Epic Advantage is a highly skilled, well seasoned, consulting firm specializing in providing unparalleled preconstruction services at competitive rates.  Dave Zastrow, the principal of Epic Advantage, has been a part if the construction industry for the past 45 years, focused on commercial projects ranging from retail to hospitality to office and industrial facilities. 

 Our expertise lies in the development of the design, plan analysis and related cost estimates, providing a continuous flow of cost data, sustainable initiatives, value engineering ideas and constructability options. 

Plan Review and Analysis:

Plan review and analysis is provided at any of the project development stages from “Napkin Sketches” and Concepts all the way through Construction Documents.  Objectives are tailored to the project as well as the level of documentation. 

Key Objectives

o   Constructability - Verifying documents, details and specification information is buildable while identifying effective alternatives and solutions

o   Competitive Pricing - Ensuring documents are clean, clear, and detail rich to effectively communicate the scope of work

o   Added Value - Providing innovative alternatives, complementary methods and materials that can be utilized to save time and money

o   Operational - Harnessing our experience to review operational aspects of the program

o   Systems - Analysis for appropriate application, energy efficiency, cost effectiveness, life-cycle-analysis, standardization, and prefabrication opportunities

Site Development Analysis and Logistics:

Epic Advantage provides comprehensive site development and logistics analysis.  We analyze, comment and provide solutions to such items as:

o   Effective site usage and layout for parking, buildings and open spaces

o   Storm water retention analysis

o   Utility layouts and alternatives

o   Cost effective grading and site drainage analysis

o   Construction staging, security, access, waste and separations from ongoing facilities

o   Review of traffic patterns – vehicular, pedestrian and public transit

o   Consideration of impacts of construction on the surrounding community

 Estimating:

Conceptual Estimating

Epic Advantage specializes in providing, comprehensive  in depth conceptual estimating.  Dave Zastrow’s extensive experience enhances his incredible understanding of the “parts and pieces” needed for a full project analysis and estimate. We take things as simple as “napkin sketches” and develop fully detailed estimates and alternatives, providing the client with a high level of certainty regarding initial cost parameters.

Project Estimating

Accurate cost estimates and budgets are prepared through detailed quantity takeoffs for each division of work and specification section. Quantity takeoffs are updated at each phase of documentation. Historical cost data helps us establish the most current, complete and accurate cost of construction.

o   Detailed milestone cost estimates, to track alignment of design and budget, are generated at Schematic Design, Design Development and final pricing of Construction Drawings

o   Budget tracking formats provide continuous, real time status of the budget reflecting current design documents along with innovative opportunities to manage and enhance the project scope and design

Fashion Show Mall Expansion – Las Vegas, NV

Design and pre-construction for the $350,000,000 Fashion Show Mall Expansion, including the addition of three major department stores (Nordstrom’s, Bloomingdales and Dillard’s), the renovation of three existing major department stores (Neiman Marcus, Macy’s and Robinson May) and the relocation of one major department store (Saks 5th Avenue). Project included an additional 150,000 square-feet of new small retail space and the expansion of the existing underground parking structure to include two new multiple floor above ground parking garages. Dave developed an extensive master site phasing plan and provided programming direction and development, methods analysis, material alternatives and research, methods analysis of detailing and cost analysis throughout the design process. This active shopping center remained open during the entire construction process

Block 50 – Pioneer Place Expansion – Portland, OR

This five-level retail pavilion represents the final stage of the four-block mixed-use development, Pioneer Place. The $50,000,000 fast-track project accommodates upscale retail and restaurants. The 230,000 SF Rotunda connects to the adjacent Pioneer Place Pavilion, via a below-grade concourse and an above-grade sky bridge. The underground retail space concourse runs a full city block wide and connects the two shopping areas.  The team developed an innovative top down shotcrete soil nail shoring system that allowed for 20-feet deep evacuation within three feet of the light rail transit track without interrupting passenger service. The structured steel framed building is wrapped in ornately detailed precast and specialty glazing systems. The circular interior atrium is capped with an arched skylight

Arizona Center – Phoenix, AZ

This mixed-use project in downtown Phoenix included the construction of two 20-floor office towers, 150,000 square-feet of retail, two above grade parking structures and an extensive garden and fountain area. Dave assisted in the design and construction of the shell buildings for the office towers and the parking garages. He was directly responsible for the design and construction of the build-to-suit interior improvements for the consolidation of APS offices into the entire Two Arizona Center building, as well as numerous tenants in the One Arizona Center building to include Pinnacle West and numerous full floor users.

Mountain Shadows Resort - Scottsdale, AZ

The Mountain Shadows Resort features 183 guest rooms, a restaurant with exhibition kitchen, a terraced pool, hot tub, fitness facility, and a revamped 18-hole golf course with a grill. Indoor space includes two ballrooms, five boardrooms / meeting rooms, and pre-function space.

 The majority of the structure is raw concrete with exposed columns, floors and ceilings highlighted as design elements. Materials include locally quarried stone quartzite, mica flecked EIFS and accents of the original Mountain Shadows Resort concrete block (saved during the demolition) painted white.

 The guestrooms with raw concrete floors and ceilings, area rugs and custom furnishings are a signature part of the resort. 

WestWorld - Scottsdale, AZ

The project was a two-phased expansion of the Tony Nelssen Equestrian Center at WestWorld.   Phase 1 featured the complete renovation of the existing 100,000 SF Equidome facility.  This phase included new restrooms, concession areas, public spaces and suites.  A new 40,000 SF South Hall was attached to the existing structure to accommodate additional event space.  In addition, a 25,000 enclosed equestrian staging arena was attached to the structure during this phase.

 Phase 2 added a 250,000 SF North Hall utilizing one of the largest free span prefabricated buildings in the western United States. The new structure was attached to the existing Equidome to form over 400,000 SF of contiguous event space with the ability to stage a variety of sized events.   

 The fully renovated and expanded facility is now used to accommodate such events as the annual Barrett Jackson Auto Auction as well as the nationally acclaimed Arabian Horse Show.

 Intensive preconstruction and planning efforts resulted in WestWorld events continuing during the entire construction with no disruptions to any of the schedule events throughout the two year construction period.

Mainstreet - Surprise, Chandler and Tucson, AZ

The Surprise facility is a two level, 69,507 SF facility on a 5.4 acre site, incorporating 100 rooms of skilled nursing care.  Construction consisted of a structural steel frame and hambro joist system.  Exterior walls were of EIFS / stone accent finishes.

 The Chandler project is a single level, 48,525 SF facility on a 7.8 acre site, consisting of 70 rooms of skilled nursing care.  Construction was similar to the Surprise facility with a structural steel frame and EIFS / stone accent finishes.

 Mainstreet Tucson is a sister project to the Chandler Facility as a single level, 48,589 SF facility on an 8.51 acre site, consisting of 70 rooms of skilled nursing care. 

The nearly simultaneous construction of the three projects allowed for an intense cross collaboration preconstruction effort.  A great amount of design detailing, construction techniques and quality control measures were able to be incorporated immediately into each of the projects. 

Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts - Scottsdale, AZ

Two-phased theater renovation project for the City of Scottsdale. Phase I included renovation of the Atrium to include improvement and replacement of HVAC equipment, a new mezzanine addition, remodeling of the west and north entrance, and relocation of the box office. Phase II included the addition of an elevator and gallery seating on two sides of the theater, replacement of all of the seating, stage and rigging, replacement of the entire lighting systems and replacement of the entire sound system. The extensive design and preconstruction phase included rigorous cost estimating, detailed scheduling, and in depth value engineering to ensure the successful build-out of this public project.