Special Requirements

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This section contains the VA Signage Design Guide. The PDF files located here contain visual illustrations and specifications for signs that are used at VA facilities, and are inherently graphical in nature. Please visit our FTP site if you have trouble downloading these large files, where single section files as well as a 45MB compressed file containing all sections are located.

The VA Hospital Building System (VAHBS) has been used successfully on many VA projects over the years. Certain elements of this system have evolved; steel structures, instead of concrete, are often used, and minor changes in the organization and an increase in the number and overall height of sub zones for various disciplines have been implemented. The original study was completed in 1972 and revised in 1977. Each file may be downloaded separately, or the entire study may be downloaded via compressed file (22MB).To receive a copy, please download from our FTP site at http://downloads.va.gov/files/CFM-TIL/vahbs/

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Special Requirements - Office of Construction & Facilities ...

In order to enter this surreal space, visitors will begin at the land station. This 120m woven, semicircular cylinder will arch over a multi-storey building. Currently under construction in Dubai, Hydropolis is the world's first luxury underwater hotel. It will include three elements: the land station, where guests will be welcomed, the connecting tunnel, which will transport people by train to the main area of the hotel, and the 220 suites within the submarine leisure complex. It is one of the largest contemporary construction projects in the world, covering an area of 260 hectares, about the size of London's Hyde Park. "Hydropolis is not a project; it's a passion," enthuses Joachim Hauser, the developer and designer of the hotel. His futuristic vision is about to take shape 20m below the surface of the Arabian Gulf, just off the Jumeirah Beach coastline in Dubai. The 300 million, 220-suite hotel is due to open at the end of 2007 and will incorporate a host of innovations that will take it far beyond the original blueprint for an underwater complex worthy of Jules Verne. There are only a few locations in the world where such a grandiose dream could be realised. A high proportion of today's architectural marvels are materialising like fanciful mirages from the desert sands. We have come to expect extravagant enterprises to be mounted in the Middle East, and especially in Dubai. "This venture could only be born here in Dubai," says Hauser. "It [has] a very open-minded, international community - and that's what makes it so special." The land on which Hydropolis is being built belongs to His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai. It was his last free beach property on this stretch of coast. The project is a fantastic one, yet Sheikh Mohammed's success record with comparable schemes instils confidence that science fiction can become fact. With his support, several companies have been formed to kick-start this phenomenal project, and around 150 firms are currently involved.

Dubai's World-Beating Buildings A building boom in the emirate has led to a whole host of chart breakers, in categories including highest apartment, biggest mall, and one of the world's most unique resorts HydropolisJoachim Hauser. This hotel, the world's first underwater luxury resort, brings new meaning to the "ocean-view room." Situated 66 feet below the surface of the Persian Gulf, Hydropolis will feature 220 guest suites. Reinforced by concrete and steel, its Plexiglas walls and bubble-shaped dome ceilings offer sights of fish and other sea creatures. It's scheduled to open in late 2007. The Palm IslandsAl Nakheel Properties. The three artificial islands that make up the Palm (comprising the Palm Jumeirah, the Palm Jebel Ali, and the Palm Deira) are the world's biggest man-made islands. Each was built from a staggering 1 billion cubic meters of dredged sand and stone, taken from Dubai's sea bed and configured into individual islands and surrounding breakwaters. The complex will house a variety of tourist attractions, ranging from spas and diving sites to apartments and theaters. The entire complex is designed to collectively resemble a date palm tree when seen from the sky.

The WorldAl Nakheel Properties Ever wish the world was smaller? This group of more than 250 man-made islands was designed to resemble the entire world when seen from the air. The islands, which range from 250,000 to 900,000 square feet, can be bought by individual developers or private owners -- starting at $6.85 million. The only way to get between each island is by boat...or yacht, given the clientele. A notable engineering feat: The project incorporates two protective breakwaters to protect the islands from waves, consisting of one submerged reef (the outer breakwater) and an above-water structure (the inner breakwater).

Ski DubaiF + A Architects When one thinks of a vacation in Dubai, the first images that might to come to mind are sun and sand. Now add snow. Two feet of snow, topped with a daily layer of fresh powder, to be exact -- thanks to the system of 23 blast coolers and snow guns inside Ski Dubai. It might be 135 degrees Fahrenheit outdoors, but inside the 32,290 square-foot, $275 million structure, visitors ski and snowboard. The heavily insulated facility also includes the world's largest indoor snow park, offering 9,842 square feet for sledding or bobsledding. Dubai City,United Arab EmiratesArticles and Pictures collected by Rick ArcherFirst Published: May, 2006Last Update: January 2008 Is this a mirage in the Middle East? Seemingly out of nowhere emerges an ultra-modern city in the middle of a desert. Dubai City is currently undergoing an unbelievable transformation right in the heart of the Arab world. Dubai, population one million, produces some of the best modern architecture in the world. Considered the world's fastest growing city, it is estimated that there are 90 billion dollars worth of projects being built in Dubai City right this minute. Using the success of our own Las Vegas as a model that a hostile environment can be tamed to meet mans will, there is one fairy tale structure after another being built. Among the accomplishments are the Burj Al Arab Hotel, considered the worlds most expensive and beautiful hotel. Nearby you can see the Burj Dubai Tower. When it is completed in 2008, it will become the worlds tallest building. In the middle of the desert you can see the worlds largest theme park being built. Known as Dubailand, when finished in 2009 it will feature full size Jurassic Park-style dinosaur recreations among other things. Or you can visit the worlds biggest ski dome at the Mall of the Emirates. Thats right, they are building a ski slope in the middle of the desert. And you can go to the shores of the Persian Gulf and view fantastic man-made islands featuring some of the most expensive houses in the entire world. Dubai City is definitely something out of a science fiction novel. In fact, I wouldnt be surprised if you thought I was making this up! Recently my friend Carol Gafford sent me some amazing pictures. Definitely do yourself a favor and go look for yourself! Dubai is already the home to Burj Al Arab, the world's tallest hotel and to Emirates Towers, the tallest all-residential building in the world. In 2008 these two structures will be joined by the 'Burj Dubai' which when finished will become the world's tallest building. While the skyline is not so dense, each building is a marvel all on its own. The individual buildings in this city are by far the greatest examples of modern architectural accomplishments. All seven structures in this city at over 200 meters tall were built in 1999 or later - that's how new this city is. Dubai City is located on the shores of the Persian Gulf. It is the capital of Dubai which is one of seven "Emirates" or states that form a country known as the United Arab Emirates. The 'Emirate of Dubai' is about the size of America's Rhode Island. Dubai City does not have a particularly long history. Since it is located in an unbelievably harsh terrain, there have been very few battles fought here since no one wanted any part of this land!Dubai first gained distinction in the 1800s as a stopover for ships making their way to and from England to India. Dubai was under the protection of the British Empire until 1971 when Britain left the area peacefully. Shortly after, oil was discovered just off the coast. Suddenly Dubai was rich beyond anyone's wildest imagination. It was like winning the lottery. Dubai is a very unusual city for many reasons. The majority of its population is from "somewhere else". Citizens of the UAE are in a distinct minority. Naturally the Muslim religion predominates, but apparently religious tolerance is very high in this area which is rather unusual given the state of the world today. As a result, people of all religions feel welcome here. One fascinating part of this bizarre desert city is the unbelievable construction boom. Since 2000, Dubai's municipality has initiated a plethora of construction phases and plans across the entire city of Dubai. In many areas, it is not easy to see Dubai's sky without at least one crane in your view; some say 16% of the world's large construction cranes reside in Dubai. Construction in Dubai and the UAE in general is being done at a much faster process than in any Western country. This is partly because laborers from the Indian subcontinent accept lower wages than those from other countries.Ever since Dubai was flooded by the increase of population during the early days of oil, housing has been difficult to obtain. That is when the novel idea of building homes on artificial islands out in the middle of the water was developed. One of the first developments was "Jumeira Palm Island" pictured at right. Then came "The World", a series of man-made islands with homes that only the mega-rich could ever hope to afford. Ownership of an island home at "The World" is considered just as desirable as a home in Aspen, Monaco, and other favorite hangouts of the Rich and Famous. The main reason for the construction boom in Dubai is its drive to diversify the economy. The Dubai government does not want to depend on its oil reserves which are largely believed to become exhausted by 2010. Accordingly Dubai City has diversified its economy to attract revenues in the form of expanding commercial and corporate activity. Tourism is being promoted at a staggering rate with the construction of Dubailand and other projects that include the making of mammoth shopping malls, theme parks, resorts, stadiums and other various tourist attractions. They even have a ski slope under construction. The concept seems completely preposterous until one considers a certain city in the USA known as "Las Vegas". When you factor in a considerable amount of gambling and prostitution - activities that are practically unthinkable in other Arab countries, the parallels to Las Vegas are inescap Dubai plans first rotating skyscraper (USA Today)Posted 11/29/2006 DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) The Arab city with the palm-shaped islands and the sail-shaped hotel is adding to its eclectic skyline by building the world's first rotating skyscraper, a 30-story apartment tower that revolves on its base.The tower, announced Wednesday, will use the Persian Gulf's abundant sunshine to power the building's slow rotation that brings it full circle once a week, said Nick Cooper, a British engineer designing the rotation mechanism."This will be a fair building," said Cooper, of M.G. Bennett and Associates Ltd. of Rotherham, England. "Everybody will have the same views for the same amount of time, so you won't have certain rooms with the best view."The 80,000-ton building with 200 apartments will sit on a giant bearing 30 yards in diameter, coated with a nearly frictionless polymer, Cooper said. Twenty small electric engines will turn the building a few degrees each hour, Cooper said."It will be indexing around on the hour," Cooper said. "It moves very slowly. It's not a theme park ride."But a theme park's manmade lakes, malls and simulated dinosaur park will be the primary view from the so-called Time Residences. The developer plans to complete the structure by 2009 as a centerpiece in the giant Dubailand amusement park now under construction.

