Near the State Capitol in St. Paul, construction fencing went up while some trees and light posts came down last week, the first visible signs of major changes coming to the nearly 120-year-old government campus.

The biggest and most controversial of those projects is the $454 million renovation of a 1932 building adjacent to the Capitol used for state and legislative offices. State Republicans are trying to halt the project even as work begins.

Less discussed is the soon-to-be demolished former Ford Motor Co. assembly plant near the Capitol, as well as the potential demolition of another office building in the near future. While plans are being finalized, both could make way for more green space and better accessibility for the public.

The entire work will produce a Capitol complex that's better integrated into the neighborhood and "grounds that are actually approachable by the public, by the community," said Curt Yoakum, spokesman for the state Department of Administration. "Now you have a Capitol complex that is almost an island on itself."

The changes follow the $310 million, four-year renovation of the Capitol itself. That project meant a massive reshuffling of government offices until the building reopened in 2017. Similar disruptions are ahead, though not on the same scale. The work is scheduled to wrap up in 2026.

The Secretary of State's staff moved out of the State Office Building this month as construction crews closed down the north entrance to the building and a tunnel connecting the offices to the Capitol. The Secretary of State's office will temporarily relocate to the Veterans Services Building nearby.

House members will continue to use their offices and hearing rooms in the building through the 2024 session. After session adjourns, they'll move to the Centennial Office Building for the duration of the project.

Both parties agree some fixes are long overdue in the State Office Building. It suffers from mold and major security vulnerabilities that are on the radar of the State Patrol. Pipes have burst several times and spilled water into the building, as recently as this month, Yoakum said. The building's footprint will also be expanded to add hearing rooms and make the space more accessible to the public.

Republicans continue to raise concerns about the cost, which is more than the entire Capitol renovation and a new office building for state senators that opened in 2016.

"I don't disagree that there is need to update the HVAC system and technology and a few things," Rep. Kristin Robbins, R-Maple Grove, said after offering a motion to stop the project at a recent House Rules committee meeting. "But the scope and scale of this project ... is unconscionable."

Democrats rejected that motion as out of order, and the state says delays could make the project more costly.

"If you make changes during construction, whatever that may be, those are generally more expensive and costly to do, and sometimes you're too far down the road to make any substantial changes," said Wayne Waslaski, an assistant commissioner at the Department of Administration.

He said the size of the investment should be considered in terms of an "80- to a 100-year life" of the building. "This is going to serve the public for many generations to come."

Not long after legislators return to their renovated offices in 2027, their temporary space in the Centennial Office Building could be torn down. The Department of Administration has submitted a proposal to the Legislature to explore demolishing the building. Constructed in 1958, it has much of the same wear-and-tear issues as the State Office Building but is less central to the Capitol campus.

Getting rid of that building, as well as the old Ford plant, would dramatically change the area surrounding the Capitol. The Ford building demolition, which will make way for new green space, is expected to start in January and last about six weeks.

Built in 1914, the former car plant at 117 W. University Ave. housed several businesses and a state bookstore after closing down nearly a century ago. It has been vacant since 2004 and fallen into such disrepair that it's a safety hazard.

The Capitol Area Architectural and Planning Board is also working on a design framework that will look at the roads coming in and out of the Capitol campus.

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Capitol campus makeover begins with State Office Building renovation - Star Tribune

(SACRAMENTO)

UC Davis Health is celebrating a key milestone in the construction of the Folsom Medical Office Building, a new outpatient facility being built at Hwy 50 and E. Bidwell near Folsom Ranch. Onlookers shouted Raise that beam! as crews used a crane to lift the final beam of steel into place today in whats called a topping out ceremony.

Its exciting to be celebrating this milestone on the Folsom medical campus project, said Mike Condrin, interim chief administrator for UC Davis Medical Center and chief operating officer for UC Davis Health Hospital Division. Now that the steel structure is in place, you can really see what an impressive, impactful facility this will be. Its an important step on the path to better meet the health care needs of the region.

