Evolution of Excellence: The Weitz Co. LLC and the 6900 Layton Project

Weitz is set to deliver its 6900 Layton project in Denver by next July.

Since its start in a small carpentry shop in 1855, The Weitz Co. LLC has come a long way and grown its reach throughout the United States. But it also has maintained a culture that values the relationships it forms with clients.

This culture has allowed Weitz to nurture a strong base of repeat customers, including developer Prime West, which it is currently serving on the 6900 Layton project in Denver, located in the city’s Tech Center.

The 6900 project is a design/build project with Gensler as the Architect. Weitz and Gensler have been building successful projects for more than 35 years and have completed 80-plus projects together. Weitz and Gensler’s team work very well together. “We are able to work together and solve problems together,” Headlee says, due to their long history of working together.

Project

Weitz started work on the $89 million project in March 2018 and is scheduled to be finished in July 2020. 6900 Layton represents that latest addition to the thriving, transit-oriented development Belleview Station. This 390,000 RSF building will set the standard for class AA office space in the Southeast market, reflecting the latest trends in building amenities and sustainable design approaches.

The design aesthetic represents the intersection of modern design with timeless detailing, bridging its dynamic glass façade with scaled materials that are rich in texture and warmth such as wood and brick. Informed by design strategies that prioritize the pedestrian experience, ground floor retail as well as easy access to the adjacent Belleview Station light rail, creates a walkable urban environment for building tenants.

A large flexible floorplate allows for adaptation to multiple space-planning strategies, while the high performance envelop with floor-to-ceiling glass around the entire perimeter of the floorplate showcases amazing views of the Front Range while providing ample sunlight and a comfortable work place for building occupants.

The building is targeting LEED Gold certification with features such as low flow water fixtures, smart healthy materials, and photovoltaic panels harvesting carbon free energy.

Right on Track

Weitz is currently on track on 6900 Layton. “We just completed our last steel beam a couple weeks ago and are now starting the exterior curtainwall,” Headlee reports. The project started last October with the precast parking garage and the concrete cores going during the winter months, then working on steel structure this summer. With the help of lean last planner scheduling tool the project schedule is exactly right on schedule to the day from when the original schedule was put together over a year ago.

Adjusting to Challenges

The 6900 Layton project has encountered a few challenges along the way including a very wet winter last year. The tariffs have caused some challenges throughout the project but the project team has been able to manage those through open communication and an understanding of the market. Through the collaboration on the project, the project team has been able to order materials in time to avoid costing the client additional costs. “We had to order the aluminum for the curtainwall 6 months ahead of when we typically order the material in order to avoid a material increase,” Headlee states.

“Due to the Denver labor market the subcontractors were awarded very early in the design process so we can count on proper manpower,” Headlee states. “By awarding early in the process the project was able to lock down the subcontractors’ man-power which is really important considering how busy the Denver market is.”

Quality

Quality has been the main focus for the design/build team. Prefabrication has been used as much as possible. The entire exterior skin is unitized curtainwall that allows a faster installation. The project was modeled through the BIM process and the team was able to solve problems before they ever reach the field.

Top Notch

The 6900 project is changing what the Denver Tech Center looks like and is going to offer its future tenants an amazing experience. The project team is performing at a high level and has a lot of great partners on the project. The Weitz-Gensler-Prime West team is looking forward to doing many more projects together.