“The Los Angeles Forum was an iconic venue for decades, and we wanted a firm with Gafcon’s tech-enabled management experience and outstanding industry reputation to handle this renovation.“
John Carr
Vice President of Project Management, Madison Square Garden Company
The Madison Square Garden Company (MSG) selected Gafcon, Inc. to provide owner’s representative services for the renovation of the Los Angeles Forum, a beloved entertainment venue. The project involved complete interior and exterior renovations to the 330,000 SF iconic venue. The project team was tasked with the challenge of making the 45-year-old structure work from both an aesthetic and technological standpoint, all within an aggressive eight-month construction timeline.
Gafcon, Inc. provided a wide range of essential and critical services that exceeded typical bid and construction management. We assisted with pre-construction services including managing building systems testing, design mock-ups, procurement of specialty design consultants, bidding process management, analysis of parking options, and estimating services.
The permitting process had to be expedited. Gafcon, Inc. not only worked with the City’s Building Department, but also the Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Interior, Los Angeles County Fire, Air Quality Management District, Health Department, and the City’s Arts Council. We provided full-time field observation to ensure that the contractor maintained its aggressive schedule, coordinated several “field task groups” that focused on specific aspects of the project such as plumbing, lighting controls, and special show systems, and provided labor compliance monitoring. Our FF&E team outfitted MSG’s Operations and Management Group’s offices and provided move management services and furniture assembly support. During closeout, Gafcon, Inc, reviewed each of the contractor’s potential change orders and settled more than 550, saving MSG in excess of $8.1M.
2015 Engineering Excellence Award
Platinum, American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) NY
2015 Excellence in Structural Engineering Award
The National Council of Structural Engineers Associations (NCSEA)
2015 Outstanding Achievement in the Practice of Construction Management
Construction Management Association of America
Project Achievement Award, Projects $51M-$100M
Construction Management Association of America - Southern California Chapter
2014 Certificate of Recognition Westside Urban Forum Design Award
CA Legislature Assembly
2014 Preservation Award
Los Angeles Business Council
2014 Conservancy Preservation Award
Los Angeles Conservancy
2014 Preservation Honor Award
National Trust for Historic Preservation
2014 Westside Prize and Design Public/Institutional Honor Award
Westside Urban Forum