The following article about Achen-Gardner Construction's 56th Street Improvements CMAR project for the Town of Paradise Valley was featured in the August 7th issue of Arizona Builder's Exchange.
PV Roadway gets 'Iconic' Makeover
By Roland Murphy for Arizona Builder’s Exchange When renovating a roadway in one of the Valley’s most high-dollar and aesthetically-focused areas, the actual laying of asphalt is arguably the simplest component of the process. Success and lasting value lie in detailed planning and active communication among all stakeholders at every step. In Paradise Valley, the challenge was to remake 56th Street between McDonald and Lincoln drives from worn down residential side street into a highly functional but safe connector between the two endpoints. The Town of Paradise Valley used the project as the impetus to create new “Iconic Visually Significant Corridor” guidelines to serve as the groundwork for future roadway development in the area. Under a CMAR delivery method, the town brought in GC Achen-Gardner Construction and designer The CK Group to create the enhanced road according to its standards of providing a safe route of travel while accentuating the visual appeal and multiuse opportunities the project presented. The total construction value of the project was $2.4M. The surrounding area gives testimony to both the potential and the challenges of new-meets-traditional in the area. Camelback Mountain lies to the south, Mummy Mountain to the north. On the west is the long-awaited and soon-to-be-renovated Mountain Shadows Golf Resort, as well as a new luxury home community lies east (AZBEX, May 12). Key concerns under the guidelines included accommodating the modern trend of ensuring convenient pedestrian and cycling access to maximize usability options and minimize impact. Add to this the need to maintain the area’s scenic vistas and southwestern visual appeal with the general needs of any street project, such as traffic management, safety, security, privacy and ease of maintenance, and the list of targets to be hit simultaneously becomes impressive. Renovation and construction for the now functionally completed project were planned in three phases. Before and during each phase, Achen-Gardner Construction and the Town of Paradise Valley regularly communicated with residents, businesses and other stakeholders to identify and alleviate concerns. Team members visited the site at least once a week, providing input on issues and approving adjustments as needed. As a result of clearly identifying goals, empowering the contractor and design teams, communicating with stakeholders and closely monitoring developments along each phase, the corridor is now in place and contributing to the area’s overall appeal and accessibility.Project Owner: Town of Paradise Valley
CMAR/General Contractor: Achen-Gardner Construction, LLC
Designer: The CK Group, Inc.
Major Subconsultants: EPG (Landscape Architect), Service Engineering Design Consultants (El Chorro Wall), National Sign Plazas, Inc. (Wayfinding Signage)
Major Subcontractors: MakPro Services (Public Outreach), B&F Contracting, Inc. (Electrical), ISS Grounds Control, Inc. (Landscaping), RGG United Contractors, Inc. (El Chorro Wall), Magnum Companies (Custom Metal Elements), Integrated Masonry (Stone Features), Creative Metals (Gates), European Pavers (Pavers), SmithCraft Custom Signs & Graphics (Wayfinding Signage)