Building Design & Construction articles from May 2004

Building Design & Construction archives from May 2004

Contractors are getting with IT.(Editorial)
May 1, 2004... Every couple of years, the Construction Financial Management Association surveys its members--general and specialty contractors, as well as the firms that do highway and heavy work--on their use of Internet technology. This time around, 800...

Industry group proposes use of elevators during fires.(News & Trends)
May 1, 2004... We've all read and heard the nightmarish details of how the heroic firefighters made their way--step by step--up the overcrowded and under-designed stairways of the World Trade Center towers on 9/11, only to make it about half way up when the...

The University of Arizona is addressing the shortage of research space on its Tucson campus in a big way.(Projects awarded)
May 1, 2004... The University of Arizona is addressing the shortage of research space on its Tucson campus in a big way. The university recently commenced construction of two new facilities: the 168,000-sf Institute for Biomedical Science and Biotechnology...

As part of an effort to revitalize downtown Raleigh, N.C., the city announced plans to construct the 495,000-sf North Carolina Convention Center.(Projects awarded)
May 1, 2004... As part of an effort to revitalize downtown Raleigh, N.C., the city announced plans to construct the 495,000-sf North Carolina Convention Center. A joint venture of Skanska USA Building Inc., Parsippany, N.J., and Barnhill Contracting Co.,...

Washington, D.C.-based contractor Tompkins Builders Inc., a subsidiary of Dallas-based Turner Corp., has been named general contractor for the $55 million Capitol Hill Towers/Marriott Courtyard in Washington, D.C.(Projects awarded)
May 1, 2004... Washington, D.C.-based contractor Tompkins Builders Inc., a subsidiary of Dallas-based Turner Corp., has been named general contractor for the $55 million Capitol Hill Towers/Marriott Courtyard in Washington, D.C. The project consists of two...

Coco Palms Hotel in Kuai, Hawaii.(Projects awarded)
May 1, 2004... Closed since being ravaged by a hurricane in 1992, the venerable Coco Palms Hotel in Kuai, Hawaii, soon may rise from its ruins. Phoenix-based DLR Group will work in collaboration with owner Coco Palms LLC and Architect Hawaii to manage the...

New ballparks debut in San Diego, Philadelphia.(News & Trends)
May 1, 2004... Incorporating old school features such as an aged brick warehouse and rooftop bleacher seating, the first pitches were thrown in San Diego's PETCO Park and Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park last month, as the 2004 Major League Baseball season...

Thornton-Tomasetti Group.(People/firms)
May 1, 2004... New York-based structural engineer Thornton-Tomasetti Group has opened an office in Kansas City to better serve the firm's sports architecture clients there, namely HNTB Architecture. W. Steven Hofmeister, P.E., S.E., has been named vice...

RTKL Associates.(People/firms)
May 1, 2004... RTKL Associates, Baltimore, has named T. Scott Rawlings, AIA, vice president and design leader for the firm's East Coast healthcare practice, based in Washington, D.C.

HNTB Architecture.(People/firms)
May 1, 2004... HNTB Architecture has hired Randy Bredar as vice president and leader of the firm's national sports architecture group.

Syska Hennessy Group.(People/firms)
May 1, 2004... John P. Martin, P.E., has been named managing director of the San Diego office of engineer Syska Hennessy Group, New York.

Boston-based retail design specialist Cubellis Associates has merged with Marco Design Group.(People/firms)
May 1, 2004... Boston-based retail design specialist Cubellis Associates has merged with Marco Design Group, a Detroit-based retail consulting firm, to form Cubellis-Marco.

Catalfumo Construction and Development Inc.(People/firms)
May 1, 2004... Catalfumo Construction and Development Inc., Palm Beach Gardens. Fla., has acquired Deerfield Beach-based Seawood Builders.

Turner Construction Co.(People/firms)
May 1, 2004... Turner Construction Co., New York, has announced eight staff promotions: Edward V. McNeill, senior VP of operations, Orlando; Christopher Carpenito, VP of forecasting and analysis, New York; Stephen W. Fort, VP and GM, Chicago; Joseph P....

Champaign, Ill.-based architect Severns Reid & Associates has merged with Ratio Architects Inc.(People/firms)
May 1, 2004... Champaign, Ill.-based architect Severns Reid & Associates has merged with Ratio Architects Inc., Indianapolis, to form Ratio Severns Reid Architects.

TLC Engineering for Architecture.(People/firms)
May 1, 2004... Debra A. Lupton, AIA, has been named CEO of Orlando-based TLC Engineering for Architecture.

Commercial comes in from cold.(Industry Data)
May 1, 2004... Private commercial construction spending fell 6.0% from the initial recovery surge it experienced last summer to the opening months of 2004. However the mix of changes by sector suggests that the decline will soon be reversed. Grocery...

Multifamily steady as she goes.(Industry Data)
May 1, 2004... The volatile multifamily market is expected to be steady through next year. The positive impact of more jobs on the number of households will offset the negative impact of higher credit costs. The March dip in mortgage rates will be temporary...

