The city approved changes Wednesday to the CentrePointe development, including the addition of five floors to a proposed apartment building to bring its total to 12. RABUNRASCHERECTORREECEANDCMMI

A city panel gave the green light Wednesday to another round of changes to the long-anticipated CentrePointe development; the changes include five additional floors in a proposed apartment building for a second hotel.

The Courthouse Area Design Review Board also approved other changes to the exterior of the office building and hotel.

The board voted 3-1 to approve the changes. Architect and board member Graham Pohl was the sole member to vote against the new designs. Pohl said the overall designs for the downtown project have greatly improved, but he said he was concerned about the scale of the now 12-story apartment building on Main Street. Pohl had recommended bumping out the lower five stories of the building to reduce the appearance of the size of the building.

The price tag for the entire CentrePointe project, which is bounded by South Limestone and Vine, Main and Upper streets, is estimated at $393.9 million, including financing costs. The project has been controversial since 2008, when an entire block of historic buildings was razed. Construction on the development began in late December.

The project has been before the courthouse area design review board four times since May 2012.

The apartment building, which will face Main Street, was originally slated to be seven stories; it is now 12.

The apartment building will have an extended-stay Marriott hotel on the first five stories, developers said Wednesday. Marriott has also signed on to the 18-floor hotel building. That building will have 11 floors of hotel space and seven floors of condominiums. The exterior of the hotel now includes a terrace for the condominiums and will likely include two penthouse suites on the top, said Joseph Rabun of Rabun, Rasche Rector Reece of Atlanta. The firm is one of the premier hotel architects in the country.

Tweaks were also made to the exterior of the office tower, which is mainly glass. The 10-story office tower will be the future home of Stantec, an engineering firm. Kevin Atkins, a Courthouse Area Design Review Board member, asked during Wednesday's meeting whether Stantec had approved the designs.

Dudley Webb, the CentrePointe developer, said the firm has approved the changes. The office building will also likely be Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, certified, which Stantec has requested, Webb said.

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Design panel approves CentrePointe changes, including adding five floors on one building

New 50-story tower project last week will be second-tallest buildingin Seattle. (University of Washington)

The new 50-story office tower planned for thesite of Rainier Square in downtown Seattlehas all the makings ofan instant icon maybe the onlyoffice towerever built to look like a Nancy Sinatra go-go boot.

It is a wild design for one of the most prominent sites in downtown, a building that makes the exuberant public library look downright tame. At a construction cost of a half-billion dollars or more, it will be a demonstration of the citys economic vigor. But one of the best things about it is that it shows architecture cancorrect past mistakes. The new building will wipe out the shopping arcade at the base of the Rainier Tower something thathas been a long time coming.

Few today probably remember the building that once stood on the site, the White-Henry-Stuart, or the public controversy that attended its demolition 40 years ago. I personally remember seeing the building only a few times, craning my neck out the car window as my parents took the family on our annual pilgrimage from Spokane to the Space Needle. But the building lives on in photos, and what a majestic thing it was.

White-Henry-Stuart Building. (Photo by Seattle Times)

It stood 10 or 11 stories, depending on street elevation actually three office buildings joined by a unified brick and terra-cotta faaderunning the length of FourthAvenue between Union and University. Designed to the highest standard of 1908, the ornate White-Henry-Stuart was a signature buildingfor a boomingtime in the city part of a grand, never-finished scheme for a harmonious set of commercial buildings on the 11-acre downtown tract owned by the University of Washington. We can get an idea of what it looked like from the near-mirror-image Cobb Building, still standing across the street at Fourthand University. The Cobb and its twin seemingly formed a gateway on FourthAvenue to the center of town and it certainly made an impression on this kid every visit to the city.

The last remnants of the White-Henry-Stuart Building are cleared from the site in 1977 to make way for Rainier Square. RainierTowertoleft, Cobb Building in background.(Photo bySeattle Times)

The entire block was leveled starting in 1974, after a year-long battle between university regents and arts-and-culture organizations sensitivity toward historic preservation was something new. To be fair, the Rainier Tower that went up at the southeast corner of the block is one of themost memorable Seattle buildings of the period, because of the tapered brandy-snifter base that seems to pop up out of its plaza.

Itwas as if therest of the block, where the striking White-Henry-Stuart once stood, was designed to make Rainier Towerseem more interesting by being so deliberately nondescript.The low-rise Rainier Squareranksamong the dullest, blandest, least-imaginative urban shopping arcades ever built. On the inside it is a rather quiet three-story galleria stroll the corridors at midday and beat the crowds. Several stores sit vacant. Seattle traded the White-Henry-Stuart for this?

