Building Design & Construction articles from January 2007

Building Design & Construction archives from January 2007

40 Under 40.
January 1, 2007... By Jay W. Schneider, Senior Editor An avocado rancher, an Ironman triathlete, a star college quarterback, and a semi-retired mountain guide are among the 40 brightest stars in the AEC universe--and they're all under age 40. They and 36...

The Honor Roll.
January 1, 2007... Staff F. Michael Ayles, 38 Director of business development Antinozzi Associates Stratford, Conn. Peter T. Belisle II , 39 President Jones Lang LaSalle Los Angeles Robert Benson, 36 Senior...

Concrete Puts the Waves In Aqua.
January 1, 2007... By Jeff Yoders, Associate Editor Jeanne Gang's $300 million Aqua project is as much a sculpture in concrete as it is a mixed-use tower, making its construction all the more complex. Jeanne Gang, principal of Studio/Gang/Architects in...

Condos going up in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood.
January 1, 2007... Staff Construction work has begun on the 30,500-sf, five-story Converge Condominiums in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood. Designed by Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture, Chicago, the development will include 16 1,500-sf units, each...

Phase two under way for UNC's genetic medicine research center.
January 1, 2007... Staff The second phase of construction has begun on the 331,000-sf Genetic Medicine Building at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. When completed in December, the seven-story research building will house three School of...

Aeronautical university to get a monumental library building.
January 1, 2007... Staff Barton Malow Co., Southfield, Mich., has been selected to construct the new Chris and Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Library and Learning Center on the Prescott, Ariz., campus of Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, one of the top aviation...

Retail town center planned for the Florida Panhandle.
January 1, 2007... Staff Spread across 52 acres in Walton County in the Florida Panhandle, Grand Boulevard at Sandestin is a new lifestyle town center that will incorporate shopping, dining, entertainment, professional service, corporate office, residential,...

Detroit developer Barden wins Pittsburgh slots project license.
January 1, 2007... Staff PITG Gaming was recently awarded a license to build a 17.5-acre Majestic Star slot machine casino in Pittsburgh's North Shore. PITG CEO Don Barden, a Detroit developer, was awarded the casino license over bids from Isle of Capri...

Dallas Cowboys plan to build most expensive stadium in NFL history.
January 1, 2007... Staff The $1 billion, 2.3 million-sf Cowboys Stadium, planned for a site in Arlington, Texas, will have an approximate capacity of 80,000 and the flexibility to accommodate up to 100,000 fans. The stadium features signature monumental...

$4 Billion housing, arena proposal approved in Brooklyn.
January 1, 2007... Staff Forest City Ratner of Cleveland has received approval from the New York State Public Authorities Control Board for its $4 billion Brooklyn proposed Atlantic Yards project. The development will include a basketball arena for the NBA's...

Construction under way on a contemporary church expansion.
January 1, 2007... Staff J.D. Diffenbaugh Inc., a Riverside, Calif.-based general contractor, broke ground on an expansion project for the Harvest Christian Fellowship that will add a two-story, multipurpose building and a two-story children's ministry...

Eco-friendly school will use straw-bale construction for walls.
January 1, 2007... Staff When completed this spring, the 26,900-sf Friends Community School in Greenbelt, Md., will be one of the largest straw-bale structures in the world. The Building Team specified straw-bale construction because of its environmental...

Chicago's North Side to get a new neighborhood.
January 1, 2007... Staff Parkside of Old Town, a 20-acre neighborhood with tree-lined streets, generous green spaces, and clear views of the city skyline, has broken ground on Chicago's North Side. The community's first phase includes two- and three-bedroom...

New offices planned for D.C.'s historic Anacostia district.
January 1, 2007... Staff Forrester Construction, Rockville, Md., and Motir Services Inc., Washington, D.C., have reached the halfway point in construction of the $14 million Anacostia Gateway Office Building in Washington's Anacostia Historic District. When...

Make 2007 an even better year.
January 1, 2007... Robert Cassidy, Editor-in-Chief Here are three resolutions for top management and professional staff at AEC Building Teams to consider for the coming year. Like all New Year's resolutions--from losing weight to breaking five hours in the...

High-performance, low-energy fluorescent lighting for offices.
January 1, 2007... Staff A line of direct/indirect recessed fluorescent luminaires creates softly balanced and visually comfortable illumination that, depending on the application, is up to 60% more efficient than the minimum LEED credit requirement,...

