Build Group

Qualificationsand Expertise2015

SAN FRANCISCO 457 minna street, suite 100, san francisco, ca 94103VENICE 1023 1/2 abbot kinney boulevard, venice, ca 90291www.buildgc.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABOUT BUILD GROUP 1

EXPERIENCE 2

PRESS 3

REFERENCES & LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION 4

SAN FRANCISCO 457 minna street, suite 100, san francisco, ca 94103VENICE 1023 1/2 abbot kinney boulevard, venice, ca 90291www.buildgc.com

ABOUT BUILD GROUP

ABOUT BUILD GROUP

About Build Group We want to tell you who we are...

Company HistoryBuild Group is a boutique general contractor focused on providing a higher than usual level of service to exclusive clientele. Highly selective about deploying their top tier staff, the owners have a deep understanding of their clients’ business and are committed to providing principal involvement on all projects. To them client relationships are everything, and are driven by trust and integrity. Consequently, Build Group clients depend on the company to act as an extension of their own organizations. While most general contractors are simply pricing plans, Build Group staff source new real estate opportunities and figure out creative ways to make deals pencil.

Build Group has grown consistently since its inception. Employee owned, the company now has more than 200 staff members. In August 2011, the company was included on the prestigious Inc. 500 list, which profiles the nation’s fastest growing companies.

Nespresso Flagship | Union Square | San Francisco

ABOUT BUILD GROUP

Long time colleagues Ross Edwards, Eric Horn, Bob Hopper, Scott Brauninger, and Dave Williams came together in 2007 to form Build Group. Shortly thereafter, John Santori, Nathan Rundel and Jason Berry joined the team. Combined, the group has more than 233 years of construction experience and has played integral roles in some of the most prominent and complex buildings constructed in California. Build Group was formed with a goal of working closely with clients and driving innovation within the industry. With that in mind, they created a flat company structure that minimizes middle management and allows the Principals to remain close to the project, while entrusting employees to own their work. Their willingness to roll up their sleeves and do work has cultivated a construction company full of true revolutionary builders.

In the beginning of 2010 Build Group acquired Fine Interiors Group, formerly known as Fine Line Group, a high-end retail, hospitality, and seismic upgrade company with more than 30 years of construction experience. The company is known for evolving creative building methodologies and project delivery strategies that successfully manage and support our clients’ design and business goals. The acquisition brought personnel with experience in flagship retail, signature restauarant, and hotel expertise. Fine Interiors Group has a wide-ranging repertoire of high-end interior projects that include luxury brands such as Gucci, John Varavatos, Celine, Givency, Coach, Anne Fontaine, Nespresso, and many more. The company has also built many signature restaurants including Kokkari, McCormick & Kuleto’s and Posterio.

Jimmy Choo | Union Square | San Francisco Olivier Dachkin | Westfield | San Francisco

ABOUT BUILD GROUP

Pacific Structures ConcreteBuild Group also has a very unique resource called Pacific Structures. Formed in 2008, this concrete divison was created to better serve the needs of our clients by utilizing our extensive knowledge about concrete. The principals, management and field operations staff possess hands-on, know-how through over three decades of designing and building some of the most complex concrete structures in California. This substantial expertise means the company leaders have what it takes to engage the entire project team, and to push to optimize the structure for cost, quality, and schedule.

At each stage of design, Pacific Structure’s concrete experts provide the benefit of their valuable input. They continually challenge and evaluate the structure, testing it against hundreds of other buildings in their database for key parameters and details. Each analysis is informed by professionals with years of experience partnering with the best structural engineers on the West Coast. Each recommendation made has been tested in the field for quality and constructability by seasoned Superintendents. Out of this crucible comes the right design for each project.

Once the design is optimized, Pacific Structure’s veteran field operations team attacks the schedule and the details of the work on a day-by-day, pour-by-pour basis to ensure that every aspect of the project is preplanned and lined out prior to the start of work. When construction starts, the team is executing their plan, striving for even greater improvement and innovation. When the inevitable unknowns come that can derail a project, the Pacific Structures team responds quickly and effectively to keep the project on track and protect the client’s investment. Pacific Structures was recently recognized as an award recipient in the 2013 ASCC Safety Awards Program for Zero Lost Time.

EXPERIENCE

EXPERIENCE

Experience

101 Polk | San Francisco

The Principals of Build Group are construction experts responsible for building some of the largest and most complicated buildings and tenant improvements over the past 25 years. Sought after for their structural steel, concrete expertise, and fast-track interiors, they have solved complex design and construction problems with inventive solutions saving clients millions of dollars and setting records for speed to market. The success of these projects in large part was due to the significant role these individuals played during preconstruction.

Let’s show you our stuff.

EXPERIENCE

High-End RetailBuild Group has an extensive tenant build-out team. This division focuses solely on meeting the needs of tenant improvement clients, primarily on high-end retail spaces and restaurants. Fine Interiors Group has completed tenant build-outs for clients including Gucci, John Varvatos, Burberry, Nespresso, and Coach.

Parking Garages45 Lansing, San Francisco 4 levels below grade 300 stalls (with car stackers)Maxwell Field and Parking Garage, Berkeley 1.5 levels below grade, 1 level above 40,000 sf, 440 stallsUCSF Sutter Street Parking Garage 6 levels above grade, 1 level below2121 Third Street, San Francisco 1 level below grade 52 car parking (with car stackers)MOMA Garage, San Francisco* 8 levels above grade 158,000 sf, 403 stallsOracle Campus Parking Garage, Redwood City* 4 parking structures 4,500 stallsElectronic Arts Campus Parking Garage, San Francisco* 2 parking structuresLucasfilm Campus, San Francisco* 3 levels below grade 732,000 sf, 1,500 stallsThe Infinity, San Francisco* 5 levels below grade 316,000 sf, 659 stalls

* Projects completed by Build Group principals.