Rainier Tower will survive the redesign whileRainier Squarewill gothe way of an obsolete strip mall. The new 50-story tower that will take its place may strike some as outr, the same way the Rainier Tower startled Seattle in the 70s. The building that will rise next door is even more irregular, with a convex curve toward Fifth Avenue that suggests a foot, a divot at the corner of Fourth and University that suggests a heel, and subtle sculpting of the glass walls that suggest this boot was made for walking.

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50-story tower will be exuberant addition to downtown Seattle

Provided by EXIT Realty

EXIT Realty of Lubbock broke ground for a new office building at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday in the company of realtors and other real estate professionals.

Located on the Loop 289 northbound access road between 34th Street and 19th Street, the new building will serve as an office home to a growing number of professional realtors.

Future plans are to house other companies in the complex including a branch office of PrimeWest Mortgage and insurance, title and construction companies along with other real estate related businesses.

"We want to host an all-encompassing real estate hub," said co-owner and broker Gene McGuire. "Our goal is to make real estate convenient for our customers, and hopefully our new office complex will accomplish that goal."

"We are seeing an increase in real estate traffic in Lubbock, which coincides with our expansion," said Russell McGuire, co-owner and broker. "The local real estate market is picking up speed. This property will help us serve more home buyers and sellers in the future, while also helping us grow our team with new agents."

CenterLine Construction of Lubbock is the general contractor on the building, which includes plans for sufficient space for a growing company. The new office building is expected to be completed in December 2014.

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EXIT Realty of Lubbock hosts groundbreaking for new office building

An office building in Norway has been renovated to produce more energy that it consumes. Powerhouse Kjrbo is located near Oslo, and according to Powerhouse, it is Norways first energy-positive building and the first in the world to be renovated into an energy-positive structure.

Powerhouse is a consortium of firms aiming to develop energy-positive buildings. It comprises architecture firm Snhetta, construction company Skanska, environmental organization ZERO, aluminum supplier Hydro and property management firm Entra Eiendom.

"As far as we know, this is the first building in the world that has been renovated into an energy-positive structure," says Stle Rd, chairman of the Powerhouse consortium and CEO of Skanska Norway. "It is the unique collaboration we have had from the very start that has made this possible."

By Powerhouse's standards, an energy-positive building is "a building which generates more clean and renewable energy in its operational phase than what was used for the production of building materials, its construction, operation and disposal."

Powerhouse Kjrbo is actually two 2,600 square meter (27,986 sq ft) buildings on the Sandvika seafront in Brum municipality. Their energy consumption prior to renovation was 650,000 kWh every year. Following the renovation, the energy requirements of the buildings are expected to be reduced to around 100,000 kWh per year in total.

Energy is generated by solar panels. It is expected that the solar array will produce over 200,000 kWh annually, with any excess energy being supplied to the power grid. Heat loss, meanwhile, is minimized by using tight-fitting walls, ceilings and windows, as well as insulation. Exterior sun shading and exposed concrete decks are two means of reducing temperature in the summer.

"Powerhouse Kjrbo illustrates that it is possible to construct a building that is both environmentally correct and profitable, and this makes us tremendously proud," says chief executive officer Klaus-Anders Nysteen of Entra Eiendom, which owns the building.

Source: Powerhouse

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World's "most environmentally-friendly office building" opens in Norway

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: A key handover ceremony for the new Brunei-Muara District Office building was held yesterday.

The key was presented by the Acting Director-General of Public Works, Chua Pheng Keong to the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA), Dato Paduka Dr Awg Hj Affendy Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Hj Abidin, who then presented it to the Acting Brunei-Muara District Officer, Awg Misli Hj Karim.

The construction of the new Brunei-Muara District Office began on the April 11 2012 and took one year and eleven months to complete. The project costs more than BND$7,000,000. The facilities include a theatre hall, mini library, syndicate room and VIP and security rooms provided with the most up-to-date technological equipment.

The construction project of the new building for the Brunei-Muara District Office is in line with the long-term planning and aspiration of the department to meet the organisation's rapid structural development through the National Development Plan 2007-2012. BRUDIRECT.COM

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Key Handover Ceremony for New District Office Building

Building construction permits over $10,000 in value that were approved in Boulder between Apr. 28, 2014 to May. 4, 2014. Listed below are: the case number; address; total project valuation; owner name; contractor (if applicable); and description.

PMT2013-04238 3033 Sterling Circle; $1,333,911.28; Westland Development; Westland Development Services; New two-story core and shell of research and development building. Set four baths. Includes attached open parking structure. Includes associated MEP s and finishes.

