BERKELEY, CA Students and faculty at UC Berkeley will return to a renovated and modernized Bowles Hall this fall. Clark Construction reached substantial completion on a delicate renovation of the school's historic dormitory nearly three weeks ahead of schedule. Under a $26 million contract with Education Realty Trust and the Bowles Hall Foundation, Clark completely renovated the 57,000-square-foot student dormitory, completing work 18 days early.

The project team was focused on exceeding the client's schedule expectations from the start and a detailed estimating and subcontractor procurement process allowed us to meet the client's GMP while also accounting for the unexpected challenges that often accompany a historic renovation. Employing methodologies of Lean construction helped the team maximize the flow of work and efficiency of the full schedule. As the project progressed, the team worked proactively and closely with the public utilities and UC Berkeley's inspection team to ensure a smooth transition.

Originally built in 1928, Bowles Hall was the first student dormitory in the University of California system. The renovation efforts focused on preserving and restoring the building's historic library, lounge, and dining room to meet the modern needs of the school's student population. As part of the project, the team also performed seismic upgrades to the foundation, reconfigured student rooms into suites, and added apartment units for the University's resident director and deans. This effort also added 4,200 square feet of new construction, which will house a game room, back-of-house kitchen area, loading dock, and mechanical rooms.

The renovated Bowles Hall will open for UC Berkeley's fall semester and, through a first-of-its-kind public-private partnership, will be leased and operated by the school's alumni.