Toyota Logistics Services Vehicle Processing and Distribution Center (VDC)

Summarize the project's program, features, and achievements: Construction of a new anticipated LEED Gold certified Toyota Vehicle Processing and Distribution Center (VDC) replaces the previous VDC facility within the same paved (144 acres less 16-acre reduction) lot. Toyota’s new west coast distribution headquarters consists of a 155,000 s.f. post-production building, 5,200 s.f. car wash, and a 3,500 s.f. fuel island replaces multiple existing structures and consolidates the previous VDC into a 21% smaller footprint. The facility’s design and programming has created a more efficient workflow by reducing vehicle movement and emissions, increasing site safety, and updating the seismic security of the facility. The project involved approximately 12 months of preconstruction delivery between Toyota, Robert A. Vezzuto Consulting, Inc., Lionakis, and Oltmans Construction Co. before breaking ground. Construction of the project spanned 22 months and involved demolition, ground improvements, construction, and phased move-in of Toyota’s operations. The building structures sit over approximately 550 driven piles. The piles used for the building ranged from 66’-70’ with a 12” double mat slab above. Oltmans’ Concrete crews self-performed all concrete work on the project over the course of 12 months, 10,550 yards of concrete was poured.

What obstacles were overcome related to the schedule, budget, program, specification, site, etc. on this project? Prepping the site for vertical construction, 2-1/2 miles of underground utilities were installed through a maze of undocumented oil lines, and 542 precast piles were driven, some as deep as 72’. A challenging aspect of the underground scope was overseeing/coordinating the processing of 3,000 cubic yards of contaminated dirt with the Port of Long Beach and navigating the complex high-pressure sewage infrastructure. This involved four new connections, three of which were connected directly to a one-hundred-year-old sewer main located 15’ below ground. No live pipes were disturbed during excavations. To process contaminated soil/groundwater, Oltmans teamed up with a contractor who works directly with the port, to identify/remove/export contaminated material in compliance with AQMD regulations. To dry and compact the trenches, water was pumped out 24/7, cleaned, and reused on-site for air quality control. Another challenge were oil pipelines of six neighboring companies which ran underneath the site, requiring coordination efforts each time utilities crossed. This alone required a small army to ensure our underground utilities didn’t intersect with another company’s, we took the appropriate steps to verify and test, avoid, or cap and remove. To comply with the Port of Long Beach’s security measures, specialized employee screening was required through the TSA. All oversight personnel on the project were required to carry a Transportation Worker Identification Credential as required by the Maritime Transportation Security Act. Oltmans worked alongside the U.S. Coast Guard to ensure proper compliance was met and the expectation that random security checks would occur was communicated.

Please communicate any engineering complexities or unique features of the panel design for this project. ? The project shell consisted of the placement of 542 precast concrete piles to help stabilize the foundation due to ground water at the port, construction of associated concrete pile caps poured to the bottom of a 12" thick mat slab and a limited casting surface due to continuous floor trench drains and pits for current and future assembly line conveyor equipment.

What is the potential for this project's impact on the community and/or environment? The LEED Gold post-production building (certification Q4 2023) and facility processes 200,000+ auto imports annually through the Port of Long Beach. Part of the redevelopment includes a renewable energy fuel cell power plant that powers the site and the project features a hydrogen refueling station. These additions reinforce the port’s commitment to the growing technology and dedication to refueling heavy-duty fuel cell trucks that operate within the port as well as zero-emission hydrogen import vehicles for the market. Toyota has committed to becoming the worldwide leading car manufacturer and distributor of sustainable vehicles. To do this, a renewable energy fuel cell power plant was included in the campus reconfiguration with additional electrical infrastructure to support the increase in EV chargers in anticipation of demand for electrical vehicles. The renewable energy fuel cell power plant converts natural gas into water and electricity. The electricity is used to supply power to Toyota’s operations and the water is pumped to the car wash to be reused. This production facility is customized for Toyota, Lexus, and Scion receiving nearly 3,000 cars each week from Japan, which spend 2-6 days at the facility. The port facility services the entire Southwest of the United States. The design, construction, and operation aims to achieve LEED Gold by incorporating carbon neutral, tri-generation, fuel cell, and hydrogen strategies, which helps the manufacturer reach their environmental challenge goals of 2050. The site also contains the world's first megawatt-scale carbonate fuel cell power generation plant with its own hydrogen fueling station.