PMT2013-04239 3033 Sterling Circle; $420,361.80; Westland Development; Westland Development Services; Tenant finish for Cold Quantum research and development facility. Associated with core and shell permit PMT2013-04238.

PMT2014-00014 1270 Tamarack Ave.; $300,000; Ida Tally; CDC Development/Porchfront Homes; Construction of new single-family dwelling home on vacant lot. House to be two stories, 2,405 square feet finished, with 528-square-foot two-car attached garage, and 293 square foot porch. 4 beds, 3 baths. Includes MEP.

PMT2014-00349 3203 Pearl St.; $3,822,577.68; BIS Holdings; Wyatt Construction Company Inc.; Construction of new 30,027-square-foot indoor soccer facility with associated restrooms, locker rooms, office, kitchen, dining and common areas. Includes associated site work and MEP. See LUR2013-00040 and TEC2013-00076.

PMT2014-00528 2945 Juilliard St.; $110,537.15; Douglas and Tuba Holt; Interior remodel of existing single-family dwelling home. Remodel of 1,917 square feet on three levels to include removal of fireplace and chimney, removal of third level floor to create vaulted space, new infill floor for removal of existing garage stair, new patio door system on northeast corner of main level. Includes new 332-square-foot deck. Includes MEP.

PMT2014-00818 1300 Walnut St.; $80,178; Walnut Lee; Sand Construction LLC; Suite 101 interior, non-structural remodel (1,050 square feet) to existing office space (GitHub). Scope of work includes reconfiguration of office space, and associated MEPs.

PMT2014-01289 1345 28th St.; $56,172.92; RHH Operating; Seagren Construction; Replacement of finishes in suite guestrooms, and suite guestroom bathrooms. Relocation of bathroom door within suite rooms to accommodate a new sliding barn type door. Relocation of select electrical light switches and outlets due to new location of doors. Scope includes associated electrical and plumbing, as well as improvements to signage for ADA purposes.

PMT2014-01434 3131 28th St.; $50,000; Tebo Plaza; Coyote Construction Inc.; Modify existing telecommunications by removing five panel antennas and install six new panel antennas. Remove three rooftop cabinets and install one new ground mounted cabinet. Remove all existing coax cable and install three new hybriflex fiber optic cable in existing and new coax cable route. Install nine new RRUs and remove and replace an existing GPS antenna. Reference ADR2014-00014 for review approval. Separate fence permit required for any new fencing on site.

PMT2014-01443 3011 Sixth St.; $140,000; Trevor and Monica Dean; Coburn Development Inc.; Interior remodel (1,345 square feet) to existing single-family dwelling. Scope of work includes renovations to ground floor, including kitchen, living room, dining room, hall and laundry. Scope includes basement and crawl plumbing and other associated MEPs.

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Boulder building permits: May 12, 2014

Developer Billingsley Co.s Cypress Waters development on LBJ Freeway already has four office buildings under construction, and another will start soon.

7-Elevens building starts this summer, CEO Lucy Billingsley said. Within two years, we will have 900,000 square feet of offices open and occupied.

Billingsley was on hand Friday at the 1,000-acre project to dedicate a park and tour the office construction. Overlooking the green space, construction is underway for a 175,585-square-foot headquarters for Nationstar Mortgage.

Across from Nationstar, a multitenant building thats in the works will open in a couple of months. And a second speculative building is being developed up the street.

A nearby office building is being built for the home office of the Cheddars Casual Cafe chain.

7-Eleven is moving its headquarters from downtown Dallas to a 300,000-square-foot office building that Billingsley will construct just north of LBJ Freeway. The city of Irving has agreed to more than $10 million in economic incentives to lure 7-Eleven from Dallas.

Billingsley said Cypress Waters which started in 2011 is ahead of expectations.

Weve had great activity out there, said Moody Younger, whose firm is marketing the project. There is a lot more to come.

The five office buildings will house thousands of workers.

We are thrilled with that as a launch, Billingsley said. When we are built out, we can be 4 million square feet of office that would be 20 office buildings.

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Work will start this summer on 7-Elevens new Irving headquarters

Developer Billingsley Co.'s Cypress Waters development on LBJ Freeway already has four office buildings under construction and another will start soon.

"7-Eleven's building starts this summer," CEO Lucy Billingsley said. "Within two years we will have 900,000 square feet of offices open and occupied."

Billingsley was on hand Friday at the 1,000-acre project to open a new park.

Surrounding the green space, construction is underway for 175,585 square-foot headquarters for Nationstar Mortgage.

Construction is also underway on a multitenant building across from Nationstar.

And a fourth office building is being constructed for the home office of restaurant chain Cheddar's Casual Caf.

