Durango Schools Renovated/El Paso County Jail Expanded/New School Planned for Vail Valley

Renovation projects on two rural elementary schools in Durango School District 9-R - Sunnyside and Fort Lewis Mesa - were completed earlier this year at a total cost of $9 million.

Durango District Debuts Revamped Campuses

Two elementary school campuses in Durango School District 9-R - Sunnyside and Fort Lewis Mesa - were recently remodeled and expanded as part of an $86 million bond issue. The projects, which cost $9 million, were designed by Lantz-Boggio Architects in Englewood.

The expansion of each school increased the student capacity to 250, improved the public libraries in each school and updated rooms with larger windows, better ventilation and better access to technology. Additionally, more room was added to existing classes, allowing teachers to expand curriculum offerings.

Montrose Memorial Celebrates New Wing

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on March 4 for the new wing of Montrose Memorial Hospital, the phase 1 completion of an $18.5 million expansion project.

The hospital opened its doors to a new emergency department and food service area and unveiled its new rooftop helicopter-landing pad.

The next two phases of the 91,000-sq-ft, design-build expansion include an intensive care unit and cardiology services on the second floor and private medical and patient rooms on the third floor. The fourth floor will be left available for future expansion.

The architect is H+L Architecture; G.E. Johnson Construction Co. is the general contractor. The owner is Montrose Memorial Hospital.

Nunn Construction Lands Breckenridge Police Facility

Nunn Construction Inc. of Colorado Springs has been awarded the $3.5 million contract for the new police facility in Breckenridge.

Construction on the 12,900-sq-ft building will start start in June and finish by May 2006.

The architect is Gifford Spurck Associates. Dave Singleton is Nunn's project manager and Jerry Cannon is the job superintendent.

El Paso County Jail Expansion Completed

The El Paso County Jail Expansion - a 125,255-sq-ft project that gives the jail an additional capacity of 864 beds to accommodate a growing inmate population - was completed in March.

J.E. Dunn Construction is the contractor for the two-year, $30.4 million project, which began with the four-month construction of a 12,000-sq-ft building that served as a temporary housing unit for 200 inmates.

The project also included the remodel of administration, intake, medical, kitchen, laundry, exercise, maintenance, storage area and existing housing units while the existing facility remained fully operational and secure.

The expansion was designed by CSNA Architects/Reilly Johnson Architecture.

Swinerton to Build New Fort Carson Barracks

Swinerton Builders has been selected through a best-value proposal process to build a $12.8 million Barracks Complex and Company Operations Facility at Fort Carson Army Base in Colorado Springs

The project includes construction of a 43,900-sq-ft, two-story unaccompanied enlisted personnel barracks building, a 5,550-sq-ft, single-story company operations building, a multipurpose athletic court, vehicular drives and parking, landscaping and all utilities to support the buildings.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers utilizes a program called Sustainable Project Rating Tool - or SPiRiT - based on the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED Green Building Reference Guide 2.0. The Corps expects to achieve a Gold SPiRiT rating on the project.

Vail Valley to Get New $11 Million High School

Vail Christian Schools has selected Braaksma-Himmelman Inc. as the construction manager and general contractor for its new $11 million Vail Christian High School Education Campus in Edwards.

Ground was broken this spring on the project, targeted for completion by summer 2006.

The new campus will consist of two buildings totally 62,000 sq ft and include an academic building with an enhanced science lab. Gas fireplaces will warm the student commons and provide a focal point for the library while classrooms will feature natural light from huge windows facing the Eagle River.

The arts and athletics building will have a 450-seat auditorium and indoor/outdoor stage. The gymnasium will be complemented by weight rooms and locker rooms as well as coaches' offices.

The design was by Denver's Davis Partnership Architects.

R&O Construction Building New Home Depot Prototype

The newest Home Depot prototype, featuring a drive-through delivery system, is under construction by R&O Construction at 1614 S. Main St. in Sterling.

R&O began the project by performing extensive work on the infrastructure. Many of the utilities had to be relocated on the 16.5-acre site and considerable work was done on the adjacent road.

Winter conditions also made meeting the requirements for soil texture a challenge, but that process has now been completed and the concrete tilt-up and steel construction project is on schedule to open during the first half of July.

Construction Completed on New Oil Can Henry's in Longmont

Drahota Inc. has completed construction of Oil Can Henry's, which opened for business in late March in Longmont.

