Building Design & Construction articles from September 2007

Building Design & Construction archives from September 2007

University of Arizona College of Medicine.
September 1, 2007... By Jay W. Schneider, Senior Editor Phoenix, Arizona The hope was that a complete restoration and modernization would bring life back to three neoclassic beauties that formerly served as Phoenix Union High School-but time had not...

Gulf Coast Hotel's Stormy Road to Recovery.
September 1, 2007... By Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor The historic Battle House Hotel twice survived raging fires, and its shell had to be rebuilt in 1908. But those trials were nothing compared to the wrath of Hurricane Katrina, which struck during the...

Biograph Theater.
September 1, 2007... By Anne Hartman, Editorial Intern Chicago, Illinois Located in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood, Victory Gardens Theater Company has welcomed up-and-coming playwrights for 33 years. In 2004, the company expanded its campus with the...

Loft Condo Conversion That's Outside the Box.
September 1, 2007... By Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor A Florida developer's leap of faith resulted in the most unexpected conversion of a dilapidated cigar box factory into stylish loft condos. Few people would have taken a look at a century-old cigar...

200 East Brady.
September 1, 2007... By Kristin Foster, Editorial Intern Tulsa, Oklahoma Until July 2004, 200 East Brady, a 40,000-sf, 1920s-era warehouse, had been an abandoned eyesore in Tulsa, Okla.'s Brady district. The building, which was once home to a grocery...

How facilities affect students' college choices.
September 1, 2007... Robert Cassidy, Editor-in-Chief In 1986, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching asked a thousand students what physical factor most influenced them to pick the college they attended. Sixty-two percent said that the...

Security window.
September 1, 2007... Staff A nautically inspired addition to the Vistamatic Vision Panel family, Vistaport is a round version of the square and rectangular Vistamatic window that has graced hospitals, schools, and commercial buildings for 20 years. Vision...

Stronger than it looks.
September 1, 2007... Staff Thin, lightweight, easy-to-install insulation features an R-value higher than most insulation made of mineral wool, loose-fill cellulose, fiberglass blanket, rockwool, and perlite. Birdair Tensotherm uses Nanogel Aerogel, a...

Rainbow bright.
September 1, 2007... Staff New for 2007, 22 fresh colors available for DuPont Corian and Zodiaq lines of multi-surface materials, including nine colors in Zodiaq quartz style. Colors include Corian Cinnabar with the look of natural brick and Zodiaq Black...

Tropical punch.
September 1, 2007... Staff Exotic hardwoods are no longer out of reach for designers who care about the environment. TerraMai engineered floors are made from reclaimed tropical hardwood material surfaced over a layer of FSC-certified new wood. Available in a...

Get more, use less.
September 1, 2007... Staff Sloan Valve's AC-11 Series Act-O-Matic showerhead conserves 20% more water than standard showerheads and uses a flow rate 0.5 gallons per minute slower than standard fixtures, yet maintains a powerful spray. Cone-within-a-cone spray...

Keeps shining on.
September 1, 2007... Staff High-traffic floors stay looking newer longer with Armstrong Linoleum with NATURCote, a topcoat layer guaranteed not to scuff or scratch. NATURCote floors need less maintenance and require smaller amounts of cleaning supplies, saving...

Wood-like windows.
September 1, 2007... Staff Window line with a simulated woodgrain finish offers the beauty and warmth of wood in durable, low-maintenance aluminum frames. Eterna is available in a five wood grains (acacia, cherry, light oak, dark oak, and dark walnut) and with...

Turn on the light.
September 1, 2007... Staff Invigorate and illuminate with Diretto light fixtures, featuring sleek cast-aluminum, post-top construction, and duel stainless steel struts. Recommended for exterior lighting and interior common areas. Available in four mounting...

Fleet Library, Rhode Island School of Design.
September 1, 2007... By Dave Barista, Managing Editor Providence, Rhode Island When tasked with transforming an early 1920s Italian Renaissance bank building into a fully functional library for the Rhode Island School of Design, the Building Team for...

Reaching For the Stars.
September 1, 2007... By Kristin Foster, Editorial Intern A world-famous observatory's updates and expansions make it an out-of-this-world facility. The famed Griffith Observatory, located in the heart of the Hollywood hills, receives close to two million...

Bowing to Tradition.
September 1, 2007... By Anne Hartman, Editorial Intern Harvard's 212-year-old theater company gets new digs. As the home to Harvard's Hasty Pudding Theatricals-the oldest theatrical company in the nation-12 Holyoke Street had its share of opening nights....

Office construction spending up, but expected to peak soon.
September 1, 2007... By Jim Haughey, Director, Research and Analytics, Reed Construction Data Office construction spending was sluggish early in this business expansion, but then jumped 31% during the 15-month period ending in June. A further 18% gain is...

