HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

KBR (NYSE: KBR - News) announced today that KBR Building Group has been awarded a contract by LCORa leading real estate development companyto provide construction services for Aurora, a luxury high-rise residential project in North Bethesda, Md.

The 18-story,311,000-square-foot Auroratargeted for LEED Certificationwill feature 341 units with a 135,000-square-foot, two-level, below-grade parking garage with 386parking spaces. Aurora is the second of four high-rise residential buildings to be constructed in LCORs phased development at North Bethesda Center at White Flint Metrorail Station.

The planned Aurora development includes a downtown streetscape decorated with brick pavers, granite cobbles and planting beds. Auroras amenities include a two-story lobby with concierge station, fitness center, outdoor swimming pool, clubroom with private rooftop terrace, business center and conference room. A landscaped community green will serve as a centrally located outdoor plaza providing leisure space for the residents of North Bethesda Center.

We are proud to contribute to LCORs newest addition to the White Flint neighborhood revitalization, said Philip Southerland, President, KBR Building Group. KBR Building Group is pleased to provide its knowledge and expertise in green building and construction to construct this new facility.

KBR is a global engineering, construction and services company supporting the energy, hydrocarbon, government services, minerals, civil infrastructure, power, industrial, and commercial markets.For more information, visit http://www.kbr.com.

Editor Notes:

Continued here:
KBR Building Group to Construct Luxury High-Rise Residential Project, Aurora

NEWPORT BEACH, CA--(Marketwire -05/08/12)- JG Construction, a Chino, Calif.-based commercial/retail contracting firm, has begun demolition of existing structures and site preparation under a construction contract for Newport Place, a 12,351 square-foot retail center at 4221-4225 MacArthur Blvd.

The experienced contractor will build two single-story retail/commercial buildings, parking, landscaping and hardscape improvements. Designed by Stoutenborough Inc. Architects and Planners of Laguna Beach (www.stoutenboroughinc.com) with a California Modern style, the project is expected to be completed in late summer.

A project of Ridgeway Development, also of Newport Beach, the center is the first new retail space in the area in a number of years, according to developer and former Mayor Tod Ridgeway. It is expected to revitalize a previously underperforming stretch along MacArthur between Birch Street and Von Karman Avenue.

"We believe, as does the city, that this area needs a shot in the retail arm," said Ridgeway. "Along with access from MacArthur, Newport Place will offer a lively presence amid the predominantly office uses on this stretch."

Tenants that have signed leases are 7-11 and Capriotti's Deli. It is expected that the site will include a bank, another small restaurant and retail stores.

Founded in 1979, JG Construction is a Certified Woman Owned Business and licensed general contractor in 11 western states including Hawaii. Along with JG Service Company, the two entities comprise family-owned JG Companies and serve national commercial/retail clients with a vast range of projects, from ground-up to tenant improvements to interior remodels. JG Service Company for more than 33 years has provided electrical, mechanical and construction repair services to facility managers and property owners throughout California. For more information, please visit http://www.jgconstruction.com, or contact Nan Richardson at (909) 993-9393, or nanr@jgconstruction.com.

Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=1974648

See original here:
JG Construction Building Specialty Retail Project in Newport Beach

SANTA ANA An Orange County Superior Court judge on Friday declined to order the county to stop installing solar panels at a Social Services Agency building in Orange that is the subject of lawsuit.

A dozen current and former agency employees and family members sued the county in 2010, saying that working at 840 N. Eckhoff St. caused illnesses in themselves or their children. One employee has filed a workers' compensation claim.

The county office building at 840 N. Eckhoff Street, Orange.

ANDREW GALVIN, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

ADVERTISEMENT

Judge Steven L. Perk on Friday refused to halt the solar panel installation project, which began in March, saying the plaintiffs failed to show they would suffer irreparable harm if the work continues. "What has happened (already) I can't do anything about," he said.

Attorney Peter Alfert, representing the plaintiffs, argued that by digging 7.5-foot-deep, 3-foot-wide holes in parking lots around the building, the county was destroying evidence. The holes are for poles that will support the solar panels.

