Local school construction projects stay on schedule despite pandemic

As schools sit empty and students adjust to learning from home under the current stay-at-home order, many local school construction projects continue to progress.

Hollis + Miller Architects, who specializes in education (architecture and design) and works with a large number of Kansas City-area school districts, has not seen much of a slowdown on their schools’ projects.

The firm is currently working on several school projects to ensure they are ready for the upcoming school year, including Park Hill School District's LEAD Innovation Studio, Liberty School District's Performing Arts Center and new additions to Blue Springs High School, including a state-of-the-art band practice space.

While safety for all contractors has been paramount, the projects have nevertheless been able to move forward, despite the current obstacles.

“We’ve implemented procedures to ensure we maintain project safety and are meeting the safety guidelines of the authorities,” said Mike Chiles, senior project manager for JE Dunn Construction, who is overseeing the trade partners on the Blue Springs HS project.

“Communication is key, and the teams have handled that well with daily huddles and constant on-site supervision,” Chiles said.

Chiles admits the current situation isn’t ideal; nonetheless, has encouraged the team to overcome any obstacles in an effort to keep construction progressing and on schedule.

“It’s a major project for the school and the community, and it will allow them to really expand their programs and ability to impact the community,” Chiles said.

“Maintaining those partnerships among the architect, contractors and trade partners is crucial, especially when a project is facing additional challenges like they are now,” said Kirk Horner, partner at Hollis + Miller.

Several projects remain on schedule to open in time for the fall 2020 school year.

“While the local community will take a while to bounce back from this, we see this kind of construction as a positive sign of economic health. Our local schools are committed to consistently improving the learning environments for our local students, and we’re privileged to contribute to that effort,” Horner said.

United Excel relaunches as StructSure Projects

The national general contractor formerly known as United Excel Corporation has relaunched as StructSure Projects. The firm founded in 1994 will build on its strength in the healthcare market and grow its presence in office and other diverse spaces.

“Healthcare is our main lane, but there is a desire to diversify and pursue other markets such as higher education, Class A office, and laboratory and pharmaceutical space,” said StructSure President Dennis Burns, who is leading the local market launch. “Healthcare is our bread and butter and what we are known for, but we still are going to look to expand into other sectors.”

“Our team is ready to put its expertise and drive for excellence to work in their own backyard,” Owner Kevin Rogers added. “StructSure Projects is motivated to perform at the highest level by offering certainty in quality of work and schedule.”

The company will retain all the history, experience and talent in its project management team. Recent projects include a new Hybrid OR at Shawnee Mission Medical Center, now AdventHealth, and the firm is currently working on projects for Lawrence Memorial Hospital, Children’s Mercy Hospital, and Menorah Medical Center.

"We have new energy and a new vision and it was the right time to rebrand and differentiate ourselves from the competition," Burns said. “We are still the same firm, just with a new look and feel."

VanTrust, JE Dunn, and HOK partnership takes flight with TIA deal

VanTrust Real Estate, JE Dunn Construction Co., and HOK have leveraged their collective strength in the Kansas City market land a large-scale office development project adjacent to Tampa International Airport (TIA).  

The Hillsborough County Aviation Authority (HCAA) awarded a contract to VanTrust to develop a 9-story, 270,000-square foot office building near TIA, which served 21 million passengers in 2018. The tower will be the first commercial structure linked to the airport by a people mover.

“This will be a Class A office building in an excellent location with unrivaled access to Tampa International Airport,” said TIA Executive Vice President Chris Minner. “With easy connectivity to the Airport, downtown Tampa and St. Petersburg, this is really the ideal location for a wide range of companies.”

Located in a prime spot in the new SkyCenter development, the building will feature an elevated pedestrian walkway connecting its atrium to the SkyConnect station at the airport’s rental car center. Other amenities include a conference center, fitness center, café and access to multipurpose trails that will eventually join with Tampa Bay’s regional trail network.

 The building will serve as the primary home for HCAA employees and will comprise the nerve center for all airport operations. By relocating its in-terminal offices to the new building, HCAA is making way for expanded curbside service, with express lanes for passengers who aren’t checking bags.

Construction should be completed in 2021. VanTrust is leading development of the office building and adjacent parking garage; J.E. Dunn will provide construction services of the office building, and HOK will handle design. 

Mission Gateway development lands key financing

The developers of Mission Gateway have secured intermediate financing needed to get construction moving on all fronts of the long-awaited mixed-use project located at the site of the former Mission Center Mall.

GFI Development and The Cameron Group are eyeing 2021 for the project’s full completion, thanks to $20 million in fresh financing secured through Metropolitan Commercial Bank. The funds will allow construction to commence on the project’s 130,000-square foot entertainment portion by the end of April. Site preparation began for Mission Gateway’s three apartment-over-retail buildings last fall and those structures are on target for delivery by the end of 2020.

 “The financing we have secured and closed will allow us to continue to deliver what we promised,” Tom Valenti of The Cameron Group told MetroWire Media.

Mission Gateway’s entertainment area will include an unnamed anchor tenant who will operate a 90,000-square-foot entertainment complex to complement a 40,000-square-foot food hall from Chef Tom Colicchio’s Crafted Hospitality.

“We were out there looking for financing, and it is coming to us in two ways. We secured the first wave of financing done through Metropolitan Commercial Bank, our lending partner. And we continue to work with Mission Capital, our capital advisors throughout the process,” said Andy Ashwal of GFI Development.

In January, GFI and the Cameron Group announced they were seeking a finance partner and bumping up the construction timeline after landing the unnamed destination entertainment tenant.  

Mission Gateway snapshot:

-Colliers International will handle Mission Gateway’s office and retail leasing.

-Neighbors Construction is expected to complete the multifamily portion of the project in April 2020.

-Fogel-Anderson Construction Co. is serving as construction manager for the entire redevelopment project at Johnson Drive and Shawnee Mission Parkway.

-El Dorado, Inc. designed the overall master plan. 

-NSPJ is architect of record for the Element by Westin hotel.

 For more info, please visit www.missiongatewaykc.com

McCarthy Building Companies celebrates WIC Week 2019

McCarthy Building Companies celebrated Women in Construction Week 2019 by highlighting four female professionals working on high-profile construction projects. Here are some career insights from McCarthy's KC female pros:

"I love seeing a project through. This is huge project and there are hundreds of little projects within it and being able to see all of your hard work transpire into something that makes the Tomahawk Creek water treatment plant function is - awesome." -Taylor Meulemans, project engineer, Tomahawk Creek Wastewater Treatment Facility Expansion project

"I've worked on healthcare jobs and schools and now wastewater treatment. There are still those same fundamentals that everyone learns but you can learn so much more. There's always something new to learn and someone to teach you." -Devon Murray-Mazany, Tomahawk Creek Wastewater project

"Not a lot of medical examiner facilities are being built so it's a unique experience. It's a mix between a lab and a hospital and it's a cool project." -Autumn Swinson, senior project engineer, Johnson County, Kansas Medical Examiner Facility

"Construction is always changing. You can go from one project to the next and have the same job but it's totally something new and you get to learn new things." -Cara Greenley, project engineer, Tomahawk Creek Wastewater project 

A NAWIC initiative, the focus of WIC Week is to highlight women as a viable component of the construction industry.

Taylor