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33-773: The need for the Van Nuys City Hall is documented from 1916 when the City of Los Angeles rented a twenty-foot store building to house the Department of Water and the City Engineer's Office. Within 8 months, the need for more space had become evident which paralleled the expansion of the San Fernando Valley itself. Postcards mailed to the City Clerk of Los Angeles decided the final location of where

66-418: A client proposes to award a contract is often referred to as a "preferred contractor". A general contractor is responsible for providing all of the material, labor, equipment (such as heavy equipment and tools) and services necessary for the construction of the project. A general contractor often hires specialized subcontractors to perform all or portions of the construction work. When using subcontractors,

99-399: A design professional, such as an architect .The general contractor may also assume the role of construction manager, responsible for overseeing the project while assuming financial and legal risks.There are several types of risks can occur include cost overruns, delays, and liabilities related to safety or contract breaches. Prior to formal appointment, the selected general contractor to whom

132-439: A police department, hospital, municipal court, and jail but has pivoted to maintain solely government related services with population growth in the decades following its creation The integrity of the original design principles has been maintained since its creation, offering the building as a recognizable landmark of the San Fernando Valley. Officials such as 22nd Congressional District Representative James C. Corman came to view

165-400: A program of their needs and selects a site (often with an architect). The architect assembles a design team of consulting engineers and other experts to design the building and specify the building systems. Today contractors frequently participate on the design team by providing pre-design services such as providing estimations of the budget and scheduling requirements to improve the economy of

198-646: A team of plumbers , electricians , bricklayers , carpenters , iron workers , technicians , handymans , architects and roofers . General Contractors build their business by networking with potential clients, buying basic construction tools, and ensuring that their subcontractors complete high-quality work. General Contractors do not usually complete much construction work themselves, but they need to be familiar with construction techniques so they can manage workers effectively. Other reasons include access to specialist skills, flexible hiring and firing, and lower costs. A property owner or real estate developer develops

231-446: Is a partial listing of the company's projects: This United States corporation or company article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . General contractor A contractor ( North American English ) or builder ( British English ), is responsible for the day-to-day oversight of a construction site, management of vendors and trades, and the communication of information to all involved parties throughout

264-609: Is required to get a better understanding of the project. Depending on the project delivery method , the general contractor will submit a fixed price proposal or bid, cost-plus price or an estimate. The general contractor considers the cost of home office overhead, general conditions, materials, and equipment, as well as the cost of labor, to provide the owner with a price for the project. Contract documents may include drawings, project manuals (including general, supplementary, or special conditions and specifications), and addendum or modifications issued prior to proposal/bidding and prepared by

297-915: The California Contractors State License Board (CSLB) if the total cost of one or more contracts on the project is $ 500 or more. In every state that requires a license, a surety bond is required as part of the licensing process, with the exception of Louisiana , where bonding requirements may vary in different parishes. Not all states require General Contractor licenses - these include Vermont , New Hampshire and Maine , among others. Some general contractors obtain bachelor's degrees in construction science , building science , surveying , construction safety, or other disciplines. General Contractors often learn about different aspects of construction, including masonry , carpentry , framing , and plumbing . Aspiring general contractors communicate with subcontractors and may learn

330-462: The United Kingdom , Australia and some British Commonwealth countries, the term 'general contractor' was gradually superseded by builders during the early twentieth century. This was the term used by major professional, trade, and consumer organizations when issuing contracts for construction work, and thus the term 'general contractor' fell out of use except in large organizations where

363-673: The United States and Asia , the terms general contractor (or simply "contractor"), prime contractor and main contractor are often interchangeable when referring to small local companies that perform residential work. These companies are represented by trade organizations such as the NAHB . Prime contractor is a term defined in the US law. Statutory definitions of prime contract, prime contractor, subcontract, and subcontractor are in 41 U.S.C.   § 8701 . The prime contractor term

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396-593: The Beach Club, a private social club in Santa Monica. Despondent over business difficulties and ill health, Mr. Baruch shot himself in his Hollywood Hills residence in 1955. The business ceased operations the same year. In 1932 the Baruch Corporation was sued by actress Ann Christy for $ 100,730 in damages when she was involved in a collision with a ditching machine owned by the company. This

429-485: The San Fernando Valley's history and culture where the Hall itself creates an open public gathering space. Existence of the Van Nuys City Hall has been understood by locals to show the unique significance and importance of the San Fernando Valley, as separate to that of Los Angeles County as a whole. The building has been used as a rallying point for locals during years when the San Fernando Valley contemplated secession from

462-638: The United States, there are no federal licensing requirements to become a general contractor, but most US states require general contractors to obtain a local license to operate. It is the states' responsibility to define these requirements: for example, in the state of California , the requirements are stated as follows: With a few exceptions, all businesses or individuals who work on any building, highway, road, parking facility, railroad, excavation, or other structure in California must be licensed by

495-438: The Van Nuys City Hall as an important link between the politics of Washington, D.C. and the San Fernando Valley's bustling population. Field offices for elected officials became established following the decades of the Van Nuys City Hall's creation, and would come to further characterize the link of political representation present in the local City Hall itself. Local politicians pushed to stop renting out nearby offices and to use

528-571: The Van Nuys City Hall would be built in 1929. In order to prepare for the increased traffic outside of Van Nuys City Hall, Sylvan Street was widened in 1932 to extend the street by 3 feet while maintaining a minimum of 12 feet on the sidewalk for pedestrians. The building was designed by architect Peter K. Schabarum and cost roughly $ 275,000 and was initially contracted with the Herbert M. Baruch Corporation with foundation work beginning in June 1932. During

