Westfield Galleria at Roseville
Roseville, California
by Dave Diffenderfer
Landscape Construction Project Manager
Westfield Galleria at Roseville is a two-level, 1.3 million-square-foot indoor upscale shopping mall in Roseville, California.
This project included converting over 152,000 square feet of turf from non-functional turf into low-water-use plants.
This was done by converting the irrigation system from a large gear drive overhead spray rotor into an inline or point source drip system with almost 50 irrigation valves.
We believe in the power of building deep relationships with our clients, our staff, and the communities we serve.
– Will Rogers
Regional Vice President
We removed over 1,200 cubic yards of off-haul as a result of cutting out all the turf that was required to clear the space needed for this project. Twelve hundred cubic yards is equivalent to over 40 full dump truck loads of excess dirt, stone, rubble, and vegetation, which emphasizes the major scope of preparatory site demolition and re-grading work that was required to complete our landscape installation.
Dramatic Water Savings Surpasses Expectations
The project was influenced by the need to save water. An average turf conversion saves about 70 percent of the water that the turf requires. Our plan was to convert about 90 irrigation valves and install more than 6,000 plants and 1,200 cubic yards of mulch, which turned out to be the biggest turf conversion ever for the City of Roseville, who was our partner on this project.
Initially projected to conserve roughly 6 to 7 million gallons annually, the newly planted habitat garden is remarkably demonstrating nearly 9 million gallons of water preserved in its inaugural year – which is 20-30% above estimates. As irrigation needs decline once specimens mature, savings are on pace to keep compounding.
To put this game-changing reduction into context, the site’s transformation alone could hydrate over 60,000 West Coast residents daily for a year. And from an infrastructure perspective, the 2 million+ gallon surplus could fill three Olympic-sized swimming pools! When compounding vital watershed recharging from enhanced onsite retention, the overall hydrologic impact increases. Kudos go out to our entire Cagwin Water Management Service team which made this happen with skill, talent, planning, and teamwork.
Already, this regenerative oasis is outperforming intentions to curb landscape water dependency in drought-stricken California’s capital region. This is validation of thoughtful planning and flawless execution.
As climate uncertainties loom ahead, no organization should ignore the viable alternatives which support balanced ecosystems alongside community spaces – outcomes that are powerfully exemplified here.
Let’s celebrate not just the vibrant new day-use sanctuary taking shape but also foresight from leaders who set change in motion well before mandates demanded action. This sweeping collaborative effort stands to inspire a legacy way beyond savings.
In addition to the turf conversion, we replaced or relocated 256 trees, which will be serviced by our tree care services team.
Here is what the overall vision was regarding the site entry into Westfield Galleria at Roseville from the beginning with our initial sketches that evolved into several concepts:
Executing Around Obstacles
Transforming more than four acres of a busy public mall posed unforeseen hurdles for our 7 to 10 person crew. The team skillfully rerouted landscaping equipment around constant traffic during sod demolition and soil haul-offs. Sustained heavy rainfall flooded excavated areas, turning them into mud pits and temporarily halting work more than once. Crews responded by sheltering vulnerable zones until conditions firmed up enough to enable machines and progress.
In the end, accurately predicting all obstacles on expansive community sites proves to be an impossible task. But our seasoned teams and leadership adapted plans on the go and continued meeting milestones despite the adverse conditions.
So, where do you start?
Transforming more than 150,000 square feet into an oasis is a massive landscaping overhaul. But with the right people, planning, and phasing, our team systematically tackled the multi-acre site in efficient stages.
Our first step was killing and removing the existing lawn, next excavating shrubs and then grading contours that were ideal for the foliage to grow and thrive.
The most labor-intensive aspect involved physically extracting the sod, stones, dirt, roots, and all, and then off-hauling the massive amount of material. As tons of trucks rotated through, the site was ready for irrigation infrastructure that would support the new plants and tree growth.
Arguably, the most complex phase, given its expansive scale, was engineering an elaborate drip watering system with pressure reducers, filters and distribution manifolds feeding thousands of feet of lines and emitters.
