Kohl's Comes to Town

Midwest retailing giant Kohl's Department Stores made a big splash in Arizona in the fall by opening 13 stores across the state on the same day.

And it's not done yet. The company, which is based in Menomonee Falls, Wis., has ambitious plans to add more stores in Arizona and expand to Nevada.

In the wake of the same-day openings in October, crews from Howard S. Wright Construction Co. of Phoenix are putting the finishing touches on a new, 88,000-sq.-ft. Kohl's in the suburban Phoenix city of Surprise. The $7.5 million store, which will open in this spring, will serve the growing west side as well as Sun City.

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As with many mass-production construction projects, the Kohl's stores in Arizona are basically built the same way. Sitting on slab-on-grade foundations and utilizing concrete tilt walls, the stores have some variations for local building codes and local aesthetics.

"It's a pretty straightforward job," said Steve Autio, a superintendent with Howard S. Wright Construction Co. "There are always a few minor changes here and there, but they have the design of these stores down pat."

Construction of the project in Surprise fulfills a variety of Kohl's requirements, which call for a uniform, economical design that is readily identifiable and easily maintained.

In the Southwest, the company has favored the concrete tilt design, while stores in the Midwest are frequently constructed of load-bearing concrete masonry units. The tilt-up panels >> can be erected quicker, while in the Midwest, concrete work must typically be done in the summer. The building footprints are all essentially the same, although the front façade of the store changes from market to market.

"The stores are more of an economical design," said structural engineer Matt Butler of Cedarburg, Wis.-based Ambrose Engineering. "Some of the differences in architectural design led to some challenges with the different kinds of structure on the roof and the different architectural elements that had to be supported."

The company's mechanical systems are similar throughout Arizona, although they differ from the chain's other stores in colder areas. The uniformity once again saves time and money on maintenance.

Air Solutions USA of Phoenix supplied and installed the units for the Surprise store.
"They always go with rooftop units and they use the same manufacturer," said Robert Harrison, project manager for mechanical engineers Larson Binkley Inc. of Leawood, Kan. "It's a matter of economy. You can have one company maintain the units, because it's the same kind of unit. Simplicity makes it easier to maintain."

Crews from Mesa's Able Steel erected 57 tons of red iron on the project, while plumbing contactor Mackey Plumbing of Phoenix installed the store's plumbing and storm drains for the parking lot.