Residential Buildings and Hotels• Alta Laguna, San Francisco• 25 Mason Street, San Francisco• Archstone Parkside, Emeryville• 1800 Van Ness, San Francisco• 973 Market, San Francisco• 45 Lansing, San Francisco• 2558 Mission, San Francisco• 35 Dolores, San Francisco• Alma del Pueblo, Santa Barbara• 2121 3rd Street, San Francisco• Woodside Road, Redwood City• Napa Riverfront, Napa• The Infinity, San Francisco*• Avalon Mission Bay Phase II, San Francisco*• LA Live Hotel & Residences, Los Angeles*• The Palms, San Francisco*• One Hawthorne, San Francisco*• One Rincon, San Francisco*• The Beacon, San Francisco*• 1650 Jackson, San Francisco*• St. Regis Hotel & Condominiums, San Francisco*• Legacy Apartments @ Hollywood & Vine,

Los Angeles*• Seahaus Condominiums, La Jolla*• UCSD HSGS Housing, La Jolla*• W Hotel & Residences, Hollywood*• Villa Florence Hotel, San Francisco*• Hotel Donatello, San Francisco*• Crown Plaza, San Francisco*• Pan Pacific Hotel, San Francisco*• Omni Hotel, San Francisco*• Courtyard by Marriott, Emeryville*• Hotel Vitale, San Francisco*• Intercontinental, San Francisco*• The Ritz Carlton, San Francisco*• Radisson Hotel, San Francisco*

EXPERIENCE

45 Lansingsan francisco, ca

OwnerCrescent Heights

ArchitectHKS Architects

Completion DateSeptember 2015

This 453,000 sf project includes a 39-story concrete tower on a tight urban space. Glass curtain wall exterior finish and high-end interior finishes throughout the 320 residential units. Four levels subterranean parking.

EXPERIENCE

1800 Van Nesssan francisco, ca

OwnerOyster Development

ArchitectKwan Hemni Architects

Completion DateMarch 2014

This project consists of a 162,127 sf, eight-story structure with 98 luxury condo units. The facility features modern one-and two-bedroom residences and three-bedroom townhouses in addition to a secluded park with a Bocce court and community BBQ. 12,000 cubic feet of dirt was excavated and removed to allow for a below-grade, two-level concrete parking structure.

Three sides of the property bordered city streets and the fourth side was adjacent to a building constructed on the property line. The site excavation went from property line to property line, leaving little laydown space. By carefully controlling project logistics, Build Group was able to overcome the challenges of working on such a tight site and keep within the original project schedule.

EXPERIENCE

2121 3rd Streetsan francisco, ca

OwnerMill Creek Residential Trust

ArchitectSternberg Benjamin Architects

Completion DateApril 2014

The 8-story building provides 105 apartment units in the Dog Patch neighborhood of San Francisco. A structural concrete building with gauge steel studs, 900 drill displacement columns are being used to stabilize the site that has a water table 10 feet below the ground floor. The project includes extensive shoring, underpinning and wood lagging to the abut buildings. The project is set to achieve LEED-H midrise certification.

The basement stores an impressive 52-car garage through an extensive amount of car stackers. The rooftop has a communal outdoor space complete with a dog run, yoga area, concrete pavers, BBQs, glass wind screens, and communal vegetable gardens.

EXPERIENCE

Pine and Franklinsan francisco, ca

OwnerOyster Development

ArchitectKwan Hemni Architects

Completion DateAugust 2016

This $114 million, 356,000 sf project includes demolition of the existing structure and construction of two, 13-story residential towers. The new building integrates a historic facade and includes one level of below-grade parking with car stackers. The 262-unit building includes studios, 1 bedroom, and 2 bedroom units with a fitness center, rooftop terrace, atrium, and shared courtyard.

Located on a tight urban site in downtown San Francisco, the project team had to pay close attention to site logistics to avoid disruption to the adjacent buildings and businesses.

EXPERIENCE

Maxwell Parking Garageberkeley, ca

OwnerPacific Union / UC Berkeley

ArchitectGould Evans

Completion DateSeptember 2014

This project includes demolition of an existing multi-purpose sports field to make way for 1.5 levels below-grade and 1 level above grade parking. Once the parking structure is complete, the team will re-construct the field on top of the parking structure, 10 feet above grade. The site location will provide parking to the recently remodeled Cal Memorial Stadium, The Greek Theatre, and general campus use. The Hayward Fault is located just to the West of the site and will be taken into consideration throughout construction.

EXPERIENCE

UCSF, Sutter Street Garagesan francisco, ca

OwnerPacific Union

ArchitectGould Evans

Completion DateAugust 2012

This six-story concrete, design-build parking structure also included one-story below-grade. The project was constructed on an extremely tight urban site surrounded on three sides by existing buildings and a muni line in front. Due to site constraints, special attention was paid to site logistics.

EXPERIENCE

John Varvatos, Flagshipunion square, san francisco, ca

OwnerJohn Varvatos

ArchitectDucDuc (New York)Pollack Associates (SF)

Duration16 weeks

The seventh and the largest of the John Varvatos stores, the San Francisco flagship features two floors of sophisticated interiors, showcasing the Varvatos casual to formal menswear attire. Solid walnut floors are throughout this design/build project.