Work on the rotating tower is to begin in June 2007. Cooper's previous rotating projects include the drill machine that bored the English Channel Tunnel and a rotating rock crushing unit used in giant mining operations.Dubai has used a slew of announcements of iconic project to generate publicity. Most but not all end up being built. The city's three palm shaped islands are in various states of completion. The smallest is nearly finished while construction of the largest has been halted.Other improbable projects have been scrapped or delayed, including a heavily touted underwater hotel that was canceled.Plans call for the rotating building to incorporate a swimming pool and a crescent-shaped "moon lounge" on the rooftop, with a theater and observatory."Not only will it defy the laws of gravity and momentum, but also it stands to redefine the standards for luxury living in the region and the world," said Tav Singh of Dubai Property Ring. Dubai, a place that represents what happens when a few people have way, way too much money, is going soon be home to Hydropolis, the world's first underwater luxury hotel. Costing nearly $590 million to build, the 220-suite hotel should be completed in December. I don't know about you guys, but every movie I've seen about people living underwater ends with aliens arriving or a giant squid attacking or the Russians shooting off a nuke or something. I'll stick to staying on dry land, thanks. Aerial View of the Land-Sea connection to Hydropolis. (Editor's Note: Bad news. When I researched the Internet for information on the Rotating Skyscraper in March 2007, I found a USA Today article that said, "Other improbable projects in Dubai have been scrapped or delayed, including a heavily touted underwater hotel that was canceled." Too bad. Like the desert ski slope, this underwater hotel was a project the world desperately needed. The design architect, Adrian Smith, felt that the upper-most section of the building did not culminate elegantly with the rest of the structure, so he sought and received approval to increase it to the currently planned height. It has been explicitly stated that this change did not include any added floors, which is fitting with Smith's attempts to make the crown more slender. However, the top of the tower will be a steel frame structure, unlike the lower portion's reinforced concrete. The developer, Emaar, has stated this steel section may be extended to beat any other tower to the title of tallest; however, once the tower is complete the height cannot be changed. The exterior cladding of Burj Dubai will consist of reflective glazing with aluminium and textured stainless steel spandrel panels with vertical tubular fins of stainless steel. The cladding system is designed to withstand Dubai's extreme summer temperatures. The interior will be decorated by Giorgio Armani. An Armani Hotel (the first of its kind) will occupy the lower 37 floors. Floors 45 through 108 will have 700 private apartments on 64 floors (which, according to the developer, sold out within eight hours of going on sale). Corporate offices and suites will fill most of the remaining floors, except for a 123rd floor lobby and 124th floor (about 440 metres (1,444 ft)) indoor/outdoor observation deck. The spire will also hold communications equipment. An outdoor zero-entry swimming pool will be located on the 78th floor of the tower. It will also feature the world's fastest elevator, rising and descending at 18 m/s (40 mph). The world's current fastest elevator (in the Taipei 101) travels at 16.83 m/s (37.6 mph). Engineers had considered installing the world's first triple-decker elevators, but the final design calls for double-deck elevators. A total of 56 elevators will be installed that can carry 42 people at a time. Engineers rotated the building 120 degrees from its original layout to reduce stress from prevailing winds. Over 45,000 m(58,900 cu yd) of concrete, weighing more than 110,000 tonnes (121,000 ST/108,000 LT) were used to construct the concrete and steel foundation, which features 192 piles buried more than 50 m (164 ft) deep. Burj Dubai has been designed to be the centerpiece of a large-scale, mixed-use development that will include 30,000 homes, nine hotels such as the Burj Dubai Lake Hotel & Serviced Apartments, 0.03 km (0.01 sq mi) of parkland, at least 19 residential towers, the Dubai Mall, and the 0.12 km (0.05 sq mi) man-made Burj Dubai Lake. Burj Dubai will cost US$ 800 million to build and the entire 2 km (0.77 sq mi) development will cost around US$ 20 billion. The silvery glass-sheathed concrete building will give the title of Earth's tallest free-standing structure to the Middle East a title not held by the region since 1311 AD when Lincoln Cathedral in England surpassed the height of the Great Pyramid of Giza, which had held the title for almost four millennia. The decision to build Burj Dubai is reportedly based on the government's decision to diversify from a trade-based economy to one that is service- and tourism-oriented. According to officials, it is necessary for projects like Burj Dubai to be built in the city to garner more international recognition, and hence investment. "He [Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum] wanted to put Dubai on the map with something really sensational," said Jacqui Josephson, a tourism and VIP delegations executive at Nakheel Properties.

