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Jim Alsup managed a direct contract with Sandia National Laboratories to provide On Call Services from 1987 to 1997. Prior to that, Jim had managed site planning services to SNL in a subconsulting role. At the laboratories, Jim Alsup generated siting criteria for new facilities and buildings and designed more than $7,000,000 in site improvements. These have ranged from $5,000 building entry repairs to $650,000 pedestrian links across the laboratories to $1.2M urban plazas. He has a proven track record for building working relationships with the planners, architects, engineers, security and maintenance personnel and other private consultants while managing a wide variety of site planning and landscape architectural services.

Sandia National Laboratories was the most stringent of his clients in regard to the keeping of time records, cost accounting, and tracking of fees by projects and tasks. Further, Sandia National Laboratories has specific format requirements for specifications, computer generated drawings, and cost estimates. Jim’s experience in finding ways to comply with the labs requirements reinforces his "can-do" attitude and willingness to experiment with new systems. As Project Manager for work at the laboratories, Jim Alsup's familiarity with their cost estimating and specification standards as well as his observation of a variety of site conditions over an extended time period, enhanced his ability to critically evaluate the technical elements of all of his designs and documents.

The following list is a brief listing of projects where Jim Alsup was the site planner, project manager and landscape architect. The role was typically that of coordinating with various stakeholders at the lab ranging from maintenance staff to architects, engineers and department directors. Typically the site design slate was fairly clean with very general recommendations from the architect regarding site use. Most buildings were line item capital projects. Site funding ranged up to $1.2M. Typical new buildings had a site budget of $300K to $600K.

Design Workshop and Jim Alsup were asked to develop a four block long pedestrian mall on an existing road corridor. This landscaped spine has become a wonderful, positive symbol for the Laboratories. Key planning issues involved fire access considerations, utility line interfaces, service requirements, security setbacks and sidewalk sizing. The design work involved extensive site removals, sidewalk paving, building entries, grading, picnic areas, seating, trees, shrubs, irrigation and extensive gravel mulch.

The RHIC Lab is one of the United States' foremost clean room facilities for production of integrated circuits. The concept for site work was to provide a clean air microclimate around the building. Provisions for servicing the facility, separated security measures, lunch areas, and pedestrian movements were required. Jim Alsup also worked as a subconsultant for a separate road and parking facility for the RHIC Lab.

Design Workshop Inc.'s initial involvement with the Strategic Defense Facilities was to provide site planning for the entry plaza, sidewalk and parking lot layout for initial building construction and an additional planting and irrigation contract after building completion. Work involved providing for security fences and access control, dividing out "occasionally secure" conference areas, and providing drive and service roads for the industrial and research portion of the facility.

This was a small project to provide landscape improvements to an existing building that had been remodeled.

Building 887 has served as offices, shop, and warehouse facilities for the Facilities Management Division at Sandia National Laboratories. Recently, warehouse operations were relocated and additional office space was added. The site program included replacement of service areas with outdoor eating areas, pedestrian routes, shade trees and other site renovation work. Three separate projects had extensive involvement with other consultants or prime consultant responsibility by Design Workshop.

As part of the Building 800 remodeling work, employee services such as travel and snack bar services were moved to a free standing building. Jim Alsup provided input to the grading plan to improve runoff characteristics, provided clearance for gravel mulch and suggested other modest adjustments.

Involvement with this project started during architectural preliminary design. Assistance to SNL was provided for site planning of service areas, building entries, grading and in coordinating two architectural firms during the design phase. Final site design drawings for sidewalks, building entry spaces, tree plantings, irrigation, fencing and service courts were completed by Jim Alsup.

As a sub-component to the Site Development Plan, a Landscape Master Plan was written by a Bay area planning firm for Sandia National Laboratories. Jim Alsup reviewed this document and had much input into the document. Additionally, he recommended site amenities and disturbed area management plans. These program elements were incorporated into the Landscape Master Plan.

Jim was asked to analyze 10 acres of the Laboratories and prepare a Master Plan for parking with walks, landscaping, irrigation and drainage control. Four alternative plans were prepared, the last of which proposed 1100 new parking spaces with one-way parking bays and two-way circulation lanes. The plan called for phased installation dependent upon relocation of existing buildings and facilities.

Abutting 3 other projects that Jim Alsup had designed, this 4-story building was constructed in 1993. Jim coordinated with the building contractor and achieved some cost savings for earthwork and site utility development. Jim's site plans for improvement included some limited gravel areas, a pedestrian spine and plaza at the building entries, extensive tree planting for glare control and shade, and an extensive native grass area. The native grass areas will ultimately blend seamlessly with the surrounding native vegetation. Site planning issues invovled screening of service areas, pedestrian access and routing, security coordination and parking and service vehicle programming. The spread in the bids was less that 1% and only 1% off from the estimate. This is attributed to the clarity of drawings and specifications.

