The Conco Companies began construction on the Mt. San Antonio College (SAC) Student Center on December 10, 2020. The original center opened in 1953 on a much smaller campus and needs to be expanded and updated for Mt. SAC’s current needs. Conco is providing a multitude of concrete services including but not limited to formwork, shoring, pumping, and rebar fabrication. Working alongside Conco is the general contractor Tilden-Coil (CM), HPI Architecture, and MHP Structural Engineers.

Conco came out on top of a competitive bid process. Our approach varied drastically from that of CM. Our understanding of how to sequence the footings and tie the second-level elevated slabs into the slab on grade at level 2 were key factors in meeting an aggressive schedule. Since then we’ve proven our efforts, and have requested opinions on future projects that the CM is undertaking.

This Student Center has a complex foundation system of over 6,000 CY of concrete spread among varying elevations on both levels one and two. The original foundations contained over 90 changes in elevation, all coupled with heavy rebar requirements and a rigorous DSA Inspection process.

Conco’s foresight avoided several job-stopping issues such as:

• Elevators that couldn’t accommodate the elevator manufacturer’s equipment
• Self-consolidating concrete mixes on walls that were too congested for the specified mix design(s)
• Acquisition of unique embeds that took several months to manufacture
• Ongoing coordination efforts to allow follow-on trades to operate within our reshore. 

One of the major challenges Conco faces is placing a substantial amount of shoring on mud sills, primarily for the roof installation. The roof level extends approximately 10 feet beyond the structure on the south and west portions of the Student Center. At the onset of this project, Conco had to adapt to working with clay soil, which does not absorb water and thus makes rainy weather a great concern for shoring in place.

When open, the Mt. SAC Student Center will welcome students into an inclusive and comfortable environment that fosters student engagement. The first floor will have a convenience store and added study spots for individual students and groups. The second floor will feature a multi-cultural center, student club kitchen, and an updated room for Associated Student meetings. On all three floors will be event space and conference rooms.

Planned for substantial completion by December 22, 2021, Conco is excited to provide a much-needed space to support education and build a stronger future.

Conco provides high-quality concrete pumping in Los Angeles and is one of the top suppliers in the Western U.S. We started in 1959 in the Bay Area by offering clients the best value on a broad range of concrete services and products. Since then, we have taken a leading role as top concrete contractors in the region. We have regional offices serving California, Washington, and Portland.