7-Eleven is moving its headquarters from downtown Dallas to a 300,000 square-foot office building Billingsley will construct just north of LBJ Freeway near Belt Line Road. The City of Irving has agreed to more than $10 million in economic incentives to lure 7-Eleven from Dallas.

Billingsley said Cypress Waters - which started in 2011 - is already ahead of expectations.

The five office buildings will house thousands of workers.

"We are thrilled with that as a launch," she said. "When we are built out we can be 4 million square feet of office - that would be 20 office buildings.

Excerpt from:
7-Eleven's new Irving headquarters will start this summer

Catherine Reagor, The Republic | azcentral.com 1:03 p.m. MST May 9, 2014

Construction has started on the third and final office building in Tempes 43-acre Hayden Ferry Lakeside development, according to developers Ryan Cos. and Parkway Properties. This is a rendering of what the building will look like. The 10-story office building is going up on the southeast corner of Mill Avenue and Rio Salado Parkway. The 265,000-square-foot tower will join two other office towers and two condominium buildings in the project on the south shore of Tempe Town Lake. The tower is expected to be completed next year; it will be boat-shaped to keep with nautical theme of Hayden Ferry Lakeside.(Photo11: Ryan Cos. / Parkway Properties)

Construction has started on the third and final office building in Tempe's 43-acre Hayden Ferry Lakeside development.

The 10-story office building is going up on the southeast corner of Mill Avenue and Rio Salado Parkway. The 265,000-square-foot tower will join two other office towers and two condominium buildings in the project on the south shore of Tempe Town Lake.

The tower is expected to be completed next year; it will be boat-shaped to keep with nautical theme of Hayden Ferry Lakeside.

The other two office towers are 98 percent leased, with tenants including Microsoft, Morgan Stanley, KPMG, Citrix, Silicon Valley Bank and Metlife, according to the developers Ryan Cos. and Parkway Properties.

"The entire (Hayden Ferry Lakeside) complex represents the many dreams that residents and city leaders had when Tempe Town Lake was first conceived," Tempe Mayor Mark Mitchell said in a statement. "This is the type of well-designed, multi-use development we had envisioned, and it will stand the test of time."

Hayden Ferry Lakeside was launched in 2002 by then-owner SunCor. The project has helped spur other development along the lake.

Last summer, the $600 million mixed-use development Marina Heights was launched east of Hayden Ferry Lakeside. State Farm will anchor the 2-million-square-foot project. Sunbelt Holdings and Ryan Cos. are working with Arizona State University to develop Marina Heights.

Hayden Ferry Lakeside II, a 12-story tower, sold to Parkway for $86 million in 2012. Parkway also owns the first tower.

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Third office tower going up at Hayden Ferry Lakeside

Two major developments with 1920s appearances an office tower and a luxury apartment complex are under construction in the once-sleepy neighborhood around the venerable Pasadena Playhouse theater.

With a combined value of $125 million, the projects are pillars of a city plan to give an increasingly lively part of Pasadena a more dense and urban feeling. The new projects are intended to bring still more people to an area of town that has seen a burst of new housing and dining options in recent years.

Developers will add more restaurants, shops and landscaped walkways to the 32-block Pasadena Playhouse District with Playhouse Plaza tower and Union Village apartments.

"This increases the livability of our district and makes it extremely walkable," said Elizabeth Doren, who is executive director of the theater and serves on the board of directors of the Pasadena Playhouse District Assn.

Both projects feature architectural styles of the 1920s, the decade when the Pasadena Playhouse was erected. But whereas Union Village apartments will be in the Spanish Revival fashion of the playhouse, the office tower will have more in common with an Art Deco masterpiece in Los Angeles.

"It has overtones of Bullocks Wilshire," developer David Saeta said, "and seems to be something that feels really at home in Pasadena."

Bullocks Wilshire was a luxury department store built in 1929 at 3050 Wilshire Blvd. in Los Angeles. Pasadena also got an elegant Bullocks outpost on Lake Street in 1947.

Now housing Southwestern Law School, the landmark L.A. building is clad in terra cotta and tarnished green copper. Playhouse Plaza tower will have a similar exterior made of reinforced concrete panels accented with green panels made of fiber-reinforced plastic.

Coming up with an appropriate appearance for Playhouse Plaza was difficult, he said, because the office building at the southeast corner of Colorado Boulevard and El Molino Avenue will stand directly across El Molino from the theater.

"Getting a design that was complementary but didn't mimic the playhouse was the big challenge," Saeta said. Some opponents of the development objected to an earlier, more modern design.

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Office tower, apartment complex being built near Pasadena Playhouse