561-410: The advice of the project's architect or engineer . General Contractors are mainly responsible for the overall coordination of a project and may also act as building designer and construction foreman (a tradesman in charge of a crew). A general contractor must first assess the project-specific documents (referred to as a bid, proposal, or tender documents). In the case of renovations, a site visit

594-417: The city of Los Angeles such as in 2002 In 1971 the building suffered some damage during the 1971 Sylmar earthquake , which would spark some discussion on allocating funds to the aging building's safety and preparation for future earthquake preparations. During the late 1980s, the building was expected to receive some funding to prepare for future earthquakes, but as of 1986, work done to the Van Nuys City Hall

627-402: The course of a building project. In the United States , a contractor may be a sole proprietor managing a project and performing labor or carpentry work, have a small staff, or may be a very large company managing billion dollar projects. Some builders build new homes, some are remodelers, some are developers. A general contractor is a construction manager employed by a client, usually upon

660-547: The earthquake's start until November 17, 2005, for a meeting after major improvements were finished. Parking would be added underground for roughly 300 spaces, updates to the plumbing and electrical systems inside, along with two large meeting rooms were being added to the City Hall for its 2005 reopening. Herbert M. Baruch Corporation The Herbert M. Baruch Corporation (commonly the Baruch Corporation )

693-412: The general contractor is responsible for overseeing the quality of all work performed by any and all of the workers and subcontractors. It is a best practice for general contractors to prioritize safety on the job site, and they are generally responsible for ensuring that work takes place following safe practices. A general contractor's responsibilities may include applying for building permits, advising

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726-449: The main contractor is the top manager and a general contractor shares responsibilities with professional contractors. General contractors who conduct work for government agencies are often referred to as "builders". This term is also used in contexts where the customer's immediate general contractor is permitted to sub-contract or circumstances are likely to involve sub-contracting to specialist operators e.g. in various public services. In

759-435: The management skills they need to run their own company. Experience in the construction industry as well as references from customers, business partners, or former employers are demanded. Some jurisdictions require candidates to provide proof of financing to own their own general contracting firm. General Contractors often run their own business. They hire subcontractors to complete specialized construction work and may manage

792-452: The opening ceremony in 1933, 10,000 would attend including prominent Van Nuys social figures, city officials, and some movie stars that resided in the San Fernando Valley at the time. Inspiration for the building came from art-deco design principles such as the usage of frieze inside and outside, bas relief detail, Greek style columns, and rosette grills. Originally, the building served a wider variety of purposes upon creation such as maintaining

825-430: The person they are hired by, securing the property, providing temporary utilities on site, managing personnel on site, providing site surveying and engineering, disposing or recycling of construction waste , monitoring schedules and cash flows, and maintaining accurate records. The general contractor may be responsible for some part of the design, referred to as the "contractor's design portion" ( JCT terminology). In

858-418: The vacated floors of the Van Nuys City Hall which was understood to save taxpayer money at the time In 1986, the current state of the Van Nuys City Hall's condition was questioned and the City of Los Angeles called in special historical consultants to survey the 54-year-old building. The Van Nuys City Hall had slowly become more culturally important to the area, and a testament to Art Deco era craftsmanship that

891-479: Was a prominent pioneer family in Southern California in the early 20th century that originated from Bavaria , and his father Jacob, with his brother Herman, was a principal in the prominent wholesale grocer Haas, Baruch and Company (one of the other partners was Abraham , father of Walter A. Haas , and this company eventually became Smart & Final ). Mr. Baruch married twice: his first marriage

924-593: Was already defined before the 8 March 1946 passage of An Act To eliminate the practice by subcontractors, under cost-plus-a-fixed-fee or cost reimbursable contacts of the United States, of paying fees or kick-backs, or of granting gifts or gratuities to employees of a cost-plus-a-fixed-fee or cost reimbursable prime contractors or of higher tier subcontractors for the purpose of securing the award of subcontracts or orders. (Pub. L.Tooltip Public Law (United States) 79–319, 60 Stat. 37) Licensing requirements to work legally on construction projects vary from locale to locale. In

957-503: Was becoming visually worn despite remaining a popular tourist destination. The Van Nuys Arts Festival takes place every year directly outside of the Van Nuys City Hall, and serves as an important cultural and artistic exchange for local residents and San Fernando Valley residents. Each year the program is supported by the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs and is an important preservation and cultivation tool of

990-516: Was not to be completed until improvements were made to the Los Angeles City Hall first. While it was noted that improvements were needed to maintain safety and historical preservation, private and corporate donations were desired to make the improvements in a timely manner, but this stalling would only produce no major updates. Due to the building's proximity to the 1994 Northridge Earthquake , roughly $ 15 million in repairs and updates

1023-610: Was one of the largest general contractors in Southern California during the early to mid-20th century. During its existence from 1920 to 1955 the company constructed over 500 buildings including Hollywood Bowl , Beverly Hills City Hall , and other major civic and commercial buildings, many of which are now historic buildings . The company was founded by Los Angeles native Herbert M. Baruch (1894-1955) upon his return from military service in World War I . His family

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1056-657: Was seen as necessary in restoring the Valley building. While some practical work was completed immediately following the earthquake such as preventing additional tiles falling from services, retrofitting the building against future earthquakes would only be completed years later but would prepare the building for earthquakes as high as an 8.0 Richter scale. For about 10 years following the 1994 earthquake, city officials and local meetings were shifted into temporary locations while negotiations for building improvements lie mostly dormant or stalled. The Los Angeles City Council had not met from

1089-459: Was to Dorothy née Walter (1899-1962) author and educator, and later he married his second wife Rosemary née Bloom (1906-1972), a local socialite. The first union had two children, Herbert M. Baruch Jr. and Nancy Baruch Smith. Mr. Baruch was active on several boards including the local Red Cross and Community Chest , an early forerunner to the United Way . He was also a founding member of

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