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West Coast Contactors Receives a Wave of Praise

01/30/2012

Following completion of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) new $38 million Marine Operations Center Pacific (MOC-P) in Newport, Oregon, West Coast Contractors has received recognition for its work from numerous organizations including NOAA and the Oregon Invasive Species Council. “This state-of-the-art facility is a vital part of the nation’s research infrastructure, and will allow NOAA to continue providing the highest level of science, service and stewardship to the American people,” said

Jane Lubchenco, undersecretary of commerce and NOAA administrator. At a recent dedication ceremony Lubchenco also praised the construction team of WCC and Andersen Construction Co. for bringing the project in on time, under budget and with a stellar safety record. West Coast Contractors has been selected by the Oregon Invasive Species Council to receive its annual “Protect the Northwest Award” for preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species during the project by engineering and implementing a process for cleaning the hulls of its construction barges.

Throughout the job, which included the construction of 40,852 square feet of office and warehouse space, a 1,300-foot-long pier, and a small boat dock, WCC used its proprietary Project Control System to track progress, effectively communicate with the client, and keep a tight time table. This thorough approach enabled WCC to effectively coordinate, target and complete highly complex components of this project. “We are very proud of the success of the NOAA project. We are thrilled to see the positive effects that will come to the City of Newport and the residents living there,” said CEO/President of WCC David Kronsteiner.

The project and WCC’s work also garnered accolades from local, state, and national representatives during the facility’s official dedication ceremony. Those praising the new facility included: City of Newport Mayor Mark McConnell, Port Commission President JoAnn Barton, Port General Manager Don Mann, Senator Ron Wyden, Governor John Kitzhaber, and Congressman Kurt Schrader. “Receiving this volume of recognition confirms that WCC continues to build critically important marine construction projects of the highest quality. This praise is both rewarding and humbling,” Tim Smith WCC’s construction manager stated.

The facility’s office building and warehouse – completed by WCC’s joint venture partner Andersen Construction - were built to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver standards for environmentally sustainable construction. The LEED green building system, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, provides a framework of high standards for identifying and implementing practical green building design, construction, and operations.
Today, the MOC-P office building and warehouse provides administrative, engineering, maintenance and logistical support for NOAA’s Pacific fleet, which conducts hydrographic surveys, along with fishery and oceanographic research. The newly construction wharf provides berths for four NOAA ships - the McArthur IIII, Miller Freeman, Rainer and Bell M Shimada – and also supports two visiting vessels.