The construction team coordinated with both architects on the East and West coasts and met a very aggressive schedule.

In addition to the remodel of the interior space, there team also completed a full seismic upgrade on the building.

EXPERIENCE

JINS, Flagshipunion square, san francisco, ca

OwnerJINS

ArchitectKwan Henmi Architects

Project Duration15 weeks

The 4,300 sf build-out includes various elements that represent the clients ‘fully-customized’ products. The store includes high-end case work, new facade, ardex polished concrete floors, and back of the house conference rooms and bathrooms.

The focal point of the store is the specialty showcase room that will be used to produce all products on-site. The room was built with epoxy flooring and is encased in glass.

EXPERIENCE

Nespresso, Flagshipunion square, san francisco, ca

OwnerNespresso

ArchitectGoring & Straja Architects

Duration19 weeks

The first signature Nespresso in San Francisco, this Union Square build-out features a modern design in a 100-year-old building. A complete structural rebuild of the first and second floors was constructed to make way for café and retail spaces. The team remained on a tight schedule while coordinating vendors from across the U.S. and Europe that completed high-end finishes. Architectural features include a floating staircase leading customers from the upper café area into the lower retail space.

EXPERIENCE

Kate Spade, Retail Storewestfield, san francisco, ca

OwnerKate Spade, NY

ArchitectFreebaim, Smith & Crane

Project Duration8 weeks

The 2,700 sf Kate Spade retail outlet is located in the Westfield San Francisco Centre Mall. The project included wall-to-wall demolition of the existing store in order to redesign with updated corporate aesthetics and branding. The updates include luxury, high-end brass finishes on all fixtures and fit-outs along with a detailed store front system.

EXPERIENCE

Club Monaco, Retail Storewestfield, san francisco, ca

OwnerClub Monaco

ArchitectAtelier Design, LLC

Project Duration22 weeks

Build Group provided the complete build-out of Club Monaco’s retail store in Union Square. Phase One involved the complete demolition of the existing 4,924 sf store. A portion of the Phase Two redesign work involved the high-end finishes, millwork, and hand-painted custom case work that the client is recognized for. Additionally, our team installed white oak wood floors that are a staple of this location. Build Group installed two, custom painted 12-foot-tall entrance doors, while upgrading the store’s facade.

EXPERIENCE

Jimmy Choo, Flagshipunion square, san francisco, ca

OwnerJimmy Choo

ArchitectAtmosphere Group

Duration12 weeks

One of the few flagship stores for Jimmy Choo, the Union Square store is a staple for the brand. The high-end retail space includes expansive custom millwork, mirror-lined walls, and extravagant chandleries. The Build Group team completed the project on a minimal 12-week schedule in the historic building. After demolition, the team discovered additional upgrades needed to be completed due to the original 1906 building erection. With open communication and quick problem solving tactics, Build Group recommended overtime to keep the project on track. The storefront canopy also had to be redesigned to allow for drainage, fresh air and exhaust venting. The superintendent redesigned the canopy and received approval from the architect to proceed. Additionally the team coordinated with tenants above to get air conditioning into the space.

EXPERIENCE

M.Y. China, Signature Restaurantwestfield, san francisco, ca

OwnerM.Y. China

ArchitectBCV Architects

Duration23 weeks

This project included construction of a new signature restaurant at Westfield’s San Francisco Centre. Based on television chef Martin Yan’s recipes, M.Y. China offers a 181-seat, high-end, high-class, exhibition style eating experience. Custom eucalyptus woodwork, laser cut metal screens, and antique Chinese furnishings set the scene for a sophisticated meal.

The eye-catching centerpiece of the restaurants circular bar, is an antique 1,800 pound bell that was imported in from China.

PRESS

Bespoke Event Space - Rendering | Westfield | San Francisco

Bespoke Event Space - under construction

PRESS

Visual Merchandising + Store Design

How does a construction company enjoy 20- to 30-percent growth in the depths of a recession when its principal clients are retailers going through the worst down market in a decade? By accepting smaller profit margins, by being more versatile and budget-conscious than competitors and by helping clients solve time constraint and design problems.

At least that’s the formula used by San Francisco-based contractor Fine Line Group. Fine Line’s President and COO, Bruce Clymer, says it’s worked so well that the company expects 30- to 40-percent growth throughout the rest of the year.

Since its inception in 1979, Fine Line’s 40 employees, under the direction of CEO John Santori, have gathered clients such as Coach, Talbots, Liberty House, Confetti candy stores, Duty Free Shops, Sharper Image and Hyatt Regency Hotels. While the group’s work is primarily confined to the Southwest – California, New Mexico, Nevada and Arizona – future plans include venturing to the Northwest and Hawaii.

“The recession has given us a lot of good customer,” Clymer says. “Our

versatility has insulated us to some degree … and our willingness to offer additional services that other builders don’t offer has worked in our favor.”

One of those services includes site surveys. For example, the firm reviewed four possible locations for Talbot’s flagship store in San Francisco’s Union Square. Before leases closed, Fine Line found asbestos problems in one and structural problems in another. They also advised Talbots of city building codes and restrictions that might adversely affect their project.

“After site selection, we quickly got involved with the construction teams, helping to develop cost estimates,” Clymer explains. “There were some plaster ceilings in the existing space. The architects contacted us to see what we could do to salvage and determine whether we could repeat those original details throughout the space. That’s the kind of challenge we love to rise to.”