At 112,000 square feet, the three-story facility will include primary and specialty care, a lab for blood draws, ophthalmology services and an optical shop. It will also include imaging services and an infusion suite, offering treatments for cancer patients and others. Its the first of several projects planned for the 34-acre site, all part of what will be called the Folsom Center for Health.

Leaders from UC Davis Health and the City of Folsom were on hand for the ceremony. They were joined by other partners on the project, including contractor Rudolph and Sletten, designers LPAS Architecture and Design and Boulder Associates, and construction management team Jacobs.

Those in attendance also signed the final beam before it was hoisted into place, a common construction practice. Usually, the beam is no longer visible once construction is complete, but this building will be unique, explained UC Davis Healths Lisa Hinton, project manager for the Folsom Medical Office Building.

The team selected a beam that is part of the roof canopy, adjacent to the elevator machine, so this particular beam will remain exposed, Hinton explained. You wont be able to see if from the ground, but the beam will be visible on the roof a reminder of this momentous day in the projects lifecycle.

The $171 million building is set to be completed in 2025 and will have unobstructed views of the Sierra foothills. Future expansion plans include other possible health care facilities at the site. The goal is for the project to evolve and adapt to the regions needs, with a focus on delivering more care in outpatient centers, clinics or at home, making patients more comfortable and reducing costs.

Its so nice to be able to drive up or down the hill and see this incredible building taking shape, Condrin said. This will be a key facility for UC Davis Health, offering leading-edge care for people in Folsom and the surrounding communities, and allowing them to receive the services they need close to home.

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'Raise that beam': Folsom Medical Office Building frame complete - UC Davis Health

Evergreen Devco, Inc., a leading retail and multifamily development company, recently broke ground on a UCHealth medical office building and a pair of multi-tenant retail buildings at the Nine Mile Corner mixed-use project in Erie, Colorado.

Waner Construction Co., Inc., is the general contractor for all three buildings and G3 Architecture, Inc. is the architect. Construction on both projects is expected to be completed in Q3 of 2022.

Located at the southeast corner of intersection U.S. 287 and Arapahoe Road, Nine Mile Corner consists of approximately 26 acres of retail, 12 acres of multifamily and 10 acres of open space, and is a public-private partnership between Evergreen, the Town of Erie and the Town of Erie Urban Renewal Authority.

The commencement of constructionof these buildings at Nine Mile Corner is another significant milestone for Evergreen and its partnership with the Town of Erie, said Tyler Carlson, managing principal at Evergreen. The diverse shopping and dining opportunities from Lowes, King Soopers and our other tenants will provide hundreds of jobs and boost new life to the area, which is especially needed during these difficult economic times due to the pandemic.

The two multi-tenant buildings, located at the immediate corner of the intersection and totaling 18,000 square feet, will include restaurants and services for the community. The 8,000-square-foot UCHealth medical building will be built along U.S. 287, next to Taco Bell.

Nine Mile Corner is being anchored by a 114,000-square-foot Lowes Home Improvement and a 103,000-square-foot King Soopers grocery store with fuel center.

Rendering courtesy of NineMileCorner.com

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Construction Begins on MOB and Two Retail Buildings at Nine Mile Corner in Erie - Mile High CRE

Construction is progressing on a new Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) facility in northeast Lexington County. Officials with the FBI and Town of Lexington broke ground on the 10-acre facility in October 2020.

The facility will be home to the FBI Columbia field office headquarters, which is separated into three buildings in and around the Columbia Metro area. Both special agents and professional staff from those offices will be combined under one roof upon the buildings completion. In addition, there are eight satellite offices across the state called resident agencies, which will remain in place to allow for coverage across the state.

The largest current building in Columbia, located at 151 Westpark Boulevard, has been leased since 1998.

Once the FBI moves into the new Lexington location, it will be leased for at least 20 years. The lease agreement is managed by the General Services Administration (GSA).

We are very excited about our new facility in Lexington, said FBI Columbia Special Agent in Charge, Susan Ferensic. We are looking forward to the expanded space and the technological advances that will be available.

