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DLR Wins First Project for Denver Schools/J.A. Walker Earns National Honor/CH2M Hill to Acquire Veco Corp.
DLR Wins First Project for Denver Schools
DLR Group in Colorado Springs was selected this spring as the winner of the Denver Public Schools’ design competition for the new Green Valley Ranch High School, its first project for the school system. Scheduled to open in August 2009, the new school will be built on 35 acres at Green Valley Ranch Boulevard and Walden Street in northeast Denver.
The firm was chosen from among nine architectural firms in the competition, which was coordinated by DPS, the Foundation for Educational Excellence, Department of Facility Management and Stapleton Foundation. Innovation, sustainability, environmental issues and educational program flexibility were stressed throughout the competition.
The 1,600-student school will feature a multi-use courtyard and larger hallways to minimize crowding between class periods. Classroom wings will be set at an angle to allow views of the west and northwest mountains and the building will face south to north, optimizing daylight capability.
During the competition, DLR staff toured other facilities to get a feel for the design and types of materials, spaces and features to which the community was accustomed.
J.A. Walker Receives U.S. SBA Subcontractor of the Year Award
The U.S. Small Business Administration selected Denver-based J.A. Walker Co. Inc. to receive its 2007 Subcontractor of the Year Award for Region 8.
Walter Jones, national director for community development for Hensel Phelps Construction Co., nominated J.A. Walker Co. for the award.
J.A. Walker Co. was founded by Jim Walker, Sr. in 1976. Since then, the company has been responsible for more than $500 million in construction projects.
A prime contractor that also serves as a subcontractor on select projects, the firm has been involved in many of Colorado’s top projects, including the Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention, the Colorado Convention Center expansion, Wellington E. Webb Municipal Office Building, Blair-Caldwell African-American Research Library and extensive work at Denver International Airport.
URS Acquires Washington Group in Deal Worth an Estimated $2.6B
URS Corp. and Washington Group International Inc. announced in late May they have signed a definitive agreement for the acquisition of Washington Group by URS in a cash and stock transaction valued at approximately $2.6 billion.
The companies’ combined 2006 revenues would have been $7.6 billion, the fourth highest among U.S. publicly traded engineering and construction companies. Based on previously issued guidance, the companies would have combined 2007 revenues of approximately $8.6 billion. In addition, the companies would have had a total backlog exceeding $11 billion, as of March 31, 2007. The combined company will have projects in 50-plus countries and more than 54,000 employees.
Under the terms of the agreement, which has been unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies, Washington Group stockholders will receive $43.80 in cash and 0.772 shares of URS common stock for each Washington Group share.
The combined company will be called URS Corp.
Weitz Wins SEBP Award for RE/MAX HQ
The Weitz Co. of Denver was named 2007 Contractor of the Year this spring by the Southeast Business Partnership.
The company, one of 11 awards recipients, was recognized for construction of the $65-million RE/MAX International headquarters building in the Denver Tech Center. Other winners included:
• The Meadows at Historic Castle Rock by CastleRockDevelopment, named Development of the Year;
• The Southeast Urban Corridor Transportation Steering Committee, which received the Outstanding Contribution to Economic Development—Transportation award;
• The South Metro Water Supply Authority, which received the Outstanding Contribution to Economic Development—Water.
Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper andAurora Mayor Ed Tauer shared the 2007 Eagle Award, given to an individual, company or entity that has made a significant contribution to economic development, not only in SEBP’s service area, but throughout the region and the state.
CH2M Hill Announces Intent to Acquire Veco Corp.
Denver-based CH2M Hill announced in May that it will acquire Anchorage-based Veco Corp. The announcement came a week after two of Veco's top executives resigned after pleading guilty to bribery charges.
CH2M Hill said the two firms have signed a letter of intent for the purchase, which could close in 90 days. The firm would not disclose terms.
Veco Chairman and CEO William Allen and Richard Smith, vice president of community and government affairs, resigned May 10 following their pleas to charges of bribing public officials.
A CH2M Hill spokesman said the firm will be analyzing financial and legal implications of the guilty pleas. But he says, “This is isolated behavior by a handful of people. Veco has a positive heritage of client service.”
Veco ranks 24th on ENR’s most recent list of the Top 500 Design Firms. CH2M Hill ranks fifth.
