Category: featured

Challenged Athletes Foundation Community Challenge Weekend

Posted on by Lusardi Construction

Lusardi Construction Company is honored to support the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) in its mission to provide opportunities and support to people with physical challenges so that they can pursue active lifestyles through physical fitness and competitive athletics.

This year, we celebrated our 10th year as a sponsor of the CAF Community Challenge, held on October 23rd, 2022, along beautiful Bonita Cove at Mission Bay, San Diego.  The Challenge offered events for every level of participant:  San Diego Triathlon Challenge (full, or any single leg…swim, run, bicycle), Tour De Cove Stationary Cyclethon, Yoga By The Bay, 5K Walk/Run, Virtual Participation (for those not in San Diego), or to enjoy the spectacle of the day and share time with the Lusardi Construction family.  In addition, to recognize our decade of support, we established a goal of bringing a Lusardi team of more than 100 strong! 

For those who joined as a participant or supporters, Lusardi was well-represented at the event with swimmers, runners, bikers, walkers, and those who just came to watch. Lusardi had a “home base” booth just opposite the sports court to see the Challenged Athletes and kids play wheelchair basketball and the people cheering them on. 

A special thank you to the people that coordinate our participation and make it possible for Team Lusardi to make a difference.

Associated Subcontractors Alliance General Contractor of the Year Awards

Posted on by Lusardi Construction

Lusardi was recognized as San Diego’s Top General Contractor at the 32nd Annual Associated Subcontractors Alliance (ASA) San Diego Chapter awards and Installation Banquet. The event took place at Humphreys by the Bay. Nominated by the local subcontracting community, the award signifies that Lusardi is the region’s general contractor that demonstrates best-in-class leadership, commitment to safety, quality construction, team attitude, timely payments, and strong relationships with the local community.

“The Annual Awards Program was established in 1990 to honor those ASA-member companies and individuals who have turned in an exceptionally outstanding performance during the previous 12 months.”

 

Lusardi Construction Company Collaboration with Monument Visions

Posted on by Lusardi Construction

What is brand connection? Brand connection is a method that encourages people on a personal level and leads to greater brand loyalty.  Visual storytelling is the essential layer that weaves emotions and presence into that connection and forges a link to feeling attached.  A great brand connection starts with being intuitive, innovative and involving.

Monument Visions, a high-end creative and media agency out of Los Angeles and Lusardi Construction Company, a homegrown San Diego general contractor, teamed up to deliver a multi-phase digital marketing overhaul – a new website, video and photography – resulting in more than just a story and expanded brand presence for an award-winning team.

“When I first spoke with Brandon Scharping back in 2019, honestly we just clicked. It was like the marketing gurus matched us to work together. I knew from the start something extraordinary was going to happen. The COVID pandemic then stalled our website project for almost 9 months. The uncertainty of everything happening in the industry and around the world, it didn’t feel right for my team to push the project forward financially. I was patient during the process knowing that the time would come in the future for Brandon and I to meet again and start the framework for the redesign on the website,” Marcella Garofalo, Marketing Manager, Lusardi Construction Company.

 “Right from the get-go, Monument Visions saw a big opportunity to transform Lusardi’s digital presence. At the core, we’re storytellers, and we’re dedicated to crafting an impactful strategy, which included the website, video and photography, that tells their story. Marcella and I got along really well – we shared a vision for how we could up level the company’s brand, and what ultimately made our approach stand out was passion,” Brandon Scharping, Founder and CEO, Monument Visions.

“Everyone loves a project once complete because the true form of design and construction come together as one. But there is a raw form of beauty when projects are under construction. Subcontractors working in tandem for each scope of work. Large equipment moving dirt, steel, concrete. I wanted to showcase that part of our business. Not just the pretty finished work,” notes Marcella.

Brandon continues, “Getting our hands dirty on site of Lusardi’s construction projects was our favorite type of shoots. From the massive deck pour at Jefferson to the final touches of the VA Clinic reconstruction, Lusardi’s teamwork was an essential part of the process we wanted to highlight in website content.”

The summer season was winding down and with a plethora of new digital assets including multiple project completion videos and photos, new headshots for the company, and new staged culture shots the website was starting to look and feel brand new. Lusardi and Monument Visions were on track to complete the website overhaul by the end of the year, but one major project was looming on the horizon. The Veterans Affairs Outpatient Center Kearny Mesa project.