Plaintiffs in the case argue that contaminants in the soil under and near the office building, which is on a former industrial site at which oil drilling equipment was manufactured, caused their diseases and birth defects.

Soil samples taken from 10 feet beneath the building found "levels warranting further investigation" of an industrial solvent known to be hazardous to human health, the county said in February.

The chemical, perchloroethylene, or perc, has been found by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to be a "likely human carcinogen." The amounts of perc vapors found in the soil were within EPA guidelines, but slightly above stricter California guidelines, the county said.

Read the original:
Judge won’t halt construction at county building

30-04-2012 08:30 Science Centre AHHAA in Tartu is the biggest science centre in the Baltic states. The main purposes of AHHAA are establishing positive attitude towards science and technology, propagating scientific approach and exciting interest in the general public. Since the beginning of May 2011, Science Centre AHHAA is conveniently located in the heart of Tartu, its address being Sadama 1, the city of Tartu, Tartu County, 51004, ESTONIA. The geographical coordinates of Science Centre AHHAA: 58° 12? 57? N, 24° 28? 40? E. Building The new and modern building of Science Centre AHHAA is situated in the city centre of Tartu at Sadama 1. The construction of the Centre's new building was launched in the summer of 2008 with the ground-breaking, and the work was finished by the end of 2010. The building in question covers a total of over 10 000 m2 with a cubage amounting to more than 54 000 steers. It is consists of three uniquely shaped blocks of exhibition halls (a dome, a half-dome and a box) which extend through several storeys. Furthermore, there is a full-sphere planetarium on the roof on top of the building. The framework of the building is made of the monolithic Ferro concrete, while the roof arcs of the dome and the half-dome are made of glue-laminated timber. Science Centre AHHAA together with its surrounding buildings (a parking-house, a tower-dwelling and yet-to-be-constructed office building) comprises a harmonious architectural ensemble that chimes in with the neighbouring ...

Read the original post:
Time-lapse building construction Ahhaa Tartu Estonia Eesti Science Center 20120426 160702 - Video

Nauset Construction is beginning foundation work on phase two of the National Guard Bureaus new Joint Force Headquarters at Hanscom Air Force Base.

The four-story, 80,000 square foot state-of-the-art office building will connect to the existing 193,000 square foot facility and should be completed by May of 2013. The construction of the building and connections to the existing facility have been well coordinated by Nausets Building Information Modeling Management Team, which used 3D modeling to detect structural clashes.

Nauset generated a 3-D image and it was terrific. They put it up on a screen and the model revealed potential conflicts, said Bob Brandon, principal at Kleinfelder/SEA, the architect on the project. We had all the subcontractors, our engineers, and the National Guard at a recent Nauset presentation, and we were able to get everyone from design to construction on the same page.

The new facility will have its own air handling units and heating and cooling systems, but the water, fire protection, and electrical systems will be central to the two phases.

Were going to be coordinating our MEP tie-ins with phase one, explained Mike Rimmel, Sr. Project Manager for Nauset. Rimmel said that the use of BIM for the project would save considerable time as well as money and materials on rework.

Our BIM Management team identified several conflicts that were critical to solve during this early phase, because once you build it, it costs so much more to make field alterations, said Rimmel. Its two months into the process and were already looking at the end result. Thats important because this is an occupied and restricted facility and it saves everyone work.

Designed to resist the effects of earthquake motions, the facility will house classrooms with raised computer access flooring, heated storage and vehicle ready work bays. The foundation will consist of reinforced concrete footings and floor slab with steel framed masonry walls, aluminum windows, and a metal paneled roof system with integrated gutters.

The HVAC system will include three 2,000 MBH gas fired boilers, two 140 ton electric air-cooled chillers and air handlers with multiple zones. Additional building features will include auxiliary power, fire detection and suppression, security access and surveillance and intrusion detection systems. Extensive roadways, ground level parking, an amphitheater with tiered seating, pedestrian walkways and landscaping is also part of the projects scope of work.