Say you’re a store designer who has just been given a rehab assignment with a limited budget, a ridiculously short completion date of eight weeks and very upscale expectations for the result. Is this mission impossible?

Maybe not. You fall into the classic profile of clients that sought the services of Fine Line Group this past year. Satisfied clients include such retail icons as I. Magnin, Bullock’s, Gumps and Coach.

“We were able to do a renovation for Coach in eight weeks, Talbots took about ten weeks… and that was in the middle of the earthquake.” Clymer says.

The Coach renovation, at Post and Grand Streets in San Francisco, involved a new façade, plus internal remodeling. “We knew an eight-week schedule was very ambitious,” admits Michael Fernbacher, Coach’s project manager. The renovation budget was

incomplete and some of the finishing detail had yet to be determined. These challenges left Fine Line undaunted – they assigned Steve Fairclough to the project as field superintendent.

“Steve has a millwork background,” Fernbacher explains. “This makes him sensitive to the larger architectural issues – and ability to see further ahead. Also, we are very much problem-solvers. Where many builders are always complaining about design problems, Fine Line becomes part of the design team – they think like designers.”

Fairclough sweated out every detail, according to Fernbacher. Fine Line located subcontractors to accommo-date special metalworking require-ments. Innovative construction methods, that involved removing, restructuring and reusing existing metal design elements, economically solved design problems on the façade. Unique scaffolding allowed ceiling and floor work to progress simultaneously. Tasmanian oak cabinetry and trim gave the Coach store the look of rich mahogany at a fraction of the price.

“They kept moving, taking it all in as we went,” says Fernbacher. “We had considerable changes – both in design and price – and they were able to accommodate it all.” Gene Messina, Coach’s manager of store construc-tion, was so pleased with the final result that he’s decided to replicate many of the Fine Line’s ideas in the firm’s other stores.

The secret of Fine Line’s success lies in the company’s philosophy of selecting clients with whom they hope to build long-term relationships. Clymer says Fine Line works to develop a team concept between client, architects and other contrac-tors.

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Problem Solving – Fine Line Group’s Competitive Edge

By Bob Jordan

PRESS

Visual Merchandising + Store Design

“Another of our services is our ability to provide subcontractors who provide quality work at competitive prices,” says Clymer. “We try to target clients who are growing. We repeat a lot of work with different architects. This enables us to negotiate attractive prices. It also makes it easier to devise alternative ways of constructing thing within structural limitations.

“Systemization is the key,” insists Clymer. “We are highly organized, with highly developed computer systems. This permits us to organize our subcon-tractors more efficiently. We’re able to be more creative on the financial end, allowing projects to move forward before the design is complete.”

As an example, in the Coach project Fine Line separated the façade from the prime contract. This permitted the firm to set a ballpark figure and begin construc-tion while the final design problems and costs were worked out for the rest of the project.

Leadership is another key. “We often teach our subcontractors how to bid,” Clymer says. “We teach them to develop detailed proposals. We keep them trim. We’re really strong on realistic bids. Then we protect our subs – we make sure we keep our promises.”

Trust is extended through the client-architect-builder team. It makes for long-term, stable relationships where work can be done on a handshake if need be.

This worked to everyone’s advantage in a multi-store project at San Francisco’s Embarcadero Center. Fine Line contracted to construct some 20 separate projects. In some instances clients were moving into space currently occupied by other clients.

“We were on an extremely tight sched-ule,” Clymer explains. “We didn’t have time to design everything first, so we

designed, budgeted and built as we went. “The result is a level of trust and credibility that’s earned Fine Line repeat business with 80 percent of its clients.

Clymer’s background suits him well in heading up such an innovative construc-tion firm. The grandson of a builder and son of an engineer, he worked as a boat builder, earning degrees in both anthro-pology and psychology. Early travels took him to Brazil and other foreign countries, where he was introduced to new and exotic building styles, techniques and materials. He built store for Joseph Magnin and then, as an independent consultant, built Gump’s stores in Dallas and Beverly Hills before joining Fine Line in 1988.

Admitting that the “Wal-Mart price point element” has introduced a new dynamic to retailing, Clymer still insists that image and quality design are here to stay.

Great design of the future, he says, will involve creating a strong image that enhances what a retailer’s client is seeking. An image of not only what the store sells, but of how the store wants its customers feel about what it sells. According to Clymer, the stores that do well in the future will be those that stay focused on what they sell – stores that are well planned and customer friendly. There will be less fear of signage. Pillars and columns will be mixed with new materials. “We now have stones and slates available in California that until recently we didn’t even know existed,” he says.

Lighting is gaining in importance as restrictive codes in some areas are forcing more creative approaches. In that regard, Clymer says that the United States makes the best lighting in the world, but the best design-oriented, mass-produced lighting now comes from Italy. Ergonomics, in terms of putting focus points at level more comfortable for customers, is taking on greater importance.

Clymer says we’ll see more stores-within-stores using different materials while still maintaining architectural balance. “Building in flexibility has become very important,” he stresses. “We’re building more modular showcases – cases lit from above rather than from within.”

Entertainment and convenience will be increasingly important to store design. “Look what Disney is doing.” Clymer says. “They’re creating entertainment and excitement.” Some recent jewelry stores Fine Line has worked on have video centers, toy centers, and couches where children can be entertained while their parents are looking at fine jewelry. “The trick,” says Clymer. “Is to balance entertainment with good merchandising concepts.”

