COAA-VA Spring 2025 Workshop

8:15 - 9:00 am

Networking & Registration (includes continental breakfast) 

9:00 - 10:30 am

Session I: Why Good Projects Have Project Charters

What matters most?  Getting this defined can be hard and when it’s not clear or agreed-upon, project teams can falter.  Join us for a collaborative session to learn about developing Project Charters.  Charters help the project team and its leaders form consensus around the most important parts of the project which can be technical (budget, schedule) and cultural (community, environment).  Charters then provide a succinct communication tool that facilitates prioritizing, decision-making, and on-boarding of new teammates.

Learning Objectives

• Learn what a project charter does
• Learn how a charter benefits the effectiveness of the project team
• Learn how to develop a charter through collaborative workshop around a mock project.

10:30 - 10:45 am

Networking Break

10:45 - 11:45 am

Session 2: Revealing the Invisible - How CMAR Can Add Value to Projects a Panel discussion

Projects rarely go as planned, but with the right CMAR input, Owners can uncover hidden risks, unanticipated challenges, and creative opportunities. Join us for an engaging discussion on how CMAR professionals bring unseen aspects to light and enhance project outcomes.

Learning Objectives

• Understand what type of projects are best suited for the Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) delivery method.
• Understand what the CMAR delivery method entails and what are the main differences between this and other construction delivery methods. Discuss advantages and disadvantages.
• Understand the types of challenges the CMAR can help mitigate during the preconstruction period.
• Understand how open communication and cohesive relationships within the team can help better decision-making and contribute to timely issue resolution. 

12:00 - 1:00 pm

Lunch & Networking

1:00 - 2:00 pm

Session 3: From Blueprint to Bench: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the County of Albemarle and City of Charlottesville Courts Complex

Projects rarely go as planned, but with the right CMAR input, Owners can uncover hidden risks, unanticipated challenges, and creative opportunities.  Join us for an engaging discussion on how CMAR professionals bring unseen aspects to light and enhance project outcomes.

• Explore the foundational goals and aspirations that shaped the development of the Courts Complex, including its role as a modern civic hub for the community.
• Gain insight into the key obstacles faced during the project and how innovative strategies and collaboration overcame them.
• Learn how diverse stakeholders, including public entities and design professionals, worked together to achieve a cohesive and functional design.
• Acquire context and perspective on the project’s evolution, enabling participants to fully appreciate the design, construction, and operational elements during the in-person tour.

2:00 - 2:30 pm

Relocate to tour site 

2:30 - 3:30 pm

Tour: County of Albemarle and City of Charlottesville Courts Complex

4:00 - 5:30 pm

Networking Happy Hour - Whiskey Jar