High-wind framing guide.
January 1, 2007... Staff "High Wind Framing Connection Guide" from Simpson Strong-Tie is designed to save code officials and contractors time by offering detailed prescriptive solutions for meeting uplift and lateral load requirements in areas with wind...

Vapor, air, moisture barriers.
January 1, 2007... Staff Barriseal-S and Barricoat-S spray-applied vapor and water-resistant membranes are rubberized asphalt emulsions that require simultaneous spray with a salt solution to cure. This chemistry provides a system with fast application, low...

Low-VOC metal coatings.
January 1, 2007... Staff Line of multipurpose premium maintenance coatings for interior and exterior metal surfaces has been expanded to include environmentally friendly, water-based coatings. Rust-Go Primer VOC and Rust-Go VOC Top Coat coatings meet or...

Online calculator measures voltage drop in circuits.
January 1, 2007... Staff System Sensor offers a Web-based Voltage Drop Calculator that allows users to quickly and easily lay out audible/visible notification device circuits using the company's notification appliances. The step-by-step process allows users...

Give students some privacy with Quick Carrels.
January 1, 2007... Staff Flexible classroom carrel provides teachers and students with portable work areas for homerooms and study hall classes, testing rooms, or self-paced learning curriculum. Unlike traditional carrels, which can be perceived as barriers...

Water-free with less footprint.
January 1, 2007... Staff Two new water-free urinals from Sloan Valve feature a narrow profile, providing the same water-conserving and low-maintenance benefits of standard no-flush urinals, but with a smaller footprint. Models WES-4000 and WES-5000 use a...

Acoustic wood ceiling tiles.
January 1, 2007... Staff Wood ceiling tiles are composed of 70% recycled, post-industrial material (by weight), providing an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional ceilings. Bioline Solid-Finish tiles are available in cherry, beech, and maple...

Insulating concrete form.
January 1, 2007... Staff The T-form, Reward Wall Systems' latest insulating concrete form, is designed for use with the company's iForm to make construction of interior demising walls more efficient. Like the rest of the iForm product line, the T-form is...

Drainage in a flash!
January 1, 2007... Staff Copper fabric flashing and drainage system for brick masonry construction features a patent-pending non-woven wicking layer that draws moisture behind and beneath mortar droppings and out through the mortar joint. The York Flash-Vent...

Colorful coatings.
January 1, 2007... Staff Fluoropolymer coatings for aluminum and steel substrates are available in more than 60 colors, metallics, and special effects. Once applied, the coatings chemically crosslink to form a clear, inert fluoropolymer film that is durable...

Green cement.
January 1, 2007... Staff New line of cement products incorporates slag, limestone, fly ash, pozzolans, and other recycled elements to form mixes that are more environmentally friendly than traditional cement. The Envirocore line includes nine different mixes...

Whiteboards earn Cradle to Cradle certification.
January 1, 2007... Staff PolyVision has introduced a line of whiteboards that are fitted with the company's new "green" erasable writing surface, called ceramicsteel. The surface, which recently received a Silver rating from McDonough Braungart Design...

"Green" modular carpet.
January 1, 2007... Staff New line of contract modular carpeting is composed of three thermoplastic layers and zero water-based components, enabling complete recyclability back into itself without separation. The Encycle line features PVC-free carpet backing...

Future is bright for vinyl composition tile line.
January 1, 2007... Staff Vinyl composition tile is available in 10 new, ultra-bright colors. The Rave line now includes "bodacious blue," "lemon kick," "kickin' kiwi," "grabbin' green," and "screamin' pumpkin," in addition to white, pink, red, violet, and...

9 Tips on Anchoring Rooftop Equipment for High-Wind Events.
January 1, 2007... By Dave Barista, Managing Editor If there were any doubts about the dangers of poorly anchored rooftop equipment during a hurricane, building consultant Thomas Lee Smith can point to case after case of flying mechanical units, rolling...

Hotel building boom finally peaks.
January 1, 2007... By Jim Haughey, PhD, Director, Research and Analytics, Reed Construction Data Hotel construction spending expanded faster than any other building market in 2006, helped by destination hotels in Las Vegas and other resort areas, as well as...

Construction employment drops through midyear.
January 1, 2007... By Jim Haughey, PhD, Director, Research and Analytics, Reed Construction Data Construction employment peaked in April 2006, soon followed by layoffs; about 50,000 workers were laid off through November and at least 30,000 more job cuts are...

