Temporary Shoring Design for Downtown San Diego Hotel.
Case Study
Since it opened in 1962, Malcolm Drilling Company has become one of the largest and most successful foundation contractors in the world. Headquartered in San Francisco, MDC has developed specialized and proprietary techniques that have enabled them to handle difficult earth support systems that require innovative design/build techniques.
Jack White, superintendent of MDC’s San Diego office, has worked with Will Fischetti, founder of Earth Support Systems, for over ten years on numerous projects including the Gaslamp Marriott Residence Inn project in San Diego in 2007.
Malcolm Drilling Company was the successful bidder for installation of shoring and underpinning designed by Earth Support Systems for the new Marriott Hotel. The Gaslamp Marriott Residence Inn was being built adjacent to the historic Brunswig building, a hundred-year-old landmark building. Because of the age of the Brunswig building, the building had a sub-standard foundation which needed to be supported with underpinning during the excavation process for the Marriott.
“Earth Support Systems is always my first choice for historical building support projects,” White explained. “My job as a shoring contractor is to assemble a good package in a limited amount of time with a good budget. Will and his team do the job well. Their designs make sure the problem is covered with an inexpensive solution. They give me a simple system that is easy to assemble in a short period of time.”
“When we come across unforeseen situations,” White further explained, “I can call ESSI, and they will get back to me within the hour and solve the problem fast, whether it’s the presence of water that should have been held back at the street or unexpected underground structures that weren’t considered. If we have a problem with material unavailability, we can fax the materials list to Earth Support’s office, and they will adjust immediately to the substituted materials.
“In an industry where down time is very costly” White concluded, “Will and his team help us deal with the unexpected efficiently which enables us to continue an unimpeded flow of production.”