Despite new advances, Clymer believes classics are here to stay. “Store designers have to be more sensitive to both interior and exterior store imaging. They must combine good graphics with great lighting to create efficient stores that focus on the customer’s needs.”

Continued

PRESS

San Francisco Business Times

In the last 20 years, contractor John Santori has rebuilt himself, his company and the construction industry at least a half a dozen times.

Changing the course of his own life wasn't difficult. If Santori had followed his original career path to attend Columbia University Medical School, he would still be his same innovative self, and no doubt gone on to become something like a reconstructive surgeon. Instead, Santori has reinvented the way seismic work and high-end retail and restaurants projects are done.

Changing the ways of the construction industry proved more difficult. Said Santori, "The construction business isn't very innovative."

Santori chose a career in construction, in 1974, after spending his summers framing houses for his uncle. Building seemed like it would be a lot more fun than the years of studying that medical school required. Soon he learned that it would also be more challenging.

Santori's first company, Santori Construction, started out with small projects and was soon called on to renovate San Francisco's California Academy of Sciences and the Legion of Honor.

"We were cheap," said Santori, who loved the opening parties that went with doing museum work.

In 1979, Proposition 13 wiped out all the funding for library and museum construction and almost demolished Santori's company.

To stay alive, Santori turned to high-end retail construction, signing on four partners who each put in $500 for a total of $2,000 in startup funds. They spent the money on stationery for their new company, the Fine Line Group, photocopied the American Institute of

Architect's San Francisco directory and went door-to-door looking for projects. Lacking retail experience, work was difficult to get, so Fine Line took what other construction firms wouldn't. In 1980, their largest job was for the department store Liberty House. Their fee: $5,000.

At a Christmas party, Santori announced that Fine Line was going out of business in March.

After that announcement, they received $4 million in letters of intent from Liberty House and Bullock's. Fine Line decided to give the construction industry another try.

Wanting to be like the big players in the industry, it moved from its original home in Marin to San Francisco.

Soon, Liberty House pulled out of California, and so did Bullock's. "We learned a new word -- diversification," Santori said.

IBM was Fine Line's next big client, but the 1980s were also a time of downsizing for the technology giant.

During this series of disasters, Santori picked up on a way of doing construction that would save his business -- and the budgets of others.

While working with a Los Angeles architecture firm, Santori was introduced to the Japanese fast-track method of building.

Santori was astounded by the method's short construction period. He studied it for 10 years before finding a client that would allow him to test his new-found approach to building.

Rizzoli's bookstore decided to give the method a try. Santori had already

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Convincing Others to Try Something New

By Susan Smith Hendrickson

PRESS

San Francisco Business Times

remodeled two of the chain's stores, and the owner was anxious to try anything that would prevent him from closing a third store and losing business during the long remodeling process.

"With Japanese fast track, you can advertise that you are closing on a Friday, `come see our new store on Monday,' " said Santori.

Because of the months spent planning, measuring and doing most of the building off-site (which is cheaper), construction of a store happens almost overnight.

Fine Line's first Japanese fast track project was a success and the company realized it had found a niche: meeting next to impossible deadlines.

The company reinforced its theory by completing the renovation of the French Lycee School in San Francisco in five-and-a-half months, four months ahead of its set schedule.

Santori next applied Japanese fast-track construction to the seismic renovation of Rizzoli's San Francisco store. The project had a 14- month deadline. Fine Line completed it in five-and-a-half months.

Now Santori wants to completely change the way seismic work is done in the Bay Area. After all, a lot of buildings still have to get up to code before the 2002 deadline. To help them, Fine Line has joined with two universities and started a new division, Composite Structures, to test a new building material made out of carbon fiber, which is 10 times stronger than steel.

"In every other industry, you have to deal with the Steve Jobs-types, working away in their garages, trying to innovate," said Santori, a biochemist by degree. "I named my company the Fine Line Group, not Fine Line Construction, because I don't know where we will be in 10 years."

r .

Continued

PRESS

FINE LINE GROUP

Pacific Business News

Time is money, especially in Waikiki, where rents often soar into the double digits per square foot per month, and downtime can destroy the bottom line.

On the ground floor of the Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center, workers are putting in double shifts to build out a posh Givenchy store slated to open by Memorial Day weekend. The catch is they didn’t start until May 6. In just four weeks, more than a dozen subcontractors will have gutted and re-built a 2,000-square-foot space to specifications in half the time it normally takes.

San Francisco-based general contractor Fine Line Group Inc. uses what company President John Santori calls “Japanese fast-track construction.”

The Japanese method is budget-driven, and there is no such thing as a change order or cost overrun, he said. Subcontractors participate in the planning process, along with the architect and owner. All components – such as cabinetry and storefront – are manufactured off-site, and on-site assembly is carefully choreographed for maximum efficiency. Santori said all on-site construction and installation is

being done by local union workers, and comes in at about $180 - $200 per square foot, often cheaper than traditional American techniques.

Santori said the Givenchy store is Fine Line’s first job in Hawaii, but the firm has been building custom interiors since 1979. He said most of the work involves high-end retail stores, including build-outs on cruise ships. Fine Line is targeting the Hawaii market with fast-track construction, he said, because high rents mean time is crucial, especially in the context of the visitor industry.But Santori said he is looking to the entire Pacific Rim, starting with Guam and Saipan, and is considering opening an office in Honolulu. “I’d like to put a team together in Hawaii,” he said, to serve those other markets. He said Fine Line employs about 50, and has gross sales of $15 million to $20 million per year.

