Terminal 3’s Steel Set to Begin in March

SME Steel has been awarded a $110 million construction contract to fabricate and erect the steel for Terminal 3 at McCarran International Airport, a $1.2 billion overall project being constructed by Perini Building Co.

The project, which began in August, includes a new terminal building with an elevated roadway structure fronting the facility, over roadway pedestrian bridges, underground automated transit system infrastructure and an aircraft ramp.

The 1.9 million sq ft steel-framed terminal will have approximately 21,000 tons of steel which includes a basement, three stories and roof-level penthouses.The steel portion of the project is slated to begin in March with a projected completion date of November 2009.

Construction Begins on Luxury Apartments in Sparks

Fore Property Co. (FORE) has begun construction on a 300-unit luxury apartment community in Sparks. Located in the Spanish Springs area, FORE's newest luxury apartments will be built on a 20-acre parcel on Rolling Meadows Drive in the Pioneer Meadows master-planned community. In addition to its close proximity to major retail, a variety of restaurants and local parks, the community is also located close to The Resort at Red Hawk.

The two-story garden style buildings, designed by Biltform Architecture Group, will consist of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartment homes and two-bedroom lofts. Residences will range in size from 825 to 1,331 sq ft and will offer upscale interior features.

This project will be part of FORE's new brand line, 4 communities, offering young professionals a modern, urban design in an open, social and eco-conscious environment with hospitality focused services. When completed, the community will showcase a state-of-the-art clubhouse, coffee bar, custom media room, health club, 24-hour fitness center and a resort-style pool and spa with a large sun deck. The first units will be available for occupancy in June 2009.

Solar Power Plant Takes Advantage of Location

A new solar energy project is being built by Tempe-based First Solar Inc. for Sempra Generation. Located near Boulder City, Nev., the new photovoltaic power plant will generate 10mW of power. First Solar will design, engineer and construct the turnkey power plant and will provide monitoring and maintenance services for the plant over its lifetime. Sempra Generation will be the developer for the project, and will own and operate the plant once completed.

Construction began in July, and is expected to be completed by the end of 2008. The solar modules to be deployed in this ground-mount project will be produced at First Solar's manufacturing facility in Perrysburg, Ohio.

The plant will be adjacent to Sempra Generation's existing El Dorado combined cycle natural gas plant. This co-location will have less of an environmental impact and will take less time to construct by taking advantage of the existing infrastructure and transmission facilities.

Construction Begins on South Meadows Middle School

United Construction Co. has begun work on South Meadows Middle School for the Washoe County School District. Located at 9300 Wilbur May Parkway in Reno, the $37 million project is the company's eighth project for the district and will serve as the prototype for future middle schools in the county.

Construction of the building, totaling 224,860 sq ft, is scheduled for completion June 2009. The project includes the construction of a geothermal heat transfer system, stacked bond, interior and exterior CMU walls and two-story classroom wings. The architect on the project is Sheehan Van Woert Bigotti.

Clark & Sullivan Completes Several Projects

Clark & Sullivan Construction recently completed the Library Classroom Addition, a 15-month project, for the College of Southern Nevada at the Charleston Campus. This 78,110-sq-ft building sits on six acres and includes a new library with classrooms and a lecture hall. Its features include stonework, a large open space for the library and natural lighting at the north end of the building.

Clark & Sullivan worked together with DCC Architects to meet the short construction timeframe using the construction manager-at-risk method to deliver this project to the State Public Works Board. DCC Architects' design included vertical placement of the stonework, a large span of glass at the north end of the structure and large stone features at the exterior south end.

Clark & Sullivan also completed three design-build, fast track projects for the Department of Corrections totaling $28 million. The three projects, designed by Arrington Watkins Architects, included Emergency Housing at Northern >> Nevada Correctional Center in Carson City, Southern Desert Correctional Center in Indian Springs and Florence McClure Women's Correctional Center in North Las Vegas. The construction phase of each project was completed within seven months, on schedule and within budget, providing 960 additional beds to accommodate the overcrowding prison system.

Finally, Clark & Sullivan completed the 54,765-sq-ft Reno Ballroom, a multi-use events center in downtown Reno which includes meeting rooms, banquet space, ballrooms and a full kitchen. The ballroom also provides overflow space for three casinos in the downtown area. The $19 million project for the City of Reno included the demolition on the existing structure and the construction of the new ballroom from the ground up. With the construction of the project in the downtown area, the team worked in tight facilities with a very limited schedule.

Salvation Army Hope Chapel Goes Green

JVC Architects and Breslin Builders completed the Salvation Army Hope Chapel on the Lied Campus in North Las Vegas.

Salvation Army Hope Chapel, Lie Campus, North Las Vegas

The 5,000-sq-ft chapel features a simple contemporary design consisting of a bell wall, sanctuary, small prayer room and support facilities and demolition of an existing chapel. The main challenge JVC Architects faced in designing the chapel was creating harmony between the chapel and its surrounding environment. To achieve this, the firm incorporated exterior courtyards in the design.

The chapel includes several sustainable design principles that will decrease operating costs and contribute to the city's rejuvenation of the area. In the building's exterior envelope, JVC included insulating concrete forms, rigid plastic foam forms that hold concrete in place during curing and remain in place afterward to serve as thermal insulation for concrete walls. The foam sections are lightweight and result in energy-efficient, durable construction. Typical wood-framed walls average an R-19 rating, while the ICFs rate R-50.

The facility also has limited openings, such as doors and windows, on the east and west sides of the building to reduce heat gain during Las Vegas' hot summers. JVC included a cost-effective mechanical system that incorporates an evaporative cooler. The high cost of cooling the chapel during the summer months will be greatly reduced.

The $1.4 million project began construction in fall 2007 and opened in June.

T.I. for an MRI & X-Ray Office

SR Construction has been awarded the contract for the tenant improvement of Advanced Orthopedic and Sports Medicine's new medical office located at 8420 W. Warm Springs in Las Vegas adjacent to the CHW San Martin Hospital campus.

SR Construction recently began construction on the 11,000-sq-ft tenant improvement, with expected completion in the fourth quarter of 2008. The state-of-the-art orthopedic and sports medicine facility will offer MRI and X-Ray diagnostic imaging and will also include a 2,000-sq-ft physical training facility. Estimated construction costs for the project are approximately $1 million. Aptus Architecture will serve as the architect on the project.

PDM Steel Service Center to be Erected in Las Vegas

CORE Construction Nevada has been awarded the contract for the PDM Steel Service Center in Las Vegas.

PDM Steel contracted CORE to construct its 95,000-sq-ft distribution facility at Alto Avenue and Abels Lane. The industrial building will be situated on a 9-acre site and features a 5,280-sq-ft sales office, an 84,840-sq-ft warehouse space and a 4,880-sq-ft shipping office.

Construction of the $8.8 million project began in July and is scheduled for completion in March 2009. Portland, Ore.-based VLMK Consulting Engineers is the project's engineer of record.

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