Alcatraz Island

Once home to a military reservation and later a federal penitentiary, Alcatraz Island is one of the most popular National Park Service (NPS) sites, with over a million visitors each year. However, decades of salty marine air have corroded the metal and concrete of several of the island’s historic structures. The NPS has planned a series of projects to improve the visitor experience and preserve the historic buildings.

With approximately 80% of the work completed on a renovation to replace falling beams, the general contractor was forced to replace the original construction subcontractor. In addition to its own estimate and the estimate of the new subcontractor, the general contractor needed an independent, third-party estimate of the time and cost required to complete the renovation. Acuity was hired to provide an estimate-to-complete.

With repairs far behind schedule, time to completion was critical. Within days of engagement, Acuity traveled to Alcatraz to observe site conditions and to meet the general contractor and the new construction contractor. Acuity’s cost estimate projected the direct costs and overhead that a prudent contractor would submit to finish the work. In addition to the estimate-to-complete, Acuity also provided a critical path schedule that detailed quantities as well as materials and labor costs.