The Givenchy store is being developed by Waikiki Trader Corp., which operates 29 theme stores in Hawaii and on the Mainland, including Endangered Species Stores, LeSportsac and Prima Classe.Cleigh Pang, Waikiki Trader vice president of operations, said he has used fast-track construction in two Endangered Species locations on the Mainland, and is sold on the concept.

Paris-based Givenchy sells men’s and women’s apparel and accessories, which have traditionally been carried by Island department stores. The move to open a store, analysts say, is part of a trend among upscale lines to address consumer preferences for branded-store shopping, which is perceived as more entertaining than department stores.

Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center Property Manager Jonathan Kim listed the Polo Store, Louis Vuitton, Burberry’s Ltd. And Chanel Boutiques among

those which have followed that pattern. And the Givenchy operation, he said, “is keeping with our marketing plan of offering designer products, and fits right in with our tenant mix, which attracts Japanese visitors.”

Marketing consultant Taka Kono, publisher of the Japan report, said specialty stores are much more powerful than boutiques within department stores. “For Japanese tourists, who are increasingly time-conscious, and are unfamiliar with Hawaii’s geography, it is much easier to shop at specialty stores dedicated to their favorite brands than to hunt down the products at several locations.”

Copyright ©1996 by Pacific BusinessNews

Givenchy Employs the Fast-Track Process

By Chuck Davis

PRESS

San Francisco Chronicle

What will Brad Ogden’s spectacular new San Francisco restaurant, One Market, and the new Coach leather goods store at Post and Grant have in common with 20 Talbot’s apparel stores in three states, Brobeck’s just-completed Palo Alto law office and three Alders Duty Free shops in Las Vegas?

They’re all projects of Fine Line Group, a San Francisco general contracting firm that’s not at all general.

“We’ve been increasing revenues 30 percent to 35 percent a year for the past three years. This year we’ll double to somewhere between $15 million and $20 million in new business. We’ve got 12 projects under way and another 12 in negotiation.”

Santori, 46, has all the usual answers as to why his company is “so hot” – quality workmanship, fast-track performance, good follow-up and maintenance. “Ninety percent of our business is repeat.”

But Fine Line also offers something that is unique.

“Despite the computers in the office, construction is one of the most backward of businesses.” Santori said. “There’s always been an adversarial relationship between the contractor and the architect/owner. We’ve tossed that old negative way of doing business out the window. We take the team approach and share some of the risk that normally falls entirely on the owner.”

Fine Line works up its budget from the architect’s schematic drawings rather than the much more expensive working drawings. “Only the subcontractors know the real cost of building,” Santori said. “So we bring all the potential subcontractors to the job site and walk them through the project. Then we can commit to a price that the developer

can take to his investors as a firm number.”

By so doing, Santori says he can save an owner 10 percent or more of a project’s overall cost. That can be especially significant when construction runs from $250 to $300 a square foot – as it did for the Splendido’s and McCormick & Kuleto restaurants, both recent Fine Line jobs.

A fourth-generation San Franciscan who worked his way through Lowell, USF and Cal as a carpenter, Santori began by specializing in interiors for major exhibits at the Legion and DeYoung museums and the California Academy of Sciences. When Prop 13 killed off much museum funding, he switched to retail and restaurant interiors.

His Fine Line partner is Bob Helmers, 46.

Their pet project of the moment is the $2.5 million-plus One Market restaurant being built for acclaimed chef Ogden, 38 and his Lark Creek Inn partner, Mike Deller, 46. It’s scheduled to open by Thanksgiving in the old SP Building at the corner of Market and Steuart.

The restaurant will be one of the city’s largest, with floor-to-ceiling windows looking on to the Embarcadero and the Ferry Building. It will employ 150 people and seat more than 300 – 10 of them at a chef’s table in the kitchen, which will take up more than 40 percent of the 10,300-square-foot space.

Copyright © by the San Francisco Chronicle

Upscale Contractor On The Fast Track

By Lloyd Watson

PRESS

Hospitality Design

On time and on budget are words clients like to hear – but often don’t – from their contractors. With the Fine Line Group, a San Francisco-based commercial interior construction firm headed by CEO John S. Santori, clients can anticipate a construction experience that is designed to save time, money, and energy often spent on unforeseen problems.

According to Santori, Fine Line does this by following a methodology of teamwork based on Japanese management principals.

Specializing in high-end West Coast restaurant projects, Santori’s 40-person firm is responsible for building some of San Francisco’s most successful venues, such as the $2.5 – million One Market restaurant and McCormick & Kuleto’s, created by award-winning restaurant designer Paul Kuleto.

What sets his firm apart from the competition, Santori says, is the amount of pre-construction planning that goes into each of its projects. “Pre-planning allows us to make scheduling and budgetary commitments that are invariably met,” he adds.

On all Fine Line projects, a team composed of the client, architect, contractor, and subcontractors is organized at the outset of a project. In the earliest stages of planning, each team member participates in several inspections to become totally familiar with the project so that there are no surprises down the road. “Each team member will be expected to perform as specified and for the price agreed to,” Santori explains.

Team members each have an equal voice in the numerous plan reviews and revisions that take place during the planning period. It is only after final revised schematics are approved by everyone on the team and an

item-by-item budget review is performed that actual work begins – with fewer hitches than might be the case without such meticulous pre-planning.

Though he earned a biochemistry degree from the University of California, Berkeley in 1970, Santori has always had a taste for the construction business. He worked for an uncle framing house during his college days, “and it progressed from there,” he says. In 1974, he started his own construction firm, which worked mainly on museum projects. That firm, eventually renamed the Fine Line Group, expanded its market to include retail and restaurant projects, as well as some hotel projects for Hyatt.

