC

found, unlike in previous years, the majority of architects and contractors strongly agree that the earlier they start collaborating, the better the outcome for the client.

“It all comes down to the fact that no one has all the expertise that’s needed for a project to be successful. But, if we put our heads together, we can come up with some really great solutions,” Levy adds.

A necessity for today’s market

In many ways, the industry demands this type of collaborative approach. Hesdon points out that market instability has accelerated the need for architects and contractors to work closer than ever before.

“Supply chain issues are constantly influencing projects in the design phase. For example, when steel became difficult to procure with lead times of a year or more, buildings were being redesigned to remove joists or integrate more concrete construction so projects could continue moving. Without that foresight and communication, clients wouldn’t be getting the best recommendations,” she explains.

Industry leaders also agree collaboration is increasingly more important because building is increasingly more complex.

“Many professionals don’t realize how complex it is to construct modern buildings that are outfitted with so much technology and so highly customized for their intended use,” says DeFazio. “That doesn’t change the fact that owners are looking for quality, speed to market and economy. That’s why the more expertise you can bring to the table in the beginning of a project, the better.”

When design and construction are more aligned

from the outset, projects can begin as much as a year or two sooner than with a traditional approach that requires a fully complete design before construction begins.

“Every project we do is faster than the one before. Success in this environment happens when we work together,” says Levy. “The same applies when helping owners make the most of their budgets. I’ve personally seen construction costs for a building component on a project shrink from $8 million to $200,000 thanks to the designers and contractors working together to find a creative solution.”

Significant savings also come from collaborative value engineering exercises, avoiding the legal fees associated with dispute resolution, and eliminating the need for an owner’s agent. At the end of the day, a collaborative construction team helps owners get what they need, what they want and what they can afford.

Unfortunately, public sector organizations like state universities, school districts and municipalities are bound by Pennsylvania’s Separations Act of 1913, which mandates a design-bid-build model with a minimum of four prime contractors.

“This legislation eliminates opportunity for collaboration and ends up costing public organizations much more time and money,” says Hesdon. “These significant clients are unable to embrace different delivery options, but we’re doing everything we can to demonstrate how they, too, can benefit from more collaborative approaches to construction.”

In March, Tague

held a “Women In Construction” event

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