Heard Musuem to Expand

Brignall Construction recently broke ground on the Heard Museum expansion in Phoenix. The project will add 18,000 sq. ft. of new exhibit space to house more than 2,000 objects from "Home: Native Peoples in the Southwest," a permanent collection of the museum.

The $7.6 million project is scheduled for completion in spring 2005.

In addition to Brignall Construction, the project team includes the architectural firm of Jacobs + Alt Architects of Phoenix, Ganymede Design Group of Phoenix as the exhibit consultants and landscape architects Blue Mesa Studio of Tucson.

Medical School Pre Construction Work Underway

The Weitz Cos. recently announced that the company has pre-construction efforts underway for the Arizona Health and Technology Park (building G), which will house the Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health Clinic in Mesa.

This building included in the Arizona Health & Technology Park will be approximately 43,000 sq. ft. The Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health Clinic will utilize approximately 24,900 sq. ft., leaving approximately 14,300 sq. ft. of vacant/to be leased space. Butler Design Group is the shell building architect, Matthew Budge Associates is the tenant improvement architect and Phoenix Design One will provide interior design services. The Alter Group is the developer. Weitz expects to break ground shortly and to complete the project in March 2005.

Design Firm Wins Embry Riddle Projects

NTDStichler was awarded two projects for Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott, Ariz. Campus.

The first is a high bay engineering laboratory. The 20,000-sq.-ft. facility will consolidate the primary laboratory and ancillary administrative space for the engineering program. The project is estimated at $4 million. The second project is a $2.9 million visitor's center, 13,000-sq.-ft. facility consolidating administrative functions related to new students, visitors and staff, including chancellor's suite and admissions suite. No general contractor has been chosen for either project.

Town to Construct New Admin Building

The Town of Fountain Hills recently selected the Holder/SmithGroup design-build team to design and construct a new 32,000 sq. ft. administrative building that will house the town council chambers, the public works department, the municipal court, parks and recreation, and the Senior Activity Center. This turn-key, fast-track project will be built under the design/build approach and will be complete by July 2005.

Holder Construction also recently broke ground for the Paradise Valley Community College Performing Arts Center in Phoenix. The 25,000-sq.-ft., 300-seat performing arts facility will be a major campus focal point. The $6.6 million project is being designed by Westlake Reed Leskoskey.

Office, Warehouse Facility Planned for Tucson

Phoenix-based Opus West Corp. recently formalized an agreement with the Department of Veterans Affairs to lease an 80,000-sq.-ft., build-to-suit office and warehouse facility in Tucson, Ariz.

The unbuilt project will be used for a Consolidated Mail Outpatient Pharmacy (CMOP), an extension of the VA Outpatient Pharmacy Program, and will replace an older and smaller CMOP operation in Los Angeles. No project value was released.

The new project will be located on approximately 4.5 acres in an industrial park in the southeastern part of Tucson. When completed, it will be one of seven CMOP facilities in the U.S. that together provide mail prescription services to more than three million veterans.

Construction on the new CMOP building begins this month. Opus West Construction Corp. will complete the project in December. The VA plans to be fully operational in the facility by early 2005.

Opus Architects & Engineers is the project architect.

Residential Tower Work Starts in Phoenix

Phoenix-based Optima Construction recently started work on the Optima Biltmore Towers, located at 24th St. and Camelback Rd.

The project consists of 230 luxury condominiums in a 15-story glass and steel building. The building uses photovoltaic panels that harness the sun's energy to help power common areas, exterior sun shades to inhibit heat absorption; and the extensive use of a "green roof" system to enhance the environment. Optima Inc. is also the architect.

In addition, each condominium will have a private, covered, outdoor living space with decorative trellises and planters containing lavish greenery. Green roof sky gardens grace the tops of the towers, with a trellised sky bridge linking the rooftop recreation area. First residents will have a May 2005 move in date. The project value was not released.