By: Clifford Ham, Principal Architect (JCC)
“Our office has been thoroughly satisfied with the engineering judgments, knowledge of seismic assessment procedures for large building portfolios and the creative service of R+C. On several occasions they have exceeded our expectations.”
“Your presentation about Enhanced Seismic Performance to the Courthouse Cost Reduction Committee (CCRS)... was a huge help to the Judicial Council court construction program. Thank you very much for enlightening the members about the design of buildings to resist earthquake forces – your confident and considerate manner made the material very understandable. “
By: Kim Swanson (SmithGroup)
“On this project a lot of patience has been required to get through the issues that have come up - largely due to an unsophisticated contractor or sub-contractor. A high level of patience has been exhibited. “
By: Charles J. Chiparo (Hensel Phelps)
“On the Santa Clara Family Justice Center (San Jose, CA), the project team experienced the benefit of integrated Structural and Geotechnical services. During the steel torque pile installation, the construction team experienced a significant amount of unforeseen soil conditions approximately 50’ below the basement level. When this occurred, our critical foundation work was unable to progress. Rutherford + Chekene Geotechnical was able to quickly analyze the piles installed, determine if they met structural capacity, and if not, work hand-in-hand with their Structural team to redesign the pile caps. Over 10% of the pile caps had to be redesigned, while work crews were onsite. In a traditional system with separate geotechnical and structural services, the project could have experienced slower responses, and longer schedule delays.”
“I would endorse teaming with R+C for design-build. They are the structural and geotechnical engineer at SC FJC. It is a very complicated project.”
“I am happy with their performance. They have been a good partner.”
“I will say that you have exceeded expectations thus far. Thank you. Great job managing a very large workload. Compliments to ZGF and Rutherford + Chekene. We cannot be successful without your cooperation, so we appreciate the strong effort and cooperative attitude.”
“PS – Same can be said for Rutherford + Chekene Geotechnical. Thank you, Gyimah.”
By Mark Piaia (ZGF)
“I have truly enjoyed working with R+C and have found them to be very helpful and informative/describing structural ideas and concepts.”
“R+C has been prompt in meeting project deadlines and in responses to email and telephone calls.”
“I believe quality is measured by the people/staff that you interact with and have daily contact with on a project. This is critical on large scale institutional projects which have a long schedule from start to finish. Working with Tanjeet and Joe on the courts project has been fantastic!”
“I am very pleased as to R+C involvement on our project... where they really stepped up to the challenge regarding the precast concrete panel design. “
“R+C also kept to contract scope of work and when extra service is needed they would call and inform of this additional need and client/owner could decide to request extra service.”
By: Rona Rothenberg, Program Manager, Capital Program-Design and Construction, Alameda County General Services Agency (formerly with Judicial Council of California)
“As the Senior Manager of the Judicial Council's historical courthouse rebuilding program, and a founding member of the original program team, I first had the privilege of working with Peter Revelli, Afshar Jalalian and their very fine structural engineering consulting team at Rutherford + Chekene as we undertook the statewide seismic assessment program which was the foundation of the current capital program which will be completed within the next 5-8 years. Working as the Supervising Structural Engineers over a team of highly qualified teams, Rutherford + Chekene was without peer as technically expert, superb engineers and managers of a complex and highly detailed planning and qualification process which implemented proven methods and technologies to establishing the long term risks and benefits of building performance of the state court portfolio acquired from the counties, totaling almost 550 individual structures. Continuing over the succeeding years, I personally worked with Afshar and his engineering and geologic team on many individual building projects, some of which are now completed, as I supervised the program's senior project management team delivering the largest and most complex projects in each region of the state from the flagship program office in San Francisco. In every assignment, the team was well organized, of exemplary skill and service delivery. I look forward to the possibility of continuing my long relationship with Rutherford + Chekene in local government and for the duration of my career, and enthusiastically and completely recommend them for the Sacramento project team.”
By: Amy Heusser, General Services Administration
Rutherford and Chekene performed at an exemplary level and I would strongly endorse them for future work with the GSA or other Federal agencies.
By: Joseph Nicola, Ratcliff Architects
“No specific preference, Afshar Jalalian was the principal on the UCSC and we thought he did a great job, we are currently working with Marko Schotanus, the PM on the GSA Frank Hagel project.”
By: Ron Larsen, General Services Administration
“Thank you so very much Afshar...I am trying hard to emphasize the seismic strengthening of our inventory on a national level, and you and your firm's help in this effort are much appreciated.”
By: Willie Hirano, PE, General Services Administration
“Thank you for making the time to present the SRR tool. We are sure the information will become invaluable as we seek to improve the GSA seismic program. You and your firm have been providing us great service.”
Leavening peerless structural engineering skill with humor, philosophy, people skills and, above all, a consummate understanding of San Francisco's permitting process, [Alan] saw this project through.