The LEED Silver rating will be achieved by utilizing energy efficient MEP systems and controls, as well as bio-swales to reduce storm water runoff. Project challenges include close coordination with all subcontractors due to the highly sensitive, occupied and restricted site location.

Kleinfelder is an employee-owned science, architecture and engineering consulting firm providing solutions to meet the world's complex infrastructure and natural resource challenges. A global firm with nearly 2,000 employee-owners, Kleinfelder provides planning, engineering, scientific, technical and management solutions. For more information about the company go online to kleinfelder.com.

Excerpt from:
Nauset Construction begins addition to Hanscom National Guard building

An artist's impression of the Flinders Gate development looking from Federation Square.

A $150 MILLION project by Dexus Property Group in Flinders Street will restore a 100-year-old heritage building and add A-grade office space to the central business district.

The Flinders Gate development, directly opposite Federation Square, involves construction of a new 11-level office building over an existing car park with the addition of an internal landscaped atrium.

The new building at 172 Flinders will feature 20,000 square metres of A-grade office space with large campus style floor plates of about 2200 sq m. The building's heritage facade - the front of the old Ball & Welch building - will also be complemented by a new glass curtain wall.

Advertisement: Story continues below

Specifically, the development will include the addition of eight new levels of office space with the 400 sq m atrium at the centre of the building. Under the design, half of the car park will be removed to provide the space for new office floors within the height limits of the site.

SJB Architects and Woods Bagot are the joint architects for the project. Dexus has secured development approval for the project from Melbourne City Council.

The project is targeting a five-star National Australian Built Environment Rating System Energy rating and five-star Green Star rating.

Head of development at Dexus Tony Gulliver said the developer was driven by the opportunity to use such a large site and would devote the rest of this year to seeking pre-commitments. JLL and Colliers have been appointed leasing agents.

''We aim to start construction in the middle of next year and complete it in the first half of 2015,'' Mr Gulliver told BusinessDay.

Read more:
Old city 'gate' to be new again

Design-build construction firm Ramtech Building Systems has announced that the company has now completed the manufacturing phase for a testing center for the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. Developed for the University of Arkansas Testing Services, the modular construction project is being built under a job order contract (JOC) awarded to the Northwest Arkansas office of CDI Contractors, LLC, with architectural and design assistance provided by Miller Boskus Lack Architects, P. A., both of Fayetteville. The new 3,249 square foot modular building will be located on the west side of the college campus adjacent to the former office of the Southeast Conference Academic Consortium near the university's football and basketball facilities.

Mansfield, TX (PRWEB) April 30, 2012

Design-build construction firm Ramtech Building Systems has announced that the company has now completed the manufacturing phase for a testing center for the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. Developed for the University of Arkansas Testing Services, the modular construction project is being built under a job order contract (JOC) awarded to the Northwest Arkansas office of CDI Contractors, LLC, with architectural and design assistance provided by Miller Boskus Lack Architects, P. A., both of Fayetteville. The new 3,249 square foot modular building will be located on the west side of the college campus adjacent to the former office of the Southeast Conference Academic Consortium near the university's football and basketball facilities. The interior floor plan consists of a waiting room, mens and womens restrooms, and a wide open testing area with ample space for multiple cubicles. Ramtech will also provide delivery, installation and finish-out of the building including the handicap accessible steps, ramps, and landing. The exterior finish will consist of 26-gauge R-panel metal siding and HardiePanel skirting to act as a wainscot. The interior calls for field applied textured and painted walls, along with carpet tiles for the open area and vinyl composition tile in the restrooms. Heating and cooling will be accommodated by three zoned split systems including two 3-ton and one 4-ton unit.