Hotels are hot-for now.
September 1, 2007... By Jim Haughey, Director, Research and Analytics, Reed Construction Data Hotel construction spending is up 112% since the hotel building boom began in March 2006, and an additional increase of 24% is expected by the end of 2008. ...

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

Living and Learning Center, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences.
September 1, 2007... By Dave Barista, Managing Editor Worcester, Massachusetts From its humble beginnings as a tiny pharmaceutical college founded by 14 Boston pharmacists, the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences has grown to become the...

Renovation reinvigorates landmark Atlanta hotel.(Landmark overview)
September 1, 2007... By Anne Hartman, Editorial Intern The Atlanta Marriott Marquis, a landmark hotel, is undergoing a $138 million renovation. Local architect Thompson, Ventulett, Stainback and Associates and TVS Interiors recently completed Phase I of the...

D.C.'s Department of Parks and Recreation gets a green HQ.
September 1, 2007... By Anne Hartman, Editorial Intern The Columbia Heights Headquarters and Community Center opened its doors in March to the revitalized neighborhood in northwest Washington, D.C. The 50,000-sf facility offers a full-service gymnasium, dance...

Casino hotel projects opening up in the Motor City.
September 1, 2007... By Anne Hartman, Editorial Intern After years of delay, construction of Detroit's three new casino-hotels is nearing completion. The hotel at the downtown MGM Grand Detroit Casino opens Oct. 2; a month later, guests will be checking into...

Tenants settle into new Florida office building.
September 1, 2007... By Anne Hartman, Editorial Intern Developed by Amera Urban Developers, One Charter Place in Coral Springs, Fla., is now open, marking first phase completion of a plan to reinvent the city's downtown area. The $25 million financial and...

Austin retail and restaurant space celebrates grand opening.
September 1, 2007... By Anne Hartman, Editorial Intern The first phase of Domain, a $100 million luxury fashion and restaurant development in Austin, Texas, was completed in March. The Beck Group, Dallas, built 400,000 sf of the 700,000-sf project, which is...

Penn State wins race for first LEED-certified stadium.
September 1, 2007... Jeff Yoders The Washington Nationals are promising a green stadium with reserved parking for fuel-efficient cars and restrooms that conserve water. The University of Minnesota is promising a LEED-certified stadium designed by HOK Sport for...

News Briefs.
September 1, 2007... Staff * Best Buy pledges to build green for all its new stores. Beginning in early- to mid-2008, Minnesota-based retailer Best Buy intends to build only LEED-certified stores under the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and...

No significant difference between green and non-green building costs.
September 1, 2007... Kristin Foster The cost to build green remains on par with standard construction costs, according to a study published in July by cost management consulting firm Davis Langdon. Conducted in 2006, the study, 'The Cost of Green Revisited,'...

People + Firms.
September 1, 2007... Staff * Harold L. Adams , FAIA, RIBA, retired CEO from RTKL , has been named to the board of directors of Dewberry , Fairfax, Va. * Michael Karst , a senior project management executive with nearly 35 years of experience in engineering...

The pride of Pasadena.
September 1, 2007... By Barbara Horwitz-Bennett, Contributing Editor The utmost care and supervision went into a seismic retrofit, restoration, and M/E/P upgrade for the stately rectangular edifice that has served as an icon in the city of Pasadena for eight...

Acoustical board helps achieve sweet sound at Miami's latest performance center.
September 1, 2007... Staff CertainTeed's CertaPro AcoustaBoard Black was installed in the new Carnival Center for the Performing Arts, a 570,000-sf Miami entertainment complex that includes a concert hall and ballet opera house. The rigid fiberglass boards...

Minnesota medical center is blue in the face.
September 1, 2007... Staff For the Family Eye & ENT Center's new facility in Willmar, Minn., the physician owners envisioned a contemporary building that would stand out from the Prairie-style architecture typical in their area. To achieve a modern look,...

Indianapolis-area lifestyle center gets clad in aluminum.
September 1, 2007... Staff Over 32,000 sf of retail outlets in Metropolis, an open-air shopping and entertainment center in Plainfield, Ind., near Indianapolis, were clad in Citadel's aluminum composite material panels finished in seven colors. The panels,...

Soaring skylight tops Marine Corps museum.
September 1, 2007... Staff Denver-based Fentress Architects won a competition in 2001 to design the National Museum of the Marine Corps. Inspired by the well-known image of marines raising a flag at Iwo Jima, the architects designed a 210-foot-tall,...

Ecology center gets a modular green roof.
September 1, 2007... Staff The Center for Urban Ecology, which encourages city planners to install green roofs, decided to follow its own advice and install a 7,000-sf green roof atop its Washington, D.C., headquarters. The center selected the GreenGrid...

