$7 million phase one of UCM reno masterplan complete

Phase 1 of a masterplan for renovations at the University of Central Missouri (UCM) in Warrensburg, Mo. is complete.

The renovations are the first piece of the campus’ masterplan and includes a $7 million redesigned, modern main entrance and a new, 280-seat multi-purpose auditorium addition.

The architect duo of KWK Architects and CannonDesign along with general contractor, Westport Construction, joined forces to create UCM’s 15-20 year renovation masterplan and are now ready to focus on the next phase of the plan - the Elliott Student Union, a centrally-located social hub affectionately known as the “campus living room.”

The 165,000 SF student union also houses a bowling alley, several retail dining options, a cinema, university offices, a bank, student programming spaces, ballrooms and meeting spaces.

“The team analyzed existing conditions and held multiple workshops, meetings and a town hall to gain stakeholder input. We explored various design options to best meet the university’s vision for how the facility would look and feel and how its space would best be utilized,” said KWK principal Eric Neuner, AIA.

To create the new entrance, the design team shifted the south entrance to the west to create a hallway between the existing bowling center and a Steak ‘n Shake restaurant, which were also given access points within the new corridor. The former entry had also served as the entrance to the bowling alley, which created confusion for visitors not familiar with the campus or the building. The new entrance area also includes seating, a graphic wall timeline, entry signage and a wayfinding kiosk.

“The new entrance and hallway were designed to be functional as well as inviting with its comfortable seating and modern design elements which include wood accents, gray-toned flooring and the university’s signature red color featured throughout,” said Andy Noll, AIA, KWK project manager.

The 5,700-SF auditorium addition, one of the highlights of the renovation, was designed with a stage and retractable seating so that the facility could be used for a variety of student and community events, such as wedding receptions, reunions and special gatherings. The entrance to the auditorium is also accessible through the new entrance hallway.

“The first-phase auditorium addition was directed towards student recruitment, providing a large, flexible space that introduced students to the university. Additionally, it was critical that the design address a connection between the new auditorium and the main visitor entry to Elliot Student Union,” said Neuner.

Construction of $1.9 billion Allegiant Stadium achieves certificate of occupancy

The Mortenson | McCarthy joint venture has received a certificate of occupancy on Allegiant Stadium, the new home of the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders and notably the largest entertainment venue in Las Vegas.

The joint venture team wrapped up the $1.97 billion facility on July 30, marking the end of a successful 31-month-long construction schedule, a mere forty months after the NFL’s approval of the Raiders’ move to Las Vegas. With this milestone reached, Allegiant Stadium’s operations team will move into their new facility to begin preparations for the venue’s first event.

The 1.8 million-SF stadium will also host UNLV football and a variety of other sporting and non-sporting events. The facility features 65,000 seats, a retractable natural turf field, large operable walls that open to spectacular views of the Las Vegas strip, a translucent roof and a variety of premium spaces throughout all levels.

As the design-build contractor responsible for Allegiant Stadium’s design and construction, Mortenson and McCarthy led a team comprised of more than 200 firms; including engineers, subconsultants, trade contractors, and vendors and partnered with the Raiders organization, owner’s representative CAA ICON, designer MANICA Architecture and the project’s design team which includes architect HNTB and engineers Arup, Smith Seckman Reid, Inc. and Kimley Horn.

Visually inspired by the sleek and gradual curves of a futuristic luxury vehicle, Allegiant Stadium is unlike any other venue, making it an architectural and engineering marvel. The unique features of the domed stadium include the cable net truss system used for the roof. The seven-acre ETFE roof is suspended by 100 stainless steel cables that create the light-weight roof structure diaphragm.

Meeting the challenge to provide the Raiders with a real grass field in the desert, the building also features a retractable field system. Weighing nearly 20 million pounds, the playing field is housed in a movable “tray” and moves on 540 electrically-powered wheels, which allows the natural grass field to move outdoors for sunlight and water. This feature provides the stadium with both natural grass or turf playing surfaces.

The Mortenson and McCarthy duo made worker safety a priority throughout construction and in doing so achieved a remarkable safety record with a total recordable incident rate (TRIR) of 0.98, which is less than one-third the national average. More than 12,000 individuals contributed to the project’s design and construction.

Workforce and business inclusion were at the forefront of building Allegiant Stadium. The project exceeded all small and diverse business goals, with 23% awarded to small businesses and 62% of the workforce being minority and female.

From the procurement process to training opportunities and student tours exciting the next generation of builders, efforts were focused on the Las Vegas local community. More than six million labor hours went in to constructing the project and an estimated 6,000 recurring jobs will be sustained or created to maintain venue operations.

Centene Community Ice Center's time to shine

It's time to shine for Centene Community Ice Center, the first new indoor ice complex for the St. Louis region in decades.

The $82 million facility, which opened to the public in September 2019, is prepared and excited for the recent spike in the area’s youth hockey programs, driven, in part, by the St. Louis Blues’ “Hockey STL 2020” campaign.

Led by the not-for-profit St. Louis Legacy Ice Foundation as a catalyst for the development of the Maryland Park Lake District, the public-private initiative was launched to help bring much-needed ice skating facilities to the region, provide recreational opportunities and drive economic growth through sports tourism. 

"The Centene Community Ice Center is the result of legacies and countless other efforts to create a collaboration between four state, county and local governmental agencies, five major not-for-profit tenants and the NHL’s St. Louis Blues Hockey Club. A unique and massive collaboration of public funding, private donations, tenant contributions and industrial revenue bonds were pooled to make this vision a reality. And in the end, over 1 million visitors will visit our facility annually bringing over $20 million in economic impact each year,” said Patrick Quinn of the St. Louis Legacy Ice Foundation.

The collaborative effort to create the multipurpose home for the St. Louis Blues and the surrounding community included design-build partners Mike Kress and Tom Proebstle with Generator Studio and John Komlos, Matt Sander and Jeff Cook with ARCO Construction.

In addition to three indoor sheets, the fourth outdoor rink is multipurpose, intended for winter pond hockey and year-round community events. In warmer weather the rink transforms into a covered 4,400-spectator amphitheater operated by Live Nation.

The center houses the new Mercy Medical Sports Performance Center, the Bauer Skills Training Center, a restaurant, a grab-and-go market, concession stands for every rink and separate locker rooms for the public, Lindenwood and the Blues. 

To increase inclusivity, ARCO and Generator ensured the center was accessible for a broad range of abilities with all three fully adaptable indoor ice rinks. St. Louis Blues Sled Hockey, Blues Blind Hockey and the St. Louis Blues Special Hockey, all call the ice center home. 

“At any point in time, our facility could be playing host to 2,500 fans for a college hockey game or international figure skating event in the main arena, while in another arena we are hosting the highest levels of amateur hockey while a learn-to-play session is happening on yet another ice sheet and all the while a live-band plays rink-side for 500+ kids, teens and adults enjoying a public skating on the expansive covered, outdoor rink,” Quinn said.

The multi-sheet facility is home to multiple tenants including the Blues, Lindenwood University men’s and women’s hockey teams, the AAA Blues and the St. Louis Lady Cyclones.

With a strong emphasis on being a community asset, the majority of available ice time at Centene Community Ice Center will be dedicated to residents, youth, high school and college teams. 

Centene Ice also offers public skating and lessons, various hockey programs for kids, youth and adults and may be rented out for special events. For more information, you may visit their website at www.legacyice.org.