Moab City Center Achieves Silver LEED

More than 95% of the original historical structural and shell elements in the 70-year-old building were maintained throughout the renovation, along with more than 25% of the interior elements of the original building.

The Moab City Center in Moab, Utah, has received a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

Renovation of the more than 70-year-old building was completed by Interior Construction Specialists (ICS) of Sandy, Utah and Salt Lake City-based architectural firm Cooper Roberts Simonsen Associates. ICS worked closely with the architect and Moab officials to define the scope and constructability of the building. The renovation marks the building’s third go-around as a public building. It was originally constructed in 1934 as a central school and was later converted to a middle school in the 1960s. In its new capacity as City Center, the building houses city offices that include the police department, administration and elected officials offices and areas for planning and zoning, the city treasurer, city recorder, city engineering department, city recreation and economic development.

The building’s renovation was completed with two architectural and design goals in mind: preserving the historic features of the building and incorporating environmentally friendly sustainable design features. More than 95 percent of the original historical structural and shell elements were maintained throughout the renovation along with more than 25 percent of the interior elements of the original building.

To qualify for a LEED certification, the construction of a building must address six major areas: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovation and design process.

Several “green” elements went into the Moab City Center Renovation project:

Recycled materials were used where possible.

An innovative geothermal heating and cooling system utilizes the earth’s natural stored energy to provide heating and cooling, a system that is shared with the adjacent Grand County Library and City Recreation and Teen Center.

The site was designed to contain all storm water runoff on site, a system that in turn contributes to recharging the aquifer.

Native plants were placed to intermix with shade trees and outdoor art, creating park-like grounds and public space.

Energy-efficient electrical equipment, along with low-flow plumbing fixtures, provide a model of sustainable design for the rest of the community.

By achieving a Silver LEED rating, the Moab City Center joins a list of more than 80 other projects throughout the state of Utah that have been designated, or are awaiting designation, as LEED-certified by the U.S. Green Building Council. The facility has also received the 2006 Utah Governor’s Quality Growth Award, Certificate of Energy Resource Stewardship from Rocky Mountain Power and the Urban Design Award of Merit from the Utah Chapter of the American Planning Association.

R&O Breaks Ground on Multi-Purpose Center in Price

A special celebration took place in Price, Utah last month as ground was broken on a new project by R&O Construction. Construction of the much needed Notre Dame Multi-Purpose Center located at 185 North Carbon Avenue began with a prayer service and the turning of dirt with ceremonial gold shovels by the Catholic Community of Notre Dame de Lourdes Parish. The new center will house Catholic students for religious education classes. For the past several years the students have been attending the nearby Greek Orthodox Church for their classes. Classrooms, new parish offices, a chapel and a large social hall will all be part of the center. The project will be completed this summer.

R&O Construction, headquartered in Ogden, Utah is working with Ogden Architect, Ray Bertoldi on this project.

Subsurface Construction Begins on City Creek Center

With demolition still in progress, actually construction of the City Creek Center project in downtown Salt Lake City was given preliminary permission to proceed January 9 by the Salt Lake City Planning Commission.

The owner, City Creek Reserve Inc., a development arm of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was to begin subsurface work on the block that used to house Crossroads Plaza mall. Plans call for three residential towers on that block, including one that will top out at 265 ft.

One unique design aspect of this proposed $1.5 billion-plus project is a retractable roof over a portion of the open-air mall, which could be used in times of particularly inclement weather. The roof is being designed by the same engineers who did the retractable roof at Safeco Field in Seattle, home of the Seattle Mariners.

City Creek Center is scheduled to be built over the next three-plus years, with an expected completion in the summer of 2011. When finished, it will include approximately 1.4 million sq. ft. of office space, 850,000 sq. ft. of retail space, and 675 residential units.

ONYX Breaks Ground on West Ridge Academy

West Jordan, Utah-based ONYX Construction has been hired to expand the campus at West Ridge Academy to include a third residential girl’s dormitory. The dormitory will accommodate 20 young women and four live-in advisors, as well as laundry facilities, a group therapy room and individual bathrooms.

