NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. — The New Brunswick Development Corp. is set to develop the 600,000-square-foot, approximately 30-story New Brunswick Cultural Center. The project will include a fully integrated performing arts center that will include renovations and improvements to the historical State Theatre, new and expanded facilities for NBCC member companies, which will include performance venues, rehearsal and educational spaces, state-of-the-art operational facilities and administrative offices. The project will also include a 20-story residential tower with 200 market-rate condominiums, a 12-story Class A office tower, 11,000 square feet of retail space, an underground parking structure and public spaces. The $275 million facility is being designed by Ehrenkrantz Eckstut & Kuhn Architects.
Civic
CHICAGO — The project management group of Colliers Bennett & Kahnweiler has overseen the completion of the $6.5 million design and build-out for the British School of Chicago, located at 814 W. Eastman St. in Chicago’s Cabrini-Green neighborhood. The school is leasing approximately 75,000 square feet of the five-story building, with the remaining ground-floor space available for retail lease. The facility features a full-size gym, a cafeteria, science and industrial technology labs, a music program, art rooms and a 10,000-square-foot rooftop playground. The project achieved LEED-Silver certification, and includes a green roof, low-flush toilets, low-polluting HVAC systems and a building automation system that lowers energy usage. The school is part of a 175,000-square-foot mixed-use project currently under development by Structured Development. The project will also include a retail component and a parking garage, and is scheduled for completion in the summer. The school, which moved from its previous location at 1643 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., opened in January. The base building architect was Valerio DeWalt Train, and the school’s architect was ISI/Epstein.
DURHAM, N.C. — Duke University has opened The Michael W. Krzyzewski Center for Athletic Excellence, a $15.2 million, 56,000-square-foot athletic facility, in Durham. The complex includes a practice facility featuring two basketball courts, meeting space, an academic center and a special events area. The project began construction in July 2007 and was completed in February 2008. Plans for a 2,500-square-foot plaza-level connector to Cameron Stadium are underway. The Beck Group’s Atlanta office served as project architect.
ORMOND BEACH, Fla. — The Volusia County School Board is developing Ormond Beach Middle School, a $40 million project scheduled to start construction this spring. Phase 1 will include a 20,400-square-foot administration and media building featuring a CCTV studio production lab, and also a 44,730-square-foot classroom building with 20 classrooms, four science labs and two skill labs. Orlando, Fla.-based H.J. High Construction is the construction manager and Oviedo, Fla.-based Starmer Ranaldi Planning & Architecture is designing the project.
GRAND RAPIDS AND SOUTHFIELD, MICH. — East Lansing, Mich.-based Martin Property Development has completed two projects for the Great Lakes division of the American Cancer Society (ACS). In Grand Rapids, construction was recently completed for an ACS Hope Lodge, located at 129 Jefferson Ave. The Peter M. Wege Guest House is a 4-story, 40,000-square-foot facility that provides cancer patients and their caregivers with free temporary housing while undergoing treatment. The LEED-certified facility also houses an ACS area service center. Martin acted as owner representative, with CB Richard Ellis/Grand Rapids providing facilities management services. In Southfield, Martin represented the ACS in the completion of a new Detroit metro regional business center, located at 20450 Civic Center Dr. Construction of the two-story, 30,000-square-foot building began in March 2007 and was completed in December.
CAMBRIDGE, MASS. — BioMed Realty Trust, along with joint venture partner Prudential Real Estate Investors, has secured a $245 million construction loan from Wachovia Bank, National Association and certain other lenders. The funds will be used to construct an approximately 300,000-square-foot life sciences building located at 650 E. Kendall St. in Cambridge.
COLUMBUS, OHIO — Construction is advancing for the new $105 million Franklin County Courthouse, located at 345 S. High St. in Columbus. The seven-story, 325,000-square-foot project will feature 20 general use courtrooms, 10 civil courtrooms, one arraignment courtroom and one special proceedings courtroom. The project will also be working toward green building certification. Groundbreaking occurred last July, with completion scheduled for 2010. Arquitectonica is serving as the design architect, with DesignGroup acting as the architect of record and Ricci-Greene serving as the courts architect. Construction management services are being provided by Gilbane.
ROCHESTER HILLS, MICH. — Plymouth, Mich.-based DeMattia Group ha completed construction of the city of Rochester Hills’ Department of Public Services building. The 99,000-square-foot structure is situated on a 19-acre site that also houses the fleet maintenance, traffic, roads, water and sewer departments. The new building features administrative offices, vehicle storage, a high bay area for vehicle servicing and maintenance, and a vehicle wash area. This marks the second project DeMattia has completed for the city of Rochester Hills.
SAN DIEGO — Construction is complete on a 39,000-square-foot academic building at National University in San Diego. The $7.4 million facility, located at the intersection of Aero Drive and Aero Court, was designed by Architects | Delawie Wilkes Rodrigues Barker and features classroom space, lab space, and a production studio for the Media and Communications program. The two-story building is one of four facilities Architects | Delawie Wilkes Rodrigues Barker has designed on the campus that is either complete or under construction. Project partners included ROEL Construction as general contractor, HOPE Engineering as structural engineer, RBF Consulting as civil engineer, Xnth as electrical and mechanical engineer, and Wimmer Yamada Caughey as landscape architect.
NEW YORK CITY — The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art has entered into a 99-year, $96.67 million ground lease for 51 Astor Place in Manhattan, New York City. Edward J. Minskoff Equities, the owner, plans to raze the existing building at 51 Astor Place and construct a 410,000-square-foot, mixed-use development. The new development is slated for occupancy in 2010. Studley represented Cooper Union in the transaction.