Interview with OCP’s Award-Winning Craftsmen on the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse

November 18, 2020

Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse’s metal ceiling panels are a key aesthetic feature in the design that was carefully installed by the OCP Contractors team. The installers had to pay close attention to the alignment of the panels to successfully showcase the design.

The ceilings are one of OCP’s most publicly visible projects as Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse welcomes close to two million guests to 200+ events each year. The project was recognized as one of the CEA Craftsmanship Award Winners for 2020. Larry Guercio, Chad Senita, and Patrick Talcott received the award on behalf of the team.

Chad Senita

What do you feel your biggest contribution to the project was?
The layout of the panels and the coordination with the other trades and OCP, as far as our manpower.
What was the most challenging part of installing the ceiling?
The layout as well as the entire job. There were a lot of trades on the job and not a lot of room to work. By coordinating with the other trades we were able to gain access.
How did it feel being a part of such a monumental focal point of the project?
It was really cool. It was one of the more interesting projects I have done. It's neat that so much of the general public gets to see it. All my friends and family and people I know get to see it. Other projects I do are often more private.
What was the most rewarding part of the project for you personally?
Finishing it and having a product that looks really good and is impressive. Seeing the job as a whole come to fruition.
How do you think completing this project has helped your skills as a craftsman?
Normally when I complete ceilings, I work alone or with a couple of guys. With this project a lot of coordination was necessary with my own employees and other trades. These ceilings needed a lot of communication to complete. I gained a lot of communication skills. These were difficult ceilings that needed a lot of detail work, making sure everyone knew exactly what was going on. It was also a very high-paced job.
Anything else you would like to note or add?
I got the award and a couple of other people got an award with me, but it's important to note there were a lot of other people that helped out as well. This was absolutely a team effort that couldn't have been done without everyone's contributions.

Larry Guercio

What do you feel your biggest contribution to the project was?
I think we had a lot of different areas at one time. We were being pulled in many different directions to deliver in a timely manner. Being able to relocate yourself to different areas quickly was critical to delivering an exceptional finished product to Turner.
What was the most challenging part of installing the ceiling?
Getting a proper layout — some were triangular metal panels. The way the mains had to run, it wasn’t your typical ceilings you would install. You had to be very precise with the layout. There was little room for error.
How did it feel being a part of such a monumental focal point of the project?
I was proud. It was probably one of the best jobs I've been on in a long time. It's an iconic part of Cleveland, so many people will see the end product. It was an honor to be on a project like that.
What was the most rewarding part of the project for you personally?
Toby Baker ran the project. Towards the end of the project, he was congratulating everyone. We did it in a timely, quality manner as expected. Just hearing the appreciation from the foreman was rewarding. It was nice our efforts did not go unnoticed.
How do you think completing this project has helped your skills as a craftsman?
I think it probably makes you realize the need for paying attention to details as the metal ceilings were incredibly precise. The systems above the ceiling also had to be very precise.

Patrick Talcott

What do you feel your biggest contribution to the project was?
The actual installation of the grid system.
What was the most challenging part of installing the ceiling?
How much material was always in the way, it was a tight schedule, lots of people, trades, and materials all in the way.
How did it feel being a part of such a monumental focal point of the project?
It was another day of going to work and doing my job — I didn't necessarily think of the exposure. Each project gets the same amount of focus no matter what.
What was the most rewarding part of the project for you personally?
It was just doing my job and not thinking about it as rewarding or unrewarding at all. I put the same amount of skill into every day.
How do you think completing this project has helped your skills as a craftsman?
Having to bring all the skills I've learned throughout the years together and apply them. I had an advantage because I have been on other jobs with a similar system to the Hunter Douglas System, with light fixtures within, such as at Tri-C. I had a lot of previous knowledge. I could ask myself what worked and what didn’t previously.
Anything else you would like to note or add?
You don’t go into anything expecting a reward or an atta-boy. It's part of your job description. You just do the job the best you can every day.

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