Growing Number of New Projects Seeking LEED

From corporate headquarters and mixed-use projects to college campuses and industrial, green-building practices thrive.

Corgan Creates LEED Office Building for New Headquarters

Dallas-based architects Corgan Associates Inc. was awarded LEED Silver certification by the U.S. Green Building Council for its new headquarters in the Dallas’ Central Business District.

Corgan Associates new headquarters in Dallas is the first private office building to achieve LEED certification. Turner Construction was the building’s general contractor.

Corgan’s headquarters is the first newly constructed, privately owned office building in Dallas to achieve LEED certification.

The new LEED-certified headquarters has become an educational space for Corgan’s clients, illustrating aspects of sustainable design as it applies to LEED certification. Clients are able to tour the space, ask questions and gain knowledge from Corgan’s experience with the process.

A variety of renewable and recycled building materials were incorporated into the project. Locally manufactured materials were selected, when possible, to support the regional economy and reduce the environmental impact of transportation. To further facilitate waste reduction, Corgan coordinated building construction with the storage and collection of recyclables.

Duke Realty Builds New Caterpillar Facility in Waco

Caterpillar Inc., an international manufacturer of construction and mining equipment and industrial diesel and gas turbine engines, chose Dallas-based Duke Realty Corp.’s construction team to develop its new 750,000-sq-ft industrial parts distribution center in Waco. The facility will be built on a 77-acre site owned by Caterpillar.

Duke will incorporate sustainable elements into the construction of the building so that LEED certification can be obtained. GSR Andrade of Dallas is the architect. Construction began recently and is expected to be completed in early 2009.

Advance Micro Devices Opens New Austin Campus

Advanced Micro Devices opened its new Lone Star Campus in southwest Austin to consolidate its workforce in a new 870,000-sq-ft, 58-acre Austin campus.

AMD’s new Austin campus was designed to fit the specific needs of its employees >> and the local environment. To create the innovative site development plan, AMD wanted to limit site impact, protect water quality and use innovative sustainable design.

The project includes native landscaping, a rainwater harvesting system and sustainable materials.

Dallas County Community College Starts Richland College Project

St. Louis-based Kwame Building Group teamed with Dallas-based DMJM to serve as construction manager and owner representative for the $45 million Richland College construction and renovation project in Richardson. The project is part of the Dallas County Community College District Bond Program and is scheduled to be complete by late February 2010.

The 205,000-sq-ft project includes a new two-story science building, expansion of a one-story central utilities building, parking additions and adaptive remodel of existing buildings. The college will pursue LEED Platinum certification on the science building.

Deloitte Plans $300 Million Facility in Hillwood’s Circle T Ranch

Deloitte LLP, with worldwide office including several in the DFW area, plans to build a $300 million learning and leadership development center located in the Hillwood Development Circle T Ranch in the Dallas suburb of Westlake. Architecture and construction firm selection were still in negotiations at press time.

Construction on the new facility will begin in 2009, and the center is expected to open in 2011. The facility will serve as a central destination for Deloitte. The 750,000-sq-ft campus will have 800 guest rooms.

The facility will feature multiple conference spaces and classrooms that will host thought leadership events by Deloitte Research and Deloitte Industry Centers among other events.

In addition, the campus will include dining venues, a ballroom, a business center, recreational facilities and a fitness center. Construction will follow LEED standards.

Construction Starts on Downtown Garland Mixed-Use Project

Dallas-based High Street Residential, a subsidiary of Trammell Crow Co., and San Antonio-based USAA Real Estate Co., broke ground recently on 5th Street Crossing at Garland Station, a mixed-use transit-oriented development project adjacent to 5th Street and 6th Street in Garland’s downtown.

Featuring 189 residential units, ground floor retail and a 400-stall parking garage, the development includes a pool, internal courtyards, a fitness center and retail services, all within walking distance. Pedestrian oriented streets, sidewalks and infrastructure to create an urban village will also be added.

Dallas-based James, Harwick + Partners Inc. is the architect and ICI Construction of Dallas is the general contractor.

$1 Billion, 99-Acre Mixed-Use Project Breaks Ground in Addison

Denver-based UDR Inc. broke ground on $1 billion 99-acre multifamily, retail and commercial development Vitruvian Park in Addison. The development is approximately 1 mi north of I-635/LBJ Freeway. It is the largest development ever undertaken by UDR. The project is Addison’s first major sustainable green initiative.