The project is scheduled to be completed by the second week of May with occupancy slated for the beginning of June. Ramtech was able to promote the project when officials from the University of Arkansas, CDI Contractors, and Miller Boskus Lack Architects visited the company's offices while doing preliminary due diligence on a permanent project being developed for the future. The six classroom modular wing addition that Ramtech has installed as a demonstration facility adjacent to their manufacturing plant caught the eye of each attendee and was immediately recognized as the perfect solution for the testing lab they wanted to build. The University was able to quickly approve the project and then move the requirement through the procurement process using CDI Contractors JOC contract which allows for construction projects under $400,000. According to Gary White, Ramtech's vice-president of sales and estimating, "Once the University officials saw what we could provide when they toured our plant and finished-out demonstration facility, it was an easy decision for them to choose a Ramtech modular building for the project."

Little Rock Arkansas-based CDI Contractors, LLC is a licensed general and electrical contractor in 29 states. A wholly-owned subsidiary of Dillard's Inc., CDI originally was founded to construct Dillard's facilities all over the United States for the upscale department store retailer. In addition to retail construction, the company also provides facilities to the healthcare, education, hospitality, and government markets. Miller Boskus Lack Architects, P. A., is the descendent of an existing Fayetteville-based architectural firm dating back to 1954. The firm works with contractors across the country designing commercial buildings for healthcare, shopping centers, restaurants, education facilities, churches, industrial buildings, and exclusive custom residences.

About Ramtech Building Systems The modular buildings for the University of Arkansas project were designed and manufactured at Ramtechs Mansfield, TX manufacturing facility, part of a 20 acre development located in the southern part of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. The company has convenient access to the major transportation arteries that serve cities throughout Texas and the Southwest. Structured as a vertically integrated design-build construction company, Ramtech provides space planning, design services, manufacturing, site construction and finish-out on every project they produce. The company maintains a consistent workforce of production workers and supervisory personnel with an average of 13 years experience, many with tenures over 20 years. This experience, coupled with Ramtechs approach to modular manufacturing and construction, allows for greater control at each step in the building process resulting in significant time and money savings for their clients. By emphasizing a value engineering approach, Ramtech has successfully completed over 2,500 prefabricated buildings for diverse projects of all sizes. For more information, visit the company's website at http://www.ramtechgroup.com.

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prwebmodular_buildings/ramtech_building_systems/prweb9448538.htm

Here is the original post:
University of Arkansas Testing Program Adds Ramtech Modular Building

BOSTON, May 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Tocci Building Companies (Tocci), a leader in virtual design and construction solutions for complex building projects in the corporate, healthcare, and academic and hospitality industries, announced today that it has been awarded its second project with Autodesk, a world leader in 3D design, engineering and entertainment software. Housed within the Amoskeag Millyard, a historic area of former mills that has been renovated into office and residential space in Manchester, New Hampshire, the 40,000 SF project will consist of a comprehensive renovation and upgrade to the building's third and fourth floors as well as the lobby.

In 2008, Tocci and architect KlingStubbins collaborated on Autodesk's new headquarters in Waltham, the first true integrated project delivery (IPD) project in New England. The building earned LEED Platinum for Construction Interiors (LEED-CI) Certification and received 14 industry design and construction awards, including the AIA's Technology in Architectural Practice: Building Information Modeling (BIM) award and chosen as the "Best of Year" in Interior Design magazine.

This second alliance between Autodesk, Tocci and KlingStubbins kicks off with Autodesk's alternative workspace solutions (AWS) process, which was modeled after the success of the team's work on Autodesk's Waltham office. The project features a redesigned lobby area, upgrades to the third floor training room, and updated finishes and lighting in the fourth floor conference room, as well as renovations to common areas on both floors to create a more inviting environment for Autodesk's 240 employees and visitors to the Manchester office. To accommodate Autodesk's ongoing business activities, Tocci plans to divide the renovation into small projects within each floor, reducing the footprint of construction at any given time and minimizing disruptions within the occupied space.

