DOWNERS GROVE, ILL. — Elmhurst, Ill.-based International Contractors has completed a 15,000-square-foot expansion at The Avery Coonley School at 1400 Maple Ave. in Downers Grove. The expansion included the construction of a new wing, which includes the school's middle school classrooms; state-of-the-art science labs; and wireless technology throughout. The new wing was completed in less than 9 months with little disruption to the existing classrooms. FGM Architects + Engineers of Oak Brook, Ill., provided architectural and engineering services.
Civic
CHICAGO — Chicago-based Newcastle has brokered the sale of a surface parking lot owned by the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago, as well as an adjacent four-story retail apartment building located at the corner of Chicago Avenue and State Street in Chicago, for $40 million. The building was sold by a third party and contains a retail component. The properties were acquired by Loyola University, which plans to use the combined 61,470-square-foot site for future expansion. Newcastle represented all parties in the transaction.
GAINESVILLE, FLA. — The University of Florida is building a $65 million, 160,000-square-foot biomedical sciences building in Gainesville. The six-story facility began construction in October 2006 and topped out in February. The project is slated for completion in early 2009. Orlando, Fla.-based HuntonBrady Architects are the project architect.
OCALA, FLA. — The Marion County Board of Commissioners is building a $38 million, 150,000-square-foot addition that will connect on all five stories to the existing Marion County Judicial Center in downtown Ocala. The new structure will house the State Attorney’s Office and new courts and related services. The property is located at 110 N.W. 1st Ave. Construction is slated for completion in late 2009. Moss & Associates is the general contractor, and Ocala-based Architecture Studio and HOK, a global architecture firm, are designing the project.
BUTNER, N.C. — John Nelley and Al Buckley, partners with Nashville, Tenn.-based NWI Limited Partnership, are developing Falls Lake Commerce Center, a 300-acre master-planned business campus in Butner. The property will feature more than 4 million square feet of industrial and retail development. The first phase, Falls Lake II, includes a 150,800-square-foot distribution facility scheduled for completion in September. Site development is also underway for two speculative facilities, totaling 190,000 square feet. The development will offer land parcels, build-to-suits and 50 acres allotted for large box retail. Colliers Pinkard’s Raleigh, N.C., office is marketing the property, located 6 miles from Durham near Interstate 85.
NEW YORK CITY — Hudson Realty Capital has provided $11.07 million in financing for the Chelsea Art Museum in Manhattan, New York City. The 28,838-square-foot building, located a W. 22nd St., has been renovated into art galleries. The property also has additional air rights.
CHICAGO — Marcus & Millichap has arranged the sale of a 15,000-square-foot vintage bank building, located at 1421-1425 W. Fullerton Ave. in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood. The property sold for approximately $3 million, or $203 per square foot. The three-story building was built in 1927, and has also been used as office and retail space over the years. The building still houses the bank’s original vault and cage on the lower level. Michael Marks, Shaun Buss and Sean Lyons of Marcus & Millichap’s downtown Chicago office represented the seller, Mirro Development. The buyer was not disclosed.
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.
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.