RSMeans costs comparisons.
January 1, 2007... By Jim Haughey, PhD, Director, Research and Analytics, Reed Construction Data [TABLE OMITTED]

Warehouse starts down, construction spending will slow.
January 1, 2007... By Jim Haughey, PhD, Director, Research and Analytics, Reed Construction Data Warehouse construction spending was 11% higher in October compared to the same period last year, but spending increases in 2007-08 will only be enough to offset...

Construction materials cost inflation on hold.
January 1, 2007... By Jim Haughey, PhD, Director, Research and Analytics, Reed Construction Data Materials prices for nonresidential projects in December were 3% below the price peak in July 2006. While the materials price index for nonresidential...

Microsoft embeds DWF viewing in Windows Vista.
January 1, 2007... By Jeff Yoders, Associate Editor San Rafael, Calif.-based software manufacturer Autodesk announced last month that DWF (Design Web Format), its main collaboration file format, has been incorporated into Microsoft's Windows Vista operating...

Tech briefs.
January 1, 2007... By Jeff Yoders, Associate Editor GBI launches Web-based program for improving "greenness" of existing buildings. The Green Building Initiative has started pilot testing a Web-based tool designed to give building owners and facility...

Timing It Right in Mixed-use and TODs.
January 1, 2007... Robert Cassidy A recent joint research study by National Real Estate Investor and Retail Traffic magazines found that mixed-use is the dominant retail property type for both new development and redevelopment projects among retail...

Air Barriers The Latest Tool in Moisture Control.
January 1, 2007... By Dave Barista, Managing Editor Often confused with vapor barriers and moisture barriers, air barriers may be the key to controlling moisture at the building envelope. When it comes to controlling moisture at the building envelope,...

MULTIFAMILY REPORT: How Building Teams Are Beating the Cost Crunch.
January 1, 2007... By Robert Cassidy, Editor-in-Chief The $65 billion U.S. multifamily construction sector is under siege. Escalating costs for building products and materials, financing, and construction services have become the single biggest...

Architect Falls in Love With His Own Work.
January 1, 2007... Robert Cassidy Have you ever fallen in love with one of your projects? Truly, deeply in love? Larry Speck has. "Halfway through construction, I said, Damn, this is nice!" says Speck, referring to the Austin City Lofts. Speck, a...

Multifamily Projects under Construction.
January 1, 2007... Staff 70 Eye Street Condominiums Washington, D.C. 13 stories, 858,843 sf 448 units (condos) $90 million JPI Development (D); WDG Architecture (A); Delon Hampton & Associates (CE); Tadjer Cohen Edelson Associates...

Qualcomm researchers move into new campus buildings.
January 1, 2007... Staff Construction is complete on Qualcomm's Building W Campus, a 909,170-sf, three-building campus and parking structure located in San Diego. Designed by Delawie Wilkes Rodrigues Barker, San Diego, the new campus will facilitate on-site...

Patients walk into the labyrinth at rehabilitation hospital.
January 1, 2007... Staff A circular courtyard fitted with a meditative labyrinth is the primary architectural icon of the new 175,000-sf, 120-bed Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital in Wheaton, Ill. The courtyard provides daylight to the basement level of the...

LEED Gold for Canada's latest water treatment facility.
January 1, 2007... Staff Heat recovery systems, a green roof, and natural ventilation are among the "green" features that helped the Kamloops (B.C.) Centre for Water Quality achieve a LEED Gold rating with the Canada Green Building Council. The facility is...

Watts firefighters finally get a new home.
January 1, 2007... Staff The 15,200-sf Fire Station #65 in the Watts neighborhood near Los Angeles replaces an outdated 1930s facility and includes living and support space for a crew of 17. Designed by gkkworks, Irvine, Calif., the two-story, $4.3 million...

UK's famed Surrey House gets domed.
January 1, 2007... Staff A soaring steel-and-glass atrium has created a dynamic, four-story social space at the Surrey House, the historic 1904 offices of United Kingdom insurance giant Norwich Union in Norwich, UK. Designed by LSI Architects, the new atrium...

Connecticut gets its first LEED-rated student housing facility.
January 1, 2007... Staff Centennial Hall, Western Connecticut State University's new 128,000-sf residence hall at its Danbury campus, is the first facility of its kind to receive a LEED certification in the state (the facility is LEED Certified). The...