Construction Burj Dubai in December 2007 Burj Dubai is made from reinforced concrete. As construction of the tower progresses, it becomes increasingly difficult to vertically pump the thousands of cubic metres of concrete that are required. The previous record for pumping concrete on any project was set during the extension of the Riva del Garda Hydroelectric Power Plant in Italy in 1994, when concrete was pumped to a height of 532 m (1,745 ft). Burj Dubai now holds this record as of August 19, 2007, as it has a height of 536.1 m (1,759 ft), to hold the record for concrete pumping on any project; and as of October 2, 2007 concrete was pumped to a delivery height of 588 m (1,929 ft). Special mixes of concrete are made to withstand the extreme pressures of the massive weight of the tower; each batch of concrete is tested and checked to see whether it can withstand certain pressures. The head of Concrete Quality Checking on the Burj Dubai project is Alam Feroze, who is in charge of concrete on the whole project. The concrete pumps, pipelines and booms are provided by Putzmeister AG, of Aichtal, Germany. As the consistency of the concrete on the project is essential, it was difficult to create a concrete that could withstand the thousands of tonnes bearing down on it, but also to withstand Gulf temperatures that can reach +50 C (122 F). To combat this problem, the concrete is not poured during the day. Instead, ice is added to the mixture and it is poured at night when it is cooler and the humidity is higher. A cooler concrete mixture cures evenly throughout and therefore is less likely to set too quickly and crack. Any significant cracks could put the whole project in jeopardy. Burj Dubai is being built primarily by immigrant engineers and workers from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, China and the Philippines. Press reports indicate that skilled carpenters at the site earn US$7.60 (4.34)/day, and laborers earn US$4.00 (2.84). Unions were forbidden in the United Arab Emirates up until recently, when the government announced steps to allow construction unions. On March 21, 2006, workers upset over low wages and poor working conditions rioted, damaging cars, offices, computers, and construction equipment. A Dubai Interior Ministry official said the rioters caused approximately US$1m (488k) in damage. Most workers returned the following day but refused to work. Workers building a new terminal at Dubai International Airport also joined that day's strike action. The United Arab Emirates dirham's close connection with the low US Dollar, and the increased cost-of-living in the region, has made it increasingly difficult for immigrant construction workers to survive on their wages. An offer by the UAE government in June 2007 to fly home illegal immigrant workers free-of-charge, with no questions asked, was met with overwhelming demand, further threatening the supply of workers on the Burj Dubai and other Dubai construction projects.

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Post Challenges ahead include fabricating the curving, sloping bones of the dove in heavy steel in Italy, transporting them to the site and stabilizing them during erection. 08/15/11 9/11 Memorial Is Centerpiece of World Trade Center Redevelopment By Esther D'Amico The eight-acre urban park of the $700-million National September 11 Memorial & Museum is the emotional focal point of the $19-billion World Trade Center redevelopment in Lower Manhattan. The construction team is pushing to deliver it for the 10th anniversary. 08/03/11 First Palestinian Planned City Taking Shape By Scott Lewis Developer Bashar Masri is building the first Palestinian planned city. 07/15/11 Report Finds Las Vegas Hotel Could Potentially Collapse in a Code-Level Earthquake By Tony Illia A new report finds that Foster + Partners unfinished Harmon Hotel tower on the Las Vegas Strip is beyond repair and dangerous in a code-level earthquake. 06/16/11 Gensler Team Wins 2011 Iron Designer Challenge By Laura Mirviss Eight teams faced off during the 2011 Iron Designer Challenge, hosted by the School of Design and Construction. 06/01/11 Firms Selected To Build Cubs Training Venue in Arizona By Scott Blair Spring is in the air for two firms selected to construct a new spring training and western headquarters facility for the Chicago Cubs Major League Baseball team in Mesa, Ariz. Populous, Kansas City, Mo., beat out nine competing firms to win the design contract, while Hunt Construction Group, Scottsdale, Ariz., bested eight others for the general contractor job. 05/23/11 A Cautionary Digital Tale of Virtual Design and Construction By Nadine M. Post in Pittsburgh Insurance settlement related to a building information model shows that BIM without communication can be costly 05/20/11 As London Nears 2012 Olympics Finish Line, Brazil Starts Race to 2016 Games By Peter Reina With London's preparation for the 2012 Olympic Games at 90% of completion, Brazil is leaving the starting gate for the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro. 05/12/11 10 Minutes With State Dept. Embassy Program Officials By Tom Ichniowski The initiative will affect areas besides design, including contracting and maintenance. 05/11/11 Defensive-Design Aid Coming By Nadine M.Post Guidelines for the performance-based design of structures to resist disproportionate collapse are under development by the American Society of Civil Engineers' Structural Engineering Institute. SEI expects to release a draft next year and publish the guidelines in 2013.

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Buildings | Design | ENR: Engineering News Record | McGraw ...

