Swinerton provided general contracting services for the construction of a new five-story mixed-use building. It provides high-performance, lab-ready office space for future buildout of the core and shell. The mass timber office building incorporates 65,000 square feet of programmed outdoor space integrated into each level, including private decks and plazas that connect to the Burke-Gilman Trail. It also has 8,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space, over 200 bicycle parking spaces, 165 motor vehicle stalls, and dedicated storage space for kayaks and other watercraft. The building is set over a concrete podium that houses a parking garage and a warehouse.

Swinerton’s mass timber subsidiary, Timberlab delivered the mass-timber structural system via cross-laminated timber, glued-laminated columns, and girders. With 167,000 square feet of mass timber office and lab-ready space, steel buckling-restrained braced frames are a key component of the lateral system and are expressed in contrast to the timber structure. This LEED® Platinum project is one of the first mass-timber structures in the area.

Swinerton provided general contracting services for the construction of a new eight-story workforce housing building. The project was constructed in collaboration with Timberlab, a Swinerton-affiliated company. Utilizing cross-laminated timber (CLT) with exposed glulam beams—which lowers the overall carbon footprint of the structure—Heartwood will be 4-Star Built Green Certified.

Heartwood is an expansion of Community Roots Housing’s existing affordable housing development, Helen V. As a whole, it is filling a critical need for middle-income housing in Seattle. Not only is Heartwood the first mass timber workforce residential development in the City of Seattle, but it is also the first Type IV-C tall wood building to be entitled and permitted through the City under the newly adopted IBC codes. It is also one of Washington’s tallest CLT buildings of any kind.

Heartwood features 113 studios and 13 one-bedroom apartments ranging from roughly 300 to 500 square feet each. It also features a lobby, retail space, fire pit and barbecue area, and multiple bike storage rooms totaling roughly 100 stalls. Included in the scope is the addition of a new courtyard and pedestrian connectors totaling over 2,800 square feet. These elements are shared by Heartwood as well as the existing Helen V development.

The project received a $250,000 Wood Innovation grant from the U.S. Forest Service to validate Type IV-C multifamily housing feasibility. Swinerton and Timberlab supported the grant application and joined the client and atelierjones, the architect, in a design-build capacity for its overall construction, including the mass timber structure.

Both firms partnered with the structural engineer throughout the design phase to determine the optimal unit layout and structural grid to meet the project’s budget and program needs. Both firms also led meetings with the Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections to evaluate this new construction typology and propose solutions that addressed fire and life safety systems during both construction and upon occupancy.

Heartwood is playing a historic role in Swinerton and Timberlab’s portfolios. It is illustrating how mass timber can be competitive in all types of housing developments, including affordable, middle-income, and market-rate, by establishing a known example that provides a successful path for future projects.

Swinerton provided general contracting services for the new community center called ‘The Hub’ in the heart of the redeveloped Sunnydale HOPE SF neighborhood. The facility is part of the new campus, which supports community connection and serves as the new gateway into McLaren Park.

The new 30,000-square-foot, two-story center features mass timber. It includes a teaching kitchen, study areas, a recording studio, and a mix of spaces to accommodate a full slate of social events, workshops, and classes. It serves as a living room for neighbors to meet and connect. The building has new facilities for the Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco and Wu Yee Children’s Services—it significantly expands their capacity to provide top-tier childcare and programming for neighborhood youth.

CLT and glulam were chosen to ensure a warm and inviting community space and LEED Gold certification based on biophilic, sustainable, structural, and aesthetic qualities. The exposed wood structure is a simple scheme that leverages mass timber’s increased construction speed and decreased waste. Mass timber brace frames are showcased in key locations throughout the design via framed, glazed openings. These brace frames allow for a more open exterior skin with more access to daylight and views. The mass timber beams and girders are exposed and visible at locations where programming requires long spans to demonstrate their structural capabilities. This new hub features the possibilities of mass timber construction and the importance of environmental responsibility, and it provides a beautiful gathering space for the community.