Aesthetically Pleasing Excellence

The Muckleshoot Community Center is a true architectural masterpiece, capturing the essence of the Tribe's culture and heritage. The building's aesthetics make an unforgettable first impression, thanks to the tribe’s vision and the meticulous work of the construction teams. The Community Center was designed by LSE Architects, with Merit Construction as the general contractor.

Unique Collaboration Opportunity

What sets this project apart is the close collaboration between Hermanson's construction and service teams. While many contractors complete a project and move on, Hermanson's service technicians have the unique opportunity to work alongside the construction team. This collaboration allows them to gain invaluable insights into the building's mechanical systems, ensuring better maintenance and a smoother transition for the client.

“It's really nice because, as a service tech, I can ask critical questions to fully understand the building and get answers from the Hermanson construction team,” said Hermanson Service Technician Jon Corey. “It's an excellent opportunity for the two sides of Hermanson to collaborate. It's easier for the Service Team and better for the customer.”

A Full-Circle Achievement

The Muckleshoot Community Center embodies Hermanson's capabilities as a design-build-maintain contractor. From designing the mechanical systems to constructing the facility and now maintaining it, Hermanson's involvement in this project showcases our commitment to delivering inspired results and earning the trust of our valued clients.

“We designed the system, we built it, and now we're maintaining the facilities as well. It's a very impressive project that we've put together here," shared Seth Pike, Hermanson’s Account Executive for the project.

Artifact Room Precision

One of the highlights of the Community Center is the Artifact Room, where precious artifacts are preserved and displayed for guests. This room is equipped with a specialized HVAC system designed to precisely control temperature and relative humidity, ensuring the preservation of these culturally significant treasures, including paintings, historical photos, and a canoe.

Service Excellence in Action

Throughout the Canoe Journey celebrations, Service Technician Jon Corey played a pivotal role in ensuring the Community Center's mechanical systems operated at top-notch condition. Onsite throughout the Canoe Journey event, Corey made his rounds through the 128,000 sf facility, continuously checking all the mechanical systems to ensure attendees enjoyed a comfortable, healthy environment.

“You use your eyes and hands a lot in our trade on the Service side. Are your compressors hot? Are they running? Looking for possible leaks and things like that, you can nip in the bud before it becomes a larger issue,” said Corey. “The best time to check it is when it's running. Are there any weird vibrations? Looking at the coils to see how impacted they are. It's just what we do in the maintenance field.”

Corey will be the Community Center’s regular Service Technician. His meticulous visual checks and maintenance routines prevent potential issues and ensure the equipment runs smoothly.

Meeting Unprecedented Challenges

The grand opening of the Community Center coincided with the Canoe Journey, a massive event that placed extraordinary demands on the facility. With thousands of people and multiple tribes gathering, the strain on the system was immense. Hermanson was well-prepared, with the foresight to plan for contingencies and provide vital support.

Speaking with the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe’s Director of Development Services, Brian Ward, he describes the scale of the Canoe Journey celebration hosted at the recently opened Community Center. “We are cooking three meals a day for thousands of people. Behind the scenes, it's all hands on deck for the Muckleshoot Tribe, with volunteers stepping up to help out for the event.”

“For us, we were pretty well prepared. We planned for 5,000 to 7,000 people, and we made an intentional decision to make sure we had the right support staff,” said Ward. “That's why we hired Hermanson to be here during this event to help our support staff. This event taxed the system more than it would be on a normal basis.”

A Proud Partnership

The Muckleshoot Community Center stands as a symbol of unity, culture, and excellence. Hermanson's role in making this vision a reality demonstrates our commitment to our clients, the Muckleshoot Tribe. Together, the Tribe has created a space that not only impresses aesthetically but also functionally, serving as a hub for culture and community for years to come.