Architecture Team Puts Uof H Project on Fast Track

A collaboration between Architechnics/3 and PageSoutherlandPage will enable the University of Houston System to move forward with planning and construction for its new academic building in Sugar Land.

Joint Venture Enables Accelerated Process

The University of Houston System at Sugar Land has selected the joint-venture team of Architechnics/3 and PageSoutherlandPage to design its new academic building.

Hiring a joint-venture team instead of a single firm enables planning and construction to move forward on an accelerated schedule without sacrificing quality, said David Irvin, University of Houston System associate vice chancellor for plant operations.

Although both firms will be involved during the entire process, PageSoutherlandPage will update the master plan, programming and design of the building, while Architechnics/3 will take the lead on specifications and construction documentation.
Irvin estimates that the joint-venture approach will get the new building online eight months sooner than could otherwise be expected.

A groundbreaking for the new building is planned for the first quarter of 2007. Classes are scheduled to begin in the new facility by fall 2008.

More than sixty new classrooms of various sizes are projected for the new building, as well as a performance hall/auditorium, computer labs, science laboratories and nursing skills laboratories. The new classrooms will provide seating for approximately 2,500 students. The building will also provide faculty offices, bookstore, weight rooms, student lounge and a food court.

Hunt Announces Launch of New Development Group

Hunt Building Corp. recently announced the formation of Hunt Development Group, a new company within the El Paso-based group. The new company will handle all of Hunt's development activities, focusing on public-private ventures and private real estate acquisition and development. The announcement was made by Woody Hunt, chairman and CEO of Hunt Building Corp.

The new company combines current Hunt Building activities into a single limited partnership. Those activities are public-private ventures and private real estate development in the Southwest and in Hawaii. Hunt's PPV activities focus primarily on the acquisition, development, and construction of privatized military family housing. The private real estate development activities include identifying land investment and development opportunities in Southwestern and Hawaiian markets. To date, the Hunt affiliates that now make-up Hunt Development Group have accounted for approximately $3.5 billion in completed or in-progress projects. Hunt Development Group will have offices in El Paso; Irvine, Calif.; and Honolulu, Hawaii.

Chris Hunt, former executive vice president of real estate development for Hunt Building Co. will serve as the president and CEO of Hunt Development Group.

Hunt also named Gary Sapp, former president of HBC Land, to serve as the president of its Southwest Division, and Steve Colón, former senior vice president of the Hawaii Development Office for Hunt Building Co., was named president of the Hawaii Division. Robin Vaughn, former senior vice president of Hunt Building Co., was promoted to executive vice president and will serve as the development group's division head of Military Housing Privatization.

The new group's Southwestern Division focuses on master-planned communities and mixed-use projects. The Hawaii Division operates multi-family housing rental property, industrial space, and develops master planned communities and condominiums. The public-private venture arm of Hunt Development Group will continue to focus on military housing and other public-private venture opportunities.

Chris Hunt, new president and CEO of Hunt Development Group, said both the private real estate and privatization interests remain core competencies of the Hunt operations.

Shaw to Provide EPC Services and Technology for Port Arthur Facility

The Shaw Group Inc., based in Baton Rouge, La., recently announced that its Shaw Stone & Webster unit was awarded a contract to provide engineering, procurement, construction, technology and pre-commissioning services for a new pyrolysis furnace and associated auxiliary facilities at the BASF FINA Petrochemicals LP Naphtha Steam Cracker in Port Arthur. The project is scheduled for completion in 2008. The contract value was not disclosed.

Under a separate contract, Shaw provided a technology solution to improve performance within the BFLP gasoline fractionator unit. BFLP is a joint venture of BASF Corp. and Total Petrochemicals USA Inc., each worldwide leading petrochemical companies. The Port Arthur facility operates one of the largest steam crackers of its type, turning naphtha and light hydrocarbons into ethylene, propylene and other chemical raw materials.