12/10/14 Canal Lockmaster's House To Be Restored on National Mall By Tim Grogan and ENR Staff A project to rescue a dilapidated, 178-year-old house on the edge of Washington, D.C.'s National Mall won a $1-million grant on Dec. 9 from American Express. 11/25/14 Pedestrian Bridge Collapses, Fatally, Followed by Another By Scott Judy Teams of forensic engineers are investigating two separate bridge collapses at the same Raleigh community-college construction project. 11/25/14 Gehry's Planned 305-Meter Toronto Tower On Course to Become Canada's Tallest By Nadine M. Post Towers twists and folds, reminiscent of the New York by Gehry high-rise, are helping with wind design. 11/05/14 Construction Week: 1,776-ft-tall One World Trade Center Opens; Rental Group Lowers Forecast By Tim Grogan and ENR Staff One World Trade Center is the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. 10/06/14 Shake-Table Tests Pave Path Toward Economical Quake Resilience in Single-Family Houses By Nadine M. Post Researchers new design methodology calls for stronger and stiffer wood framing with or without base isolation 09/24/14 Corvette Museum To Plug Sinkhole, After All By Candy McCampbell Bowling Green, Ky., museums board cites extra costs and safety as reasons to permanently fill opening that swallowed eight sports cars in February. 09/15/14 Progress Slow but Steady at World Trade Center Development By Nadine M. Post Developer Silverstein Properties announces it is moving forward with the tower portion of the 80-story Three World Trade Centerthe third high-rise of four within the original 16-acre footprint of the WTC. 09/09/14 Contractor Extracts a Profit From SubTropolis Underground Business By Alan Rider in Kansas City, Mo. SubTropolis first opened in 1964 to house tenants such as Pillsbury, Russell Stover and Ford and continues to add floor space. 08/27/14 Northern California Earthquake Causes an Estimated $1 Billion in Damage By Tim Grogan and ENR Staff Northern California earthquake causes an estimated $1-billion in damage. 08/11/14 Tesla Inches Closer To Selecting Site for 'Gigafactory' By John Guzzon Tesla inched closer to selecting a site outside of Reno, Nev., for its $4 to $5 billion factory to produce lithium batteries for electric vehicles on Thursday, confirming a 600-acre site has undergone some pre-construction work, but fell short of committing to the site over unidentified candidates in Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas. 08/05/14 Beleaguered $4.9B Atlantic Yards Sports Village Renamed 'Pacific Park Brooklyn' By Nadine M. Post 22-Acre Atlantic Yards Renamed Pacific Park Brooklyn 07/23/14 Levi's Stadium in California's Silicon Valley Ready for First Game By Nadine M. Post Levi's Stadium completed on time and within the $1.3-billion budget. 07/15/14 Brooklyn's $4.9-Billion Atlantic Yards Development Gets a Jump Start By Nadine M. Post New York state announces plan to expedite construction of affordable housing units at Brooklyn's $4.9-billion Atlantic Yards development. 06/24/14 Demand From Tech Sector Helps to Reboot Office Market By Esther D'Amico Tech demand for data centers and administrative functions is giving a boost to office construction activity. 06/23/14 Christchurch Post-Quake Rebuild Picks Up Steam By Chris Webb Christchurch rebuilds on all fronts after devastating 2011 earthquake. 06/23/14 KONE's Lightweight Hoists To Be Installed in Planned 1-Kilometer-Tall Tower By Nadine M. Post KONE wins contract for future 1-kilometer-tall Kingdom Tower, based on elevator maker's lightweight carbon-fiber hoisting technology. 06/04/14 Construction Week: Starts Increase 3% in April; Rebuild By Design Competition Winners Announced By Tim Grogan and ENR Staff Hurricane Sandy recovery plan names six winners to seek to bolster storm defenses. 05/28/14 Elizabeth River Tunnel Tubes Take Shape and Prepare To Ship Out By Bruce Buckley Elizabeth River tunnel tubes take shape and head out to sea. 04/30/14 Golden State Warriors Switches Site For Planned San Francisco Arena By Tony Illia Opposition to site on Piers 30-32 plus rising costs prompted the basketball team to relocate 1.7 miles south to dry land 04/21/14 Restoration Key to Giant London Powerplant's Redevelopment By Peter Reina The enormous Battersea Powerplant has been a fixture of the London skyline for almost a century, even after shutting down decades ago. Redevelopment aims to restore it to a different life. 04/21/14 The 10 Largest Hotels in the World By Scott Lewis The 10 largest hotels-resorts in the world. 04/16/14 Construction Week: World Trade Center's Steel Bird; EPA Proposes $17B Superfund Cleanup Project By Tim Grogan and ENR Staff The structural steel shape of transit hall at World Trade Center is challenging to build, and the EPA proposes its largest ever Superfund cleanup project. 03/20/14 Engineers and Architects Implore Putin: Save Shukhov Tower By Peter Reina Dismantling and rebuilding the iconic structure later, even if it were possible to do so, would be extremely hazardous, defenders warn. 03/10/14 Hospitals Eye Team Flexibility, Building Resiliency By C.J. Hughes and Esther D'Amico Two separate conferences explore major themes in the hospital and health care sector. 02/26/14 Construction Week: Colo.'s U.S. 6 Closed for Bridge Demolitions; Big Auction Sets Online Record By Tim Grogan and ENR Staff Colorados U.S. 6 closed for bridge demolitions. 02/17/14 Best of the Best, Higher Education/Research: John and Frances Angelos Law Center By ENR Editors Extensive in-slab and out-of-slab utilities with the concrete structure requires significant coordiation effort. 02/17/14 California Memorial Stadium By ENR Staff A poor seismic safety rating and general deterioration prompted UC-Berkeley to undertake $300 million in renovations. 02/17/14 Cultural & Specialty Contracting: Bing Concert Hall By Scott Blair Designers, contractors and trades collaborated to install a complex acoustic sail system. 02/17/14 Interiors, Tenant Improvement: Arent Fox Tenant Fit-Out By ENR Staff The Washington, D.C., interior fit-out project created offices, workspaces, conference rooms, a 150-seat auditorium and galleys. 02/17/14 University of Virginia Medical Center Patient Tower Expansion and Helipad By ENR Staff Using existing structural capacity, the University of Virginia added 127,000-sq-ft of new space to its teaching hospital, the University of Virginia Medical Center. 02/12/14 Residential, Hospitality: 8500 Burton Way By Tudor Van Hampton The 253,000-square-foot modern apartment development sits on a triangular infill site that greets Beverly Hills. 01/28/14 Court Clears the Way for Minnesota Vikings Stadium Bond Sale By Nicholas Zeman Court dismisses a motion to derail Vikings stadium's $468-million bond sale, opening the way for project financing to move forward. 01/15/14 New Hollywood Map Shows Two Projects Atop Active Fault By Nicholas Zeman Proposed Millennium Hollywood and BLVD 6200, under construction, sit atop splays of an active fault that could produce a magnitude-7 earthquake. 01/15/14 Building Team Pledges to Pay for Fix at Spains Valencia Opera House By Peter Reina Work to fix falling facade tiles is due to start this week on the Valencia, Spain, opera house, designed by Santiago Calatrava. 01/06/14 Saga of Building Orlando Arts Center Heads for Dramatic Conclusion By Jim Parsons After funding problems stalled the project, builders had to adopt an alternate construction strategy to keep the city facility viable. 12/30/13 AECOM and Other Firms Return to Libya as Rebuilding Gains Momentum By Shem Oirere Initial housingn work worth $100 billion, government says. 12/30/13 Government Plans To Tackle Illegal Building Construction in Mumbai By Mridu Khullar Relph Maharashtra state government in India rolls out cluster development program to tackle problem of illegal building construction in Mumbai. 12/23/13 No Victory Yet Over Dallas 'Death Ray' Tower's Sun Glare Invasion of Nasher Sculpture Center By James S. Russell in Dallas Nasher Sculpture Centers sun-glare problem, triggered by 42-story Museum Tower, remains unresolved more than two years after completion of the tower 12/20/13 London Theater Ceiling Failure Remains a Mystery By Peter Reina Cause of the failure of a section of the ornate plaster ceiling of a London theater remains a mystery. 12/17/13 India's Tallest Control Tower Stands as a Symbol of the Future By Construction World India's tallest air traffic control tower, at 274.9 ft, ranks as the fourth tallest in the world. 12/16/13 Construction Markets Gain Strength By Tim Grogan Dodge momentum index increases 2.8% in November. 11/27/13 Construction Week: Roof Collapse Kills 54 in Latvia; ASHRAE Seeks Comments on Data-Center Standard By Tim Grogan and ENR Staff Inspectors focus on construction of a roof garden in deadly collapse, and ASHRAE is seeking public comments on a draft standard for data-center energy performance. 11/06/13 High-Rise Modular Construction Forces Major Adjustments By Nadine M. Post Forest City Ratners venture into modular for a 32-story residential tower demands big shifts in traditional design and construction practices. 10/22/13 Shapoorji To Build Affordable Homes Across India By Source: InfraNews The 147-year-old Shapoorji Pallonji Group, which has built Mumbai's high-end buildings like that of RBI, is now planning to expand its affordable housing arena across India. 10/16/13 Minnesota Stadium Amenities Likely Getting Trimmed to Meet $975M Budget Estimate By Nicholas Zeman Bids are coming in high for the Vikings football stadium, thanks mostly to a stronger market. 10/09/13 Novel Pivoting Concrete Core Saves San Francisco Developer $4 Million By Nadine M. Post in San Francisco Seismic retrofit of a steel moment-resisting frame is inspired by ancient Japanese pagoda. 10/09/13 Big Data Tools Will Help Shape Future of Chicago Minicity By Nadine M. Post Computer scientists are using big data to help the development community plan the infrastructure for the 600-acre minicity along Lake Michigan. 10/02/13 Suit Against Los Angeles Triggers Debate Over Building on Hollywood Fault By Nicholas Zeman in Los Angeles Lawsuit claims environmental impact review for $650-million Millennium Hollywood complex was inadequate. 09/17/13 Design Team Changes for San Francisco Arena By Nadine M. Post San Francisco's Golden State Warrior's have added Manica Architecture to the design team. AECOM remains as an advisor. 