Creative thinking with game changing Results
It all started when I was asked, “can you build a pirate ship!!… At the time, I thought it to be a trick question but after gathering my thoughts I proceeded with “if I were to build a pirate ship…” With that began a career of creating iconic cutting edge facilities. Pirates Cove Children’s Theme Park located in Elk Grove was the brainchild of Jack Claes and Gary Buczkowski. Since its opening in 1982, over two million children have experienced this one of a kind facility. Numerous other Iconic facilities followed Pirates Cove to set the standard that others wanted to follow.
Thinking outside the box
Few have the opportunity to work in an environment were thinking outside the box is a required. Those types of environments require risk taking with many opportunities for mistakes. That’s OK! To quote Thomas Edison, “you learn more from your mistakes than from your successes ”.
Results require an understanding of the impact of time
Fast track projects impose unique problems unto themselves. Managing the construction of the Triphahn Center in Hoffman was a once in a lifetime learning experience. When it comes to constructing at break neck speed, you either have time or you have money, never both. With an eighteen month design to building occupancy schedule everything had to fall into place. Every bump in the road had to be dealt without impacting the critical path and your eyes focused on the skaters being on the ice in September. During that eighteen month design to occupancy time frame the project budget went from $12M to $15.5M and was a learning experience in itself. In the end, the facility opened to the public on time as promised without any compromise in quality.
Attention to detail
It all begins with the big picture in the mind. But what makes a good project a great project is the attention to detail. Whether it is in the pattern coloring of a walkway surface, a memory wall, the mist from a dragon’s noise or the shade angle on a park bench. “The devil is in the details”.
Negotiation based on the premise of win/win
With over $75M in successful projects and 500+ acres of land acquisition a keen understanding of the principles of good negotiations was critical. At the heart of that process, is the understanding that it works best when both parties walk away winners. That’s what made the projects in Hoffman and Elk Grove successes. “The win/win philosophy”.
