HOK Designing New $82M USF Teaching, Research Facility

Hellmuth Obata & Kassabaum of Tampa has begun architectural services for the University of South Florida’s new $82 million Interdisciplinary Science Teaching and Research Facility. The project is programmed to be 260,610 gross sq ft, including 78,183 sq ft of shelled space. Plans call for project completion by mid-2011.

Florida Contracts: 30% Decline in August

McGraw-Hill Construction, publisher of Southeast Construction, reported that the value of new Florida contracts declined by 30% overall in August, compared to the same period of a year ago. According to the latest report, the value of August contracts for future construction totaled approximately $2.7 billion, compared to last August’s $3.9 billion total.

For the most recent month, two of the three sectors used by McGraw-Hill Construction experienced double-digit percentage declines. Residential fell 43% compared to last August to total $1.1 billion for the month. The nonresidential sector fell 26% compared to last August to total $1 billion. The nonbuilding sector improved by 8%, however, to total $591.3 million.

For the year to date, the total value of new contracts is an estimated $22 billion, or 39% behind the 2007 pace. Residential is 47% behind 2007, and is valued at about $9.1 billion so far. Nonresidential is 24% behind ‘07, with approximately $9 billion in new starts. The nonbuilding sector is 46% behind last year, with about $4 billion in new projects to date.

New FAU/UF Joint Use Facility Set to Start in March

The West Palm Beach office of SchenkelShultz Architecture has designed the new $27 million Florida Atlantic University/University of Florida Joint-Use Facility, to be located on the FAU campus in Davie. Pirtle Construction Co. of Davie is slated to begin construction in March on the project, which has been designed to meet LEED Silver certification guidelines.

The 75,000-sq-ft building will house FAU’s College of Science as well as research and support spaces for UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. The facility will also include office space for FAU’s College of Arts and Letters as well as classrooms.

The project is slated for completion in 2010.

Stiles Constructing the Residences at the Fountains

Stiles Construction Co. of Fort Lauderdale has started construction for the Residences at the Fountains, an upscale rental community being developed by American Land Ventures in Plantation’s mixed-use Midtown District.

With 251 luxury apartment homes and townhomes in 10- and 11-story towers, the project is the first of two development planned phases.

Construction completion is expected by fall 2010.

The studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments are situated atop a three-story, 365-space parking garage. Two-story townhomes wrap around the second and third floors of the garage, while the ground floor consists of office spaces, plus a 5,000-sq-ft retail space.

LAN Designing New Reclaimed Water Distribution Pipeline in Miami-Dade

The Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department has selected Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam to design a new reclaimed water distribution pipeline in Miami-Dade County.

The installation of the pipeline is a component of the 20-year water use permit that WASD received from the South Florida Water Management District. The permit requires WASD to develop alternative water supply sources to meet the present and future needs of Miami-Dade County while protecting natural resources.

Construction of the approximately $7 million project is expected to begin in February 2010.

Roger Kennedy Building Again for Vacation Ownership Report

Silver Lake Resort has awarded a $10.8 million contract to Roger B. Kennedy of Altamonte Springs for Building 1400 at the Kissimmee, Fla.-based vacation ownership resort. The six-story, 117,000-sq-ft building will house 48 units. Complete is scheduled for September.

The Kennedy organization began building at Silver Lake Resort in 1992, and has completed eleven projects to date.

BRPH Designing Cecil E. Gray Middle School in Lake Co.

BRPH Cos. of Orlando is moving forward on a master planning and architecture contract for a comprehensive redevelopment project, which includes renovation and remodeling, as well as new facilities, for the entire campus of Cecil E. Gray Middle School in Groveland for Lake County Schools.

Gray Middle School is the former Groveland High School, originally built in 1937.

BRPH has committed to maintaining historical components of the original facility in the new design. The firm indicates that construction could commence as early as May 2009.

The project will include approximately 140,000 sq ft of new space, in addition to the renovation and remodeling work. The new campus design concept will feature a central plaza, as well as new classroom buildings, auditorium, gymnasium and cafeteria. It will be able to accommodate 1,400 students.

