Letter: Design-build is cost-effective way to operate

Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2003 | 9:08 a.m.

Ed Koch's Feb. 22 article, "Las Vegas testing design-build concept," sheds some much-needed light on an important but often ignored topic. Public entities are slowly beginning to realize the benefits of design-build, something the private sector has long acknowledged as a cost-effective construction method.

Essentially, design-build brings the contractor, engineer and architect together at the outset of a job. By collaborating prior to construction, they can prevent problems before they occur.

In a normal design-bid-build method -- the process now being used -- structures are designed without any input from the people building them. And therein lies the problem. When things go wrong, the finger-pointing blame-game begins.

However, large Strip operators know better. Perini Building Co. and Marnell Corrao Associates, for example, regularly provide design-build services for hotel-casino projects. When time is money, design-build produces results. Builder, engineer and architect must cooperate in order to see the project finished.

Our public bodies, although still tentative, will eventually realize that design-build's time-cost savings make it a superior method of construction procurement.

TONY ILLIA

Editor's note: The writer edits Nevada Contractor, a monthly trade publication.