With annual billings of $20 million, Santori and his Fine Line Group are at work currently on the California Culinary Academy, Chalkers Billiard Club, and Silks restaurant, all located in San Francisco.

Reprinted with the permission of HOSPITALIT

On Time & On Budget

By Suzanne Dorn

REFERENCES & LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION

Rizzoli Bookstore | Pasadena

LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION

References We work with some incredible clients.

Al GutierrezNespressoRetail Development Director646.370.4122(3 level flagship store for Nespresso in Union Square)

Vikki JohnsonColliers InternationalSenior Managing Director, Retail Services Group 415.288.7808(Over 25 retail stores on Union Square including John Varvatos and 2 H&M stores)

Joan PriceGenslerPrincipal & Managing Director 415.836.4330(Over 20 retail projects on Union Square including Gucci Flagship)

Michael GattiGenslerSenior Associate212.492.8615(Over 20 retail projects on Union Square including Gucci Flagship)

Sal MasottoWestfieldSenior Director of West Region415.268.8343(Over 30 retail projects at San Francisco Centre alone)

Lee PearceGucciDirector of Store Planning Christian Dior & Gucci011 44 77 85 380 949(2 flagship stores for Gucci at Union Square and Ala Moana in Honolulu)

Daniele Minestrini Lacoste (formerly Diesel)Director of Architecture and Store Design212.755.9200(Flagship store in Union Square)

John McNultyMBH Founding Principal510.747.1103(4 flagship stores on Union Square including the 3-level, 40,000 sf H&M on Powell Street)

Kazuko MorganCushman WakefieldVice Chairman415.773.3546(Over 10 retail stores on Union Square including Carolina Herrera and Gucci)

Fabiola VelardeCarolina HerreraUSA Director646.675.8355(Flagship store for on Union Square)

David GalvezCartier Senior Construction Manager212.446.3712($4.8M, 7,800 sf luxury retail tenant improvement in Miami, FL) Jane AyersMAC CosmeticsDirector of Construction646.762.7034($450K, 1,500 sf luxury retail tenant improvement in Wauwatosa, WI)

Scott AndersonEstee LauderVP of Construction646.762.7032 Tim Marks | Susan TuckerTucker & MarksOwner415.445.6789($1M, 11,000 sf high-end architectural firm in San Francisco) Dan Burkhardt Bar Association of San Francisco Executive Director($1.3M, 21,000 sf high-end tenant improvement law firm – green project)

Dana deVilleClub Monaco Director of Construction646.847.6443Dana.deville@clubmonaco.com William P. OsterWatershed Partners Inc.Owner Representation(928) 220-2216 oster@ewatershed.com Lars NielsonOmni International ConstructionPartner(516) 670-8200(917) 974-7086lars@omniconserv.com Alberto DellepianeGiorgio Armani Corp.Director of Store Development Luxury & Fashion DivisionT: (212) 209-3586C: (646) 506-8602Adellepiane@giorgioarmani.com

LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION

Four Embarcadero CenterSuite 2600San Francisco, California94111-5994

Telephone 415 772 0500Fax 415 982 1780

Managing Agent:Paci�c Property Services, L.P.

EMBARCADERO CENTER

Mr. Raymond E. TerwilligerThe Olympic Club524 Post StreetSan Francisco, CA 94102

Dear Raymond:

I have worked very closely with Fine Line Group consistently over the past �ve years on many projects located in the Embarcadero Center. They have remodeled over 27 retail spaces for us, including several high-end restaurants.

Fine Line Group has been extremely concise and timely on all of the work they have done for us. They have continued to handle things professionally, and have completed all projects with notable success.

We rely on Fine Line Group on a monthly basis for anything from preliminary budgets to construction repairs, and they have never let us down. I can without a doubt recommend Fine Line Group for your club house renovation project. I can assure you they would meet even your highest expectations.

Sincerely,

Russ CampbellDirector, Retail Properties

cc John Santori

LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION

Ghirardell Square

w o r d l y � a v o r. l o c a l � a i r. 900 NORTH POINT STREET SAN FRANCISCO CA 94104

T E L E P H O N E 4 1 5 . 7 7 5 . 5 5 0 0 . F A X . 4 1 5 . 7 7 5 . 0 9 1 2 h t t p : / / w w w . G h i r a r d e l l i S q . c o m

Mr. Yuji TsunodaEugene & Associates, Inc.Chaya Brasserie8741 Alden DriveLos Angeles, CA 90048

Dear Mr. Tsunoda,

I am writing this as a testament to the workmanship and quality of service of the Fine Line Group Inc. as a general contractor.

As the General Manager of Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco, I have had the opportunity to work with Mr. Santori and the Fine Line Group Inc. as the principal contractor during the construction of two major restaurants that are currently part of the Ghirardelli Square scene. The restaurants include McCormick & Kuleto’s 18,334 square feet and Oritalia (now La Pasta) 2,103 square feet.

The Fine Line Group was recently contracted and is currently involved in the construction of a third major restaurant for Ghirardelli Square. Fine Line is currently building a restaurant for Mark Miller and work includes the seismic up-grading of the Power House Building, the location for this new restaurant.

Our experience with the Fine Line Group has been nothing short of outstanding. They continually meet their deadlines and have been consistently productive in determining solutions for the many problems that develop in projects of the magnitude of the above restaurants.