“The VA Outpatient Center was Lusardi’s largest project in 2021 and it was important to produce a powerful profile video highlighting the core development and design team emphasizing the importance of this new facility for the Veterans community,” notes Marcella.

“Our main focus with the VA Clinic video was to capture team interviews, dynamic footage of the property, grand opening and a Veteran’s first impression of the clinic. The story was strong – three major firms teaming up with numerous subcontractors to construct a facility that would change veterans’ lives. It’s a project that deserved this documentation and will last for generations to come,” said Brandon.

“Leading up to the website launch I was a bit apprehensive on how the company would receive the finished product. An entire year of dedication and commitment to this project really tested my management and leadership skills. In the end, Lusardi was beyond happy with the finished product. The website was a smashing success and far exceeded the original vision,” smiles Marcella.

“There was no way possible that we could have ever imagined how amazing the final product would be.  Both Marcella and Brandon hit homerun with our redesign and the feedback from both the company and community has been amazing,” says Bill.

Lusardi Website Link

“Monument Visions’ partnership with Lusardi has been such a rewarding experience. Together, we have built a foundational digital presence that we will be able to build upon in the future. Their company’s story will continue to evolve and we look forward to telling that narrative for years to come,” said Scharping.

“Tackling a large project like a complete website redesign requires finding the best team both internally and externally.  When Marcella started working at Lusardi we knew we now had the right person internally to take on this daunting task, we now just needed to find the right firm to engage.  Marcella set up numerous meetings with several reputable firms, but after meeting with them the spark just wasn’t there.  We do things a little different here and finding a fit for our culture and to tell our story was going to be difficult.  However, when we first met with Brandon and his team we knew immediately that we’d found the firm to help redefine our digital story.  After numerous meetings and presentations, we had a game plan and away to the races Marcella and Brandon went.” Bill Leslie, Vice President – Preconstruction, Lusardi Construction Company.

An outdated website redesign was the first big priority for the company and the marketing department. Lusardi’s focus was less on lead generation but more on visual storytelling. The goal was to focus on design and flow, followed by video production to showcase depth and experience as a builder and service to each team.

“Lusardi’s goal was to overhaul their online content so that it mirrored their reputation as one of the best AEC firms in the business. In today’s digital world, a fancy website is par for the course, so our strategy was figuring out how to weave high-quality branding videos throughout in order to better tell their narrative from a fresh perspective. The team loved traveling to several noteworthy projects and capturing these scenes first-hand,” stated Brandon Scharping.

Over the next few months the project catapulted into weekly design meetings and sitemap planning. The rebuilding of all the marketing assets was an enormous undertaking for the Lusardi team. A realization during the early months was that Lusardi needed more digital assets beyond completed project photos.

“Throughout the process there were numerous check-in meetings and draft presentations all which excited our team to see how our project was beginning to come to light,” mentions Bill.

“I knew our collection of completed project photos was strong, but we were missing videos, culture photos of current employees, and we had a mishmash of very old headshots for the executive team. Add in the COVID pandemic and remote working conditions and we were stuck with photos from years ago. That was an added layer to the project, but determined it was necessary to update this part of our marketing efforts,” said Marcella.

The first part of the overhaul was for our Northern California office. A multi-day production captured completed core projects in the Bay Area along with new headshots for the Northern California team. Monument Visions provided strategic direction on video production for each project site, filming over many hours to get the golden shots. 

The website map and design were in full swing and the core base of the website was taking shape. Branding, graphic design and color palettes mirrored the existing Lusardi logo. The goal was never to alter the logo, but to embrace the history of the Lusardi brand and its legacy in the construction industry.

“Monument Visions understood and appreciated Lusardi’s rich history and wanted to preserve and incorporate that perception. We developed a completely custom web design while integrating Lusardi’s original red, black and gray color palette, staying true to the Lusardi way,” noted Brandon.

The second phase of the website project was to produce videos of projects under construction in Los Angeles and San Diego.   

“Everyone loves a project once complete because the true form of design and construction come together as one. But there is a raw form of beauty when projects are under construction. Subcontractors working in tandem for each scope of work. Large equipment moving dirt, steel, concrete. I wanted to showcase that part of our business. Not just the pretty finished work,” notes Marcella.