What a compliment to have the premier law enforcement agency in the nation choose the Town of Lexington as their state headquarters, said Town of Lexington Mayor Steve MacDougall. After the opening of this facility, this will put every major law enforcement agency: City, County, State, and now Federal in our Town on a daily basis. This speaks volumes to the safety of our community.

The new facility is scheduled to be complete in summer 2023. A ribbon-cutting ceremony will also take place during that time.

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Construction on New FBI Office in Lexington Advances FBI - Federal Bureau of Investigation

AUSTIN, Texas In December 2018, Apple announced its intents to build a $1 billion office campus in northwest Austin, nearly a mile away from its existing campus off of Parmer Lane.

However, that timeline remains unclear after the iPhone maker announced to indefinitely delay its return to office, ABJ reported. According to ABJ, the $1 billion campus' construction is supposed to take place in five phases and will reportedly be 3 million square feet, including 12 office and amenity buildings, parking structures, a central utility plant and a separate day care building.

The project comes as Apple continues to build its footprint across the country. Last year, Apple announced it would be committing a $430 billion investment across the U.S. over the next five years.

"Its been over 25 years since Apple opened its first office in Austin, and we are thrilled to be deepening our partnership with the city and people here," an Apple spokesperson told KVUE in April.

The new campus is expected to bring nearly 5,000 jobs to Austin in engineering, research and development, operations, finance, sales and customer support.

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New Apple campus construction in northwest Austin coming together - KVUE.com

BOSTON -Boston Mayor Michelle Wu,Governor Charlie Baker,The Community Builders(TCB), a leading nonprofit housing organization, and thePine Street Inn (PSI), New Englands largest homeless services agency, announced that construction has started on the largest supportive housing development in Boston at 3368 Washington in Jamaica Plain, which once completed, will provide 202 apartments.

This is a major milestone during a time of critical need for increased housing in the City of Boston, especially for those facing the challenges of affordability and stability. The plans for the project were announced in March 2019, and the building is due to be completed in late 2023.

This project, with units for individuals moving out of homelessness,and wrap-around support services, is a significant step towards ending homelessness in the city, saidMayor Michelle Wu. Once complete, these apartments will represent the largest supportive housing development in the city, delivering stable, affordable homes to those who require it most. Im thankful to the community and all our partners who helped make this development possible.

When the new development is complete, it will create 202 units of affordable housing, of which 140 apartments will be reserved for people who are currently experiencing homelessness, and 62 apartments will be income or rent-restricted apartments for families. The property will be managed by TCB, with programs and services for residents provided by TCBs Community Life team, trained to connect families to healthcare, education, and employment. Additional supportive services for the 140 units for those moving out of homelessness will be provided by PSI. The Boston Housing Authority will be providing 156 Project-Based Vouchers (PBV) to the development, including all 140 units designated for individuals moving out of homelessness.

Housing with support services that will help people rebuild their lives is how we will end homelessness, saidPine Street President and Executive Director Lyndia Downie. Breaking ground on what will be the largest housing development of its kind in Boston to date, brings us one step closer to reaching the goal of ending homelessness. This could not come at a more critical time, as we grapple with a pandemic and housing crisis in the city. We look forward to housing 140 of Bostons most vulnerable individuals and providing them with the wraparound services they need to thrive. We are so grateful to the Jamaica Plain community who voiced such strong support for those who will be moving into this building.

We are providing rental housing that working families can afford and supportive housing many individuals need, steps away from public transit in the heart of Jamaica Plain, saidBart Mitchell, president, and CEO of The Community Builders. We look forward to working with the community and our project partners to make this development a vibrant platform for educational and economic opportunity, where every resident can thrive. We are proud to make this development a model for creating permanent supportive housing at scale, with long-term services and sustainable design. This new approach to affordable housing addresses Bostons most pressing needs.

