We interviewed Regional Project Manager, John Garcia, about his favorite job at Rose Paving. Below are his answers.
1. What has been your favorite job thus far in your career at Rose Paving?
A: My favorite job so far was installing brick pavers at Lot L of U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago, Illinois.
2. When did the job begin? A: In the Fall of 2007.
3. How long did the job last?
A: We were on site over 10 weeks. During that time, we excavated 75,000 sq ft and installed over 20,000 sq ft of brick pavers every day, covering a total of 265,000 sq ft (or 4.5 football fields).
4. Why did you enjoy it so much?
A: I particularly enjoyed this job for variety of reasons. First and foremost, this was the largest permeable paver project of its kind in all of Chicago-land, making it a very high-profile job. Secondly, it was a ground-breaking project for us because it was the first time we ever installed brick pavers. In addition to this, we also served as the General Contractor and wore many hats on the job. Rose Paving was in charge of removing 14 telephone poles, demolition, excavation, brick installation, concrete installation, landscaping, and installation of electrical and lighting for the parking lot.
5. Were there any complications?
A: Yes, we encountered several obstacles; but, our entire crew was tenacious and our teamwork and engineering paid off in the end. We overcame permitting and union issues, we dealt with a temporary job shut-down and weather-related delays, the brick pattern had to be adjusted last-minute, and we had to re-route power to the viaduct once the telephone poles were removed.
6. Was the client satisfied?
A: The Illinois Sports Facilities Authority (ISFA) was very satisfied with the outcome. With this lot and their other eco-friendly initiatives, ISFA is leading the green movement in Chicago and in the Major Leagues.
7. What did you learn from this experience?
A: This experience helped shaped the future of Rose Paving jobs. For this project, we took on new responsibilities and implemented new tools to manage various tasks. Many of the lessons learned and new procedures developed on this job are now used regularly on projects today. From a personal standpoint, I walked away from this experience with an increased skill set and a heightened enthusiasm for my job and all of my teammates.
Terry Smith is the Chief Operating Officer at Rose Paving and a seasoned expert in the paving industry. With decades of hands-on experience, he leads operations with a focus on quality, efficiency, and customer satisfaction.
