R&O Named to Build Element Hotel

Element by Westin Hotel, Las Vegas

Las Vegas-based developer LaPour Partners has appointed R&O Construction as its general contractor for the 123-guest room Element by Westin Hotel. The project recently broke ground in the master-planned community of Summerlin and is located on the northeast corner of I-215 and Town Center Drive. LaPour has partnered with Starwood Resorts Worldwide Inc. to bring this luxury hotel brand to Las Vegas.

Inspired by Westin Hotels, Element will provide a haven for extended-stay travelers with contemporary, multi-purpose rooms with modular furniture; entertainment centers with swiveling flat-screen televisions; large desks with open shelving and custom-designed closets. Fully equipped kitchens and sleek, contemporary bathrooms with an oversized spa shower will be featured along with 800 sq ft of meeting space, an integrated technology center, a state-of-the-art fitness center, daily complimentary breakfasts in the cafe and personalized concierge service. Designed by New York-based Costas Kondylis & Partners, the architect of record will be Calif.-based Perkowitz+Ruth Architects. Completion of the project is slated for third quarter 2008.

PENTA Selected for Reno/Sparks Hotel Renovation

PENTA Building Group has been selected to complete a 600-room renovation of the east tower of John Ascuaga's Nugget, located in Sparks, Nev. The $12 million project is expected to be complete this spring.

Efforts in the 29-floor tower will include gutting rooms entirely and replacing carpeting and wall coverings. PENTA crews will turnover the renovations two floors at a time to ensure business is interrupted as little as possible.

When completed, the newly refurbished rooms will showcase darker furniture and a traditional decoration theme. They will boast such perks as high-speed Internet, marble countertops and 42-in. flat-screen televisions.

Solterra Group Nets Key Approval for Downtown Vegas Residences

The Solterra Group of Cos., a Vancouver, B.C.-based developer, has been approved by the Las Vegas City Council to build two residential projects in downtown Las Vegas. The loft residence is slated to be a 14-story, mixed-use development with 130 condominium units and commercial space, at the northeast corner of 1st Street and Hoover Avenue. The second project, the tower residence, is planned to be a twin 50-story, mixed-use development with 350 condominium units per tower including commercial space, at the southeast corner of 1st Street and Gass Avenue. The City of Las Vegas Planning Commission approved these projects during two separate meetings. The Las Vegas City Council approved entitlements for building as well.

"We're pleased that this stage has been completed and we will now focus on finalizing architectural plans for the projects," says Michael Bosa, Solterra's vice president of acquisitions and development.

Henderson Gains Adult Day Care and Hospice Facility

Nathan Adelson Hospice, Clark County and the City of Henderson broke ground on Henderson's first-and-only hospice facility and adult day care. As Nevada is ranked number one in the nation for elderly population growth, this facility will fill a vital need for Southern Nevadans in need of care.

Henderson and Boulder City currently do not have an in-patient hospice facility. Many terminally ill people are forced onto waiting lists each week in the valley and this project will satisfy that need by raising capacity from 54 to 70 beds.

Through the combined efforts of the Nevada Congressional Delegation, Clark County Commission, City of Henderson and local community leaders about $3.5 million has been raised to begin construction. The largest contribution, $1.84 million, came by way of Clark County.

SH Architecture designed the plan for a 28,000-sq-ft, 16-bed inpatient hospice facility that will also house space for a team of homecare nurses. On the same campus will be a 9,000-sq-ft adult day care facility for people with cognitive and physical limitations. The total project is an 11-acre campus at the corner of Nevada State Drive and Compassion Drive with land donated by the city of Henderson.

CORE Completes Renovation of Western High School

CORE Construction-Nevada has completed the third and final phase of Western High School's renovation. The Clark County School District contracted CORE to complete the multiphase reconstruction of the school at 4601 W. Bonanza Rd. Phase III included the demolition of old classroom buildings, which occurred over the 2006 holiday break, and construction of an 80,000-sq-ft, two-story classroom building. Phase II consisted of the construction of a new 120,000-sq-ft, three-story classroom and administrative office building. CORE also replaced portions of the central heating and cooling plant for the entire campus.

Construction of the $44 million project began in December 2005. Tate Snyder Kimsey Architects is the architect of record.

Currently, CORE is in the process of building Thomas J. O'Roarke and Tom Williams Elementary Schools and an as-yet-unnamed high school at Carey Avenue and Los Feliz Street.

ProCaps Laboratories Completes Solar Install

ProCaps Laboratories Inc. headquarters and manufacturing plant in Henderson has finished the construction of a solar electric generating system on the rooftop of their parking carport. TWC Construction Inc. is the design-build contractor for the project. Schott Solar Inc., DT Solar and Interior Electric Inc. manufactured and completed the system design and integration.

The project began in October of 2007 and power was commenced and generated in December.

This is one of the largest solar carports in the U.S., covering a site of just under two acres. The system will utilize PV Solar Panels, and builds on the success of the client's initial rooftop solar installation in 2004, which has provided uninterrupted service for over three years.

The system consists of two 35,340-sq-ft structures, each supporting five photovoltaic arrays tilted due south at a 16-degree angle. Each structure of five flat-paneled arrays includes a total of 2,240 modules installed on 71,000 sq ft of a steel girder and truss structure. The system is rated at 700kW DC and generates power which is routed through inverters to produce utility grade AC power.

The system is expected to produce in excess of 1,071 megawatt-hours of power each year, enough to meet the annual electric needs of 82 average-sized homes. It should provide 50% of the power required to operate the manufacturing facility.

Much of the power generated occurs during the peak energy demand period, thus maximizing energy cost savings and saves over 108,800 barrels of crude oil over its 25-year lifecycle. The project also saves over 51 million gallons of water which would be needed to produce conventionally-generated electrical power.

Perini Announces Agreement with Deutsche Bank

Perini Building Co. has in place an interim commitment with Deutsche Bank wherein Deutsche Bank will continue to pay Perini for performing the construction work on the Cosmopolitan Resort and Casino project in Las Vegas on a monthly basis while the issues of loan default with the developer are being resolved. As a result, the company's work at the Cosmopolitan will continue unaffected by the default notice, according to a press release issued by the Phoenix-based contractor.

To submit New Mexico, Arizona or Nevada news items or press releases, email Scott Blair, editor, at scott_blair@mcgraw-hill.com.