Designed by Lundin Cole Architects of Portland, Ore., the $600,000, 2,000-sq-ft lube and oil service facility offers a unique drive-through service to customers, along with an attractive, clean building design.

The Drahota team involved with the project included Mike Backlund, project manager; Bo Miller, superintendent; and Sue Parks, project coordinator. Local subcontractors included Sunrise Concrete, Metal Solutions, Allen Plumbing, Air Comfort and EMF Electrical Corp.

DU's Lacrosse Stadium Tops Out

The University of Denver's Peter Barton Stadium was topped out in early March.

The ceremony was highlighted by the "capping" of the 28-by-36-by-75-ft high stone-clad tower, which overlooks the field and provides small conference and club room space.

The new lacrosse and soccer complex is located on the west side of the Ritchie Center at the south side of the current lacrosse field. In addition to the new field, the complex includes a 350-ft-long grandstand with 12 tiers of bleachers, a press box, locker rooms, concessions and public restrooms. The new facilities will augment what is considered to be one of the premier artificial fields for lacrosse competition along the Front Range.

Lakewood's Pinkard Construction Co. is the general contractor. TSP of Denver is the architect. The project is scheduled for completion this month.

Drahota Begins Estes Park Church

Drahota Inc. is building the first phase of the Rocky Mountain E-Free Church in Estes Park, a 15,000-sq-ft facility designed to provide the congregation with a permanent home.

The $1.5 million project is expected to finish in July.

Initial challenges for Drahota have included blasting approximately 35,000 yds of granite prior to excavation. The building features a structural steel skeleton with wood frame walls, floors and roof.

Drahota's team includes Mike Backlund, project manager; Mike Collentine, superintendent; and Sue Parks, project coordinator. The architect is Steve Lane of BASIS Architecture PC in Estes Park.

Historic Logan County Courthouse Restored

White Construction Group has completed phase one of the historic restoration of the Logan County Courthouse, originally dedicated on March 5, 1910.

The project - valued at $626,000 - included the restoration of all wood windows in the building, lead-based paint abatement conducted by trained and certified employees, interior remodeling to create new office spaces, the addition of an elevator, remodeling and code compliance of a disabled persons ramp, the addition of interior stairs for egress and damp-proofing of a portion of the foundation.

Project partners were Logan County and the architect, A.E. Design Associates P.C.

BonaKemi Makes Capital Improvements to Pueblo Plant

BonaKemi USA recently completed $1.7 million in capital improvements to its Pueblo plant.

Phase I, which included the installation of new process equipment, piping, upgrading and expansion of bulk storage capabilities and additional holding tanks, will increase capacity for BonaKemi's Woodline and DriFast product lines.

Phase 2, which began in the first quarter of this year, includes installing a new packaging line and further process optimization.

Two Showcase Buildings Planned for Denver West

Aardex Corp. recently purchased a seven-acre parcel in Denver West, where it will build two office buildings totaling 150,000 sq ft - the first new construction in nearly two decades for the commercial park.

Located at the corner of Denver West Parkway and Marriott Boulevard, Aardex's corporate headquarters will occupy a portion of one building.

Centerre Begins Renovating Historic Denver Building

Centerre Construction Inc has begun the renovation and makeover of the Baur Building at 15th and Curtis in Denver, a downtown landmark built in the early 1890s.

Designed by ArchitectureDenver, the exterior of the building will be restored to its early 20th century façade and the interior of the 27,000-sq-ft building will be transformed into large, full-floor loft spaces for retail, restaurant and office use.

The first floor will be used for a new full-service restaurant while the upper floors will be leased as office space.

The turn-of-the-century building will feature 21st Century technology in its office space by utilizing underfloor air distribution of the HVAC.

Foley's, SuperTarget Join NorthField Roster

A 140,000-sq-ft Foley's and an 180,000-sq-ft Super Target will join Bass Pro Shops' Outdoor World and an 18-screen, 87,000-sq-ft, state-of-the-art Harkins Theatre megaplex to anchor NorthField at Stapleton.

Phase I of the 1.2-million-sq-ft regional retail center, including Outdoor World and Super Target, is scheduled to open in late 2005. Foley's and the Harkins Theatres will be part of Phase II, scheduled to open in 2006.

Construction of Foley's two-level store will begin in the fall.

Forest City West is also developing Saddle Rock Village in Aurora, opening its first phase this year, and The Orchard at Westminster.

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