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Project Management Roundup: StepStone Group, Artiva Biotherapeutics, Hillel San Diego & More

By The Hughes Marino Project Management Team

As summer is in full swing, our Hughes Marino program, project and construction management team continues to work hard on many exciting projects around our communities. Here’s an inside look at some of the progress.

StepStone Group

StepStone Group

StepStone Group is a global private market firm providing customized investments and advisory solutions to some of the most sophisticated investors in the world. They have offices in 23 cities across 14 countries, with a global operating platform and strong local teams that possess valuable regional insights.

Experiencing rapid growth, StepStone was determined to expand their footprint at University Town Center where Hughes Marino had previously helped them build out the 14-16th floors, to now include the 12th-floor, 7,900 SF space. Their total office footprint is now an impressive 47,360 RSF, which features panoramic views of UTC. Hughes Marino was instrumental in the lease negotiations, planning, design, permitting and construction of the office space, all while meeting budget and client expectations.  Partnering in the project were Gensler Architect, Bycor General Contractors and bkm OfficeWorks.

Artiva Biotherapeutics

Artiva Biotherapeutics

Artiva Biotherapeutics is on a mission to deliver highly effective, off-the-shelf, allogeneic natural killer (NK) cell-based therapies, utilizing Manufacturing-First approaches, which are safe and accessible to cancer patients. Their new facility includes office space, research and process development laboratories, and will include a multi-suite custom-built Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) space to support NK and CAR-NK cell production for Artiva’s pipeline development and clinical trial supply.

Our team, along with McFarlane Associates Architects and DPR Construction, was brought in to assist with the build-out of the 42,441 SF office and lab space, as well as the 9,180 SF of GMP space, including multiple ISO 7 clean rooms. The new facility will accommodate growth and support research and development for the continued work on cell therapies for cancer patients. Phase one of the project was completed on June 1, 2022, and we’re proud to help Artiva in their noble cause of cancer research.

Natural Alternatives International

Natural Alternatives International, Inc.

Natural Alternatives International Inc., has been an international leader in custom contract nutritional supplement manufacturing for nearly four decades, with a core mission to support and advance responsible nutrition on a global scale. With the help of the Hughes Marino brokerage team, NAI purchased a building for its corporate headquarters in the Carlsbad Research Center, located in Carlsbad, California. The project management team was then engaged to build a new 12,000 SF industrial mezzanine, 20,000 SF of manufacturing tenant improvements including clean rooms and dust collection systems, and remodel 10,000 SF of office space. Our team is working alongside Delawie Architects and Burger Construction, with completion expected in October 2022.

Hillel San Diego

Hillel of San Diego

In May 2022, a group of supporters and students from Hillel San Diego attended a wall signing event to commemorate the construction of the new Beverly and Joseph Glickman Hillel Center, and write their well wishes on the plywood, as an homage to a time capsule. For Hillel San Diego, “these walls will nurture and sustain generations of Jewish young people filled with their own hopes and dreams. The footsteps of thousands of students will move from each of the three buildings and through the courtyard as they connect to their community and learn whom they want to be as Jewish adults in the world. When they face challenges, they will cling to the comfort and safety of these walls. When they celebrate, they will run to their friends on this holy ground.”

Eventually the plywood and the sentiments will be covered in drywall, but the sentiment of the well wishes will remain as inspiration for generations to come. Completion is expected to be in Fall 2022, and our team is honored to be a part of this meaningful community project. In addition to Hughes Marino, the project partners include the architect, MW Steele Group and Pacific Building Group.

We understand firsthand that construction management for any project often looks like a juggling act between architects, engineers, contractors, vendors and consultants, and with each client, we set a clear path forward, keeping their project on time and on budget at every phase. Our program, project and construction management team have extensive experience orchestrating the design and construction of virtually all types of projects—corporate, life science, residential, nonprofit, education, health services and much more. Need an honest opinion or would like to get our insights on your upcoming project? Just reach out, and we’ll be happy to help.

Hughes Marino’s industry leading Construction Management team has unmatched expertise in every type of commercial building project from tenant improvements to ground-up build-to-suits. With decades of experience in California and beyond, our project managers, engineers and LEED APs offer practical insights for the construction management professional.



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