HHCP-Designed Jewish Community Center Breaks Ground This Month

A new hub for social, cultural and fitness programs for the Jewish community in southwest Orlando is scheduled to break ground in November, according to the designer, Maitland, Fla.-based Helman Hurley Charvat Peacock/Architects. Hotelier Harris Rosen has pledged $3.5 million to build the the Jack and Lee Rosen Southwest Orlando Jewish Community Campus in honor of his parents.

The 35,000-sq-ft, phase one facility will include a gymnasium, fitness center, aerobics facilities, sports fields, a center for early childhood education, multi-purpose rooms, administrative offices and counseling suites.

The facility’s 16-plus acre site provides an area for the future phases which will include outdoor swimming pool facilities, tennis and basketball courts, a senior center, early childhood education center expansion, auditorium, teen center and a Hebrew day school. The site is approved for a complete build out of 162,400 sq ft.

Plans call for the phase one facility to open in the fall of 2009.

Turner Construction Starts on Dynetech Interior Build-Outs in Orlando

The Interiors Division of Turner Construction Co.’s Orlando office was awarded a $2.6 million tenant improvements contract for the 15th and 16th floors of the recently opened Dynetech Centre in Orlando.

The project involves 40,000 sq ft of interior build-out for the corporate offices of Dynetech Corp. Improvements will include a reception lobby, private offices, broadcast post production facilities, client edit suites, technology infrastructure, training and community center, board room, conference rooms and other related office spaces. The scheduled completion is December.

STH Designing FAU Classroom Building

STH Architectural Group of West Palm Beach is designing a Engineering and Computer Science Classroom Building for the Boca Raton campus of Florida Atlantic University. FAU hopes to be the first university in Florida with a LEED Platinum certified building.

The 80,000-sq-ft building will consolidate the current computer science and engineering classes that are currently held in various FAU facilities. It will also offer department office facilities and offices for the dean of engineering and computer science.

The first floor of the five-story building will offer computer science labs along with a food service area and student center. The second floor will house computer and engineering labs along with student services. The third, fourth and fifth floors will house classrooms, department offices and the dean’s office.

The building is scheduled for completion by 2009.

Owen-Ames-Kimball Begins Construction on Punta Gorda Facility

Owen-Ames-Kimball Co. of Fort Myers has begun construction of a mixed-use retail and parking facility for the City of Punta Gorda.

The project will consist of a four-level, 409-space parking garage with a portion of the ground floor available for retail leasing. The garage will be constructed of pre-cast concrete with an applied brick finish.

Suffolk Construction Completes Addition at South Fork High School

Suffolk Construction of West Palm Beach has completed the ninth-grade addition at South Fork High School in Stuart.

The $6.8 million addition, which marks the completion of the first phase of a multiple phase construction project at the school, provides freshmen students with 17 new classrooms in a two-story building. The new classrooms include three science labs and two computer labs.

The contractor has been awarded the second phase of the school’s modernization project, which includes the renovation of approximately 40,000 sq ft of existing classroom space.

WELBRO Completes Harriett Coleman Center for Arts

WELBRO Building Corp. recently completed work on the Harriett Coleman Center for the Arts at Lake Highland Preparatory School. The project included a proscenium theatre with balcony, a black box theatre, three-level lobby with gallery spaces and other items.

WELBROCos provided demolition work and construction of the 29,200-sq-ft, three-story masonry facility.

Construct Two Group Completes School, Office Building

Construct Two Group of Orlando has completed construction of Westbrook Elementary School, a two-story educational facility for Orange County Public Schools in Ocoee. The $15 million facility features a CCTV production room, synchronized fire and alarm systems, and water curtains (fire protection) for each window. Along with classrooms, cafeteria and administration, the 97,000-sq-ft school has a media center, art and music rooms, outdoor activity areas and basketball courts.

The school was completed in eleven months. Schenkel Schultz Architects of Orlando was the designer.

The contractor also completed the design-build construction of Windsor Place, a two-story, 22,000-sq-ft office building in Orlando. Windsor Services was the owner of the $2.6 million project.

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