Marx|Okubo Associates, Inc.

In the spirit of celebrating museums this week and the value that creative and cultural spaces bring to communities and the built environment, we are highlighting here another important project --The Contemporary Jewish Museum, located in San Francisco. An architecturally iconic building designed by Daniel Libeskind, this museum consists of three main sections that mix the old with the new. The historic structure includes exterior walls, roof, skylights, and structure from the building's earlier use as a PG&E power substation and which was constructed in 1907. The 2008 additions comprise the "Yud and Chet" addition, a highly angular structure, clad in a custom blue steel paneling on, that intersects the historic structure. Lastly, the "Slice" is a two-story extension on the north side of the project, tucked underneath and within the larger Four Seasons hotel. Marx|Okubo was engaged to conduct a comprehensive facility condition assessment and develop a 15-year capital reserve schedule. The goal with The CJM has been to collaborate closely with the museum to identify issues and coordinate future work effectively, while minimizing any negative impact to the overall iconic appearance of the building. Our approach is founded on a longstanding partnership with the museum, through which we will continue to provide reliable advice to maintain the structure's historic integrity. https://lnkd.in/efv-c5Dr #marxokubo #thecontemporaryjewishmuseum #facilityconditionassessment #thecontemporaryjewishmuseumsanfrancisco #museums #realestate #construction

Thirty-five years ago today, on October 17, 1989, at 5:04 p.m., the Loma Prieta earthquake occurred at the Central Coast of California/San Francisco Bay area. Measuring 6.9 on the Richter Scale, the quake killed 63 people throughout northern California, injured 3,757, caused $6 billion in property damage, and left thousands of people homeless. It was the strongest earthquake to hit the area since the San Francisco earthquake of 1906. Since then, several cities in the Bay area and beyond have passed safety ordinances related to issues identified from this disaster. Our latest blog explores how the new ordinance of the City of San Jose will require mandatory seismic retrofit of certain wood-framed, soft story buildings, effective April 2025, as the likelihood that the City of San Jose will experience an earthquake of magnitude 6.0 or greater in the next 30 years is estimated to be as high as 70%. Click the link to read further about how this new ordinance will affect building owners. If you have any concerns about your wood-framed building or questions about how the upcoming ordinance will affect your property, please contact Jonathan Buhangin, PE ([email protected]), PE, Associate at Marx|Okubo, with any questions. https://lnkd.in/eEzU9rVB #marxokubo #earthquakes #earthquakeawareness #blogpost #realestate #construction

Are you prepared for an earthquake? Do you know how an earthquake may impact or has impacted your building? Tomorrow, October 17, 2024 is International ShakeOut Day. At 10:17am, millions of people worldwide will participate in earthquake drills at work, school, or home. You could be anywhere when an earthquake strikes: At home, at work, at school or even on vacation. Do you know what to do during an earthquake, and have you made preparations to be safe and able to recover quickly? Great ShakeOut earthquake drills are an opportunity to practice how to be safer during earthquakes: "Drop, Cover and Hold On." (LINK: https://lnkd.in/e-9kH8i) The ShakeOut is also intended to encourage you, your community, your school, or your organization to update emergency plans and supplies, and to secure your space in order to prevent damage and injuries. Another resource for organizations is ResilientWorkplace.org. It is a partnership between public, private and non-profit partners committed to improving workplace resiliency, a key component of how quickly communities can recover after disasters. To practice how to be safe during earthquakes you can register (LINK: https://www.shakeout.org/) to participate in Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drills. Many areas of the United States are prone to earthquakes, as demonstrated by the earthquake hazard map included here. This image shows an earthquake hazard map illustrating peak ground accelerations having a 2 percent probability of being exceeded in 100 years, for a firm rock site. The map is based on the most recent USGS models for the conterminous U.S. (2018), Hawaii (1998), and Alaska (2007). The models are based on seismicity and fault-slip rates, and take into account the frequency of earthquakes of various magnitudes. Locally, the hazard may be greater than shown, because site geology may amplify ground motions. (source: USGS, https://lnkd.in/egCgQqgy) If you own or invest in buildings, our firm consults to prepare your buildings for earthquakes or other hazards—through thorough seismic evaluation,?seismic/wind risk assessment, structural condition assessment, seismic retrofit project review, earthquake resiliency studies, and forensic studies to understand damage impact. If you have any questions or need help navigating earthquake risk, please reach out to Marx|Okubo's Soheil Simon Yavari, PhD, PE, SE and Marko Schotanus, Co-Directors of Structural Engineering. #marxokubo #greatshakeout2024 #greatshakeout #seismicevaluation #earthquakesafety

