BOSTON — Norwell, Mass.-based Acella Construction Corp. has completed a 4,500-square-foot renovation at Northeastern University in Boston. Construction consisted of the renovation of the Education Technology Center at the Snell Library. A new wall configuration was put in place, which created individual offices for the staff. The new space also contains a kitchenette, a training lab, a resource library, a digital media suite and a recording studio. In addition to this most recent project, Acella recently completed its seventh laboratory renovation at Northeastern University in the past 12 months.
SANTEE, CALIF. — San Diego-based Barnhart Inc., serving as general contractor, has completed the construction of an 18-classroom addition to Cajon Park School in Santee. The two-story, 32,823-square-foot addition houses 450 students in grades 5 through 8. The $10 million junior high building is adjacent to the existing 42,000-square-foot Cajon Park School campus, which is currently undergoing a $6.7 million modernization covering K-4 classrooms, offices, a library/technology center, a kitchen and bathrooms.
OXFORD, MISS. — The Place/BV Student Housing Fund, managed by BVP Managers, is developing the 366-bed Lafayette Place student housing complex. The project is part of a two-property development worth $48 million. Located near the University of Mississippi campus in Oxford, the property features furnished apartments with washers and dryers. Complex amenities include a clubhouse, a computer lab, a fitness center and a pool. Lafayette Place is slated for a summer 2009 opening.
REYNOLDS COUNTY, MO. — St. Louis-based Kwame Building Group is serving as construction manager for the redevelopment of Johnson’s Shut-In’s State Park located in Reynolds County. The park, which has been closed since it was damaged by the breach of the Taum Sauk Reservoir in December 2005, is scheduled to reopen to the public this year. Buildings being constructed at the park include an orientation center, a retail store, a residence for the assistant superintendent, seasonal staff residence quarters, shower house and laundry facilities, restrooms, camper cabins and picnic shelters. Atlanta-based MACTEC is acting as designer and builder for the project. The redevelopment is being completed on behalf of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.
CHICAGO — Summit Design + Build has completed construction of a Teen Living Programs facility located adjacent to the organization’s existing Belfort House in the Bronzeville neighborhood of Chicago. The three-story, 12,000-square-foot building includes 26 private rooms for local homeless youths. Additionally, the first floor of the facility houses 13 private offices, as well as a multi-purpose room with a private kitchen. The existing house is being demolished this spring to make room for a fully landscaped front yard. Mark Heffron and Erik Hauser of Summit Design + Build served as project manager and superintendent, respectively. Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture was the designer for the project.
CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO. — St. Louis-based KAI Design & Build is providing construction administration services for an 82,000-square-foot residence hall located near the main entrance of Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau. The $24.6 million facility will house 306 beds. The first floor of the building, which will open up to Houck Field, will include a dining hall and a locker room for the university’s football and soccer programs. Additional plans for the L-shaped hall call for double occupancy rooms connected by shared bathrooms, multiple small living rooms, game rooms and laundry rooms. Each of the facility’s top three floors will include a study lounge. The project is slated for occupancy by the fall.
MIAMI — Tilt-Con Corp. of Orlando, Fla., has completed construction of the 157,735-square-foot High School YYY-1 for Miami-Dade County Public Schools. The six-building property, located at 11035 S.W. 84th St. in Miami, was developed by Miami-based Betancourt Castellon Associates. Silva Architects of Miami designed the project.
MANHATTAN, KAN. — Minneapolis-based Opus Northwest has been selected to design and construct a building for Kansas State University’s (KSU) School of Leadership Studies, which will be located on the college’s main campus in Manhattan. The $11 million project, which has been designed to achieve LEED Silver certification, is being privately funded under the auspices of the KSU Foundation. The two-story, 36,000-square-foot building will house the university’s School of Leadership Studies as well as the Cargill Center for Ethical Leadership. In addition to classrooms, seminar rooms and offices for faculty and student organizations, the facility will feature a 220-seat town hall auditorium, six open meeting spaces and an Info Café. Opus Architects & Engineers Inc. is providing architecture and engineering services. Treanor Architects served as the design and programming consultant for the project. Construction is slated for completion in December.
WEST ORANGE, N.J. — The Gale Construction Company has completed a 13,000-square-foot addition and renovation at Solomon Schechter Day School of Essex & Union, located at 118 Pleasant Valley Way in West Orange. Construction consisted of a new addition at the school’s entrance that includes offices and a three-story glass tower. Interior renovations included a new security station, administrative office spaces and science labs. Construction had previously been completed, but a garbage truck collided into the facility soon afterward, causing the need to repair the exterior and the new science labs before the start of the fall term. The project architect was Livingston, N.J.-based Rotwein & Blake Associated Architects. Gale Construction is a subsidiary of Mack-Cali Realty Corp.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Arlington, Va.-based Paradigm Development Co. is slated to break ground on a 140,000-square-foot student housing facility in the NoMa neighborhood of Washington. The $38 million project has the capacity to house 345 students in 95 units. Amenities in the units include shared kitchens, living rooms and laundry facilities. Delivery is expected in August 2010.