The Tepa Companies began working on the tribal complex project, located in Corning, California, in 2017. The Tribe, which owns the Tepa Companies, needed a prominent gathering place where tribal members could socialize, practice their culture and house all their tribal administrative staff.
The job required the services of Tehama, LLC, and Nomlaki Technologies, LLC, both businesses within the Tepa Companies, to complete the work. Tehama conducted the environmental evaluation of the tribal land before construction could begin, and Nomlaki Technologies completed the construction.
To start, the Tehama team conducted an Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) and a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Environmental Assessment (EA) to evaluate hidden environmental risks and liabilities on the property. Processes included reviewing the historical and current land-uses of the area to identify the likelihood of any environmental contamination. Next, Tehama staff conducted the NEPA EA, a comprehensive study to identify environmental impacts of land development. The study also analyzed broad parameters like cultural resources, biodiversity, environmental justice, wetlands, air and water pollution, traffic, geotechnical risks, public safety and hazardous substance issues. The cultural resources evaluation assessed the project’s potential effect on significant prehistoric or historic-era sites and features by conducting archaeological testing on 59-acres of land. Tehama team members also collected and analyzed soil samples and utilized Global Positioning System (GPS) technology to evaluate the property.
Once the area was deemed eligible for construction, the Nomlaki Technologies team started the construction of the complex, which consisted of two buildings; the administration center and the community center, totaling 28,200 square feet.
“The meaning behind these buildings is much greater than the economic development and support of our community,” Andrew Alejandre, Tribal Chairman for the Paskenta Band of Nomlaki Indians said. “These buildings are about us and the growth of the Nomlaki people because they showcase and solidify our identity as native people.”
The design and construction of the administration center reflect a modern interpretation of a roundhouse. In Native American cultures, the roundhouse is traditionally where the community gathers for ceremonial events. The building features a central atrium, which includes a living wall with a built-in irrigation system, allowing plants to grow vertically along the wall and four large wooden posts that symbolize the construction of a traditional roundhouse. The exterior contains balconies, patios and a roof terrace.
The community center houses a meeting space large enough to accommodate 360 people, a commercial kitchen, a lounge and business center, private meeting rooms, a community room and an outdoor area.
This project was unique because Nomlaki Technologies’ construction managers operated in dual roles. They served as both the Construction Manager and the Owner’s Representative while working with Travois Design, which designed the two buildings.
“Working as both the Construction Manager and Owner’s Representative added an important layer of responsibility,” John Walker, PMP, Director of Project Excellence for the Tepa Companies said. “As with every project, it is in our best interest to ensure the project runs smoothly. For this job, not only did we focus on the construction and success of the project, but we also managed the programmatic duties of the complex development such as invoice approval, designer management, code inspections, conducted county and insurance inspections and coordinated communication with local municipalities.”
Along with additional duties and two unusual rainy seasons for northern California, the Nomlaki Technologies team successfully completed the project in 22 months.
Andrew said the completion of this work is vital for the Tribe now and for future generations, “The complex is where we will watch our young people flourish and grow into amazing individuals and tribal leaders. This will be where our culture will revitalize, our language will be spoken and traditions will live and breathe. From our youth to our elders, this is where we will learn from one another, teach one another and grow together as individuals and as a tribe. Here we will create memories and stories that will last forever and be shared for many, many generations to come.”