“In 2005 we saw the need to offer treatment programs for young women,” said Kenneth R. Allen, executive director of West Ridge Academy. “We currently have 44 young women enrolled at West Ridge and continue to need room for more.”

The groundbreaking ceremony was February 1 in West Jordan. Shawn Bradley, former NBA star and WRA faculty member, was part of the groundbreaking event.

West Ridge Academy offers hope and healing to young men, young women and their families by providing quality education and clinical services that promote spiritual awareness, individual discovery and personal growth. The Academy’s environment teaches accountability, responsibility, the importance of education, problem-solving and communication skills. WRA’s mission is for each youth to experience a change of heart and to gain self-respect, feel academically, emotionally and spiritually fulfilled and empowering them to make positive contributions in their families and society.

Cameron Lands Hogle Zoo Project

Cameron Construction of Salt Lake City was awarded the Hogle Zoo, Oasis Plaza Project and recently broken ground for it. This is a 25,000 sq. ft. area with a concession building, restroom facility, kiosk, new carousel and pavilion. The area includes a plaza and a water feature for guests to enjoy. Project completion is scheduled for late spring of 2008. Russell Sheffield is the project manager with Lynn Hintze as the superintendent and Lupe Herera as the project administrator. Project architects are Jonathan Bradshaw and Jared Humphries with GSBS Architects.

Silver LEED Given on CSHQA-Designed Retail Project

CSHQA of Boise announced that the 29th Street Mall Signature Store project for Wild Oats in Boulder, Colo. has received a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certification for new construction in the LEED-NC v2.2 Retail Pilot certification program. This store is the first supermarket in the Retail Pilot program and the second Retail Pilot project certified. The LEED Green Building Rating System encourages adoption of sustainable, green building and development practices through the creation and implementation of universally understood and accepted tools and performance criteria.

CSHQA played a key role in the construction administration, LEED documentation and coordination for the implementation of the tenant improvement build-out of the interiors, including all mechanical, electrical, plumbing systems and product refrigeration.

The Green Building Process included the following elements:

Energy And Atmosphere

• Energy savings of 25% over a conventional supermarket
• Energy system that avoids 623,000 lbs of carbon dioxide
• $45,000 in annual energy savings at current rates
• High-efficiency lighting system includes auto-dimming and occupancy sensors

Indoor Environmental Quality

• Healthy indoor air quality achieved using non-toxic materials and a fresh air ventilation system
• Natural day-lighting
• Materials And Resources
• Recycled content in building materials of more than 21%
• Construction waste sent to landfill reduced by more than 63% or approximately 156 tons
• Locally-sourced 17% of building materials to support local economy and reduce CO2 emissions from transportation
• Reclaimed wood from Hurricane Ivan used for shelving, wall finish, and display tables
• Sustainably harvested wood used for flooring and shelving
• Sustainable Sites
• Alternative transportation practices are encouraged (such as preferred parking for hybrids, a bicycle incentive program and a store location close to public transportation)

Garden Valley School a Reality

Voters of the Garden Valley School District in Idaho have finally passed a bond to build their new school facilities after the 13th try. Boise-based CSHQA has been involved with the school district since 1993 and has assisted the district with several pre-bond designs for their facilities and miscellaneous contracts during this time.

Jim Murray, a CSHQA principal, has taken over this project for Otis Lemmon, Stockholder Emeritus, who has since retired from CSHQA. Lemmon is now a homeowner in Garden Valley and will be interested in seeing his dream to build these much-needed schools completed.

Murray said, “We are extremely excited about the passage of this bond and we have hit the ground running to bring this long-time vision to reality for Garden Valley Schools.” Current designs include a $12.9 million, 61,500 (+) sq. ft., single structure serving grades Pre-K thru 12. The project’s construction manager, Dennis Robinson of Boise-based CM Company, will provide construction support along with CSHQA. A spring ‘08 ground breaking is planned with completion by summer ‘09.