Sentry Switch lighting control system.
September 1, 2007... Staff Sentry Switch lighting control devices replace conventional wall switches to enable remote and automatic switching of light fixtures. Recommended for office, industrial, and educational buildings, Sentry Switch can greatly reduce...

The Art of Reconstruction.
September 1, 2007... By Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor An artistic renovation restored the Smithsonian Institution's National Portrait Gallery and the American Art Museum to glory. The Old Patent Office Building in Washington, D.C., completed in 1867,...

'Diversify your business to make it recession-proof'.
September 1, 2007... Staff Ben G. Watts, P.E., is president and CEO of Carter & Burgess Inc., headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. Watts joined C&B in 1997 and assumed leadership of the National Transportation Programs Division a year later. Previously, he...

Jefferson Would Be Proud.
September 1, 2007... By Barbara Horwitz-Bennett, Contributing Editor Extensive testing of materials, historical research, and delicate construction coordination went into the restoration and expansion of the nation's oldest continuously operating capitol...

Westin Hotel.
September 1, 2007... By Jeff Yoders, Associate Editor Minneapolis, Minnesota Mid-twentieth-century projects are in a state of limbo. In many cities, safeguards against quick demolition don't even cover 'new' buildings built after 1939, yet many such...

Lockers made of milk jugs.
September 2, 2007... Staff Bradley's Lennox line of lockers is made from 100% post-consumer plastic derived from recycled milk jugs. More than 500 one-gallon jugs are saved from the landfill by each Lennox locker. Durable and rust-free, the lockers withstand...

All the daylight without the glare.
September 2, 2007... Staff Kalwall Translucent Curtainwalls are made from sandwiched structural composite and contain an average of 20% post-consumer recycled material. System provides natural, controlled daylight with minimal shadows and glare. Available with...

Architectural resin panels.
September 2, 2007... Staff Encapsulated resin architectural panels are available with integrated fabric designed by textile designer Jhane Barnes. Lumicor's Jhane Barnes Collection includes seven different color and pattern options and three resin types:...

Make your green roof walkable.
September 2, 2007... Staff Paver stone pedestals create a sturdy, walkable surface for green roof environments and other flat roofs. Envirospec Pav-El pedestals are made from a four-squared honeycomb structure of high-density polyethylene with eight vertical...

Self-cleaning fiber cement panels.
September 2, 2007... Staff Easy-to-install Nichiha Fiber Cement Panels simulate real stone, brick, and other surfaces in exterior and interior applications. The moisture-, rot-, and termite-resistant panels feature clip-based installation and are ship-lapped...

All-in-one wall system.
September 2, 2007... Staff Wall panel system combines the strength and performance of cold-formed steel framing with the insulation properties of expandable polystyrene. The Accel-E wall panel system replaces traditional framing, insulation, and sheathing...

Soundproof drywall?
September 2, 2007... Staff Dietrich Metal Framing and Quiet Solution have partnered to create a drywall panel and frame system that delivers sound transmission class (STC) ratings of 55 when used on just one side of a single-steel stud assembly, reducing sound...

Laminated glass with a flare for solar control.
September 2, 2007... Staff Viracon's Laminated Low-E VLE-57 glass features a coating that provides enhanced solar control, low shading coefficient, and low solar heat gain. The potential for glare is also reduced, with visible light transmittance ranging from...

Doors past the test.
September 2, 2007... Staff Special-Lite's fiberglass reinforced polyester doors have been third-party tested to meet stringent standards in several performance categories. Independent lab results show that the SL-17 model door surpasses hollow metal doors in...

Solid surface becomes one with nature.
September 2, 2007... Staff The LG Eden Collection of acrylic solid surfaces has been third-party certified as being made of at least 12% recycled material. The nonporous, anti-microbial, and stain-resistant material comes in six nature-inspired colors: cocoa,...

ICF produces less waste.
September 2, 2007... Staff Insulated concrete form system reduces construction waste by allowing most cut-off pieces to be re-used. The Amvic Straight Form system features web placement six inches on center versus eight inches with standard forms, thereby...

Greening wall protection.
September 2, 2007... Staff InPro offers a green alternative to traditional polycarbonate and ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) sheet material for wall protection applications. Sanparrel GT is made of polyester-based rigid material that recycles easier than...

Silence your projects.
September 2, 2007... Staff Acoustiblok noise isolating material packs the sound-deadening power of 12 inches of poured concrete into a flexible membrane that is easy to install. Recommended for use in hotel and hospital applications, or to block noise from...

Keep it green overhead.
September 2, 2007... Staff Ecophon Gedina ceiling panels are manufactured from high-density glass wool covered in a micro-porous Akutex T surface, providing a sound-absorbent, humidity-resistant ceiling system. Ecophon is available in two styles: 'A' panels...

