Rudolph and Sletten renovating MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM Ticketing, entry areas, and interior space

MONTEREY, CA (November 4, 2003) -- Rudolph and Sletten, Inc announced it is the general contracting firm for a $10 million renovation and expansion of the Monterey Bay Aquarium, designed to enhance the visitor experience.

The improvements include a larger ticket purchase area, featuring more ticketing stations; a skylight-enclosed courtyard area; a relocation of the North wall; and construction of a steel truss bridge connecting the upper levels of the two building wings. The project, to be completed by Memorial Day, 2004, will speed up ticket purchases, create a larger indoor space for people waiting in line to purchase their tickets, and provide for easier mobility within the building.

Known for its innovative construction of complex and highly technical facilities, Rudolph and Sletten served as the general contractor for the original construction of the aquarium from 1980-84. The company later built the Outer Bay Wing, a major addition to the east of the original building. Rudolph and Sletten has previously completed construction of many other cultural and destination-oriented facilities, including the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Center for the Visual Arts at Stanford University (Stanford Museum) and COPIA: The American Center for Wine, Food and the Arts in Napa.

“We are delighted that Rudolph and Sletten is once again bringing to the Monterey Bay Aquarium their special expertise and experience in this area,” said Executive Director Julie Packard.  “We’re looking forward to unveiling the results of their work to the public next spring.”

Since opening in 1984, the aquarium has attracted roughly 35 million visitors—far more than the original aquarium entry was designed to accommodate. During busy periods, the result has been a wait of 20 or even 30 minutes. This project will dramatically change all that, says Packard.

Changes Designed With Aquarium Visitors in Mind
Once Rudolph and Sletten completes the project, visitor access and mobility will be made easier by: 

• Expanding the ticket area by adding as many as seven additional ticketing stations
• Enclosing the historical boiler house courtyard area by adding new main entry walls and a skylight, thus expanding the indoor space by 12,000 square feet and permitting those who wish to purchase tickets to stand inside 
• Creating an additional 500 square feet of interior space by pushing out the Bay-side wall, fronting on the aquarium’s ocean front deck area, by 14 feet
• Constructing a new 10-foot wide, 138 foot long steel truss bridge, that will span between the second levels of the two wings (the Nearshore Wing and the Outer Bay Wing), allowing direct access between these two areas for the first time. The bridge will run past the sea otter exhibit

Major Construction Challenges
In addition to serving as the general contractor for the current aquarium renovation and expansion project, Rudolph and Sletten also is self-performing all the concrete work, as well as rough carpentry, and door and hardware installation.

Rudolph and Sletten also has already completed extensive rerouting and rewiring of the aquarium’s communications, fire alarm and security systems, required because the main telecommunications and security rooms were housed in what will become the new ticketing area.  Before the renovation could begin, the utility functions had to be rerouted to another area, and a new security office built and made fully functional.  

One major challenge of the project is the necessity to do all the work within the aquarium public spaces at night, so that the aquarium can remain open for visitors during the day. A second challenge will be the painstaking assembly of the bridge. The bridge must be built offsite in five separate segments each approximately 28 feet long. Each segment will then be brought to the aquarium, erected, and then welded together over a ten-day work period. The bridge will be painted black to match the industrial look of the existing structure. 

“Our entry was never designed to accommodate the number of visitors who come each year,” said Julie Packard. “The new entry will be far more welcoming and spacious. It will be easier for people to enter, easier to get around, easier to orient themselves quickly and easier to enjoy the ocean views from our site. I’m confident the experience for visitors will be far more engaging and inspiring than ever before.”

“The renovation is challenging, but the Aquarium is such a special place,” said Rudolph and Sletten Senior Project Manager Al Menchaca. “It’s a thrill to be associated with a building that brings so much pleasure to so many people.”

About Rudolph and Sletten
Rudolph and Sletten (www.rsconstruction.com) is one of the leading general contracting firms on the West Coast. As a pace setter in the construction industry, Rudolph and Sletten has provided quality-oriented general contracting and construction management services for over four decades. Rudolph and Sletten’s expert professionals manage each job comprehensively, from site selection and preconstruction services through project completion. With its corporate headquarters in Foster City, the company also has regional offices in Roseville, Irvine, and San Diego, California.

Rudolph and Sletten’s building expertise includes virtually all types of projects with an emphasis on those markets where their technical expertise and quality excel: corporate campuses and office buildings, biotechnology and pharmaceutical research and manufacturing, health care, electronics, and high-tech research. Other areas of expertise include parking structures, educational institutions, housing, public attraction, and retail facilities. Rudolph and Sletten’s current clients include Hewlett-Packard, Genentech, Kaiser, Stanford University, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Chiron, eBay, and the University of California.

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