After the new technology was in place to support plant life, the real transformation began as tractors carefully lowered 6,500 plants into position – from drought-tolerant succulents to vibrant shrubs, to towering valley oaks, and down to the smallest ground covers. As the emerging habitat came together, the Cagwin crew shifted focus to crafting an awe-inspiring walking path with seasonal colors and native California textures sure to attract local wildlife.
Reflecting on leading such an enormous endeavor, I realized that keeping safety first during the project was the number one goal. Just as important was having the right members of the team coordinated based on project phases, as well as keeping materials flowing in the midst of the mall traffic and sometimes rain — though monotonous, yet physical weeks in the field. It was through our perseverance through all the logistic hurdles and uncertainty around procuring so many plant specimens that ultimately paid dividends. And the hillside was reborn better than anyone imagined.
Behind Every Great Project is an Even Better Team
As we close the book on this project, it’s vital we acknowledge the instrumental leaders whose skill and dedication drove flawless execution – our project superintendent, Armando Guzman, and foreman, Oscar DeHaro.
Oscar meticulously scheduled skilled labor, leveraging talents across phases to sustain progress and efficiency. Meanwhile, Armando rapidly resolved problems as they surfaced while rallying the team around a collaborative spirit.
With strict attention to minimize the missteps that occur on a project this size, their combined management and technical strengths grew our capabilities greatly. Thanks to their attention to all the intricate details, we have the confidence and expertise to pursue more audacious endeavors ahead.
Please join me in celebrating these consummate construction professionals for bringing out the very best in our dedicated crew.
When supported by leaders who inspire accountability, creative problem-solving and tireless perfection, even the loftiest goals become within reach.
Fostering Win-Win Partnerships
Confronting the prospect of hauling away over 1,200 cubic yards of turf and soil debris from the site, our team collaborated with vendor Rock Pros on a solution benefiting both parties. Recognizing a chance to deepen client ties, Rock Pros donated rental dumpsters placed onsite for direct loading by our crew. This creative approach eliminated thousands in transport and dumping landfill fees while building goodwill on material purchases.
In addition, Rock Pros volunteered labor assistance excavating dead turf in return for the significant gravel and boulder supply sales revenue for this project. Their assistance allowed us to dedicate more crew toward advanced installation. In the end, over $20,000 in concessions and hands-on participation transformed a vendor relationship into shared commitment and ownership in the vision.
Leaning on trusted partners enabled substantially lower costs and faster execution. But more importantly, collaborating together on both sides was the foundation for a great partnership. Together, we demonstrated that mutual success multiplies when all players pull together.
Fun Facts
Exceeding Expectations, Inspiring Encore
As crews put the finishing touches on this sprawling habitat landscape, the client’s overwhelming delight in the dramatic transformation became abundantly clear.
During this extended project, our team forged a trusted relationship with our client. So when they decided on further expansion of the space, they turned to Cagwin & Dorward rather than enduring another arduous vetting process. This is the ultimate vote of confidence based on trust and results.
My Top Takeaway: Raising the Bar
Completing our most substantial sustainability retrofit to date revealed valuable lessons in improving strategy around large-scale transformations:
Securing Specialty Materials at Scale
Sourcing thousands of singular plant varieties pushed our vendor relationships to the brink, even with long-term partners that specialize in native offerings. But confronting scarcity constraints together opened creative avenues like contract propagation for securing species.
Gaining Attention
Driving a generational ecosystem that makes a large impact on the environment created interest in what we were doing. People, companies, and even municipalities like the City of Roseville were eager to know how they could be part of this project and associate their name with the massive water savings we were helping facilitate on this project. This underscores the immense opportunity to get others involved and change the world.
Overall, this breakthrough project expanded knowledge of what’s achievable through visionary partnerships while illuminating ways of bolstering supply chain stability and spotlighting dramatic wins to maximize awareness. Scaling up now appears far less daunting, given tools gained through experience.
