Project Visioning & Redevelopment Case Study
Gateways Hospital Transitional Living
Challenge
Jack Kozakar worked with Gateways Hospital on complex master planning, public relations, project management and construction management to maximize the use of their 11-parcel campus on Hoover Street in Los Angeles. Jack was instrumental in turning the tide of neighborhood negative impressions of Gateways Hospital, spending over a year developing better relations with the community one person at a time. Jack used the inputs of the community to improve the project and also to improve how Gateways Hospital communicated with the community. The project culminated in plans for the construction of a Training Center, several Housing and Treatment Buildings, a Community Center and capital improvements for many necessary programs including forensic, wellness, crisis, residential, housing, mental health and other programs. The first project constructed was the Transitional Living Center (to the right). This was a redevelopment project of land across the street from the main part of the campus that Gateways had acquired years before. Gateways Hospital, a non-profit organization, assembled funding from private donations, foundations and public grants which made the construction budget extremely tight, strictly enforced, and all managed without complaint from any of the public and private stakeholders. Parking considerations were important at every stage and using lot ties and lot line to lot line construction techniques, Jack was able to show Gateways how to significantly improve their facilities while complying to the code.
Results
Costs – The project required a complex multi-year budgeting and cash flow model that Jack developed, allowing for Gateways to understand cash flows of grants and other monies coming in against cash flows of planning and construction going out, on a sub-project by sub-project basis and delineated by key stakeholder categories. The model further outputted a one-page summary for Executive Board use.
Construction Schedule – The project was built during the rainy season, and in one of the wettest years ever. Adding to the frustration was a particularly dense clay like earth under the project preventing any rainwater from percolating into the soil. The project also suffered from funding hiccups that caused it to be shut down for 3 months. In spite of these delays totaling over 4 months, Jack delivered the project on time and was able to achieve Gateways Hospital’s opening date.
Quality – Jack was able to specify the exterior finishes, roof materials, interior finishes, support the team in redesigning the basement, driveway and planters; and deliver the project so that it exactly matched the architectural renderings, and exceeded all warrantee requirements. The project was testimony of good things that can happen with strong owner-contractor relationships.