The first phase is currently designed to feature 667 multifamily housing units and a 12-acre public park. Leasing is projected to begin by the end of 2009 with availability for occupancy expected at the beginning of 2010. All phases are expected to be completed in 2017.

UDR will recycle much of the waste from the demolition, and utilize recycled materials in Vitruvian Park’s construction. The company expects to pursue LEED certification for the project.

Mixed-Use Student Housing Breaks Ground in College Station

Houston-based Meeks + Partners broke ground on The Lofts at Wolf Pen Creek, which will be 8.6-acre mixed-use student housing development in College Station.

Developed by Asset Plus, the upscale 679-bed student housing community features major components of a pedestrian-oriented development. The four-story stucco and brick structure offers a mix of 253 stacked flats and 11 townhouses arranged around landscaped courtyards, adjacent to a seven-level structured parking garage, and above the retail and community center.

The Lofts at Wolf Pen Creek features grade-level 9,000 sq ft of retail space, a dedicated Texas A&M metro shuttle stop and three private courtyards.

Ascension Working on Winkler County Hospital

Arlington-based Ascension Group Architects along with Dallas-based general contractor Ray F. Skiles Co. Inc. completed the first phase of a $13.1 million project to replace Winkler County Memorial Hospital in Kermit.

The new hospital has 10 patient rooms, including nine semi-private rooms and an isolation room. There is a new emergency department, which will include multiple private exam rooms, two trauma rooms and triage. When completed in December, the new hospital will have 34,000 sq ft, including 27,400 sq ft of new space.

The second phase began recently and will include building space for physical therapy, administrative offices, medical records, material management and dietary services.

Ascension was also awarded a contract to design the expansion and renovation at Lake Granbury Medical Center. The project is estimated to be more than $15 million. It started in late July and is expected to take about 12 months tp complete.

Plans call for the Granbury medical center to build a third floor on the two-story hospital, adding 24 private rooms. There will be an additional operating room, new cardiac services, outpatient surgery renovations and an expansion of surgical support areas. The new front entrance will be updated with a covered drop-off area. The parking lot will be redesigned, including resurfacing, landscaping and signage.

Callahan & Freeman Designs Distribution Center for GM Car Accessories

Fort Worth-based Callahan & Freeman Architects will design a Frank Kent Motor Co. facility for regional distribution of vehicle accessories for General Motors dealers.

Named the Southwest ADI (Accessories Distributor Installer), the plant will be part of the new Twin Creeks Crossing, a planned combination of car dealerships, restaurants and retail shopping outlets. The plant will be a 60,000-sq-ft structure containing office and meeting space, a vehicle parts warehouse, installation bays and loading docks.

The project is scheduled for completion early 2009.

Callahan & Freeman is designing phase one of the project. The 45-acre development will be located in west Fort Worth across from other Frank Kent dealerships.

Mission City Hall Annex/Chamber of Commerce Construction Starts

Austin-based architecture and land development services firm TAG International LLP was awarded the design contract for the $1.1 Mission City Hall Annex and Chamber of Commerce project. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of the year. The contractor is 5 Star Construction of Mission.

The new multi-purpose facility will be adjacent to the city-owned outdoor Mercado and connected by a new landscaped plaza with a versatile indoor/outdoor venue for hosting festivals and social events.

Building Starts on Three-Story Medical Office Space in Houston

OakBend Medical Center selected Cadence McShane Corp.’s Healthcare Division as the developer of two new medical office facilities. The firm was selected to develop an off-campus and an on-campus medical office facility that will offer ownership opportunities to private physicians and medical practitioners leasing space within the facilities.

The off-campus three-story, 60,000-sq-ft Grand Parkway Medical Office Center will be the first of the two properties developed. The facility will be located on a five-acre parcel in Houston, approximately 7.5 mi from the OakBend Medical Center. The facility will offer medical suites from 1,200 sq ft and will also feature an ambulatory surgery center.

Completion and tenant occupancy is expected fourth quarter 2009.

The Houston office of Cadence McShane Corp. will provide the comprehensive design/build services for the project. Denver-based Marasco & Associates Inc. will provide the conceptual design and overall space planning. Seeberger + Associates LP of Houston has been chosen as the architect of record.

McNay Art Museum Reopened After $33 Million Expansion

San Antonio’s McNay Art Museum recently reopened after a 45,000-sq-ft expansion.

The McNay Art Museum in San Antonio reopened after doubling in size with a 45,000-sq-ft expansion, the Jane and Arthur Stieren Center for Exhibitions. Among the additions is an outdoor sculpture garden. The $33.1 million Stieren Center re-opened over the summer.