Brandon continues, “Getting our hands dirty on site of Lusardi’s construction projects was our favorite type of shoots. From the massive deck pour at Jefferson to the final touches of the VA Clinic reconstruction, Lusardi’s teamwork was an essential part of the process we wanted to highlight in website content.”

The summer season was winding down and with a plethora of new digital assets including multiple project completion videos and photos, new headshots for the company, and new staged culture shots the website was starting to look and feel brand new. Lusardi and Monument Visions were on track to complete the website overhaul by the end of the year, but one major project was looming on the horizon. The Veterans Affairs Outpatient Center Kearny Mesa project.

“The VA Outpatient Center was Lusardi’s largest project in 2021 and it was important to produce a powerful profile video highlighting the core development and design team emphasizing the importance of this new facility for the Veterans community,” notes Marcella.

“Our main focus with the VA Clinic video was to capture team interviews, dynamic footage of the property, grand opening and a Veteran’s first impression of the clinic. The story was strong – three major firms teaming up with numerous subcontractors to construct a facility that would change veterans’ lives. It’s a project that deserved this documentation and will last for generations to come,” said Brandon.

“Leading up to the website launch I was a bit apprehensive on how the company would receive the finished product. An entire year of dedication and commitment to this project really tested my management and leadership skills. In the end, Lusardi was beyond happy with the finished product. The website was a smashing success and far exceeded the original vision,” smiles Marcella.

“There was no way possible that we could have ever imagined how amazing the final product would be.  Both Marcella and Brandon hit homerun with our redesign and the feedback from both the company and community has been amazing,” says Bill.

Lusardi Website Link

“Monument Visions’ partnership with Lusardi has been such a rewarding experience. Together, we have built a foundational digital presence that we will be able to build upon in the future. Their company’s story will continue to evolve and we look forward to telling that narrative for years to come,” said Scharping.

Excellence in Construction San Diego Awards

Posted on by Lusardi Construction

Lusardi celebrated an incredible evening at the prestigious US Grant hotel in downtown San Diego, honoring several high-profile construction projects in the region. The Excellence in Construction (EIC) Awards Program, hosted by the Associated Builders and Contractors San Diego Chapter, spotlights outstanding construction performed and celebrates unique projects across several disciplines. Honoring merit shop contractors committed to exceptional innovation and design, safety, project management, technical ability, and quality of construction. ABC continues its commitment to quality construction in the San Diego area through this annual awards program.

Lusardi submitted the Veterans Affairs Outpatient Center Kearny Mesa project under the large project category for the Excellence in Construction Awards. The outpatient clinic is the newest hospital annex building in the VA Healthcare system. The outpatient clinic serves the local veteran community across from Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport. In addition, it provides relief from the populated La Jolla campus just ten miles west of the new campus.

The existing building, located on Aero Drive, was formerly a Bank of America vault guarding as much as $1 billion in cash and coin. A bulletproof guard tower, bulletproof interior holding rooms, and highly secure money vaults once occupied the existing space. To retrofit a concrete bunker into an outpatient center was challenging for the project team.

The increasing demand for outpatient services has grown over the years as more Veterans are looking for services that were previously delayed or withheld at VA facilities across the country. The need for primary care, mental health, specialty care, and ancillary services will treat between 600-800 patients per day.  The new outpatient clinic is strengthening the San Diego healthcare system and improving our local veterans’ much-deserved health and well-being.

Thank you to the ABC San Diego Chapter and the selection committee for recognizing this vital project for the Veteran community.

Learn More HERE

Padres Pedal the Cause 2022

Posted on by Lusardi Construction

Padres Pedal the Cause is Curebound’s signature event, bringing together thousands of participants each year to raise money for collaborative cancer research. Hosted in partnership with the SD Padres, “Pedal” is San Diego’s most impactful fundraising experience with over $15 million raised to date to fund 78 innovative research grants in all types of cancer.

Final Video Here!

