Cost-savings and team building a priority for engineering leader.

Hidden Valley Apartment Community is located in Simi Valley directly adjacent to the Metro Point station, in one of the fastest growing areas of north Los Angeles County. The project provides a valuable high-density solution to the ever-growing need for rental housing in the Los Angeles basin.

Similar project sites to that of Hidden Valley have previously not been considered for building due to adverse conditions, such as methane and radon gas seepage and unique soil and fault conditions requiring the use of specialty foundations. Requirements for engineering solutions to adverse conditions are becoming more prevalent as land availability decreases and prices increase. BORM is proud to be a leader in the design of structures on reclaimed land and infill areas, seeking unique cost-conscious solutions to these formidable challenges.

BORM's three-story, Type V apartment development utilizes conventional wood shear walls as a structural system. The buildings' foundation systems consist of post-tension mat foundation incorporating a vented liquid boot system for radon venting. BORM's close involvement with the construction process, along with the collaborative efforts of Acacia Construction and Alliance Framing, brought this project in on time and on budget. Pre-design consultation with BORM provided valuable input for the architectural team and client. Without compromising the architectural intent and functionality of the dwellings, minor layout changes resulted in an estimated savings of half a million dollars in construction costs.

Specializing in single and multi-family dwellings, BORM has designed a spectrum of projects including single-family and multi-family housing (condominiums, apartments, senior and assisted housing and educational housing), both in wood frame and light gauge steel with podium and subterranean concrete structures. BORM continues to be a leader in innovative structural designs, conducting research into six, seven and eight story Type V building technologies.

Blake Lander is the vice president of BORM Structural Engineering. For more information, please contact Eric Reece at [phone] or visit www.borm.com.