Jean-Paul Viguier, a French architect who has designed several modern-day Paris landmarks, served as the museum’s lead architect. San Antonio-based TBG landscape architecture and planning firm was responsible for designing the new outdoor sculpture gardens and other exterior features.

The Paratus Group of New York directed the building project on behalf of the McNay and San Antonio-based Ford Powell & Carson Inc., a multi-disciplinary design firm, served as the executive architect for the Stieren Center. Pape-Dawson Engineers of San Antonio served as the consulting engineers. Whiting-Turner Contracting Co. served as the general contractor for the renovation project.

Hardy McCullah/MLM Architects Design Granbury Mixed-Use Project

Dallas-based Hardy McCullah/MLM Architects Inc. completed the design approval stage and started the bidding for phase one of construction for the 432-acre mixed-used Commerce Centre project in Granbury.

Developer Jerry Durant hired Hardy McCullah/MLM Architects to design the mixed-use office park project fronting Loop 567 in Granbury. The development was approved by the city to allow speculative and build-to-suit for retail, office, office flex, light industrial and rail-served industrial buildings. Phase one is in the bid stage and contains 104 acres that will support 1,364,000 sq ft of retail, office, office flex and light industrial uses.

The new Granbury Commerce Centre project is expected to begin construction >> this fall. Subsequent phases will begin in 2009. Development services for the project will be provided by Rob Riner Cos. of Fort Worth.

Retail and Office Space in the Works at The Rim in San Antonio

Atlanta-based Wakefield Beasley & Associates Architects Inc. began design work on two new buildings that will total 260,000 sq ft of space at The Rim, an 800-acre, 1.6-million-sq-ft mixed-use development. Thomas Enterprises is developing the project on La Cantera in San Antonio.

Buildings 200 and 300 will include boutique retail and restaurant facilities with second-floor offices. Common office areas will feature green-design elements, including energy-efficient lighting fixtures and sustainable material finishes.

Developers are currently permitting two more Wakefield Beasley designed buildings at The Rim. Buildings 600 and 800 will total 90,000 sq ft of boutique retail and restaurant facilities.

Three major retailers have opened in Wakefield Beasley-designed retail facilities at The Rim.

Tellepsen Awarded $24 Million in Liturgical Contracts

Houston-based Tellepsen construction company was awarded $24 million in liturgical construction projects recently, including the Sacred Heart Catholic Church and the Christ the King Presbyterian Church, planned to break ground in the first quarter of 2009.

The projects will add more than 100,000 sq ft of administrative offices, educational and food-service facilities along with expanded parking and expanded spaces of worship.

735,000-SF Speculative Distribution Center Under Way in Pasadena

Chicago-based First Industrial Realty Trust began construction of the second phase of its 735,000-sq-ft InterPort Distribution Center in Pasadena. The architect is Powers Brown of Houston. The general contractor is Houston-based Cadence McShane.

With accessibility to SH 146, the speculative distribution center, located between the Barbours Cut Container Terminal and the >> new Bayport Container Terminal, is designed to reduce delivery times.

Structura Inc. Completes Mellow Johnny’s Austin Shop

Austin-based contracting firm Structura Inc. completed construction over the summer on the 18,000-sq-ft retail bike shop, Mellow Johnny’s, in Austin.

Working with a building filled with antique windows, exposed rafters, brick walls and original building materials, Structura worked alongside Michael Hsu, principal designer for the store, to maintain the original integrity of the site.

Burt-Watts Creates New Store for Goodwill in North Austin

Austin-based commercial general contracting firm Burt-Watts Industries Inc. provided general contracting and construction management services for the finish-out of Goodwill Industries of Central Texas’ new 19,000-sq-ft retail store in north Austin.

Working with GICT’s design specifications, Burt-Watts created a contemporary retail environment that incorporates design elements and defined and organized areas for merchandise. To date, Burt-Watts has renovated, expanded and built 11 stores in the region in collaboration with Goodwill.

Tarrant County College Purchases Fort Worth Tower, Plans Retrofit

The Tarrant County College District purchased the downtown Fort Worth RadioShack complex from German real estate company KanAm Grund. Purchase price for the property and buildings is $238 million and was paid in cash.

The buildings and property will be used by TCC for a new Fort Worth downtown campus. An $80 million renovation will begin this year and classes are planned to start in September 2009.

TCC plans to add heating, air conditioning and ventilation to generate more air flow, retro-fit existing space for laboratories and increase the number of restroom facilities in certain areas in addition to other minor changes.