McGuire and Hester construction company has a long illustrious history in the San Francisco Bay area. Currently the company is completing work on a major large storm water run-off canal.

In recent years, Alameda County Flood Control determined that the existing flood control canal was not sufficient to handle the job. McGuire and Hester was brought in to construct a new cast-in-place box culvert in order to better handle the increased demands brought on by development. From the get-go McGuire and Hester was faced with a tight schedule to get the project completed before the start of the rainy season.

The company had to set up 50 dewatering wells in order to drop the natural water table in the work area, enabling them to do their work. “This is a large undeveloped area, explained Brock Grunt, area manager for McGuire and Hester.  “All of the area where the concrete canal was installed had a water table that was higher than what we were digging.  Water had to be pumped out so excavation could continue. If we didn’t do that, we would have just made more mud.”

In recent years, Alameda County Flood Control determined that the existing flood control canal was not sufficient to handle the job. McGuire and Hester was brought in to construct a new cast-in-place box culvert in order to better handle the increased demands brought on by development. From the get-go McGuire and Hester was faced with a tight schedule to get the project completed before the start of the rainy season. The company had to set up 50 dewatering wells in order to drop the natural water table in the work area, enabling them to do their work. “This is a large undeveloped area, explained Brock Grunt, area manager for McGuire and Hester.  “All of the area where the concrete canal was installed had a water table that was higher than what we were digging.  Water had to be pumped out so excavation could continue. If we didn’t do that, we would have just made more mud.”

For the project, McGuire and Hester removed 50,000 cubic yards of dirt in alignment of the new cut and cover concrete box culvert. The culvert is a rectangular structure measuring 15ft. wide by 6 ft. high in its interior and is 4,400 lineal feet long. The culvert required 10,000 yards of concrete and 1,000 tons of reinforcing steel. The box culvert was constructed for the purpose of the conveyance and treatment of storm water.

The Flood Control District was concerned with future maintenance of an open channel. The project also required that construction go around and under the sites of future areas to be developed for public use and mass transit.

PORT of Oakland Vision 2000, Berths 55 & 56.

These specialized demands necessitated that the project be designed as a closed box. The project also required the construction of a pedestrian trail along the border of the site. 

The primary purpose of the construction project is to treat storm water run off. In a high-flow situation the water will travel through the newly constructed box channel. While the treatment basin is not intended to protect or mitigate for wildlife or plant species, it will be an added and welcome benefit from the project’s design. The project which began in early June of this year is just nearing completion. McGuire and Hester had a crew of 50 workers on the project and used a Komatsu PC 600 excavator for the bulk of the excavation loaded into Volvo 35 yard articulated haul trucks. McGuire and Hester obtains much of their equipment from Tri-West Tractor located in Livermore, CA.

Another major project McGuire and Hester is currently involved with is an excavation of a large area in South San Francisco. They are digging down 40ft. and removing some 190,000 cubic yards to rebuild the site as “engineered fill”  capable of supporting new buildings.

McGuire and Hester has approximately 500 employees and has branch offices in Sacramento and Morgan Hill. Over the past 10 years the company has experienced 20% growth per year. The company has a long history in the Bay Area. Founded in 1926 by Michael McGuire, an Irish immigrant, McGuire established his company first by installing sewers in Oakland, Berkeley, and Piedmont. In 1931 McGuire took on Mike Hester as a partner.  Like McGuire, Hester was a recent immigrant from Ireland. Together they made a name for their company working on drainage work on Depression-Era projects such as the Alameda County Courthouse in Oakland. During WWII McGuire and Hester continued building their reputation with projects like laying the underground utilities at the Oakland Army Base and nearby Naval Supply Depot.

In addition, the company installed a section of the massive Hetech Hetchy water system for the City of San Francisco. In the 1960’s the company was also responsible for the construction of the prototype of the California Aqueduct Canal. This was 10 miles of canal and appurtenances around the City of Livermore that supplied water to the Santa Clara Valley. McGuire and Hester developed methods and techniques for trimming and lining canals on this particular project that later were emulated on a number of other major water projects in California and worldwide.

In the 1970’s the company’s capabilities began to expand into all types of underground construction, as well as grading and paving, reinforced concrete structures and mechanical work.

The company handled a number of major landmark urban projects during the 1970’s and 1980’s. Among these are the Market Street beautification in San Francisco from the Embarcadero to 7th Street, the Powell Street Cable Car Mall and turntable, Napa Downtown Mall and Clock Tower, and the City of Concord Plaza.  Recently, McGuire and Hester entered into a Joint Venture partnership with Bauman Landscape in order to further expand on the types of projects the company is capable of handling. 

Cesar Chavez Elementary Playing Field.......................

“We aren’t your typical grading company,” explained Brock, who has worked for the company 18 years. “We try to look for the unique type of project where we can benefit not only from our strengths in grading and excavation but also utilize our strong background in utility work.” Thus, in addition to grading McGuire and Hester also has a solid reputation for their work on pipelines, paving, mechanical and concrete structure work. Developers are beginning to realize that using McGuire and Hester’s multiple skill sets ends up saving more and completing projects sooner as compared to using multiple “low-bid” contractors with only one skill set.

“Having the right skill sets to complete a quality job on schedule requires a skilled work force”, said Brock.  “Back in the Dot-com hay days, our biggest challenge was finding skilled trade’s people and college recruits who were interested in our industry.”

The foundation sponsors a number of philanthropic projects that are targeted in the communities where McGuire and Hester work.

Over its eighty year history McGuire and Hester construction company has built a reputation on the ability to tackle tough projects and find innovated ways to solve the seemingly unsolvable. It is a company that is committed to excellence, both in the people they employ as well as the work they do.  Cc

...PORT of Oakland Berth 22.