Panelized Construction Saves Time

First Street Family Apartments by AMCAL Multi-Housing is quickly taking shape in Santa Ana thanks to advanced panelized construction.  Sixty-nine affordable units, ranging from two- to four-bedrooms on a 2.15-acre site that was formerly an office building and parking lot, are arranged in six, three-story walk-up/ tuck-under buildings focused on a central landscape/ recreation amenity.  At the urging of the City, the buildings are contemporary and commercial in design to complement one of Santa Ana’s main business arteries.

The project received unanimous City Council approval with a capacity crowd in attendance. Mayor Pulido and several council members lauded the project as a catalyst and model for the redevelopment of this important corridor.

AMCAL General Contractors selected Trademark Construction and their JMW Truss & Components division to fabricate trusses and wall panels at their facility in Yuma, Arizona.  Components came to the site just-in-time for Trademark’s specialized teams to assemble them like a puzzle. The interplay between the two divisions kept everything well-coordinated.    A boom crane followed the crews to drop the panelized walls.  The floors were conventionally framed.  Framing began in October and was completed in 3-1/2 months, saving an estimated 20% in time and utilizing 30% less manpower.

Perry Wright, AMCAL’s Director of Construction who has several panelized projects under his belt, says “I like it because you can pick up time where you can pick up time”.  He admits though that you can only go as fast as the MEP trades can keep up.  “You need to have the framing guy involved early and intensive consultation on mechanical penetration planning is key.”  Rich Wilson of Trademark adds that building in a cabinet shop results in much higher quality construction (precise to 1/16”), a significant reduction in waste, and an 80% reduction in the on-site cleanup.  Even the sawdust is recycled.  WHA’s Bernard Ines and Isaac Aiken fielded numerous coordination calls but noted there were no wall assembly submittals to review.  At kitchen and bath plumbing areas, they detailed metal stud furring to separate them from the panelized framing and simplify construction.  The First Street Family Apartments are scheduled to open this September.

AMCAL is preparing to begin construction on their next WHA project, Las Ventanas in Long Beach, which will also utilize panelized construction.