The Explosive Components Facility is sited in the center of a fragile native grass mesa. Construction of the building obliterated about 10 acres of native grass prairie. The landscape improvements for ECF included extensive native grass restoration, coordination with Tech Security regarding fence perimeter edge conditions, meeting with the building occupants and others to define functionality of exterior spaces. The planting concept included a bosque of Ash trees at the entry to the building contrasted with considerable informal plantings elsewhere to contrast with this entry grid. A blend of sand colored, crushed stones was used to integrate the bunkers into the ground plane in a visually acceptable manner. As a testimony to the emphasis on natural systems and landscape components, a baby rattlesnake attended the final inspection.

Construction Costs: $300,000 Date Complete: 1995
About ECF
Facility Photo
More about ECF
About ECF

The structure of Building 870 was substantially renovated during the conversion from a microcircuits 'cookie' laboratory to a Neutron Generator Facility. Jim Alsup had worked on the site in past years and was familiar with the pedestrian and vehicular issues of the site. Design components included a new tech area fence design that was approved for use by the Department of Energy. This fence has a considerably improved visual image compared with the standard chain link fence, yet is reasonably cost effective. Additionally, an electronic card reading gate structure was integrated into the landscaping as was an exterior assembly area required by building codes.

Construction Costs: $330,000 Date Complete: 1993
About NGF
About NGF from Lab News Magazine

CENTER FOR NATIONAL SECURITY AND ARMS CONTROL

The Center for National Security and Arms Control is a four-story office building. Next to the Center is approximately an acre of land that had been designated as a pedestrian zone and envisioned as a park type environment. The services that Jim Alsup provided included preliminary programming and full site design for the space. A multitude of complex site issues were involved including pedestrian access, limousine routing, large group assembly areas, lunch/picnic areas and other site concerns. Additionally, pedestrian routes to adjacent gates were analyzed. Related to this project preliminary plans were prepared for employee and visitor parking facility revisions outside the Technical Area. Most of the site existed as temporary buildings or mobile offices. This project required working with a variety of criteria and multiple goals and program requirements. Special emphasis was provided for phasing strategies to complete the project in two phases.

Construction Costs: $1.2M Date Complete: 1997
CNSAC Dedication Story
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The PETL project illustrated Jim's impact in the process of design and features acceptable to the lab. Jim and his team functioned as a full part of the architecture and engineering team. A more enriched vocabulary of materials was included and some advanced water harvesting concepts and more native plants were utilized. Site planning issues involved vehicle parking and service areas, security gating, security setbacks, screening, outdoor assembly areas and fire access planning.

Construction Costs: $350,000 Date Complete: 1999
PETL Story
Picture of PETL
PETL News Release
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TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER BUILDING, BUILDING 836

PULSED POWER SITE IMPROVEMENTS

INSTRUMENTATION SYSTEMS/PROCESS DEVELOPMENT LABS

ROBOTICS VEHICLE RANGE SITE IMPROVEMENTS
RVR Article

ROBOTICS MANUFACTURING SCIENCE/ENGINEERING LAB – SITE DESIGN CRITERIA
RMSEL Information

MULTIPLE NON-LINE ITEM BUILDINGS

9th AND 'O STREET' ROADWAY PLANS

9TH STREET RECONSTRUCTION PLAN

CREDIT UNION LANSCAPE IMPROVEMENTS

FACILITIES ENGINEERING BUILDING SITE REVISIONS AND SERVICE YARDS PLAN

TELECOMMUNICATIONS CENTER LANDSCAPE

MULTIPLE AND VARIOUS LANDSCAPE IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS

Institutional and Facility Projects
Albuquerque International Airport
Yale Pedestrian Mall, UNM Campus
Ernie Pyle Middle School Additions
Pajarito Elementary School Landscape Improvements
Los Volcanes Senior Center
Kent Hall Plaza, New Mexico State University

Streetscapes
San Mateo Streetscape and Miniparks
South Farm Community
West Central Medians
Yale Boulevard Medians
Academy Boulevard Medians
Tramway Boulevard

Recreational Facilities
Santa Fe Village Park
Manzano High School Athletic Fields
Rio Grande High School Running Track
Menaul School Running Track
Rio Grande Botanic Garden
West Mesa High School Running Track
Crossroads Art Piece Relocation
Mariposa Basin Park, Phases 2 and 3
Rio Rancho Ballfield Complex
County Home Park
Upton Urban Parks

Private Sector Projects
Marriott Time Share Hotel
Snow Basin Data Collection
Sundance Resort
Sun Valley Parking Improvements
White Pine Canyon Community
Little America Properties

Link to Jim Alsup's Home Page and Resume