Surging materials costs to ease.(Industry Data)
May 1, 2004... Nonresidential builders are reluctantly absorbing the sharply higher spot prices for engineered wood products and metals caused by the unexpectedly strong and long housing boom and the abrupt surge in U.S. and Chinese demand for raw materials...

Public K-12 a drag on education sector.(Industry Data)
May 1, 2004... Education construction spending fell 8% from a June 2003 peak to February 2004, but expansion is expected to resume later this year with an accelerated pickup forecast for 2005. The slowdown is on the supply side as enrollments continue to...

Cost comparisons per square foot in select metro markets.
May 1, 2004... Cost comparisons per square foot in select metro markets Swimming pool, enclosed '04 '03 * % chg. Atlanta 148.89 153.55 na Baltimore 151.04 156.47 ...

Protect your company from risky change orders.(Legal Insights)
May 1, 2004... Almost all construction projects are faced with changes after contracts are signed and work is begun. That there are few change orders on a project is a true testament to the thought and care expended at the front end by the owner and its...

New dimensions in design.(Computer Applications)
May 1, 2004... Software developers have it tough. On the one hand, their sales and marketing departments want them to make software with all the bells and whistles, in the belief that potential buyers place functionality at the top of priority list. Yet...

Deferred gratification: a minority-owned developer, undaunted by setbacks, fulfills its goal of completing a record-setting speculative office tower in the heart of Boston's business district.(Office Building)
May 1, 2004... The path to success took 16 years to complete. But Columbia Plaza Associates, a minority-owned development firm in Boston, overcame a depressed office market and two unsuccessful joint ventures to arrive at the sale of the million-square-foot...

Open court: a U.S. courthouse in Gulfport, Miss., takes advantage of its location to bring sunlight and spectacular views into the judicial process.(Justice Facilities)
May 1, 2004... For Judge Walter J. Gex III, the completion last August of the Dan M. Russell, Jr. United States Courthouse complex in Gulfport, Miss., was justice long delayed. The project, which replaced a leased "nightmare" of a facility in Biloxi, was more...

Site selection and school adaptation succeed in the end.(Justice Facilities)
May 1, 2004... The 7.5-acre site occupied by the Dan M. Russell U.S. Courthouse complex has much going for it: it meets the presidential order of the first President Bush that all new Federal courthouses be built in a city's central business district...

Due process: local courthouses must be more secure and operate more efficiently, while still projecting an image of openness and fairness.(Justice Facilities)
May 1, 2004... Tighter security demands and greater technological innovation in courtroom presentation techniques, not to mention the simple need for more space, are key reasons for new construction and reconstruction of county and city court facilities. ...

Crime buster, neighborhood builder: Dallas's new police facility spurs redevelopment of a historic neighborhood, while also serving as a pilot project for a citywide green building program.(Justice Facilities)
May 1, 2004... Residents living in Dallas's Cedars community could not have asked for a more ideal neighbor. Ever since the Dallas Police Department moved into its new, $58 million headquarters in the heart of the manufacturing and warehouse district, about a...

Police stations play expanded role in quality of life.(Justice Facilities)
May 1, 2004... While many police departments continue to work in squalid conditions in second- and third-generation "hand me down" facilities, a growing number of communities are building high-end facilities for their police forces, placing them in strategic...

Bye to static cling, hello ESD flooring.(Flooring)
May 1, 2004... The static cling or a shock after the simple slide of an office chair may be more serious than one may think. Even the smallest electrostatic discharge (ESD), under 25 volts (it takes 3,500 volts to give humans a shock), can render copy...

Earth-savvy flooring.(Flooring)
May 1, 2004... Embossed-surface flooring is comprised of an average of 50% recycled vinyl and wood powder and emits 10 times less volatile organic compounds (VOCs) than linoleum and 50% less than rubber surfaces, resulting in better IAQ. LonEco Mesa flooring...

Busy floor.(Products at work)
May 1, 2004... Built in 1928 by architect John Eberson, the historic Louisville Palace Theatre began renovation in 2002. Funding to replace the Palace's carpet was offered on the condition that the job be designed and completed in just six weeks. Using...

Stuck on you.(Flooring)
May 1, 2004... Integrally bonded vapor barrier for below-grade flooring is moisture-impermeable for hospitals, schools, sports facilities, and hotels. Florprufe protects finishes on wood, tile, terrazo, carpet, and vinyl floors. When liquid concrete is poured...

Anti-static flooring.(Flooring)
May 1, 2004... Premier anti-static tiles are made of 100% polypropylene with a rubber-reinforced raised diagonal pattern that resists crushing. Available in 18-inch square size, with 1/4-inch or 7/16-inch thickness; in blue, green, black, gray, brown, maroon,...

Cross roads.(Flooring)
May 1, 2004... Carpeting inspired by 1950s-era upholstery prints consists of two grids in different scales overlaid and offset from each other. Intersection is made from solid yarn-dyed Antron Legacy nylon and is available in 16 tone-on-tone colors. Made from...