The 3368 Washington Street project received a diverse combination of public, private philanthropic support to finance the building construction, property operations, and resident services. Major project funders include $7 million of funding from the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development; Bank of America is providing over $50 million in Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) equity and over $60 million in construction financing. Barings/Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company is providing over $20 million in permanent loans as well as over $30 million in tax-exempt bridge financing, the City of BostonMayors Office of Housingis providing more than $16 million of funding, including $1.5 million from the Community Preservation Act and $5 million of linkage funding from The HYM Investment Group; MassDevelopment is providing over $50 million in 4% LIHTC bond financing; the Commonwealth is providing $1.5 million of State Low Income Housing Tax Credits which generate $9.8 million in equity; the Community and Economic Development Assistance Corporation (CEDAC) is providing $4 million of Housing Innovation Funding and $1 million from its Accelerating Investments in Healthy Communities fund, courtesy of Boston Medical Center and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

The project was funded in part through the Bostons Way Home Fund, started by the City of Boston to create permanent supportive housing for chronically homeless individuals. The Fund reached its $10 million goal two years ahead of schedule with lead donations from Bank of America, which helped launch the Fund, Liberty Mutual Insurance, Mass General Brigham, Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual), and Suffolk Cares, each of which committed $1 million. In addition to these funds, Pine Street Inns overall housing expansion is being supported by a major grant from the Yawkey Foundation.

The development of the five-story building includes demolition of the existing building and new construction of a five-story, approximately 144,000 square foot mixed-use building with first-floor office and warehouse space and residential units on the upper floors. The project will consist of 202 residential units, with 140 studio supportive housing apartments and 62 family units. A total of 156 units will be subsidized with Project-Based Vouchers awarded through the Boston Housing Authority, consisting of 111 traditional PBV and 45 Mainstream vouchers. Pine Street Inn, Inc. is the Project Sponsor and 51% member of the Managing Member and TCB is the 49% Managing Member. The Owner, Washington Pine LLC, will enter into a long term services contract with Pine Street Inn to provide daily twenty-four hour intensive supportive services at the property for the 140 supportive housing units and Pine Street and the Owner are establishing a supportive service reserve funded with proceeds from the sale of the property, the Boston Way Home Fund, and operating cash flow. Pine Street Inn will also lease approximately 13,000 square feet of office space on the first floor of the building.

The new building will also include 21 mobility impaired units and 18 sensory impaired units, 2 of which will also be mobility impaired units. The apartments will include 13 studio apartments, 4 one-bedroom apartments, and 1 two-bedroom apartment. Of the mobility and sensory impaired units, there will be 1 three-bedroom mobility-impaired apartment; 13 studio apartments, 2 one-bedroom apartments, and 1 two-bedroom sensory impaired apartments; 2 studio mobility/sensory impaired apartments; and 12 of the 13 mobility and sensory impaired units are supportive housing studios.

The architect for the new development isRODE Architects,a Boston-based design and architecture firm.

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Designed by RODE Architects, Construction Starts on Boston's Largest Supportive Housing Development in Jamaica Plain - Boston Real Estate Times

Nearly a year after the developers for a proposed high-rise tower in Wauwatosa withdrew their plans, a Wauwatosa board approved revised plans for the tower Thursday night.

The 28-story building, to be developed at the southwest corner of West Blue Mound and North Mayfair roads,has come before the design review board three times in recent weeks to discuss the aesthetic aspects of the building.

The tower has space for 65 apartment units. The design also now includes eight floors of office space totaling about 80,000 square feet.

It wasultimately up to the Wauwatosa design review board to approve the building permit, as the project doesn't need approval by the plan commission or common council because it fits as a permitted use in the C2 zoning district.

However, some nearbyneighbors havecalledfor the developers to downsize the project. They also noted that cityordinances for the boardsay the design review board shall consider "the site location and proposed location of the structure on the building site."

ButWauwatosa city attorney Alan Kesner said in a prior email to a resident that thedesign review board "only reviews the exterior design, not the use itself, and has no authority to stop the project from moving forward."

The board voted, 4-2, to approve the project. Members Robert Kennedy and Gary Woodward cast the two no votes on the project. Both had previously raised concerns about how appropriate the building was.

In past meetings, attorney Joe Cincotta, who represents the nearby neighbors, has asked the developer to come back to the board with a more appropriate height and a plan that "creates a better transition to the neighborhood."

