TAMPA, FLA. — Skanska USA has broken ground on a research and academic tower for the University of South Florida’s Morsani College of Medicine and Heart Institute in downtown Tampa. The college of medicine will relocate from 12901 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. to the new 395,000-square-foot building within Water Street Tampa, a $3 billion mixed-use project from Strategic Property Partners. HOK is designing the 13-story tower, which will feature a 400-person auditorium, classrooms, study rooms and a series of spaces for informal collaboration and gathering. The new building will be located at South Meridian Avenue and Channelside Drive on an acre of land donated by Tampa Bay Lightning team owner Jeff Vinik. The building is slated for completion in fall 2019.
Civic
WORCESTER, MASS. — Worcester-based Kelleher & Sadowsky has arranged the sale of a building, located at 695-701 Main St. in Worcester. The Church of Ebenezer acquired the 41,050-square-foot building for an undisclosed price. The building was a former People in Peril (PIP) Shelter. David Cohen and Paul Matt of Kelleher & Sadowsky brokered the deal.
EAST FARMINGDALE, N.Y. — Farmingdale State College has re-opened Conklin Hall after completing a $12 million redevelopment and renovation of the building. Stalco Construction and BRB Architects transformed the two-story, 19,701-square-foot building — which was originally built as a power plant in 1914 — into a student center. The 11,115-square-foot lower level features a newspaper room, a yearbook room, a student lounge, student club offices and four private offices, while the 8,586-square-foot main level features student government offices, private offices, workstations, a common area and a reception area. The project team included Cameron Engineering & Associates, Hage Engineering, Lakhani & Jordan Engineers, and landscape architects Todd Rader and Amy Crews.
ATLANTA — While speaking at the Oct. 5 luncheon hosted by the Atlanta chapter of Commercial Real Estate Women (CREW Atlanta), Emory University law professor Mindy Goldstein addressed some of the environmental issues facing Atlanta, namely the City of Atlanta Tree Ordinance and stormwater runoff in the metro area. “Stormwater runoff is a huge problem in Atlanta,” says Goldstein, who serves as director of the Turner Environmental Law Clinic at Emory University School of Law. The clinic provides 4,000 hours of pro bono environmental legal work per year. “When it rains, surging stormwater can overflood our sewer systems and flood properties, which drastically decreases property values in certain neighborhoods,” says Goldstein. Atlanta is one of the 100 cities around the world participating in 100 Resilient Cities (100RC), a global initiative to provide governance and operational infrastructure to 100 cities that prove they are working to improve conditions for their citizens. The campaign was launched in 2013 by The Rockefeller Foundation and after three rounds of applications, the final 100 cities were chosen in May 2016. Member cities within 100RC are working now to become more “resilient” by addressing both the city’s shocks, or one-time events like floods and earthquakes, and …
Broomall Fire Co. Selects Bernardon as Architect for New Fire Station in Broomall, Pennsylvania
by Amy Works
BROOMALL, PA. — Broomall Fire Co. has selected Bernardon as architect for a new fire station in Broomall. Situated on the former Marple School site, the 25,000-square-foot building will accommodate the current station’s apparatus, improve functionality and optimize response time. Primary funding for the project comes from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania through a $3.25 million Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant. The new firehouse is slated for completion in early spring 2019.
BOSTON — Boston College has awarded Skanska USA a $113 million contract to provide construction services for a 244,000-square-foot recreation center at the university. Designed by Cannon Design, the four-story facility will feature a fitness center, jogging track, natatorium with lap and instructional pools, four wood-floor basketball courts, three tennis courts, two multi-activity courts and multi-purpose rooms for spin, yoga and fitness classes. Slated for completion in summer 2019, the new facility will replace the Flynn Recreation Complex.
LANSING, MICH. — The City of Lansing has selected CBRE|Martin to procure a developer for the redevelopment of city hall located at 124 W. Michigan Ave. The 30,274-square-foot property is located directly across the street from the State Capitol Building. The redevelopment could include retail, office, entertainment, hospitality or residential concepts. The City of Lansing plans to relocate city hall, prior to the redevelopment of the current site. Although potential locations have been identified, no decision has been finalized. Therefore, the City of Lansing is willing to entertain proposals that include solutions for the construction of the new city hall. CBRE|Martin will be marketing the opportunity through a Request for Qualifications and Proposals (RFQP) process to developers throughout the country. Qualified candidates will ultimately be chosen by the city.
CHICAGO — J.C. Anderson Inc. will complete a 30,000-square-foot renovation at DePaul University’s Richardson Library on the Lincoln Park campus. The library is located at 2350 N. Kenmore Ave. in Chicago. Scheduled for completion in August, J.C. Anderson will renovate the second floor of the library to replace paint and carpeting, provide a green room, studios, offices, media creation studios and conference rooms. Joe Maguire and Larry Regovic of J.C. Anderson are leading the project team. Vasilko Architects & Associates Inc. will provide architectural services.
ST. LOUIS — McCarthy Building Cos. Inc. has broken ground on a multi-building project at the east end of Washington University’s Danforth Campus in St. Louis. McCarthy is constructing three new academic buildings, two multi-use pavilions and an underground parking facility. The project also includes a new landscape and an expansion of the Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum. Notable components include Anabeth and John Weil Hall, an 82,100-square-foot interdisciplinary building that will serve as the new front door to the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts. The majority of the construction is slated for completion prior to spring 2019 commencement.
CHICAGO — The Obama Foundation released the conceptual vision and site map for the Obama Presidential Center (OPC) in Chicago at a community event hosted by Barack and Michelle Obama on Wednesday, May 3. The center will be integrated into Jackson Park, a historic park on the South Side of Chicago. The design concept includes three buildings: a museum, forum and library. The museum, the tallest of the three buildings, will hold exhibition space, public spaces, offices and education and meeting rooms. The forum will contain Obama Foundation offices, an auditorium, restaurant and public garden. The forum and library will be single-story structures with planted roof terraces and will serve as community resources. The total size of the center will range between 200,000 and 225,000 square feet, but the concept site plan imagines a reshaping of the park that will result in a total net increase in green space for Jackson Park. The center is slated to open in late 2021. The design team for the OPC is led by Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects | Partners and Interactive Design Architects. The landscape design team is comprised of Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, Site Design Group and Living Habitats. Ralph Appelbaum Associates …