The Broad Museum – Design and Construction (Los Angeles, CA)

The Broad museum was designed by world-renowned architectural firm DS+R in collaboration with Gensler. With its innovative “veil-and-vault” concept, the 120,000-square-foot building features two floors of gallery space to showcase the Broad’s comprehensive collection. In its first year, the museum welcomed more than 825,000 visitors. Under the museum is a new parking garage with 366 spaces as well as museum support systems including a loading dock capable of bringing 30,000-lb sculptures into the museum. Directly south of the museum is a public plaza also designed by DS+R. The landscaping features 100-year-old Barouni olive trees and an open lawn, adding another parcel of critical green space to Grand Ave.

As Deputy Director, Museum Operations Principle, Rich Cherry, managed the planning, design, and construction of all components of the multi-track project, including coordination with the multiple architecture firms, the general contractor, subcontractors, and other stakeholders. Rich’s efforts encompassed the following:

• Oversaw schedule, contracting, design, pre-construction, bidding, permitting and construction of the entire multiphase, multi-year project.
• Provided detailed needs and goal and requirements of the project and evaluated all aspects of the design and construction to ensure that such requirements were met when possible and reevaluated requirements when they were “un-buildable” or cost prohibitive.
• Reviewed and coordinated with internal museum staff on the details of systems (structural, heating, cooling, plumbing, electrical, core, security and communications, telephone and data processing cabling and vertical transportation). Responded to RFIs as to owners requirements.
• Conducted ongoing review of design documents throughout each phase and each bulletin to identify and eliminate errors, coordination and jurisdiction issues among various trades issues, discrepancies between the Design Documents and existing conditions, variations from customary construction practices and methods, or to highlight and monitor overlapping responsibilities among GC and subcontractors. Evaluated all materials and major construction elements considering costs (unit prices/alternates), construction, maintenance.
• Conducted ongoing reviews of detailed construction cost and estimated using experience and using RSMeans focused on material, equipment, and labor descriptions costs for each trade suggesting construction economies through alternate methods, materials, or need to adjust requirements
• Presented and coordinated as necessary with review boards, neighborhood groups, individual and corporate neighbors and other stakeholders.
• Identified, evaluated and procured temporary and project site support facilities.
• Reviewed proposals from the design team and construction manager and their sub-consultants for new work added during the project, assisting the GC by suggesting subcontractors qualified to bid work as well as identifying qualified staff, consultants and subcontractors for work not under the GC.
• Evaluated and approved pre-purchasing long-lead materials, equipment and owner procured equipment and furniture.
• Oversaw contractors not under GC control.
• Attended OAC meetings with GC and reviewed GC-produced minutes and tracked issue progress.
• Conducted detailed reviews of payment applications, reviewed and approved the amounts due to GC and its respective subcontractors. Evaluated work complete percentages as well as tracking to confirm requirements were met. Budget and cash flow tracking, RCO evaluation, negotiation, and final approval, as well as value engineering.
• Coordinated punch list and completion of work. Oversaw final inspection and assisted with temporary and final certificates of occupancy.
• Managed closeout including obtaining and organizing all manuals, tracking of warranties, as-built drawing, all keys, and maintenance stocks.

In addition to building, staffing, and opening a new museum, Rich initiated and launched several innovative museum projects including mobile ticketing (no admission desk), mobile retail, mobile application with contextually aware content, an innovative online training program that trains all visitor service staff in security, education, and customer service and custom-designed LED lighting.