About Tocci Building CompaniesNationally recognized as a leader in Virtual Design and Construction (VDC) and Integrated Project Delivery (IPD), Tocci Building Companies has been delivering intelligent building solutions for more than a century. Built upon a tradition of successful relationships with clients within working, living and healing environments, the company specializes in lean construction and sustainable building projects throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. For more information, please visit http://www.tocci.com.

View post:
Tocci Building Companies Selected for Renovation of Autodesk's New Hampshire Office

Cassandra Vinograd LONDON The Associated Press Published Friday, Apr. 27, 2012 9:03AM EDT Last updated Friday, Apr. 27, 2012 10:16AM EDT

Heavily armed, masked police surrounded a site in central London on Friday after a woman reported that a mentally unstable man had walked into her office threatening to blow himself up.

Scotland Yard said in a statement that police were called to Tottenham Court Road, a busy central London avenue, just before noon and have sent a negotiator to the site. Office supplies, including computer monitors, were being thrown from the building's fifth-floor window.

The area was cordoned off, nearby buildings were evacuated and a police sniper was stationed on a rooftop near the building.

It's unclear if other people (are) in the building, police said in a statement, adding they aren't treating the incident as terror-related.

The Huffington Post, whose offices are just off Tottenham Court Road, said its building was among those evacuated. It quoted one witness as saying that a man had walked into her office strapped up in gasoline cylinders.

Basically he threatened to blow up the office, Abby Baafi, 27, told the website. He said he doesn't care about his life, he doesn't care about anything, he's going to blow up everybody.

Construction worker Martynas Vristiuk, 26, said he was out smoking a cigarette when a window above him was shattered and someone began throwing computer monitors into the street only 3 metres from where he was standing.

He threw 10 computers, Mr. Vristiuk told The Associated Press, adding that one was tossed onto a police car.

Fellow worker Dennis Gorsanenko, 23, said he was at a construction site adjacent the building in question when a police officer ordered everyone out. He said: There's a guy with a bomb on his belt.

Continue reading here:
Man 'strapped in gasoline cylinders' threatens to blow up London office building

CLEARWATER County commissioners have approved a change to development rules that clears the way for the construction of a three-story office building in Historic Downtown Palm Harbor.

Though growth in a down economy might normally be celebrated, the 5-1 decision sparked outrage among the standing-room-only audience at Tuesday's County Commission meeting. Most of them had come to object to the change, and many who signed up to speak came from outside Palm Harbor, including St. Petersburg, Seminole and Indian Rocks Beach.

"I find this entire process tonight to be a perversion, an obscenity, to what purports to be a representative republic in Pinellas County," Palm Harbor resident John Treskovich said. "Very poorly done."

The decision also revived interest in incorporating Palm Harbor into a city. Before the commission vote, Palm Harbor fire commission member Norm Atherton said he was neutral about the idea of incorporating.

"After tonight, I'm going to be for it 100 percent," Atherton said. He referred to a petition with 536 signatures opposing the development rule change. If those people "each get 10 people to agree with them, we'll have the city of Palm Harbor," he said.

Commissioner Ken Welch, who was chairing the meeting, said he understood the anger and disappointment.

"I know for a lot of you this was not the decision you wanted or were hoping for," Welch said. "This board has listened to the community for some time. The decision is not what many of you wanted but we have listened."

The furor centered around a request by Geographic Solutions, a software company with 130 employees, to build a three-story building on Georgia Avenue in the Palm Harbor historic district. When the county originally granted approval, the proposed building was slated to have offices on the first two floors and a residential area on the third.

Last year, the company wanted to substitute office space for the residential area on the third floor. That was not permitted by the 2001 Historic Palm Harbor Master Plan. County staff members recommended amending the master plan to include transferable development rights, or TDRs.

A TDR allows an owner to adjust the development density allowed on his property. For example, if the owner has two parcels and each allows 100 units, but the owner wants to build a project with 150 units, he can take 50 units from one piece and add it to the 100 on the other. The remaining parcel would then be limited to 50 units, so that the overall density of the area remains the same even though it changed on one parcel.

View post:
Approval of office building for downtown Palm Harbor sets off a furor