Cincotta also argued that thebuilding will negatively affect property values in the area.

"The proposed tower, if allowed to go forward, will negatively impact and cause a

depreciation of property values in the immediate neighborhood. This is an obvious

conclusion based on the dramatic difference in size and scale of the proposed tower in

comparison to the single family residential structures immediately to the west,"said a Jan. 19letter from Cincotta.

In response, Brian Randall, an attorney whorepresentsdeveloper John "Johnny V" Vasalloon the project, submitted a letter to the boardfrom the president ofMoegenburg ResearchInc., aWisconsin certified general appraiser.

"No 'substantial depreciation in property value'of nearby residential properties has been caused by other multi-story or mixed-use developments and it is my professional opinion that no substantial depreciation will be caused by the vertical mixed-use building," wrote Peter Moegenburg in thatletter.

Randall has also maintained that the project fits within the zoning for the site and is a permitted use.

Vasallo said he's looking for construction to begin in September. He hopesthe project will be completed about 18 monthsafter that.

"I feel great;I'm so proud of our team," Vasallo said Friday.

"I'm going to build something there that we can all be proud of. It'll be an asset for the community, and I know not everyone's happy about it, but I'm going to work really, really hard to be a great neighbor," he added.

Indy Stluka is a nearby neighbor who has been opposed to the plans for the site.Hemaintainsthat the size and density of the project are not appropriate for this neighborhood.

Stluka is also worried about the precedent this project will set in Wauwatosa.

"This sets a precedent now for Wauwaotsa, in that unlimited height structures can be built in a C2 district,"Stluka said.

Stluka also said he and other neighbors who are opposed to the project are considering appealing the design review board decision to the city.

Evan Casey can be reached at 414-403-4391 or evan.casey@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter @ecaseymedia.

Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal.

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The Wauwatosa high-rise tower was approved by a city board Thursday. Construction will likely begin this September - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Rendering of The Steelyard in Lincoln Yards (Sterling Bay, iStock)

Sterling Bay is expected to break ground on its latest Lincoln Yards project by the third quarter after it was approved by the Chicago Plan Commission.

An 800,000-square-foot development called The Steelyard will include a 19-story, 350-unit residential building, a 15-story commercial building and a market hall, the Chicago Business Journal reported. It will also have office space and a 6.5 acre riverfront park open to the public, according to Julie Goudie, spokeswoman for Sterling Bay, the Chicago company behind the development. Construction is expected to end within 24 months of the starting date.

(Courtesy of Sterling Bay)

We expect to start construction in mid- to late summer 2022, Goudie told the Chicago Business Journal. The informational presentation to the Plan Commission was the last step in the public review process.

The Steelyard is part of the Lincoln Yards project, a $6 billion, 53-acre development on former industrial land along the North Branch of the Chicago River.

Goudie said several more buildings will be built after The Steelyard is completed, as well as several infrastructure projects to support the new developments, such as Throop Street Bridge, an extension of The 606, an elevated park built on a former rail line, as well as new Riverwalk space and a water taxi stop.

[Crains] Harrison Connery

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Sterling Bay to break ground by 3Q on Lincoln Yards project - The Real Deal

City issues 1,311 building permits last year, worth $211.4 million, doubling any of the previous five years

COVID-19 may be kicking our backsides, but the latest building permit statistics released by the City of Sault Ste. Marieshow the local construction sector is enjoying its best performance in recent memory.

Permits issued in 2021 totalled $221.4 million, higher than any of the previous dozen years and easily twice the construction value of any of the previous five years.

In the 12-year period from 2009 to 2020, the best years were 2011 ($169.3 million), 2010 ($150.8 million) and 2009 ($125.9 million).

Last year, 1,125 permits valued at $75million were issued for local residential projects.

A total of 51 permits worth $38.1 million were issued in the institutional and governmental category.

Twenty-two industrial building permits added up to $8.4 million.

In the commercial sector, there were 113 permits worth $89.9 million.

