Rafn Company : Commercial General Contractor : Blog

Project Tour : Town Hall Seattle Renovation

04/05/2018
2018Q1, PROJECT TOUR, SEISMIC, RENO

Our project at Town Hall Seattle is a complete renovation of this 35,731 square foot performance arts building. The structure was originally built between 1916 and 1922 as the The Fourth Church of Christ, Scientist, church building. Our scope of work includes: seismic upgrade (structural steel /…

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Construction Industry Associations Offer Leadership Development Opportunities

12/28/2017
2017Q4, FUTURE

Leadership is defined as “the action of leading a group of people or an organization” with synonyms including guidance, direction, management, superintendence, and supervision. But how do you gain leadership experience and skill before you have a group to lead? Can you develop proficiency in gui…

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Using Drones to Survey Existing Conditions

12/21/2017
2017Q4, SAFETY, QUALITY, FUTURE

On a current project in downtown Seattle now undergoing repairs to a 10 story concrete façade, the initial conundrum was to determine the most economical method for the structural engineer to inspect and document the existing conditions. After looking at the costs of two swing stage drops or a …

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Ground Improvement Using Rammed Aggregate Piers

12/14/2017
2017Q4

You walk out onto the construction site where a large excavator is beginning to dig down for a new building foundation. You’ve worn tall rubber boots, but a nervous feeling sets in as you begin to sink in the mud. If this site can’t even support your weight, how will it ever support the weight of the…

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How City Policy Contributes to Energy Efficient Buildings

12/07/2017
2017Q4, GREEN, FUTURE

Though we may take different paths to get there, we are all headed toward the same goal: reducing the carbon footprint of the built environment as we build for the future. In this article we will look at how Brussels, Belgium, Vancouver, Canada, and Seattle have implemented code changes to promote…

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