(Above L to R) Wendell Severns, Site Superintendent, Shane Farrell, Operator & John Macharro, Laborer- Delta Oil Field Services

A gold-painted sledgehammer slammed into the wall of the old Crocker Building in Downtown Modesto on March 25 to signal the start of site demolition for the $51.5 million Gallo Arts Center. A few days after Marie Gallo and Stanislaus County Supervisor Chairman Ray Simon conducted the ceremony, Delta Oilfield Services, Inc., based in Woodland, began tearing down the former bank, a restaurant and an adjacent underground parking structure.

"We made history today," Gallo told those gathered for the ceremonial start of construction of the complex scheduled to open in 2005. The building will include 400- and 1,200-seat theaters, meeting rooms and offices. An art gallery will be added sometime in the future.

Stanislaus County Supervisors awarded a $534,000 contract to Delta Oilfield Services to raze the Crocker Building and Kings Bench Restaurant along "I" Street, between 11th and 10th streets. Delta Oilfield Services' Don Tinsley, Jr. reports that the County of Stanislaus and the Central Valley Center for the Arts are working together to build the complex as part of the redevelopment of downtown Modesto.

(Above) Croker Bank shown in the background still standing as a Komatsu excavator demolishes the basement of the King's Beach Building.

Delta Oilfield's personnel moved in May 1 to begin the actual demolition work. Completion is expected by mid-August. "The King's Bench is already leveled," according to Delta Oilfield's contract administrator Beverly Sandoval. "Currently we're stripping off the exterior of the Crocker Bank building leaving the steel structure and then we'll take that down. We're salvaging two huge vault doors from the bank, which will be utilized in the new building. We're also preserving the 4-foot granite outside panels from the building and relocating about 20 trees from the site to various Modesto parks.

"About the time we start on the Crocker Bank's basement," Sandoval continued, "we'll start demolishing the underground parking garage. We're also taking out the asphalt and leveling the site." Sandoval revealed that the old City Hall building in the same block is staying intact. "We will be providing a fenced safety zone around two sides of the building."

(Above left to right) Chriss Martinez, Laborer, John Macharro, Laborer with Don Tinsley, Jr., Owner- Delta Oil Field Services.

Sandoval reports that a great deal of dirt is being moved in to fill the huge void left when Delta Oilfield's crews remove the underground parking structure. "It's probably going to take in excess of 10,000 cubic yards," she reports. "There is a possibility of some on-site grinding of the asphalt and concrete for fill. But we may have enough dirt already on site that we won't bring in the portable unit.

"The excavators are demolishing the buildings, stock-piling and separate the debris, which is then loaded into end dumps. Modesto Sand & Gravel in Oakdale will recycle all the concrete and asphalt materials. Unrecycleable material will be trucked to Forward landfill near Manteca."

Delta Oilfield's equipment involved in the demolition project includes a CAT 966 loader, CAT 320 excavator, John Deere E690 excavator and a Komatsu TC 400 excavator. "Once we begin demolition of the underground parking structure," she explained, "we'll probably bring in a concrete shear pulverizer to supplement other equipment including backhoes and skip loaders." The firm owns most of its equipment, which is purchased from local dealers."

(Above left) The basement of the King's Bench shown here almost cleared out. (Above right) Don Tinsley Jr., Owner, Delta OilField Services manning a jackhammerwith the assistance of Derek Kincanon, Operator/Laborer.

Four Delta Oilfield mechanics maintain the company fleet according to Sandoval. "If we need to rent a machine when we have a breakdown or the job requires a specialty piece of equipment, we call United Rentals or Nations Rents," she said.

Sandoval stated that "depending on the demolition project we have anywhere from five to 20 people on the jobsite. The basic crew consists of 3 operators, 4 laborers and a site superintendent (Wendell Severns). Our owner, Don Tinsley, Jr. and Project Manager Juan Sanchez are overseeing this very high profile project," she added. "The site is fenced but hasn't been screened yet so it's very visible to the news media and local residents."

The work site is adjacent to the Stanislaus County Courthouse where Scott Peterson is being tried for the murder of his wife, Laci, and unborn son. With media crews from around the world covering the trial, Delta Oilfield's crews have had to remind media representatives that the block next to the courthouse is a construction zone and only authorized personnel with hardhats and steel-toed shoes are permitted on the site.

"We did get one request from the media that we just couldn't refuse," Sandoval noted. "Geraldo Rivera from the Fox News Channel respectfully requested that our machinery take a short break while he transmitted his live network feed. He was so nice that we instructed our crew to remain silent while he was reporting."

(Above) Stanislaus County Supervisors awarded a $534,000 contract to Delta Oilfield Services to raze the Crocker Building and Kings Bench Restaurant along "I" Street, between 11th and 10th Street.

On the same day Delta Oilfield Services was awarded the contract to demolish buildings to make way for the Gallo Arts Center, Stanislaus County supervisors also accepted a bid of $179,000 for the firm to take down three buildings on "I" Street in the 1200 block. "For about a month," Sandoval stated, "we were working both sites which are located on opposite sides of the courthouse."

(Above left) Delta Oilfield Services clearing the way for the new Gallo Art Center. In the background you can see news vans covering the Scott Peterson Trial at the County Courthouse in Modesto, California. (Above right) Delta Oilfield's Equipment involved in the demolition projet includeds a CAT 966 Loader, CAT 320 Excavator, John Deere E690 Excavator and a Komatsu TC 400 Excavator.

To view a live web cam of the demolition project and construction of the Gallo Arts Center, visit www.co.stanislaus.ca.us/arts/webcam.htm. The Gallo Center has established a website at www.gallocenter.org and can also be reached by calling (209) 549-0601.

Architect Steve Gaffney's design for the complex, that will cover basically a whole city block, includes lots of masonry and cast stone, earth tones and an abundance of arches. Gaffney, who is affiliated with Nestor + Gaffney Architecture, LLP in Santa Ana Heights, indicates that he mirrored the architecture found on neighboring buildings in his final design. Visit www.ngarch.com for additional information.

Delta Oilfield Services, Inc. was formed in 1976 and has grown steadily. The firm is also a hazardous waste management and removal licensee. Don Tinsley Jr. heads the company that serves Northern and Central California from Woodland, CA. The corporation recently completed a three-year demolition project with Caltrans including the demolition of the old Farmer's Insurance building on Highway 99 in Merced. Delta also does considerable work with the City of Stockton's Code Enforcement Department. For further information on Delta Oilfield Services check out their website at www.deltaoilfield.com.