As we are currently attending and presenting at the the INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MUSEUM FACILITY ADMINSTRATORS (IAMFA) Conference this week, we are sharing some notable museum projects. At Marx|Okubo, we appreciate that we have the opportunity to work on so many unique projects that require specific needs and approaches to achieve success. Our firm understands the value that creative and event spaces such as museums bring to cultural communities—and the built environment. One such project our firm worked on is the Art Institute of Chicago, founded in 1879, one of the oldest and largest art museums in the United States. This museum is renowned for its impressive collection that spans centuries and cultures. It houses iconic works such as Grant Wood's "American Gothic" and Georges Seurat's "A Sunday on La Grande Jatte," offering visitors a journey through art history. Additionally, its modern wing, designed by the acclaimed architect Renzo Piano, provides a stunning space for contemporary artworks. The museum’s commitment to education and community engagement, coupled with its world-class exhibitions, makes it a cultural treasure that continually inspires and educates the public. ? We conducted a facilities condition assessment in order to strategically plan for major repairs, upgrades, and necessary replacements of the building systems and components in a logical and efficient manner over the next 10 years. The goal of developing a capital expenditure budget was to enable The AIC to address major future capital outlays to ensure that the museum’s energy and resources can be primarily dedicated to its core mission. >> Read more at the link in post. ? https://lnkd.in/gQy-AqwG #marxokubo #museums #artinstituteofchicago #realestate #construction

We always have had museums on our mind, but even more this week since we are attending the IAMFA Conference this month. It is an exciting opportunity to celebrate museums, and at Marx|Okubo we understand the value that creative and event spaces bring to cultural communities—and the built environment. We are driven by this growing sector of dynamic work we do for museums, galleries, performing arts centers, film studios, sports stadiums, and other interactive spaces representative of the arts, culture, and entertainment industries. One of our projects is the The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), located in Manhattan, New York. This was part of a series of projects we did for MoMA. The MoMA retained Marx|Okubo to provide a detailed condition assessment of existing facilities and to propose corrective measures that best meet the needs of MoMA's collections, visitors, staff, and program. The facilities condition assessment (FCA) team consisted of architects, mechanical engineers, fire safety engineers, and structural engineers from Marx|Okubo. Our team analyzed data obtained from site visits, interviews, and the documents provided by MoMA to evaluate building systems, including how they compare with industry standards, and their ability to satisfy MoMA's operating requirements. Marx|Okubo worked with MoMA’s staff and stakeholders to identify improvement priorities so the facility could respond to the art’s climatic requirements and enhance the overall environment for the staff and visitors. Read more about this project here: https://lnkd.in/eYUR5BgC #marxokubo #moma #museumofmodernart #museums #realestate #construction #newyork

We are excited to be attending and presenting at the upcoming annual INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MUSEUM FACILITY ADMINSTRATORS (IAMFA) Conference, held in New York City on October 13-17, 2024. Our panelists will be discussing how to prioritize museum facility capital expenditures and how to create strategies for building system replacements and extending their useful life. The panel members include Richard J. Stomber, PE, MoMA's Director of Building Operations, as well as Marx|Okubo's Kathleen Spurck, Vice President, Joseph A. Milam, PE, CIAQP, CEM, LEED AP, Assistant Vice President, Director of Mechanical Engineering, Steve Schneider, PE, Director of Fire Protection/Life Safety, and Courtney Wladyka, AIA, NCARB, Fitwel Amb., Co-director of ESG. Our firm is dedicated to helping our arts, culture, and entertainment clients preserve and promote museums for their rich cultural history. We are looking forward to discussing how to attain standards of excellence and quality in the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of these world-class cultural facilities. Please feel free to get in touch if you will be at the conference and want to connect or learn more. #marxokubo #museums #iamfa #internationalassociationofmuseumsfacilityadministrators #realestate #moma #construction

Owners of buildings with balconies have a reprieve! The deadline for balcony safety compliance with SB721 has been extended one year, from January 1, 2025 to January 1, 2026. So there is still time to get your exterior elevated elements inspected and be in compliance. It’s helpful news for sure, but although the date has been extended, there is still urgency for real estate owners and property managers to consider and comply with new levels of safety for balconies. And in California specifically, if they haven’t gotten the ball rolling on evaluation, then now or very soon is the time. In Marx|Okubo’s experience with condition assessment work, we often find multifamily residential and commercial buildings with balconies that have critical condition issues requiring repair ranging in severity. The deterioration can be serious enough that we may warn an owner or property manager to limit or restrict access or provide other temporary supports until a balcony problem is corrected. Delaying these inspections can often mean result in heightened problems, though embracing them will both ensure you’re in compliance and provide everyone peace of mind for their balcony safety and enjoyment. ? Marx|Okubo can not only perform balcony inspections, but also, we can help navigate the entire process and ensure best outcomes for all stakeholders. For more information or if you have any questions, please contact?Sandy Blair, Vice President. https://lnkd.in/gC5F8yF5 #sb721 #balconysafety #marxokubo #aecconsulting #realestate #multifamily

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