Fentress Bradburn to Design San Jose Airport Improvements
In design-build collaboration with Greeley’s Hensel Phelps Construction Co., Fentress Bradburn Architects of Denver was selected to design the almost 1.4-million-sq-ft Terminal Area Improvement Program at Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport.
The nearly $400-million project includes new construction of both permanent and temporary terminal facilities, a consolidated rental car facility, roadway improvement projects and surface parking improvements. In addition, the project includes planning and design of the future expansion of Terminal B and a public parking garage.
Upon completion of the first phase of improvements, the airport will have two distinct terminals, a total of 31 gates and a circulatory roadway serving both terminals and parking areas immediately adjacent to the terminals.
Courthouse Renovation Team Wins GSA Environmental Award
The Byron G. Rogers U.S. Courthouse renovation team was presented with a 2007 U.S. General Services Administration’s Environmental Award this spring in Washington, D.C.
The renovation project was led by Bennett Wagner & Grody Architects ofDenver. The RMH Group helped integrate sustainable features throughout the design. The Lakewood engineering firm was also responsible for design of efficient mechanical, electrical and lighting systems, as well as energy-modeling services.
The courthouse, located in the Denver Federal District, was recently certified LEED gold by the U.S. Green Building Council. Opened in 1965, it underwent a major rehabilitation to modernize systems and remake it into a sustainable landmark building.
Stewart Title of Colorado Opens Durango and Cortez Divisions
Stewart Title of Colorado has expanded into the southwest part of the state for the first time with this month’s opening of Stewart Title of Colorado—Durango and Cortez divisions.
Leading the new Durango operation as division president is Christie Banowetz, who moved to the area from Eagle County, where she had helped build a leading office for an independent title agency.
Stewart Title of Colorado now has 35 offices in the state.
Design Firm Unveils New Name and Logo
Denver’s AR7 Hoover Desmond Architects has a new logo and name—AR7 Architects PC—meant to reflect the firm’s view to the future, its leaders say.
Senior Principal Gary Desmond established the Denver-based design firm in 1978 with George Hoover and Karl Berg, who have since left the firm.
The firm’s current projects include the Denver Justice Center Parking Garage and Post Office, a transit-oriented development at the Auraria Campus/RTD West Light Rail Station and the Science and Engineering Complex at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.
Hirschmann Names New Premier Dealer for Colorado and Wyoming
Aztec Machine & Repair inAztec, N.M., was named by Hirschmann Automation and Control (PAT) of Chambersburg, Pa. as its new premier dealer for Colorado, Wyoming and New Mexico.
In addition to being a full-service dealer carrying Hirschmann’s entire line of PAT and Krueger crane operator aids, Aztec will also sell and service Hirschmann’s overload protection and weighing systems for EOT cranes and material-handling applications.
Alliance Construction Awarded DHHA’s Infectious Disease Clinic Remodel
Alliance Construction Solutions was chosen to handle preconstruction services for the Infectious Disease Clinic Remodel at Denver Health, a 12,000-sq-ft renovation and remodeling project.
The Loveland firm will also serve as construction manager/general contractor for the Denver Health project.
Mortenson Reaches 3.5M Hours Without Lost-Time Accident
M. A. Mortenson Co. in Denver achieved a major milestone in the Colorado construction industry this spring: 3.5 million hours worked without a lost-time accident.
Mortenson’s zero-injury program is based upon training, team member empowerment and continuous improvement, says Bob Hansen, head of Mortenson’s Colorado operations.
The contractor is working on Denver’s Ritz-Carlton, the Museum of Contemporary Art, Research Complex II and the new Denison Memorial Library at the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora.
Siemens Honored for Thompson Schools Work
Siemens Building Technologies Inc. was awarded two certificates of achievement from the National Association of Energy Service Cos. for its work with the Thompson School District. The company was recognized for achieving a 10-plus-rating point increase in energy efficiency as measured by the U.S. EPA’s Energy Star benchmarking tool.
According to data gathered by the EPA tool, over the three-year term of the contract, energy and water savings totaled 7,724,630 kw hours of electricity, 334,032 cu ft of natural gas and 79,966 kGal. of water. These savings translate into $557,000 in avoided electricity costs, $267,117 in natural gas costs and $200,746 in treated water costs.
According to Thompson School District, total savings, including operational savings accumulated over the three-year contract, was more than $1.3 million. |
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