Aug 24 2007
Sukut Construction is gearing up to begin work on New Model Colony--the massive master planned community encompassing 13 square miles within the city of Ontario. New Model Colony is one of the largest and most significant projects in recent Southern California history. Groundbreaking is planned for early September.
Sukut, California largest earthmoving company, won the $96 million contract to build the roads and underground infrastructure on the 4,000-acre first phase of New Model Colony. Sukut was one of 17 companies vying for the contract, with only five deemed qualified by the city to be capable of managing such a massive job.
The project is rising from the largest remaining, centrally located and undeveloped area in Southern California, and as such is expected to become an important employment, cultural and entertainment center for the Inland Empire and east Los Angeles County.
"Sukut has an impeccable record of successfully completing such challenging jobs of this size and complexity. New Model Colony is an enormous development that we're well prepared to take it on," Sukut CEO, Michael Crawford said. "This is one of the most important developments we've seen in the Southland for years."
Consider the numbers. Sukut will be building six arterial roads totaling 13 miles. That equates to 4.8 million square feet of pavement, or 200,000 tons of asphalt, enough to pave one lane from Los Angeles to Las Vegas.
Sukut will excavate 900,000 cubic yards of dirt. In football terms, that's enough dirt to bury the field under a 385-foot mountain -the height of a 32-story building. Sukut also will lay 240,000 lineal feet of water, sewer and storm pipe; install 532 street lights and 23 traffic signals.
The target date for breaking ground is September, with completion in 16 months. Sukut will mobilize approximately 150 employees and 12 large excavating machines.
The land on from which New Model Colony will rise is primarily dairy farms and pasture. Sukut will build the arterial highways on existing roads: Archibald, Hamner and Mill Creek which run north and south, and Riverside, Merrill and Belgrave which run east and west.
The job involves clearing the path of the arterials; installing sewer, water, reclaimed water and storm water pipelines; adding conduits for gas, electric, fiber optic and cable utilities; and finishing with curbs, gutters, asphalt, street lights and traffic signals.
A consortium of 26 prestigious developers including Lewis Properties, Brookfield Homes, Stratham Communities, Richland Communities and Meritage Homes will then move in to build on the property.
The entire project is expected to take 20 years to complete and increase the population of Ontario by 120,000 people. New Model Colony will include 30,000 homes, plus commercial centers, schools and parks. New Model Colony will be developed in three phases, and Sukut intends to bid on all three.