Project Spotlight: 1440 Multiversity
Each day you are given 1,440 minutes, but how do you spend that time? At the 1440 Foundation, founders Scott and Joanie Kriens spend their days dedicated to strengthening their connections. With a mission “to serve champions committed to helping us grow in relationship, spirit, and wellness,” they foster their own personal growth by helping professionals build stronger connections in the world. But this effort wasn’t enough for the Kriens. After several years of grantmaking, they felt they needed a single location to bring together the community they had worked so hard to build. This is when they teamed up with South Bay Construction (SBC) to construct the 1440 Multiversity immersive learning center in the Santa Cruz mountains, a commercial renovation project beginning with an abandoned college campus.
Truly a unique project, and one that SBC will talk about for years to come, 1440 Multiversity is situated on a 75-acre site surrounded by California redwood forest. Instead of building a new development on open land, the Kriens decided to breathe new life into an old college campus, much like their commitment to helping people renew themselves. Over the course of three years, the Kriens and SBC worked together to bring the Multiversity to life.
Renovating and Remodeling an Ideal Location
1440 Multiversity needed a location that offered a variety of experiences for guests to enjoy, and the former Bethany University campus fit the bill. The space needed to be secluded, rejuvenating, and functional. They Kriens knew they would offer professional development, but they also wanted the destination to feel like a retreat so people could truly escape their busy lives for a period of time to focus and unwind.
To make the site work for the new center’s needs, SBC had to make improvements to the existing campus and its surroundings. It was important that the towering redwoods and tranquil streams were preserved, as they give the location its calming nature. Due to the age of the campus, and the land it sits on, SBC needed to update the infrastructure to support the daily use of its facilities. As the project began, it quickly became evident that many of the structures needed to be removed and replaced as part of the commercial renovation. Knowing this, much of the campus was rebuilt and remodeled for the exact purposes of 1440 Multiversity.
Elements of the Commercial Renovation
The Kreins wanted SBC to incorporate the natural setting into the function and design of the Multiversity, to allow the calming nature of the outdoors to flow inside. SBC used stunning cedar planks and other natural elements in both indoor and outdoor spaces. Oversized windows and all-glass doors showcase the redwoods outside. These strategic design choices create areas that allow people to congregate inside while still enjoying all that nature has to offer.
SBC project manager Alex Groswird equated this legacy project to “building a small town from scratch.” His team transformed the campus and buildings into a functional oasis, sourcing natural materials locally and from around the world. This included the cedar planks for columns and trusses, more than 1,400 tons of stone, redwood for a wooden pedestrian bridge, and slate for the roofs. Beautiful copper gutters and downspouts give the buildings a refined finish. While the SBC team built new structures and altered others, they also completed a commercial renovation of select parts — such as the stunning chapel — to bring out the original beauty.
Site-Specific Challenges
The site created some major challenges for SBC. 1440 Multiversity was an ambitious project involving numerous buildings spread over 75 acres of uneven land. It involved working with unpredictable mountain terrain and waterways, and having one of the worst winters in Northern California history didn’t help. Updating the infrastructure was difficult, especially making sure it could endure fluctuating weather. SBC built new water and sewer systems, roads, storm drainage systems, and gas lines.
Despite the challenges and the enormous scale of the selected site, the founders were thankful SBC remained true to their vision and schedule. The commercial renovation and remodel successfully transformed the abandoned spot into a rejuvenating retreat center.
A Natural Retreat for Professional and Personal Development
When visitors come to stay at 1440 Multiversity, they find a stunning state-of-the-art center tucked between the redwoods. They’re greeted first at the Lodge—the welcoming center of campus. The building houses a café and places to relax and meet with friends and colleagues.
One of the most stunning features of the campus is the Redwood Auditorium. Built to seat 800 people, it includes cutting-edge audiovisual technology to support educators and guest speakers. The Healing Arts Center is perhaps the most calming part of campus, offering 22 rooms for massages, steaming, and an infinity edge whirlpool to relax in.
Visitors don’t only come for the speakers and the spa, but also to stay, learn, and connect. The whole center is meant to revitalize and inspire. This is easy to do in the world-class meditation and yoga center, but can also be done through courses dedicated to professional development, community, and personal growth.
The calming environment and design of the now-completed 1440 Multiversity campus helps encourage connection and renewal. SBC was dedicated to completing the project on time, and together with the Kreins, transformed their dream into a stunning reality.
If you are considering transforming your space and have unique expectations, look no further than South Bay Construction. We build strong connections and relationships with our clients so the end result is everything you wished for. Contact SBC today so we can become part of your team.