Owner: Colfax County
Architect: Rhode May Keller McNamara Architects
Project: New Construction
Contract Amount: $5,090,259
Completion Date: September 2010

Housing the Colfax County Courthouse, Sheriff’s Department, and prisoner holding/detaining facilities, the 16,872 square foot Leon Karelitz Judicial Center is a multi-level, single-phased project consisting of a basement, main level and mezzanine. The foundation is drilled pier and tie-beam construction with a structural concrete slab. Wall framing is integrate color CMU, structural steel, light gauge structural steel framing, bulletproof wall assembly, and bulletproof glazed curtain wall. The exterior improvements include an asphalt parking lot, landscaping, cast-in-place benches and planters, and all new site utilities. Interior finishes include polished concrete flooring, exposed architectural concrete, alder wood and exposed structure ceilings.

Owner:Desert Willow Wildlife Rehabilitation Center
Architect: Mick Rich Contractors
Project: New Construction of Rapture Enclosure
Completion Date: August 2017

There are nearly 40 species of birds of prey or raptors located in New Mexico. Desert Willow needed a large raptor enclosure to aid in the rehabilitation of injured birds. A circular enclosure was preferred to discourage the birds from actively flying within the enclosure, but a circular flight pen provided challenges to fabrication and budget. Changes were made to allow for an increase in the number of species that could be be held within the enclosure:

• A changed design to accommodate strong winds
• Retrofitting the netting forming the rings of the enclosure
• The addition of a water feature for an injured pelican that was rescued
• Changed crushed stone surface to round stones for those birds that use stones to assist their digestion

We designed, engineered, and fabricated a structure that would more than satisfy the raptors’ needs. Despite an extremely limited budget and a non-traditional enclosure design, we completed the project completely in-house and well within budget. We donated labor and material, and used our industry connections to secure material and labor donations. The result is a beautiful enclosure that enables injured birds to thrive while undergoing rehabilitation.

Owner: Sandoval County, New Mexico
Architect: James Patrick Lynch
Project: Historic Renovation
Contract Amount: $2,962,249
Completion Date: November 2007

This project covered historical restoration and renovation of two adobe buildings. The Convent, built in 1876, housed the Catholic Sisters and the cafeteria. The Salazar Building, built in 1922, served as the community school. Both buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the New Mexico State Register of Cultural Properties.

The project comprised stabilizing the existing structures, removing and replacing deteriorating structural elements, upgrading to meet the current Americans with Disabilities Act, providing a new roof membrane and stucco, and upgrading all mechanical and electrical systems. The renovations followed strict guidelines and standards to maintain their status on the historical registers.

Major issues with the Convent included large voids in the exterior adobe walls, decaying wood viga beams and wood decking, and interior doorways that had settled, as well a heating and cooling system and an updated electrical system. Additionally, the floor had settled a great deal in several areas, necessitating storing original brick flooring and wood doorways while remedial work was performed.

Because of the historical nature of the project, a variable refrigerant flow zoning system by Mitsubishi Electric was concealed in the walls so as not to detract from the building’s historical look. The new electrical systems were also concealed in the walls and ceilings.

The Salazar Building, one of the oldest two-story adobe buildings in the New Mexico, also endured structural damage with deterioration of a section of the adobe wall separating the second floor and roof, and deterioration and damage to the wood beams and interior services. The renovation included installing a new heating and cooling system, updating the electrical systems and an addition to house the elevator and restrooms.

The first challenge was to secure the building structurally to eliminate the chance of collapse, after which, the exterior walls were rebuilt and the roof beams replaced. The roof membrane could not be replaced until the heating and cooling system was designed and the roof trusses strengthened. The second challenge was installation of the heating and cooling ductwork and electrical systems. Damaged sections of floor and ceilings were patched with salvaged material and the walls were re-plastered, and all the windows were refinished. The masonry addition housed the restrooms and elevator.

Mick Rich Contractors has been performing historic renovation for more than 20 years, and the El Zocalo Complex Renovation and Restoration was the most challenging to date. The most challenging issue was the expectation of a renovated and restored historic building that met the budget constraints of Sandoval County. We also needed to meet the historical requirements of the State of New Mexico Historical Preservation Division while ensuring modern-day systems were added to the building. The mechanical systems were re-engineered to meet the client’s expectations to find the optimum system that would be cost effective and have minimal aesthetic impact, structurally and esthetically.

Owner: City of Albuquerque
Project: New Construction
Completion Date: 2020 

Albuquerque’s North Domingo Baca Multigenerational Center, located at 7521 Carmel Ave NE at Wyoming Blvd. NE, is a showcase athletic facility for the city. Its 19,293 square feet include a multipurpose court, an elevated indoor running track, an indoor climbing gym with several climbing walls of different heights, an outdoor playground, and an exterior amphitheater. North Domingo Baca is the most used community center in the city of Albuquerque

Owner: City of Albuquerque
Architect: Van H. Gilbert
Project: New Construction
Completion Date: 1988 

The Rio Grande Zoological Park Bandshell was a complicated structure due to the high water table. Augercast piles were built for the foundation to rest on, the structural steel shape had be arched but still able to support the structure, and the stucco application had to accommodate both acoustical and balance issues.  Despite these challenges, the Bandshell was completed on time and within budget, and has provided the City with a unique venue for concerts.

Owner: County of Santa Fe
Architects: Baer Architecture NM and McClain + Yu Architecture + Design
Project: New Construction
Completion Date: 2020

Designed to match another building at the Santa Fe Public Works campus, this pre-engineered metal building is located on NM 599, five miles west of its northern intersection with US 285/84.

The 5,475 sq. ft. building includes offices, a plan room, a break/meeting room, ADA complaint restrooms and locker rooms, and a high bay vehicle workshop. The building was provided by Nucor, for which Mick Rich Contractors is the sole authorized New Mexico dealer.

Site work includes grading for the building foundation, parking areas, and site drainage

Owner: City of Rio Rancho
Architect: Environmental Designs Inc.
Project: Addition
Contract Amount: $1,066,881
Completion Date: November 2009

This project is a one-story, 4,415 square foot addition to the Rio Rancho, NM offices of the Southern Sandoval County Arroyo Flood Control Authority. It is primarily composed of cast-in-place concrete, ICF walls, wood framing, EIFS, TPO roofing, aluminum clad wood windows, aluminum storefronts and polished concrete floors.

Attempting a LEED-NC version 2.2 Platinum level certification, this project emphasizes sustainable building materials and methods. The project showcases an 18” rammed earth wall, as well as two 32’-long built-up parallam wood trusses. To achieve the LEED Certification, 75 percent of all waste must be recycled, 20 percent of all materials must be made of recycled content, and all paints, adhesives and composite wood items must have a low VOC content. The wood framing material was all FSC certified. Bamboo and wheat board were used in the casework to achieve the rapidly renewable materials points.

The site also features a 13,000 gallon cistern system to collect rainwater for irrigation, and a 16kw photovoltaic shade structure array provides power for the addition.

Owner: New Mexico Department of Game and Fish
Project: New Construction
Contract Amount: 
Completion Date: 

The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish was gifted a large piece of land in Clayton, NM for a new shooting range.  The facility includes an archery range, a pistol range with concrete sidewalks spaced at different depths for distance shooting, a small bore rifle range and a large bore rifle range.  We installed concrete pedestals for the mounting of targets. Each range has a shade structure to keep people out of the weather.  The berms around each range were built up to 20’ high for safely.