08/14/13 San Jose Stadium Team Tackles Tough Site By Greg Aragon Conditions at the $60-million San Jose Earthquakes new stadium site are creating headaches for the project team. 07/30/13 China Firm Plans To Erect World's Tallest Building in Seven Months By Jeff Rubenstone The world's next tallest building might be a modular tower erected in seven months, if the Chinese government allows it. 07/10/13 CityCenterDC Approaches Finish Line Despite Myriad Obstacles By Nadine M. Post The six-building replacement for the old Washington Convention Center was delayed by city politics and the recession. 07/10/13 Bridge Spans Linking CityCenterDC's Office Buildings Were Five 'Uneasy' Pieces By Nadine M. Post Erector devised a daring scheme to site-preassemble each pedestrian bridge and lift it into place. 06/25/13 London 'Cheesegrater' Building Joins Skyline of Wacky Nicknames By Peter Reina Topped out on June 18, the building joins a growing cluster of eccentrically shaped skyscrapers including the Gherkin and still-emerging Walkie Talkie. 06/17/13 Prefab Gives $1-Billion Hospital Job a Big Schedule Boost By Craig Guillot Skanska USA Building and MAPP Construction use the approach extensively at the 2-million-sq-ft hospital campus in New Orleans. 05/07/13 Ethiopia Aims To Host Africa's Tallest Building By Shem Oirere Africa's tallest building planned for 99 floors 05/07/13 Tragic Bangladesh Collapse Reveals Rampant Substandard, Illegal Construction By Neelam Matthews Substandard construction practices, lack of code enforcement and an illegal addition caused an eight-story building near Dhaka to collapse, killing more than 700 people. An ongoing investigation of garment factories in Bangladesh has revealed that 70% of the 30 surveyed thus far are substandard. 04/24/13 MGM Plans Major Facelift for Two Aging Vegas Properties By Tony Illia in Las Vegas New York-New York and Monte Carlo will be linked by a new promenade as part of more than $500 million of new construction for MGM Resorts in Las Vegas 03/27/13 Onondaga College Music Hall Spans a Gorge, Complicating Design and Construction By Judith Stock Up-in-the-air site for Ferrante Hall Academic II, which spans 200 ft to link two sides of a divided campus, presented issues of access and balance. 03/20/13 $2.1B United Nations Renovation Complicated by Working Within Operational Campus By Nadine M. Post Though the project is 12% over budget, the team has managed to avoid major disruption to regular UN activities, including 8,000 conferences and 1-million visitors annually since 2008. 03/20/13 Enhancing Performance of UN Secretariat Building Curtain Wall Was No Easy Task By Nadine M. Post Building team had to faithfully replicate the original look of the facade while adding energy performance, blast resistance and more. 03/11/13 Rio's Olympic Park Construction Nears Starting Line By Augusto Diniz Odebrecht Infrastructure is the consortiums lead contractor; other member firms include Andrade Gutierrez and Carvalho Hosken. 02/06/13 Meet the Judges: Best of the Best Projects 2012 By ENR Editors These 20 independent industry individuals distinguished the best in teamwork, safety, innovation, quality and success in overcoming challenges. 02/06/13 Higher Education/Research: University of Washington Molecular Engineering & Sciences Building By ENR Staff This complex laboratory and office building is targeting LEED-Gold certification. 02/06/13 Green Project: The David and Lucile Packard Foundation New Headquarters By ENR Staff The 50,000-sq-ft building is designed to achieve LEED-Platinum certification and net-zero energy use. 02/06/13 Government/Public Building: Natural History Museum of Utah Blends With Its Rugged Landscape By ENR Staff The new museum sits on a 17-acre foothills site with sweeping views of the Salt Lake Valley. 02/06/13 Health Care: Palomar Medical Center By ENR Staff This North San Diego hospital provides patients with a bright, sustainable healing environment. 02/06/13 Cultural/Worship: Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art By Nadine Post Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, a 200,000-sq-ft museum and cultural center, features complex geometric forms, inspired by the local Arkansas landscape as well as suspension bridges of Bhutan. 02/06/13 Landscape/Urban Planning: National September 11 Memorial By Esther D'Amico The simple, elegant design of the eight-acre memorial belies the complicated history of the redevelopment. 02/06/13 Small Project: University of Texas at Dallas Visitor Center and University Bookstore By ENR Editors The construction team brought in the project in less than seven months and under budget. 02/06/13 Safety: Miami International Airport Automated People Mover By ENR Editors A 1.27-mile-long elevated rail system project at Miami International Airport demonstrated industry benchmarks for safe practices and achieved world-class results 02/06/13 Sports/Entertainment: Marlins Park By ENR Editors Marlins Park is the nations first retractable roof stadium engineered to withstand 146-mph winds 02/06/13 Specialty Contracting: Perot Museum of Nature and Science By ENR Editors The Perot Museum of Nature and Science is a new 180,000-sq-ft space, 170-ft tall building that features a precast concrete faade with more than 700 unique panels. 02/06/13 Interior Design/Tenant Improvement: El Paso Corp. Tower Renovation By ENR Editors Renovations to more than 1 million-sq-ft of El Paso Corp.s state-of-the-art, LEED Gold high-rise were completed in 2011. 02/06/13 Industrial/Manufacturing: Boeing Company 787 Building Program By ENR Editors Design-builders had just 24 months to construct 11 separate structures that collectively measured more than 1 million sq ft. 02/06/13 Civil Works/Infrastructure: Yellow River Water Reclamation Facility By ENR Editors Serving the Yellow River basin in Georgia, this $245-million upgrade allows Gwinnett County to divert, consolidate and treat the flow from six aging wastewater treatment plants. 02/06/13 K-12 Education: James M. Bennett High School By ENR Editors This nautically themed school was completed a year ahead of schedule. 02/06/13 Retail/Mixed-Use: Pearl Brewery Development By ENR Editors Originally built in 1883, the Pearl Brewery is one of San Antonios most visited landmarks. Brewery owners Silver Ventures turned to Joeris General Contractors to update the property and its aging structures 02/06/13 Renovation/Restoration: Freedom Tower By ENR Editors Eighty-five years after it was built, Miamis Freedom Tower received its first-ever top-to-bottom exterior restoration. 02/06/13 Office: Delta Dental of Michigan Headquarters Expansion and Renovation By ENR Editors This renovation and addition harmonizes with existing buildings and the surrounding environment. 02/06/13 Multifamily Residential/Hospitality: Omni Dallas Hotel By ENR Editors With a tight time frame of just 28 months, the Balfour | Russell | Pegasus joint venture completed the $331.6 million Omni Dallas Convention Center in November 2011. 02/06/13 Transportation: John James Audubon Bridge Sets New Standards for Lower Mississippi Crossings By Louise Poirer New span in stretch between Natchez and Baton Rouge is North Americas longest cable-stayed span. 12/31/12 Coping in the Wake of Superstorm Sandy By Nadine M. Post After pumping out 30 million gal of water from 80,000 sq ft of flooded basements, one commercial building owner rebuilds with the next flood in mind. 12/11/12 GSA Picks Clark-SOM Team for $318M L.A. Courthouse By Tom Ichniowski Construction to start in third quarter 2013 for long-delayed project, now revised to 550,000 sq ft. 11/13/12 New York City Rapid Repair Program Seeks Contractors By Janice L. Tuchman Contractors can now register online for New York Citys rapid repairs program that will help homeowners rebuild after Superstorm Sandy. 11/13/12 Showcase Soccer Stadium in Brazilian Capital Goes for Stylish Sustainability By Augusto Diniz, O Empreiteiro magazine Looking to the past and the future, the arenas architects seek to conform with the Brazilian capitals surrounding landmark architecture and also meet standards for sustainability. 11/07/12 Structural Damage Assessors Decide Whether Storm-Damaged Houses Can Be Entered By Nadine M. Post Engineers, using standard forms, rate houses as unsafe, restricted or lawful to occupy based on observations about structural integrity. 10/31/12 49ers Use 'Integrated Bridging Design-Build' To Speed Stadium Construction By Nadine M. Post in Santa Clara Football's 49ers are using a new collaborative delivery model for the team's new home in Santa Clara that is helping them to accelerate the opening of the facility by one year. 10/31/12 At 49ers Stadium, Buckling-Restrained Braces Are a Big Plus By Nadine Post Stadiums buckling-restrained braces beat out concrete shear-wall lateral system. 10/31/12 Cities Stuggle with Sports Villages, But Keep Building By James S. Russell Even in today's corporatized-sports era of millionaire players, billionaire owners and billion-dollar stadiums, sports is deeply embedded in a city's identity. Planners and city boosters inevitably want to harness that emotional connection as an engine of urban development. They have found it is not all that easy to do. 10/19/12 GC Vows Thorough Probe in Miami Garage Fatalities By Scott Judy A section of a $22.5-million parking garage project near Miami collapsed without warning on Oct. 10, killing four construction workers. While refusing to speculate on a possible cause, the projects general contractor vowed to assist OSHA investigators in a thorough, transparent finding of fact. 10/17/12 Engineer's Reliance on Visual Inspection Questioned By Richard Korman The engineer who declared beams structurally sound prior to a collapse may have strayed from recommended cautions when basing his report on visual evidence alone. 10/03/12 Tall-Building Experts: No Easy Path to Truly Sustainable Supertowers By Nadine M. Post in Shanghai Concepts for elevator systems that resemble vertical subways and other ways to green skyscrapers offered at Council on Tall Buildings & Urban Habitat conference in Shanghai. 09/26/12 Contract Drops 2,000-Ft Tower, Sells Scrap Metal To Benefit Green Berets By Luke Abaffy At 2,000-ft, an old communications tower in Elizabethtown, NC becomes tallest structure to be felled by explosives. The operation was done at no cost and proceeds of the scrap metal go to the Green Beret Foundation. 