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Owner: SFPUC / Public Works
Design-Build: San Francisco Public Works Bureau of Architecture / The Allen Group/Hollins
Contractor: The Allen Group / Hollins
Facilitator: Rob Reaugh
Awards: International Partnering Institute Diamond-Level Award
Budget: $81M
The Southeast Community Center (SECC) at 1550 Evans Avenue is a vibrant focal point for the local community, delivering on promises between the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) and the Bayview Community of Southern San Francisco. This $81M IPI Diamond-Level Award-Winning project was purposefully designed to foster the health and well-being of residents. The LEED Gold-certified, 45,000-square-foot center delivered through the CM/GC contract encompasses a low-cost childcare center, nonprofit workspaces, community meeting rooms, multipurpose areas, and free public workspaces. The Alex Pitcher Pavilion, a stand-alone event space, caters to large meetings, celebrations, and community gatherings, while over two acres of open space include an amphitheater, gardens, outdoor dining areas, play spaces, walking paths, and green infrastructure for educational purposes.
The project was designed by the San Francisco Public Works Bureau of Architecture and the Partnering between the SFPUC, Public Works, Pankow Builders, and The Allen Group/Hollins CM team helped the project achieve the vision. The leadership team implemented partnering to enhance the collaborative culture and used workshops to identify solutions for design and budget challenges. They also focused on how to best implement a “hyper local” contracting building strategy, which resulted in this facility being built “By the people of the Bayview, for the people of the Bayview,” enhancing collaboration with community subcontractors.
The project's True North mission, established at the pre-construction kick-off, aimed to create a "wow" community center in partnership with the community, significantly improving the quality of life for Bayview residents. The team's commitment was evident at the Grand Opening, reinforcing the positive impact on the community. The SECC staff and commissioners lauded the new building, emphasizing the community's appreciation. The project received acclaim for its design and green infrastructure, highlighted in articles published in the San Francisco Chronicle. Senior Project Manager Shelby Campbell attributes the project's success to the collaborative effort cultivated through partnership and effective project leadership.