Major construction projects for which building permits were issued in 2021 included the following:

SooToday

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Sault Ste. Marie had a bust-out year for construction in 2021 - Northern Ontario Business

jadgal elementary school by daaz office

daaz office has completed an elementary school with a circular arrangement for seyed-bar village in iran. the project was commissioned by iran-e man, an NGO that constructs schools in disadvantaged areas of the country. the new single-story building is composed of seven volumes arrayed around a large central courtyard. the design also features a round periphery wall with random openings for children and villagers to enter and inhabit.

images by deed studio

the first step of the project was to carry out architectural and social studies in the village and the region. in a participatory way, the needs, shortcomings, potentials, and capacities of the village and indigenous peoples were identified, themed, and prioritized.

as a result of the initial research, the team planned the building not just as a school, but also as a community center; a place of education for children and a point of gathering and learning for everybody in the village. at present, the school also functions as a childrens play area, a place to watch movies and play football, a library, and a tourist residence.

the program covers a built area of 480 sqm and it includes four elementary classes, each of which can be connected to another classroom to generate a larger space and optimize limited personnel. theres also a library, a multifunctional hall that serves as a conference room, a workshop-cum-exam hall, and outdoor spaces for play.

the circular form of the architecture forms part of the learning together concepta democratic style void of hierarchical systems. the rotation of the class layout while connecting them at the corners allows for air circulation between the rooms and generates small secondary yards for group work or outdoor activities. this spatial diagram also creates the central courtyard in the middle of the school and a circular space around the classes.

a boundary wall is traditionally understood as a protector, a separator and generally stands as a masonry-built guarding device. in this project, however, the school boasts a unique location in the middle of a vast and relatively flat plain. the school wall was therefore treated as an inviting playful shell. openings within the wall are arranged so that people seated in class can see out across the plain. these openings of different sizes and shapes also provide students with various entrances into the school.

by increasing the thickness of this continuous yet porous wall, some essential functions of the building such as a tuck shop, a school guards room, and a storeroom were housed while the main entrance was emphasized, gaining depth and inviting people inside.

in designing this school, daaz office envisioned education as a dialectic, bilateral, participatory driven concept and accordingly, the conventional school spaces that act as platforms of these ideas were transformed in this manner: transforming the school wall from separator to a shell structure that performs as a playful skin, inviting people to gather and encouraging community culture while reinforcing communication between people. this transformation was performed in order to destroy hierarchy and strengthen culture, shining a light on the most basic meaning of going to school, which is being together.

the team opted for a participation-based method of construction that would promote sustainable development and generate social, economic, and cultural infrastructures. the villagers helped realize the project by working as site laborers whilefamilies contributed financially by selling needlework. this way, the school was built by local participation and gained the goodwill of everyone in the village.

the school is managed and maintained by a team of villagers and teachers, and part of the income from tourism and needlework is spent on its maintenance. a needlework workshop and an instagram page called @banook has been set up to empower women of the village and engage them in social and economic activities.

in alliance with the school renovation codes by the legislative institution and control of school construction in iran and the necessity of building earthquake-resistant structures, the schools structure was constructed with the ICF method, insulating concrete formwork. by utilizing polystyrene panels (EPS), galvanized iron profiles, and reinforced concrete, the structure was constructed without any columns- thanks to the designs curvilinear forms.

the final coating layer that was applied is a semi-local material consisting of cement and local soil called simgel that prevents rusting due to floods and excessive rain and creates harmony with the surrounding colors and textures. and in case of destruction or cracking, it can be easily repaired by the villagers.

we aimed to create a school that is a nest for nurturing creativity, freedom and critical thinking, says daaz office. the project started with an effort to change the villagers intellectual and social layers, empower rural women, create public participation, and turn it into a lever in building a school.

finally, by challenging the political and social concept of the boundary (the wall) between free will and coercion in the presence of the school in a society traditionally dominated by tyranny it was able to overwhelm the mental majority of most villagers who initially opposed the construction of the wall and make the school the center of the neighborhood and gathering of all residents. an exercise to influence architecture in the transition to democracy.

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daaz office wraps a 'playful shell' around this school in rural iran - Designboom