09/25/12 China Grapples With Supertall Building Boom By Nadine M. Post in Shanghai Skyscraper builders in China, which has become the world center of supertall building construction, still have many technical issues to deal with though they have made much progress relating to design and construction practices since the first high-rise was built in the 1980s. 09/12/12 Pact Opens Door to Restart Construction of 9/11 Museum at World Trade Center By Nadine M. Post National September 11 Memorial & Museum and Port Authority of New York & New Jersey release a memo of understanding that outlines the resolution of a dispute over finances and oversight that has delayed the completion of the underground museum. 08/22/12 Two Years to World Cup Kickoff for Brazilian Stadiums By Andrew G. Wright Despite misgivings by Fdration International de Football Association officials earlier this year, Brazil will have all 12 stadiums ready for the 2014 World Cup, claim organizers in the host country. 08/08/12 TELUS Data Center Triggers a Green Cooling Revolution By Nadine M. Post in Danbury, Conn. Data centers are notorious for their energy gluttony. That reputation will begin to change on Aug. 15, when TELUS flips the switch on the world's smartest and most energy-efficient data center. 08/06/12 Quake-Damaged Building Implosion One for the Books By Nadine M. Post Difficult implosion of 14-story building in New Zealand went off like a charm, despite heavy reinforcement in the structure and poor soil conditions. 07/25/12 Amtrak Plans $6.5B Redevelopment of D.C.'s Union Station By Tom Ichniowski Funding is not in place yet for the program, which would include a new train shed, tracks and concourses, but preserve the historic station's architecture. 07/16/12 Developer Gambles on Modular High-Rise for Atlantic Yards Sports Village By Nadine M. Post The developer of Atlantic Yards is pushing a plan to build the worlds tallest modular high-rise. If the 32-story tower is built, it will take modular construction to its highest level of technology. In any event, Forest City Ratner Cos. is going into the modular-building business. 07/16/12 Fancy Footwork To Steady the Course of Brooklyn's Controversial Atlantic Yards Sports Village By Nadine M. Post The developer of Brooklyns highly criticized Atlantic Yards sports villageanchored by a 675,000-sq-ft arena set to open in Septemberis weathering many storms, thanks in large part to a revamped plan with a longer build-out period, a redesigned arena and team-wide collaboration bolstered by the use of virtual design and construction tools. 07/16/12 Reshaping of Barclays Center Arena Made Possible By Collaboration, Digital Tools By Nadine M. Post Under public pressure, developer Bruce Ratner brings in a facade architect, well into design development, to enhance the architecture of its controversial Atlantic Yards Arena. 07/02/12 Arizona Tribe at Odds with U.S. House Over Casino By Scott Blair A bill to prevent construction of a $184-million resort/casino in Arizona passed the House. 05/28/12 King Faisal Hospital Keeps Its Cool By Judith A. Stock One of the top medical institutions in the Middle East is keeping cool with modular air-conditioning equipment. 05/28/12 As Challenges Go, Iraq Stadium Geometry Is Iceberg's Tip By Nadine M. Post The complex geometry of the Al-Menaa stadium in war-torn Iraq is the least of the difficulties encountered by the design-build team. 05/28/12 Secrecy Shrouds Fate of Finished $1-Billion Residential Tower in India By Mridu Khullar Relph A lavishly decked-out, 27-story residence in the heart of South Mumbaibuilt for India's richest man and the ninth wealthiest person in the worldwas constructed with a flaw that is keeping the family of Mukesh Ambani from taking up full-time residence. 04/16/12 Steel Work Completed on Britains Tallest Building By Peter Reina With the last few sections of structural steel recently erected, the U.K.s tallest building, Londons Shard, stands at its 310-meter height. 03/23/12 Algeria Enlists German Designer, Chinese Contractor To Build Huge Mosque By Shem Oiere Three years ago the World bank debarred the contractor for six years by the World Bank for corruption. 03/19/12 Urban Revival in Salt Lake City: Infinite Complexity in Retractable Skylight and Creek Replica By Nadine M. Post High seismic zone complicated the design and construction of the worlds most intricate retractable skylight and a 1,225-ft-long constructed creek. 03/05/12 U.S., U.K., Indian JV Aims for $25 Billion in High-End Development in India By Neelam Mathews Global unit of New York City-based Turner Construction has linked with Indian developer and London-based hedge fund to build "integrated" new communities 03/05/12 Progress Report on Brazil's Stadium Work for the 2014 World Cup By Augusto Diniz/Magazine O Empreiteiro At least six of the 12 arenas under remodeling or new construction are on track to complete construction within the coming year. 03/05/12 Designers Apply Lessons From World's Tallest Tower To Improve Future 'Megatallest' By Nadine M. Post Designers say lessons learned from Burj Khalifa will boost constructibility of planned one-kilometer-plus Kingdom Tower, near Jeddah. 01/30/12 Rio Officials Probe Cause of Fatal Building Collapse By C.J. Schexnayder The 20-story Liberty Building collapsed, crushing a 10-story building as well as a small 4-story building that separated the two larger structures. 01/27/12 Study Claims Correlation Between Supertower Construction and Economic Busts By Peter Reina Global cravings for ever-taller buildings may also be harbingers of economic doom, says study. 01/27/12 Joint Venture Begins Work on Egypt's Grand Museum By Shem Oirere Cairo-based Orascom Construction Industries, in a joint venture with the Belgian BESIX Group, has beat 39 other bidders. 01/09/12 Hyundai Expands North American Footprint With New Headquarters By Elaine Silver Hyundai is driving towards a LEED-certified building with a gold rating. 01/02/12 India's Quake Hazard Called a Catastrophe Waiting to Happen By Mridu Khullar Relph An India vulnerable to earthquakes is still unprepared 01/02/12 India Chips Away at Massive Urbanization Needs By Neelam Matthews India grapples with mass urbanization. 12/08/11 'Megatall' Joins Dictionary of Tall Buildings Council By Nadine M. Post Tall buildings group coins a noun for skyscrapers 600 m or taller: A megatall. And the group projects the 20 tallest towers in 2020. 12/07/11 Korea's Songdo IBD is Model for Sustainable, High-Tech Living By Nadine M. Post in Incheon The $35-billion Songdo International Business District is emerging as a high-tech eco-city. 12/07/11 Lotte, Korea's First Supertower, is an All-in-the-Family Affair By Nadine M. Post in Seoul Following the master-builder model, owner-developer Lotte Group, a family-run conglomerate, is keeping project management, construction management and general contracting under its own roof for its 555-m-tall supertower, under way in Seoul. 11/21/11 Facebook Builds First European Data Center in Sweden By Robert Carlsen Facebook awards $121-million construction contract for a Lulea, Sweden-based data center project to a DPR joint venture. 11/15/11 Challenging Museum in a Ravine Opens on Time By Nadine M. Post The tough-to-build Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art opened to the public on time on Nov. 11. 11/07/11 Offices and Apartments Are Dry-Market Oases By Tom Nicholson But retail still lagging 11/07/11 Offices and Apartments Are Dry-Market Oases By Tom Nicholson But retail still lagging 10/17/11 Eiffel Tower Makeover To Modernize Landmark By Peter Reina Eiffel Tower tourist attraction getting new visitor facilities. 10/10/11 Washington Monument Survey Team Assesses Repairs Needed After Quake Damage By Jim Parsons Forensic team uses rappelling techniques to determine the extent of damage, and repairs needed, on the 555-ft-tall Washington Monument damaged by Aug. 25 earthquake. 10/03/11 Islamic Group in Tennessee Finds Contractor for New Mosque By Candy McCampbell After a rough start, an Islamic group in Tennessee finds a contractor to build a mosque. 08/29/11 Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts Pulls Strings For Kansas City Music-Goers By Tudor Van Hampton in Kansas City The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City creates musically-inspired tension with a giant cable-supported glass atrium. 08/16/11 Architect-Contractor Team Converts Joplin Structures to Schools in Time for Aug. 17 Opening By John Gregerson On Aug. 17, classroom sessions resumed on schedule in Joplin, even as construction crews continued cleaning up from the May 22 tornado. 08/15/11 Martin Luther King Memorial Dream Becomes Reality By Bruce Buckley The decades-long dream to create the Martin Luther King, Jr., National Memorial in Washington, D.C., becomes a reality on Aug. 28. 08/08/11 Saudis Planning To Build World's Tallest Skyscraper By Nadine M. Post If a Middle East prince has his way, Saudi Arabia will someday be home to the world's tallest building. 07/25/11 Dueling Las Vegas Hotel Engineering Reports Cloud Conflict Between Perini and MGM By Tony Illia in Las Vegas The structural soundness of the Harmon Hotel remains a big issue in the battle between the prime contractor and the owner. 07/18/11 Wood-Frame Promoters Suffer Defeat in Oregon but Vow to Regroup By Nadine M. Post A controversial initiative loses momentum that would have required, with some exceptions, wood framing for some publicly funded buildings in Oregon. 07/04/11 $824M Gaylord Hotel and the National Western Stock Show Move Create Friction in Denver By Mark Shaw A resort hotel companys plan to build an $824-million hotel and conference center northeast of Denver has tourism and city officials worried that it could draw convention business away from the mile-high city. 06/15/11 Indonesia Aims To Boost Tourism With $812M Lagoi Bay Resort By Neelam Mathews in New Delhi Work is now under way on Lagoi Bay, a resort community encompassing over 1300 ha on Bintan Island, one of Indonesias largest islands. Valued at approximately $812 million, the project is slated to be finished by 2014. 06/01/11 San Francisco Museum Growing by 225,000 sq ft 05/25/11 Orlando Backs Financing for Performing Arts Center By Debra Wood If tourist tax financing falls short the city will guarantee a $16-million letter of credit. 05/12/11 Earthquakes Rock Spanish City By Peter Reina On May 11, a 5.1 temblor kills eight in Lorca and destroys several buildings. 05/11/11 Tallest Man-Made Structure To Be Imploded Falls in Africa A 1,410-ft-tall signal tower in Liberia, formerly used by the U.S. Coast Guard for ship navigation and the tallest structure in Africa, was imploded on May 10. Mark Loizeaux, president of Controlled Demolition Inc., the project's Phoenix, Md.-based subcontractor, says it is the world's tallest man-made structure to be felled by explosives.