Step up sustainability.
September 2, 2007... Staff Durable and environmentally friendly flooring is recommended for high-traffic areas in healthcare, educational, and retail settings. Allstate's FreiFloor has no detectable VOCs and does not contribute to negative indoor air quality....

Modular green roof.
September 2, 2007... Staff Modular vegetated roof system features built-in water retention-separate layers are not necessary. Made from 100% recycled plastic, GreenGrid is easy to install and maintain-modules lift up for access, with no layers to cut, remove,...

Walls with options.
September 2, 2007... Staff Modular wall system doesn't limit projects to a single design. Marlite Myriad features decorative panels that pop in and out of pre-engineered extruded aluminum framework, allowing designers to change the look and feel of a room with...

Keeping plants wet and the roof dry.
September 2, 2007... Staff Kansas City, Mo., doesn't need another boring, concrete-topped parking garage. So when a new garage was built at 909 Walnut Street, the building's owner hired landscape architect Jeffrey L. Bruce & Co. to turn the top of the garage...

Lafarge -The Leader in Blended Cements and Cementitious Materials.
September 2, 2007... Staff Mississippi Riverwalk, Dubuque, Iowa This outdoor complex along the banks of the Mississippi River includes an open-air amphitheater, water park, boat dock, and plaza, all connected by miles of scenic walking paths. Lafarge's...

LEED® Contribution.
September 2, 2007... Staff Gathering LEED points through daylighting can greatly impact any project. Kalwall's highly insulating, diffuse-light transmitting, translucent skylights, wall systems and replacement windows are uniquely suited to achieve the desired...

Green roofs/rooftop gardens.
September 2, 2007... Staff Envirospec's PAVE-EL System The PAVE-EL system is a proven method for setting paver stones in roof-top gardens and decks, protecting the roof membrane, insulation and pavers from the freeze-thaw damage caused by trapped rainwater...

Best Buy pledges to build green for all its new stores.
September 2, 2007... Staff Beginning in early to mid-2008, Minnesota-based retailer Best Buy intends to build only LEED-certified stores under the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standard. The electronics giant is...

No significant difference between green and non-green building costs.
September 2, 2007... Staff The cost to build green remains on par with standard construction costs, according to a study published in July by cost management consulting firm Davis Langdon. Conducted in 2006, the study, 'The Cost of Green Revisited,' is an...

Sliding glass door for extreme climates.
September 2, 2007... Staff Developed especially for climates subject to temperature extremes, Kawneer's AA3900 Thermal Sliding Door combines high thermal performance with contemporary styling. The door has high performance ratings for structural, air...

Cladding stays high and dry.
September 2, 2007... Staff Installed in more than 350,000 buildings worldwide, Dryvit's Outsulation Plus has a smaller carbon footprint than most competing cladding systems. The cladding drains away incidental moisture with a two-part process. First, an...

Rugged tile keeps dirt off the floor.
September 2, 2007... Staff Linear tile is made of recycled PVC plastic with carpet strips that brush off sand, dirt, and slush from shoes and cartwheels. Features an open grid design that drains away water and debris. Recommended for retail, healthcare,...

Add some bounce to your step.
September 2, 2007... Staff Healthier Choice's line of Foundation Contract Carpet Cushion is low-VOC and may be used to obtain credits with LEED and other green certification programs. Integral anti-microbial protection prevents mold, mildew, and odors-even...

Green screen is as good as gold.
September 2, 2007... Staff Centria's Ecoscreen Perforated Screenwall Panels are the first exterior building product to earn Cradle to Cradle Gold certification. The panels are manufactured using 100% renewable energy and are designed for material reuse at the...

California EPA's white knight.
September 2, 2007... Staff In 2003, Lehigh's white cement earned what might be called the ultimate piece of green building products street cred: A place in the construction of the new California Environmental Protection Agency headquarters in Sacramento. At...

Green on top.
September 2, 2007... Staff Laminate countertops are Greenguard certified for exceptional indoor air quality. The EQcounterops line is manufactured using a recycled, formaldehyde-free particleboard core, water-based adhesive, and Greenguard-certified laminate....

Blended cements.
September 2, 2007... Staff Lafarge SCM blend cements are a mix of portland cement with a combination of any one of the company's supplementary cementitious materials, such as slag cement, silica fume, or fly ash. Blend cements consume less energy during their...

Flooring with natural ingredients.
September 2, 2007... Staff Made from all-natural and renewable raw materials, including linseed oil, rosin, limestone, wood flour, and jute, Marmoleum flooring has been updated with three new styles: Prisma, Mineral, and Graphic. Marmoleum offers high sound...