Design-Build: Our Path to a Successful Project

Wyoming Valley Motors’ Automotive Campus located on PA Route 315 in Wilkes-Barre contains four brand dealerships and one shared service building totaling over 110,000 square feet.

To construct the campus, Sordoni Construction Services, Inc. (SCS) was contracted by Wyoming Valley Motors (WVM) utilizing a design-build project delivery method. Under this contracting structure, Sordoni took the lead in forming a team of construction professionals, which included Hemmler + Camayd Architects, Ruether + Bowen Engineering and Smith Miller Associates to plan and execute the project. Having the design-build team in place from the onset of the project allowed the exploration and study of multiple site and building layouts to ensure the most efficient campus design in order to meet the client’s evolving requirements.

Like most projects, the path to the successful completion of the project was not a straightforward one. Faced with a site that posed significant challenges, including soils that required dynamic compaction and a 36” diameter storm pipe running diagonally through the site that could not be relocated or encroached upon, the team was able to devise a solution using pervious pave and underground stormwater infiltration beds that allowed the site to be fully developed. The Sordoni design-build team also had to closely coordinate with each automotive brand’s architect to ensure compliance with the individual brand’s Design Intent Document (DID), while adhering to WVM’s requirements. The outcome of this process was that each brand’s showroom has its own identity that is unique to the brand it represents and the customers they will serve. In addition to the brand showrooms, a 50,000 square foot state-of-the-art shared service building was also constructed on the site. Utilized by Audi, BMW and Subaru’s service departments, this facility features 45 bays that include in-ground car lifts and an innovative waste oil heating system.

At Sordoni, we believe the best path to a successful project is an integrated team of architecture, engineering and construction professionals. Leveraging the talents, experience, and insights of all team members, this project delivery method emphasizes transparency, communication, and knowledge sharing to deliver our clients a better, faster, less costly and less adversarial construction project.