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Heavy equipment has been brought in to assist fire investigators as they work to determine the cause of a fire that destroyed two Yorkville restaurants on Thursday evening.

According to Peter Hamilton, an investigator with the Ontario Fire Marshals office, crews are conducting a systemic delayering of 116 Avenue Rd., the building that housed Sotto Sotto and Spuntinis Ristorante, in order to make it safe for investigation.

Due to the construction techniques used at that period of time, the entire building has slid down inside, Hamilton said during a press conference outside the remains of the restaurants on Saturday afternoon.

Hamilton added that it will be several days before investigators complete their on-site assessment.

While the fire was initially considered suspicious because it broke out while both restaurants were closed and engulfed the entire Avenue Rd. building, Toronto Fire Services platoon chief Colin Reid told reporters Saturday afternoon that there is not enough information to confirm that yet.

We have not ruled anything out and all things are still on the table, Hamilton said, adding that the Fire Marshals office was working with heritage preservation services as the building was a designated heritage property.

Sotto Sotto enjoyed a reputation as a celebrity hangout, with stars such as Oprah Winfrey, Matt Damon, Mary J. Blige, Bill Murray, Elton John and Ewan McGregor all choosing to dine at the Yorkville restaurant.

The blaze caused about $1 million in damages, and firefighters were still putting out hot spots into Friday.

With files from Sadiya Ansari and Nick Westoll

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Fire Marshal's office investigating Yorkville fire

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) Rising office rent prices in downtown Austin has lawmakers again pushing for two new state buildings after Gov. Rick Perry vetoed those construction plans in 2013.

One proposed 360,000-square-foot addition would be the first new office building in the Capitol complex since 2000. The Texas Facilities Commission says construction would cost $174 million but also get nearly one-fourth of the state's existing leases in Austin off the books.

Republican state Sen. Kevin Eltife told the Austin American-Statesman (http://bit.ly/1H1U9Pe ) that the plans make sense given escalating rent prices as the Austin economy flourishes.

Perry had cited waiting for a new master Capitol complex plan due in 2016 when he vetoed the construction two years ago. Supporters are now hoping for better luck under Gov.-elect Greg Abbott, who takes office in January.

