DALLAS — North Dallas High School and Sam Houston Elementary School, both in the Dallas Independent School District, will undergo renovation projects. North Dallas High School will replace an existing annex building with a new single-story addition that will house science classrooms. The project also involves replacement and upgrades to mechanical and electrical systems, updating existing restrooms and replacement of pneumatic controls on the second and third floors with direct digital controls (DDCs). Meanwhile, Sam Houston Elementary School will replace and upgrade lighting, mechanical and electrical systems, update existing restrooms and replace pneumatic controls with DDCs. Warrior Group, a Dallas-based general contractor, will provide construction management services for both schools. Construction is scheduled to begin in April, with a completion date set for April 2012.
JACKSONVILLE, FLA. — Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based Red Apple Development, the development arm of Charter Schools USA, has purchased a 117,000-square-foot facility at 7510 Baymeadows Way in Jacksonville. Situated on an 18.8-acre campus, the property sold for $5.8 million. The buyer plans to renovate the property and open Duval Charter School at Bay Meadows, which will serve students kindergarten through 12th grade. K Dan Shalloway and Jim Morgan of Sperry Van Ness represented the buyer; Bruce Jackson of CB Richard Ellis represented the seller, Ashland Oil, in the transaction.
BOSTON — Harvard University has signed a lease for a 40,000-square-foot building located at 90 Smith St. in Boston's Mission Hill neighborhood. Constructed in 1888, the building had been vacant for the past five years before Harvard leased the building and had it renovated. All of the building's major systems were replaced, the masonry exterior was restored, a copper cornice and gutter was mounted, historically appropriate windows were installed and an interior office system designed to LEED standards was installed. The building will house the Harvard School of Public Health's administrative offices. The Cushman & Wakefield team of Frank Nelson, Michael Greeley and Joseph Pearce represented the landlord, Weston Associates, in the deal.
MELBOURNE, FLA. — Chicago-based HSA PrimeCare and Chicago-based Harrison Street Real Estate Capital have partnered to acquire Crane Creek Medical Center, which is located at 2222 S. Harbor City Blvd. in Melbourne. Built in 2009, the six-story, 107,000-square-foot medical office building was purchased from a joint venture of Milwaukee-based Zilber Ltd. and the building's anchor tenants, The B.A.C.K. Center and Osler Medical. Terms of the transaction were not released.
SAN ANTONIO — SHW Group, an educational architecture and engineering firm, has completed Rolling Meadows Elementary School in the Judson Independent School District, located in close proximity to Interstate 35 in San Antonio. The $14 million, 113,000-square-foot campus is the district's first sustainable designed school. Features include vented roofs designed for future rainwater collection, regionally selected construction materials, and gardens and ponds designed to educate students on the importance of the environment. The building is situated on an east/west axis for less solar heat gain and lower cooling costs; and the majority of the glass windows face north and south for optimum daylight exposure. Academically, the school is organized in a series of pods that feature six to eight classrooms clustered around a flex space used for informal gatherings and group learning opportunities. The facility currently serves 500 students but has a capacity to serve 750 students. The district expects that capacity to be reached within 2 years based on current enrollment and significant population growth in the area.
KENNESAW, GA. — Choate Construction Co. has been selected to construct a laboratory science center on Kennesaw State University's (KSU) campus in Kennesaw. The 74,203-square-foot building will be situated between the existing Science and Mathematics building and the Clendnin Building. The property will offer chemistry, biotech and biochemistry teaching labs, facility offices, administrative space, support spaces and a multi-story atrium. Perkins+Will is designing the facility to achieve LEED Gold certification. Green elements will include room occupancy sensors and sun shades.
PHILADELPHIA — Construction is complete for the $786 million expansion to the Pennsylvania Convention Center. The project, which was completed by a joint venture between Tishman Construction Corp. and Joseph Jingoli & Son, included the construction of 935,000 square feet of new space. The expansion include more than 528,000 square feet of contiguous exhibit area, 23 additional meeting rooms, three new exhibition halls, a 56,000-square-foot ballroom, a new main entrance atrium lobby, an extension of the Arch Street Concourse, a new central power plant and new support space. The expansion spans 13th Street and extends a city block to Broad Street. The grand opening will be held in March. Vitetta Group was the architect.
DALLAS — Gary Gene Olp, founder and president of GGOArchitects, has been elected chairman of the North Texas Green Council chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The North Texas Green Council was formed in 2002 by 12 individuals to pursue a stronger and more sustainable building practice in North Texas. The chapter now has more than 900 members and serves as a resource for information and education on sustainable practices in the North Texas region. Olp has been involved with the LEED rating system since the inception of the USGBC and has acquired Silver certification for five buildings, Gold certification for two buildings and Platinum certification for one building.
DALLAS — The Stephen B. Swann Athletic and Wellness Center at the Episcopal School of Dallas, located at 4100 Merrell Rd. in Dallas, has received LEED Gold certification. Opening last fall, the 114,000-square-foot facility includes a gymnasium, an indoor running track, strength and conditioning workout rooms, sports medicine facilities, a dance studio, locker rooms, a team room and coaching offices. ARC/Architectural Resources Cambridge and The Beck Group of Dallas completed the project for the Episcopal School of Dallas. A significant feature includes daylight sensors on all light fixtures within 15 feet of exterior walls.
ORLANDO, FLA. — Emerson International has purchased a 7-acre land site at Central Florida Research Park in Orlando for the development of a Florida Technical College campus facility. Construction for the 40,000-square-foot headquarters is expected to begin in March, with completion slated for October. First Builders Inc. is serving as general contractor and Lincoln Property Co. is managing the construction project. The property was acquired from O53A LLC for an undisclosed price. Jeff McFadden of McFadden Realty Advisors represented the seller.