Scottsdale residential development gets a community center.
January 1, 2007... Staff Rosemont, Ill.-based McShane Construction has completed construction of the Desert Parks Community Center. The new facility serves the residents of DC Ranch, a nationally acclaimed residential community located in the western...

AEC groups battle new 3% withholding rule.
January 1, 2007... Jeff Yoders AEC industry groups are mounting a fight against a new law that will require government entities, including school districts, to withhold 3% of payments to construction, engineering, and design firms that perform work for...

News Briefs.
January 1, 2007... Staff Dubai sets record for number of high-rise towers in a month. Permits to build eight high-rise towers in various parts of Dubai, UAE, with a total footprint of 11.3 million sf, were issued in December 2006, said Khalid Mohammed Saleh,...

People+Firms.
January 1, 2007... Staff Los Angeles-based technical and support services firm AECOM has merged with Hayes, Seay, Mattern & Mattern , a Roanoke, Va.-based architectural and engineering firm with more than 650 employees. Kahler Slater , Milwaukee, has...

NBBJ's Böhm on the strict rules for practicing in Russia.
January 1, 2007... Robert Cassidy Design condos in the United Arab Emirates? Piece of cake. Residential towers in China? Easy. But build condos in Moscow? That's another story, as Friedrich "Friedl" Böhm knows all to well. "The rules in Russia are...

The 2007 International Builders' Show.
January 1, 2007... Staff The annual International Builders' Show runs February 7-10 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., so bring your walking shoes because there are a record 1,800 exhibitors--450 more than last year--occupying one...

'Multifamily to stay fairly strong': RCD analyst.
January 1, 2007... Jim Haughey, PhD, Director of Research & Analytics, Reed Construction Data Multifamily construction will stay relatively strong in 2007 but will slip marginally below its 2006 peak. The exodus of speculative for-sale buyers is weakening...

German automotive museum looks to the future.
January 1, 2007... Staff The Mercedes-Benz Museum rises like a futuristic spaceship on a hill in Bad Canstatt, Germany, the birthplace of the automobile. The stunning design by UNStudio Van Berkel & Bos, Amsterdam, has three interior loops that circle a...

Cold cathode lamps light Cleveland marquee.
January 1, 2007... Staff Lighting manufacturer TCP of Aurora, Ohio, recently donated 1,150 three-watt cold cathode lamps to light the marquee of the Ohio Theater in Cleveland's Playhouse Square, replacing the theater's incandescent light bulbs. The estimated...

Metal roof allows Canadian warehouse to achieve LEED Gold.
January 1, 2007... Staff The first industrial project to earn LEED Gold certification from the Canadian Green Building Council was recently completed on a reclaimed eight-acre site in Hamilton, Ont. The Steelcare steel coil warehouse was built to be...

Durable panels fit for the Rockies.
January 1, 2007... Staff Functioning as owner, developer, architect, and general contractor, Jonathan Saiber, president of SaiberSaiber Architecture in Cherry Creek, Colo., designed and built his firm's headquarters, a four-story mixed-use building that...

Credit union building stands out from the big boxes.
January 1, 2007... Staff After TRi Architects of St. Louis was selected to design the First Community Credit Union in Chesterfield, Mo., the firm faced a big design hurdle. The building owner wanted a distinctive design for the area's largest credit union,...

Self-cleaning coating helps clean up condo.
January 1, 2007... Staff Although basically in good shape, the 12-story, 76-unit Watermark Place high-rise condominium in Columbia, Md., needed a facelift. Built in 1989, Watermark Place had a lot of stains and algae on the building, and it definitely needed...

Knoll Imago Frozen Fabrics Resin Panels.
January 1, 2007... Staff Available in more than a dozen patterns and in thicknesses from 1/16 to 1/2 inch, Knoll Imago Frozen Fabrics resin-based panels are manufactured through a patented process that involves encapsulating fabric in a high-performance...

Solving Wind, Seismic Problems at One Rincon Hill.
January 1, 2007... By Robert Cassidy, Editor-in-Chief Structural engineer Ron Klemencic got more than he asked for a few years back when he was called in by architect Solomon Cordwell Buenz on its One Rincon Hill condo project in San Francisco. Klemencic,...

'Set the bar high for LEED 3.0, but make it rational'.
January 1, 2007... Staff Russell Perry, AIA, LEED AP, joined SmithGroup in 2005 to head its corporate sustainability efforts. Previously, he was a founder and 11-year veteran of William McDonough + Partners. He holds architecture degrees from the...