FAIRLESS HILLS, PA. — New Brunswick, N.J.-based Tekton Development Corp. has completed the $7.5 million renovation of Oxford Valley Elementary School, located at 430 Trenton Rd. in Fairless Hills. Construction included a new library, a music room, a choral room, a media center, an addition to the cafeteria, a new roof and upgrades to every classroom. The project architect was Trenton, N.J.-based Faridy Veisz Fraytak. The renovation was part of a larger $15 million capital improvements project that is currently under way at the school.
REDONDO BEACH, CALIF. — The Redondo Beach Unified School District and Barnhart Inc. have broken ground on the $33.75 million construction and modernization of Redondo Union High School in Redondo Beach. The project includes a new gymnasium and aquatic center, a new artificial surface football field and tennis courts, a new student services building that will house administration, counselors, attendance, registrar, nurse and student government, and modernization of the school auditorium and band building. Completion is scheduled for between January and August of 2010. The project is being funded by Bond Measure C, a $145 million general obligation bond measure that was passed in February 2008. Irvine, Calif.-based MVE Institutional provided architectural services for the project.
SANTA PAULA, CALIF. — Thomas Aquinas College has completed the development of its Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity Chapel, which is located on the school’s campus in Santa Paula. Designed by Duncan G. Stroik Architecture, the $23 million, 15,000-square-foot chapel features the Spanish Mission style while also incorporating traditional architectural elements from the Catholic Church. Ventura, Calif.-based Rasmussen & Associates served as architect of record; HMH Construction served as general contractor for the project.
MARIETTA, GA. — Cobb County, Georgia, officials have tapped Turner Construction Co. to build the 230,000-square-foot Superior Court Building in Marietta by December 2010. The $57 million property will include suites and chambers for judges, administrative offices, courtrooms and offices for the district attorney. A bridge will connect the new development to an adjacent building.
SAN ANTONIO — Concorde Career Colleges will soon open its second Texas campus in San Antonio. The new school will total 39,855 square feet and will be located within Corporate Square Garden at 4803 NW Loop 410. Concorde will occupy the facility beginning in November for a 15-year term. Future plans also call for the campus to expand by 4,000 to 8,000 square feet within its first year of operation. J.J. Williams, Jason Brumm and Maggie Nigro of Grubb & Ellis, along with Jeff Woolf of Cushman & Wakefield, represented Concorde in lease negotiations. The landlord, KBS Realty Advisors, was represented by Lindsey Tucker and Kelly Ralston of Transwestern. Concorde Career Colleges owns and operates 12 proprietary, postsecondary schools nationwide that specialize in healthcare vocational training. Its other Texas location is in Arlington.
LAKEWOOD, N.J. — DMR Architects has held the grand opening for the $1.5 million Special Children’s Center in Lakewood. DMR designed the complex free-of-charge to accommodate 120 children with special needs currently enrolled in the center’s respite and support programs. The 10,000-square-foot building was completed with the help of Ralph Zucker of Somerset Development and the Yanky Mermelstein of Ray Builders. The building features five classrooms, therapy rooms, bathing facilities, an indoor playground and an auditorium.
GREENVILLE, TEXAS — Construction is complete for the first building at Paris Junior College’s new Greenville campus. The $13 million project included the construction of a two-story, 42,000-square-foot multi-purpose building. It features technology-enabled classrooms, a science lab, a computer lab, a library, administrative offices and a large meeting room that can also be used as a classroom. The building is situated at 6500 Monty Stratton Blvd. within a 172-acre tract of land that will be used as the college’s new Greenville campus. The multi-phase master plan, as well as the design of the new building, was completed by Dallas-based SHW Group. Once additional buildings are complete, support functions currently housed in the first building will be relocated and it will be converted into a classroom building. The general contractor for the project was Dallas-based Charter Builders. Upon full built-out, Paris Junior College’s Greenville campus will ultimately house up to 7,500 students; the new building can house up to 2,500 students.
ORANGE COUNTY, FLA. —Turner Construction Co. has broken ground on the first 24,398-square-foot Orange County Orlando Magic Recreation Center at South Econ Community Park in Orlando, one of five facilities planned for Orange County. The $5 million properties are being developed by the Orlando Magic and donated to the county. SchenkelShultz Architecture designed the centers, each of which will include a weight room, a game area, a gymnasium and a multi-purpose room.
LOS ANGELES — The Salvation Army has completed the disposition of Booth Memorial Center, which is located at 2670 Griffin Ave. in Los Angeles. The 70,000-square-foot facility was purchased by Los Angeles Leadership Academy, a charter school that plans to use the space for classrooms. Built in 1931, the building was originally a hospital but has undergone many expansions and renovations, and mostly recently served as a maternity hospital, shelter and training center for unwed teenage mothers. Barry Baker and David Lachoff of Grubb & Ellis represented the seller; Howard Sadowski of Creative Environments represented the buyer in the transaction. Additional terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
GAINESVILLE, FLA. — The Florida division of Clancy & Theys Construction Co. has completed a 12,417-square-foot sanctuary at the St. Patrick Catholic Church. The property, which is owned by the Diocese of St. Augustine, is located at 412 N.E. 16th Ave. in Gainesville. The building includes acoustical panels on the perimeter walls and a cathedral-style open ceiling. Gainesville-based Brame Architects designed the church.