Architect WinsU of A Project

SmithGroup recently announced that it has been selected to design the 105,000-sq.-ft., multi-story Roy P. Drachman Hall at the University of Arizona Health Sciences Center (AHSC), in Tucson, Ariz.

The $30 million integrated office and instructional facility will be a distinct and dynamic building that will define a pedestrian portal and link the education campus of the university health sciences center with the main campus to the south. Half of the money raised for Drachman Hall is from private donations. SmithGroup will provide full programming, architectural and engineering services.

The new structure also will consolidate state-of-the art instructional facilities for the U.A. Colleges of Nursing and Pharmacy and house the U.A. College of Pharmacy Administration offices and Centers of Excellence.

Weitz Breaks Groundon Upscale Condos

The Weitz Company recently broke ground for phase one of The Landmark Condominiums, a 50-unit high-rise luxury condominium building located in Kierland.
The project will be built on 3.8 acres and in two phases. Phase one will offer 50 condominiums and phase two will include an additional 51 condominiums.
Construction on phase one is estimated to be complete by September 2004.

CCBG Architects of Phoenix is the architect and Butte Landmark, L.L.C. is the property owner. First National Bank of Arizona is the construction lender.

Phase one residences start in the $300,000s and go to approximately $2 million. To date, Butte Landmark, L.L.C has approximately 25 homes available in Phase One.

Phoenix Firm Building Hospital in Casa Grande

Johnson Carlier, Inc. has begun construction of the Casa Grande Regional Medical Center expansion.

The project, a design/build program in concert with Orcutt Winslow Partnership architects, is a $20 million dollar program that includes a 33,000-sq.-ft. medical tower, cardiology center and a post-surgery recovery area, equipped for 56 beds. Additionally, the project includes a 12,050-sq.-ft. interior renovation to the cardiology, pre-op phase II / endoscopy and cath lab areas as well as an added operation room. The ICU addition will bring the total number of ICU beds to 22. New site work encompasses a 464-car parking lot with landscape and hardscape.

The Casa Grande Regional Medical Center expansion is scheduled for completion in September 2004.

Concord to Renovate Agriculture Building

Concord Companies, Inc. recently announced that Arizona State University awarded Concord its $3.7 million, construction manager at-risk contract for renovation of Building 785 into the new hub of the Morrison School of Agribusiness at the East Campus.

The project, located at Williams Campus Loop Road and South Twinning, calls for renovating approximately 41,000 sq. ft., as well as, addressing the outside appearance of the building and the surrounding area. Concord will build classrooms, seminar and lecture rooms, laboratories, and research space for the various agribusiness disciplines.

Construction on 52-Acre Shopping Mall Underway

Construction recently a began at Northern Crossing, a new 52-acre shopping center that is located at Northern and 59th avenues in Glendale.

Surveying, excavating, grading and other site preparation work at Northern Crossing, which was the former site of Valley West Mall and, later, Manistee Towne Center, were completed in June.

Summit Builders has been selected as the general contractor for the project. Ellman Cos. is the developer.

Once completed, the shopping center will feature a Super Wal-Mart and Lowe's Home Improvement store as the main anchor tenants, with additional shop space and pad locations to be developed throughout the site.

Safety Council Inks Deal with OSHA

The Arizona Chapter of the National Safety Council recently inked a deal with OSHA to provide free "train the trainers" training for safety professionals in the Southwest.

A ceremony was recently held during the chapters 38th annual meeting, which was held at the Mesa Convention Center. Assistant Secretary of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health John Henshaw was present for the signing, along with Margarette Cather, Connie Hunt, Ken Lewis, Lisa McKay and other regional safety professionals. For more information, contact 858-605-0106 or to register, call 800-358-9206

Carpenters Council Starts Work on New Home

Kitchell recently started construction on the Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters new training facility and headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona.

Kitchell is providing construction management/general contracting services for the new 140,000-sq.-ft. facility. The building includes 60,000 sq. ft. for comprehensive training in all carpenter-related aspects of the construction industry and 80,000 sq. ft. of office space. The two-story tilt building is located just south of McDowell Road on 45th Avenue. The architect is Nebraska-based Leo A Daly.