Under the floor.(Flooring)
May 1, 2004... High-strength gypsum underlayment is best for retail outlets, offices, and other heavy-use commercial applications. Proflow is a self-leveling product that delivers a compressive strength range of 6,000-8,000 psi. It provides a smooth, hard...

Bump, set, spike.(Flooring)
May 1, 2004... The Omnisport Collection includes four flooring products for use in gymnasiums, health clubs, community centers, and daycare centers. The cushioned surface provides balanced performance in wood, vinyl sheet, wax-free vinyl, and linoleum...

Wet seal.(Products at work)
May 1, 2004... Tiles surrounding the rehabilitation pool at the Sid Peterson Memorial Hospital, Kerriville, Texas, were curling up on the edges. General contractor Faulkner Construction, flooring contractor Intertech Flooring, and the Bower Downing...

Cushioned walking.(Flooring)
May 1, 2004... Carpet-cushioning system is designed to perform in high-traffic spaces, including malls, airports, convention centers, and department stores. Made with over 90% post-consumer recycled fiber, derived from used plastic bottles, EcoLogix has a...

Floor mosaics.(Products at work)
May 1, 2004... San Diego's Elementary Institute of Science and Technology Learning Center includes colorful rubber floor tiles with water-jet cut patterns. The 15,000-sf facility houses 8,500-sf of rubber floors covered in mosaics designed by Linda J....

Healthcare vinyl.(Flooring)
May 1, 2004... Commercial grade, no-wax, vinyl floor covering with an acoustic backing is engineered specifically for high-traffic areas. Chocflex absorbs sound, resists wear, and provides easy movement for wheels. According to its manufacturer, it will not...

Glazed manufacturing.(Products at work)
May 1, 2004... The Midland (Texas) College Advanced Technology Center specified StrataShield flooring system to refurbish a 50-year-old concrete floor. The 30,000-sf automotive training section for GM, Ford, and Chrysler mechanics features StrataShield's...

High-end flooring.(Flooring)
May 1, 2004... Modular carpet design collection for high-end corporate and retail facilities and high-traffic areas is backed with the Integrated Cushion Thermobond backing system, a thermoplastic coating with a reinforced fiberglass construction that will...

A floor's workout.(Flooring)
May 1, 2004... Low-profile, high-performance gymnasium and aerobic flooring system is ideal for upgrading synthetic floors, since it can be installed directly over existing floor surfaces. The total finished floor thickness of the Clip DIN System is only...

What's under there?(Flooring)
May 1, 2004... Underfloor duct comes with brushed die-cast aluminum covers and flanges. Walker floor boxes and Walkerduct Pro Series feature a clear-coat finish. TopGuard-protected to prevent water, dirt, and debris from entering power and communication...

Wood look-a-like.(Flooring)
May 1, 2004... Millwork Wall Base for floors and walls looks like finely milled wood, but has a greater resistance to scratching and nicks. Does not fade or contain any elements that may bleed through to the surface. Available in over 120 colors and 10...

Simple carpet.(Flooring)
May 1, 2004... Classic ribbed carpet Sine is available in three patterns--Exhibit, Avant, and Display. Available in 12 colors, the designs can be used monolithically or can be mixed to give different treatment to a space. Simply Artistic is a 36-inch modular...

Delicate tile.(Flooring)
May 1, 2004... Commercial tile collection available in 18 earth-based colors, tinted neutrals, and tonal steps conveys a seamless blanket of color with a monolithic appearance. Arteffects features a small-scale pattern with warm and cool accents. The 1/8-inch...

Emergency evacuation.(Products at work)
May 1, 2004... The emergency marking system at New York's United National headquarters complex, which covers the floors and walls of its 41 above-ground levels, was put to the test during last August's blackout. DuraGlow, a photoluminescent egress pathway...

Go Fish.(Products at work)
May 1, 2004... The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service's Parker River National Wildlife Refuge recently completed the $8 million renovation of its 7,700 sf visitors center, 5,500 sf administrative offices, and 6,000 sf of refuge support building space. Architect...

Fire stop.(Miscellaneous)
May 1, 2004... Clear glass that resists flames, smoke, and hot gases can be used as interior partition walls, fire doors, windows, and roof glazings. Pyrodur has been integrity, fire-resistant performance-tested and approved for 30-60 minutes. Interlayer...

Mother's convenience.(Miscellaneous)
May 1, 2004... Baby diaper-changing station is the newest in a line of public washroom accessories. Made of high impact polyethylene, the DryBaby Changing Station features rounded corners with fewer crevices and catch points than competitive models. ...

Let the smoke out.(Miscellaneous)
May 1, 2004... Automatic fire vents allow smoke, heat, and gases to exit a burning structure, providing increased evacuation time, exhausting of fumes, structural protection from damaging heat, and protection against the spread of fire. Featuring Thermolatch...