“In our 7th year of supporting Padres Pedal the Cause, it was exciting to see our largest turn out of over seventy Lusardi employees and family members.  With our help, the organization was able to raise over $2.9M to fund local cancer research in San Diego.  With so many of our lives touched by this disease, it is amazing to see Team Lusardi once again be one of the largest teams in both participation and fundraising to help find a cure.  A big thanks to all those who participated and a bigger thanks to Ownership for once again covering our costs so everyone can participate and enjoy this amazing event.  Looking forward to next year!” – Bill Leslie, Vice President – Preconstruction and Padres Pedal Team Captain

Best Tenant Improvement Project of the Year

Posted on by admin

The Veterans Affairs Outpatient Center Kearny Mesa is the newest hospital annex building in the VA Healthcare system. The outpatient clinic will serve the local veteran community and provide relief from the populated La Jolla campus just ten miles west of the new campus. The existing building, located on Aero Drive, was formerly a Bank of America vault guarding as much as $1 billion in cash and coin. A bulletproof guard tower, bulletproof interior holding rooms and highly secure money vaults once occupied the existing space. To retrofit a concrete bunker into an outpatient center was no easy task for the project team. The building is one of the largest medical office leases ever in San Diego County. Protea Properties worked with the Veterans Administration to sign a 20-year lease for the existing space. The Outpatient Center is the first of its kind for Southern California.

The project consisted of reconstructing an existing 100,000 SF Bank of America building into a state-of-the-art Outpatient Center for the Veterans Affairs by expanding the building 25,000 SF. Adjacent to the facility is a new poured-in-place 4-story, 395 stall parking garage.

The Outpatient Center houses an array of medical services including dental, physical therapy, women’s health, prosthetics, mental health, radiology, eye clinic, pathology and audiology.

Pacific Ridge School Expands Campus with New Innovation Center

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The brand new Multi-Disciplinary Innovation Center is complete at Pacific Ridge School! The 2-story, 14,500 SF tilt-up building sits in the heart of campus and houses an array of classrooms focused on science, technology, and cutting-edge laboratories. 

The educational campus is located in Carlsbad, California and was designed and built to promote participation and growth beyond the classroom. With an integrated curriculum, the open campus emulates the PRC philosophy, where “every student gets a front row seat, and each child is heard.”

Lusardi, HMC Architects and Architects Mosher Drew worked seamlessly to deliver the project ahead of schedule and under budget while navigating projects delays due to rain and the COVID-19 pandemic.

More Info Link:

Lusardi Completes Laboratory Renovation for the FDA in Lenexa, Kansas

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“The FDA Lenexa Laboratory is a relocation of the current Kansas City District Laboratory and features a number of upgraded capabilities for the FDA to conduct its mission. The 40% increase over the existing location is a new state of the art laboratory that will service Total Diet and Pesticides Research Center (TDPRC), Pesticides analysis, Chemotherapeutics / LC-MS Poison screening, Mycotoxins analysis, Drugs and Dietary Supplements analysis, Dioxins analysis, Metals / Elemental Specialization analysis, and Laboratory Administration.” -Easterly Government Properties

 

The project encompassed a renovation and expansion of an existing 35,000 SF building to approximately 60,000 SF. The improvements include a new mechanical room structure, a rooftop equipment penthouse, rooftop equipment screening, additional parking and site improvements, and research and industrial labs inside the building. This is a full-service laboratory with functions that include testing of foods, feeds, dietary supplements, pesticides, and industrial chemicals. The interior space also includes laboratory support areas, hazardous materials storage space, approximately 5,000 SF of clean room area, and office areas.  The user requirements for this facility include emergency backup power, by way of emergency generators, fully redundant HVAC systems, high-purity medical gas systems, and a loading dock space for receiving deliveries. Special systems include closed circuit television, access control throughout the building, and a high-end building management and automation system.

 

Lusardi deployed in-house carpenter and laborer crews to Lenexa, KS to help assist the project team and subcontractors with related tasks on the jobsite.  By self-performing some of the work, this allowed the project team the most efficient control of scheduling, quality and cost. Lusardi journeymen carpenters, concrete finishers and laborers pride themselves in producing some of the finest finished projects in the industry. 

 

During the course of construction, weather played a huge factor during the winter and spring months with record amounts of snow, ice and rain. This prevented the project from getting out of the ground and delayed roofing and site finish work during the wet spring. Material delays also played a role in the project schedule as the COVID 19 pandemic forced supplier shops to close or put items on back order. 

 

“It’s a beautiful thing when a plan comes together. Turnover of the design-build FDA Lab wouldn’t have been possible without our design partners Henderson Engineers & HKS Architects. Great work on this amazing facility.” -Gabe Halsey, Senior Project Manager.