Barker Rinker Seacat Architecture of Denver was recently honored with an Aquatics International Dream Designs award for its design of The Salvation Army Ray & Joan Kroc Corps Community Center in Salem, Ore. According to the Aquatics International website, “the Dream Designs showcase is an annual program that highlights extraordinary aquatics facility design projects.” Photo courstesy of BRS Architects The 91,500-sq-ft community center represents part of the program initiated by a $1.8-billion gift from the late Joan Kroc, wife of McDonalds founder Ray Kroc. The Dream Designs program considers such factors as the incorporation of sustainable technology and/or equipment, creative
Boise-based design firm CSHQA’s recent renovation of the First National Bank of Driggs has won a 2011 Orchid Award from Preservation Idaho. Courtesy of CSHQA The Key Bank renovation revealed its original neo-federal brick faade. Courtesy of CSHQA The original building, circa 1916. Every year, Preservation Idaho hosts the Orchids and Onions Awards, designed to celebrate individuals and organizations that have made a positive contribution to historic preservation (an Orchid), and in turn to bring awareness to those projects that have shown insensitivity to the state’s cultural history (an Onion).CSHQA and KeyBank were honored in the Contribution to Historic Preservation
In June, Salt Lake City’s Hunt Electric hosted over 180 guests to an open house in celebration of the company’s 25 years in business. Hunt CEO Richard Hunt told the gathering that the company got started when, “I started playing around with some tools in my garage” in 1986. Today, the company has over 250 employees and has moved from providing traditional electrical contracting to design-build and engineering, renewable-energy services, infrastructure and traffic, communication and preventative maintenance—a full-service electrical contractor. The current City Creek Block 76 project involves six of the company’s divisions.Hunt Electric has been successful by instilling cutting-edge
The Déjà vu Rendezvous in Denver on May 13 raised $217,000 for the Assistive Technology Partners program at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. ATP supports people with disabilities through innovative technologies and services. More than 650 people attended the annual fundraiser, which has raised nearly $700,000 over four years. “This event was first envisioned as a way to unite past and current members of the Colorado construction community annually and celebrate the industry and relationships we have established,” said Mike Harms, senior vice president at Denver’s GE Johnson Construction Co., and one of the event organizers. “It has
Design firms across the mountain states are reportedly suffering the same malaise: financially stalled projects, a sluggish economic recovery and too much competition for shrinking public-sector work. Rendering Courtesy of RNL The RNL-designed Metro State Student Success Building will become the western gateway to the Auraria Campus in Denver. Rendering Courtesy of Anderson Mason Dale Architects The Southeast Wyoming Welcome Center in Cheyenne has a cutting-edge residential appeal. An AIA Architecture Billings Index national survey of April business activity confirms at least part of the story, with 63% of firms surveyed reporting they have at least one project stalled from
HDR, an architecture, engineering and consulting giant headquartered in Omaha, Neb., is perhaps best known for its highway, transit and water projects.
Garney Cos. Inc. of Denver has been awarded more than $375 million in contracts to improve Colorado’s water infrastructure, the company announced in early JUne. Two projects were awarded independently by the Denver Metropolitan Water Reclamation District and Colorado Springs Utilities. Structured as an employee-owned private company, or an “S corporation employee stock ownership plan” (S ESOP), Garney has 720 employee-owners who operate with a vested interest in the company’s growth and development. Garney is teamed with CH2M Hill as the design-builder for the 24-MGD Northern Treatment Plant, which will be part of the Metro District’s service to about 1.7 million
The Hispanic Contractors of Colorado honored industry leaders and member firms at the association’s 21st Annual Awards Banquet on March 5 at the Denver Grand Hyatt. The community awards featured: • Phillip A. Washington, general manager of Denver’s Regional Transportation District, who received the Public Achievement Award for his overall leadership and spearheading of the Eagle P3 Project, a public-private partnership serving as a pilot program that allows the U.S. Dept of Transportation to study PPPs, including completion dates, projections of costs and benefits and overall project performance. • Ismael Guerrero, executive director of the Denver Housing Authority, who received
New York-based Architectural Record magazine has selected the Denver Art Museum Shop as one of only nine winning projects in its annual Good Design is Good Business Awards of Excellence. The museum shop, which opened in November 2009, was designed by Denver’s Roth + Sheppard Architects. Photos: Courtesy of Roth + Sheppard Architects Formerly known as the Business Week/Architectural Record Awards, 2011 is the 13th year the Good Design is Good Business awards have been presented. The editors at Architectural Record said, “As one of only nine winning projects chosen from among dozens of impressive entries from around the world,
With many industry economists predicting slow but steady improvement for construction this year and next, firms may see more work coming their way. But as stimulus funding runs out and the industry faces uncertain infrastructure funding from Congress and overburdened state governments, few contractors and designers can rest easy. The six firms featured here have done more than survive; they have thrived in this tough economy through creativity, risk-taking and solid leadership. Each of their stories is slightly different but all have fostered innovation and diversity on their way to increased revenues. Rowland + Broughton Architecture Aspen design firm extols