___

Information from: Austin American-Statesman, http://www.statesman.com

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New state building plans vetoed by Perry resurface

By Staff Writer Bryan Construction to build new medical building

Bryan Construction won a $3.5 million contract to build the core and shell of a new 34,000-square-foot medical office building in southeastern Colorado Springs.

After tenant finishes, the two-story structure will ultimately house several medical tenants and specialties, including imaging, primary care, lab services, urgent care, physical therapy and orthopedics.

The Broadmoor Commons Medical Office Building will be built on Lake Plaza Drive, off the intersection of Lake Avenue and Venetucci Boulevard. Construction is expected to begin in January with completion in September, said Jennifer Taylor, manager of marketing and business development at Bryan Construction.

Weve successfully completed hundreds of thousands of square feet of medical space, said Doug Woody, executive manager for Bryan Construction. There should be little to no impact on the neighbors or traffic flow.

The contractor built the Harrison School District 2 Administration Building and is remodeling the interior of a medical building for the Kaiser Fountain Health Plan east of Memorial Park. It has finished projects at Fort Carson, Memorial Hospital, Penrad Imaging, Premiere Army Medical Clinic and more.

Marija B. Vader

The Tri-Lakes Health Pavilion in Monument will celebrate a community grand opening from 10 a.m.1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 10, with building tours, health and fitness testing, demonstrations and family activities.

The residents of northern El Paso County may see a different way of health care delivery and fitness through a collaborative network of health, wellness and preventive services.

The new pavilion will integrate advanced, individualized exercise and fitness programs, pediatric medicine, adult primary care, family nutrition, orthopedic medicine, radiology, urgent care, occupational therapy and more, all in one location. The new 50,000-square-foot building, developed by a partnership of The YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region, Centura Health and the Wisconsin-based Boldt Company, is connected to the existing Tri-Lakes YMCA, located at 17230 Jackson Creek Parkway.

Originally posted here:
Health Care Briefs

The former home of the St. Paul Saints soon will be made ready for construction of an office-warehouse building, thanks in part to pollution cleanup grants from the state of Minnesota.

The Dorothy Day Center in downtown St. Paul, a former meatpacking plant in South St. Paul and a long-vacant riverfront manufacturing site in Hastings are all receiving a boost from the same fund, which is geared toward redeveloping polluted properties.

In all, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, or DEED, has issued $6.5 million in remediation funds to 17 projects across the state. The largest grant totals $1.25 million to convert Midway Stadium on Energy Park Drive into a "flex" office building that can accommodate light-industrial manufacturing.

Additional projects include cleaning up the old Hudson Manufacturing site in Hastings, a proposed children's museum in Mankato, residential and office buildings in Minneapolis and Blue Earth County and a senior housing complex in Vadnais Heights. Each grantee must provide matching funds.

DEED's Contamination Cleanup and Investigation Grant Program funds environmental analysis or remediation at future redevelopment sites with the aim of boosting the property tax base and creating or retaining jobs. The program has been around 21 years and accounts for some 75 percent of funds devoted to brownfield and polluted site clean-up statewide.

In St.

Contaminated land in downtown St. Paul that had once hosted a gas station and auto repair business soon will provide housing and supportive services for the homeless. DEED awarded $369,000 for the Catholic Charities' Higher Ground project at the remodeled Dorothy Day shelter facility.

In Hastings, $256,000 will help cover the cleanup costs at the former site of Hudson Manufacturing, an agricultural sprayer. The 3.8-acre site will be turned into apartments, a hotel, restaurant, art space and events center. The city plans to cover matching costs.

Dakota County and the South St. Paul Housing and Redevelopment Authority will use $358,000 in DEED funds to clean up a 5.7-acre site that had been used as a meatpacking and processing site. They'll replace it with an office and warehouse as part of the BridgePoint Building Park.

Another $172,000 will help clean up a former gas station, bowling alley and restaurant in White Bear Lake. The 5-acre site will be redeveloped into a 136-unit senior housing facility called the Waters of White Bear Lake.

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St. Paul's Midway Stadium site lands pollution cleanup grants

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES -The Dec. 8 fire in City West engulfed one of the two buildings in the under-construction Da Vinci apartment complex. While an investigation into the cause of the blaze continues, developer Geoff Palmer isnt the only one dealing with the repercussions of the devastation.

BE THE FIRST TO READ THE LATEST DOWNTOWN NEWS, FOOD AND CULTURE STORIES. CLICK HERE AND SIGN UP FOR OUR DAILY HEADLINES NEWSLETTER.

The fire damaged the nearby building at 221 N. Figueroa St.as well. Although the 16-story city-owned property didnt go up in flames, intense heat blew out windows facing the conflagration and set off sprinklers inside the building.

The result is that a number of tenants in the building, including several city departments, have had to move, even as Angelenos demand that service continues as usual.

It was pretty crippling, said Mike Shull, general manager of the Department of Recreation and Parks, which had 150 employees on four floors of the building.

Other tenants in the building include the law firm Lewis Brisbois, and the citys departments of Animal Services and Aging.

Shull said his employees are now working at several locations, including City Hall and a service yard in Los Feliz. Some are even based at the rangers station in Griffith Park.

The department is gearing up to relocate scores of employees to the Garland Building on Seventh Street in City West, where the city secured a 60-day lease. If the clean-up and repair takes longer, said Shull, they may have to move again.

While that throws a wrench in operations, Shull notes it could have been worse. Although some computers sustained water damage, the servers were protected and copious records had been backed up electronically.

Its still very disruptive, Shull said. Many employees still are not connected; they dont have access to computers. Until were all reconnected, its not a very efficient way to work, but we are making do with what weve got.

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After Fire, Some Businesses Scramble

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES -The Dec. 8 fire in City West engulfed one of the two buildings in the under-construction Da Vinci apartment complex. While an investigation into the cause of the blaze continues, developer Geoff Palmer isnt the only one dealing with the repercussions of the devastation.

BE THE FIRST TO READ THE LATEST DOWNTOWN NEWS, FOOD AND CULTURE STORIES. CLICK HERE AND SIGN UP FOR OUR DAILY HEADLINES NEWSLETTER.

The fire damaged the nearby building at 221 N. Figueroa St.as well. Although the 16-story city-owned property didnt go up in flames, intense heat blew out windows facing the conflagration and set off sprinklers inside the building.

The result is that a number of tenants in the building, including several city departments, have had to move, even as Angelenos demand that service continues as usual.

It was pretty crippling, said Mike Shull, general manager of the Department of Recreation and Parks, which had 150 employees on four floors of the building.

Other tenants in the building include the law firm Lewis Brisbois, and the citys departments of Animal Services and Aging.

Shull said his employees are now working at several locations, including City Hall and a service yard in Los Feliz. Some are even based at the rangers station in Griffith Park.

The department is gearing up to relocate scores of employees to the Garland Building on Seventh Street in City West, where the city secured a 60-day lease. If the clean-up and repair takes longer, said Shull, they may have to move again.

While that throws a wrench in operations, Shull notes it could have been worse. Although some computers sustained water damage, the servers were protected and copious records had been backed up electronically.

Its still very disruptive, Shull said. Many employees still are not connected; they dont have access to computers. Until were all reconnected, its not a very efficient way to work, but we are making do with what weve got.

The rest is here:
After Fire, Same Business Scramble