After a year of major renovations, the historic Byers Junior High School in Denver re-opened in late August. It is the most recent campus to be added to Denver School of Science and Technology. Photo by James W. Jenson Photography The project team replaced more than 220 windows at Byers Junior High, matching the original designs, but far surpassing the old windows in energy efficiency. The 110,000-square-foot building sat vacant for a decade after Denver Public Schools closed the facility. Arvada’s Swinerton Builders won a hard bid contract in June 2013 to renovate the 1921 building in time for the
The confidence of Colorado business leaders in the economy continues to be positive heading into the fourth quarter and has increased moderately compared to a year ago. That is the key message from the most recent Leeds Business Confidence Index (LBCI) recently released by the University of Colorado Boulder’s Leeds School of Business. It’s not as bullish, however, the LBCI says, as it was a quarter ago, with slight drops across the board resulting in a current overall reading of 59.5, down from 61.2 heading into the third quarter of 2014.“I wouldn’t put too much concern in a slight dip
The September report of the Credit Managers’ Index (CMI) from the National Association of Credit Management fell in September to 54.9 from 56.7. While still firmly in the growth category, this is the lowest reading in nearly two years. Not even the “Polar Vortex” months of bad winter weather early in the year were as weak, NACM says. The collapse was felt in a variety of categories. “This was not a small reversal of fortune by any stretch of the imagination,” said NACM Economist Chris Kuehl. “This could be termed a collapse, and it begs a very important question—which is
The U.S. construction industry added 16,000 jobs in September, according to the Oct. 3 Bureau of Labor Statistics preliminary estimate. The August estimate was revised downward from 20,000 to 16,000 net new jobs. Nonresidential construction added 3,200 jobs in September, accounting for only 20% of the total gain in construction employment. “After a disappointing August jobs report, this new data reaffirms the ongoing momentum in the broader national economy,” said Associated Builders and Contractors Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “The release also confirms that nonresidential construction’s expansion continues to be a moderate one, with the industry adding only a few thousand
Nonresidential construction spending slipped in August, according to an Oct. 1 release from the U.S. Census Bureau. Nonresidential construction spending shrank 1.2% on a monthly basis in August but has still managed to expand 6% year-over-year. Spending for the month totaled $603.7 billion on a seasonally adjusted, annualized basis. The government also revised the July spending figure down from $617.8 billion to $611.3 billion. “This is why it is never a good idea to get excited about one month’s worth of data,” said Associated Builders and Contractors Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “After a significant acceleration in spending in July, the
With the recent hire of White Construction Group, Castle Rock, Colo., as CM/GC, the Stanley Marketplace project team is in place. The adaptive reuse of an abandoned manufacturing building in Aurora, Colo., into a mixed-use development could also fuel other rehab projects in the area, Aurora officials say. Rendering by gkkworks The new marketplace that will house several restaurants, a beer garden, local retailers, offices and community programs. The retail project, located in Aurora’s “Opportunity Triangle” between Stapleton, Lowry and the Fitzsimons Medical Campus—is the brainchild of developer Flightline Ventures.For years, the 133,000-sq-ft manufacturing facility and the 22 acres surrounding
The Colorado Ballet has completed a long-awaited move into its new home at 1075 Santa Fe, on the north end of Denver’s Santa Fe Art District. The move from the ballet’s former home of 20 years to the expansive new facility brings to life artistic director Gil Boggs’ vision for the largest resident dance company in the state. The new space will also help to establish a center for dance in the state. Image courtesy of Semple Brown Design The new space for the Colorado Ballet in Denvers Santa Fe Arts District is comprised of eight studios as well as
The Denver Botanic Gardens opened it new $6-million Science Pyramid to the public on September 18. The 5,258-sq-ft pyramid will showcase the research being done at the gardens on contemporary botanic and environmental issues, as well as topics like global steppe climates. Photo by Scott Dressel-Martin, courtesy of Denver Botanic Gardens Thirty panels on the pyramids high-performance faade feature photovoltaic collectors to gather energy for interior exhibits. The new space empowers visitors to become citizen scientists and do their part as ambassadors for global conservation as a part of the Botanic Gardens’ broader mission. Various projects conducted under the Botanic
Odyssey Elementary, slated to become the greenest school in the state, opened its doors to students August 25 in Woods Cross, Utah. The building can function as a net-zero facility, generating all its own electricity, and is on track to achieve LEED-Gold certification. The owner, Davis School District, is pushing the envelope for 21st century schools. In traditional schools, teachers are often limited in their pedagogical approaches by the classroom and the building in which they teach.Not so at Odyssey. The school has flexible spaces that can be easily moved or adjusted to meet student and teacher needs. It was designed around
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