Simon Selects Civil Engineer for New Garland Open-Air Mallt

The 785,000-sq.-ft. first phase of the new Firewheel Town Center is scheduled to open in fall 2005.

PBS&J Joins David M. Schwarz, Beck on Firewheel Mall Project

Renderings courtesy Simon Property Group.

Simon Property Group Inc. recently announced that PBS&J of Dallas has been selected to join David M. Schwarz/Architectural Services Inc. to provide civil engineering services for Garland's Firewheel Town Center. PBS&J has locations in Dallas and six other Texas cities. The initial phase of Firewheel Town Center will be a 785,000-sq.-ft. open-air regional shopping center. The Beck Group is the project's construction manager.

The project, estimated at about $64 million, will also include 75,000 sq. ft. of second-level office space. Construction began in December 2003 and the project is scheduled to open in fall 2005.

The center will feature Dillard's, Foley's, Barnes & Noble, AMC Theatres, Circuit City and Linens N' Things. It also will contain approximately 245,000 sq. ft. of specialty shop space and four to six sit-down restaurants. At build-out, Firewheel Town Center will have over 1,000,000 total sq. ft. of combined space.

Also joining the team is landscape architect SWA Group of Dallas. The firm has been instrumental in the landscape design of some signature properties in the Metroplex including the Four Seasons Hotel & Resort in Las Colinas, the Exxon corporate headquarters in Irving and the Dallas West End Historic District.

David M. Schwarz/Architectural Services Inc., which is based in Washington, D.C., has maintained a second office in Fort Worth since 1985. The firm specializes in commercial, residential, institutional, entertainment, mixed-use and master planning projects. Notable projects in the Dallas/Fort Worth area include the American Airlines Arena, The Ballpark in Arlington, the Bass Performance Hall and Southlake Town Square in Southlake.

MACTEC Providing Services at AFCEE in San Antonio

MACTEC Engineering & Consulting, headquartered in Alpharetta, Ga., recently announced it will be providing construction and engineering services to the Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence in Brooks City Base in San Antonio. The projects to be implemented are part of a Worldwide Environmental Restoration and Construction contract awarded to MACTEC's team partner, Albuquerque, N.M.-based Laguna Construction Co.

The overall restoration and construction contract is valued at $4 billion over five years.
Located in San Antonio, AFCEE was created in 1991 and is the principal environmental services agency for the U.S. Air Force, offering commanders a full range of technical and professional services in the areas of environmental restoration, pollution prevention, environmental compliance, natural and cultural resources conservation, facility design and construction management and comprehensive planning.

MACTEC's San Antonio office will manage its portion of the contract. Projects will include community development, environmental remediation, force protection, homeland security, light commercial and military family housing.

Cadence McShane Completes $50 Million Richardson ISD Bond Program

Cadence McShane Corp., Dallas office, recently completed the $50 million construction contract for the Richardson Independent School District Bond Program. The program included the expansion of the Richardson and J.J. Pearce high schools to facilitate the district's "freshman programming" integration, renovation work to four junior high schools and the construction of a new tennis complex.

The freshman programming project entailed the integration of ninth-grade students into the high school curriculum and facilities. The Richardson High School assignment included 114,000 ft. of new construction and 285,000 sq. ft. of renovations.

J.J. Pearce High School was expanded by 139,000 sq. ft. with an additional 130,000 sq. ft. of renovations performed throughout the existing facility. Cadence McShane constructed a new library, classrooms, science and technology labs, new art and fine arts classrooms and new gymnasiums with associated locker facilities.

The Richardson and J.J. Pearce projects included renovations to upgrade existing MEP systems, special education, kitchen and other support-area improvements, new administration offices and handicapped accessibility updates. Work to the four junior high schools consisted of renovations to the science rooms and kitchens; ADA compliance work; and miscellaneous flooring, ceiling and paint upgrades.

The contract represents the fourth major construction-manager-at-risk bond program to be completed by Cadence McShane in recent years. The firm's experience includes a $66 million bond program for the Grapevine-Colleyville ISD, the $38 million expansion program for Highland Park ISD and the $23 million Northwest ISD bond program.