I would wholeheartedly recommend the services of the Fine Line Group Inc. to any entity seeking a dependable construction company for projects of any size.

I am available to discuss the merits of the Fine Line Group Inc. at any time. Please feel free to call me if you have any questions.

Sincerely

Louis LigouriGeneral Manager

LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION

Wolfgang Puck1114 Horn AvenueLos Angeles, CA 940069

Dear Wolf:

Long time no talk to. I understand things are going great for you. Thought I'd let you know about Fine Line Group, who I've enjoyed working with.

I've had the pleasure of designing and constructing several restaurants including McKormick & Kuleto's, Splendido's and Ristorante Capellini in collaboration with Fine Line Group. Their attention to detail, their overall workmanship, professionalism and team spirit contributed greatly to the success of these projects.

Despite many design changes during the construction of these projects, Fine Line Group was able to react quickly to implement these changes and still complete the projects either on time or ahead of schedule. Their skill in the field and ability to respond quickly, to anticipate problems, develop value engineering, suggest creative alternatives, coordinate, manage and ultimately complete a project in a professional manner is a rarity in today's marketplace.

I highly recommend Fine Line Group as a Contractor in the construction of any restaurant facility.

Give me a call next time you're in town -- I'd love to say hello.

Sincerely,

Pat

30 LIBERTYSHIP WAY #207 SAUSALITO, CALIFORNIA 94965 415.331.0880 FAX 415.331.2954

LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION

December 6, 2011

To Whom this May Concern:

My company has worked with the people of Build Group (formerly Fine Line Group) many times over the past 15 years. Our first project together was the development of Vertigo restaurant and bar located in the Transamerica building in San Francisco. I found their work to be professional and their integrity to be substantial. Their millwork in particular was of a very high quality.

Tom Harty was the superintendent for the Vertigo. The restaurant was spread over four floors and was custom designed with intricate and elaborate finishes. Tom paid close attention to the design details and installation of the one of a kind finishes. The design was successfully implemented because of his close oversight. Thanks to Tom’s hard work the restaurant won many awards for design. In addition to his quality of work, the thing I liked most about Tom was his proactive attitude throughout the entire project. He not only took on his own scope but also scheduled and managed all of my consultants.

In addition, our firm hired the people of Build Group for the renovation of Postrio restaurant and bar, and the seismic strengthening of Villa Florence Hotel and Kuleto's Italian Restaurant. We were pleased with their ability to complete the job on time and with a minimum of disruption.

I would be delighted to work with the Build Group Team on any of my future projects.

Sincerely,

John B. Dern

Dern Greinetz Inc.

Telephone 415 986 6888

Facsimile 415 536 3843

email DernGrein@aol.com

Dern Greinetz Inc.

Telephone 415 986 6888

Facsimile 415 536 3843

email DernGrein@aol.com

650 Delancey Street Suite 219 San Francisco California 94107650 Delancey Street Suite 219 San Francisco California 94107

LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION

180 Harbor drive.suite 100

sausalito, ca 94965tel: 415/331-9101Fax: 415/331-9022

real restaurantsmustards grill

napa valley

fog city dinersan francisco

osaka

tra vigne

& cantinettanapa valley

bixsan francisco

rotisan francisco

buckeye roadhousemarin county

pan-o-rama baking co.san francisco

cafe museoin sf moma

modern cateringsan francisco

bump,s

aspen

ajax tavernaspen

beetlenutsan francisco

real american restaurants

fog city dinerchicago

tomatinanapa valley

walnUt creeksanta clara

loongbarsan francisco

postinolafayette

December  8,  2011

To  Whom  It  May  Concern:

I  have  been  working  with  John  Santori  of  Build  Group  for  over  18  years  on  a  multitude  of  restaurant  projects.    John  and  his  team  at  Fine  Line  Group  (which  later  became  Build  Group)  have  completed  three  signature  restaurants  for  me,  including  Fog  City  Diner  and  Bistecca  on  the  Riverwalk,  both  in  Scottsdale,  Arizona,  and  Loongbar  at  Ghirardelli  Square  in  San  Francisco.    My  first  introduction  to  the  team  that  is  now  Build  Group  was  on  our  two  restaurants  on  the  Riverwalk,  Bisteca  and  Fog  City  Diner.      I  was  very  impressed  with  the  proactive  way  they  approached  both  projects,  especially  Bisteca.    Bisteca  was  the  signature  restaurant  for  Riverwalk.    The  finish  was  primarily  custom  millwork  -­  ceiling,  walls  and  booths.    I  was  also  very  impressed  with  their  attention  to  details.    They  brought  both  projects  in  on  time  and  in  budget.

Because  of  the  success  of  both  these  projects,  I  hired  John  and  his  team  to  build  our  most  challenging  signature  restaurant,  Loongbar  at  Ghirardelli  Square.    Loongbar  was  a  very  unique  project  with  a  challenging  complex  Asian-­inspired  design  and  full  seismic  upgrade  of  the  building.  The  work  entailed  converting  an  existing  two  level  theater  in  this  historical  building  into  a  12,000  square  foot  one  of  a  kind  Asian  dining  theater.

I  especially  liked  working  with  John  and  his  people  because  of  their  proactive  customized  approach  to  every  project.    Their  preconstruction  support  to  my  architects  and  consultants  was  invaluable  to  the  success  of  each  of  my  restaurants

Given  my  long  history  of  success  working  with  John  and  his  team,  I  am  confident  in  my  recommendation  of  Build  Group.

Sincerely,

Bill  Upson