DISD Breaks Ground to Rebuild, Expand Historic Arts Magnet

Dallas' Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts is set to receive a $47 million restoration and expansion.

Booker T: Dallas’ historic Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing Arts, built in 1922, will get a 168,000-sq.-ft. addition (rendering courtesy Allied Works Architects)

Thos. S. Byrne Breaks Ground on Arts Magnet Expansion

DISD officials and community leaders recently attending a groundbreaking ceremony for Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts.

The total cost of construction for rebuilding and expanding the school is $47 million. In an innovative public/private partnership between DISD and the Booker T. Washington Advisory Board, the construction will be financed with $15 million from a 2002 bond program and $32 million to be raised by the Arts Magnet Building Campaign. About $24.5 million has been raised to date.

Thos. S Byrne of Dallas is the general contractor for the project; Allied Works Architecture Inc. based in Portland, Ore., is the architect.

A historic landmark built in 1922, Booker T. Washington will receive renovations and remodeling to the entire original construction. The school also is scheduled to receive a 168,000-sq.-ft. addition.

DPR Sees Increase in Austin Area High Tech, Green Building Projects

Setting the stage for a strong 2006, DPR Construction's Austin office recently announced that the firma has secured $118 million in project awards during the first half of the year representing more than 20 individual projects up to $55 million. The firm's reports that a strong mid-year performance highlights the depth of its range of technical construction expertise, particularly in the advanced technology, green building, health-care and corporate office markets. DPR's Austin office currently has more than $266 million in projects under contract.

"The high-tech sector is alive and kicking in Austin," said Gary Nauert, regional leader for DPR's Texas operations. "At the height of the tech boom in 2000, 63 percent of our volume came from high-tech projects." He said that by 2003, that dipped to about 5 percent.

"Today, 43 percent of our volume is coming from high-tech projects, including those for telecommunications, semiconductor and computer hardware firms."

Nauert added that the firm is seeing an increase in private clients' interest in exploring sustainable, or green, building options. "Many owners we work with-including Wachovia and Bank of America-are interested in 'greening' their buildings as a way to save on energy costs, increase the marketability of their investment, or improve employee health and welfare.

Manhattan Builds in Brazoria County

Manhattan Construction Co. of Dallas is wrapping up the new 98,790-sq.-ft. Science/Health Science Building for Alvin Community College in Brazoria County. The two-story facility is the newest classroom and teaching laboratory addition to the main campus in more than twenty years and will significantly enhance the college's science and health science programs.

Ascension Planning Mesquite Med Center

Plans are under way for the future Texas Regional Medical Center, a 60-bed facility scheduled to open by 2008 in Mesquite.

The $54.1 million hospital will have private patient rooms, eight labor and delivery suites, an emergency department, a heart catheterization laboratory and a diagnostic imaging center. The general hospital, operated by Richardson-based Rockwall Hospitals Inc. and its affiliates and co-owned with a group of local physicians. Completion is expected in mid-2008.

Rockwall Hospitals Inc. and Ascension are also working together on hospitals in Pasadena and Houston.

Cadence McShane Completes Laredo Warehouse, Set to Construct Houston Replacement Elementary

Cadence McShane Corp. of Dallas recently announce the completion of a new single-story, 36,274 square foot bulk storage warehouse on behalf of Virginia-based Harwood & Associates, developer for the project. The new facility is located on a 3.1-acre site.

Alliance Architects Inc. of Richardson provided architectural services.

Cadence McShane also announced that the firm has been selected by Pasadena Independent School District to construct a replacement elementary school-the Pearl Hall Replacement Elementary School in Houston The Pasadena Independent School District selected Cadence McShane as part of a $300 million bond package for the replacement of five district schools. Pearl Hall Elementary School will accommodate more than 800 students from pre-kindergarten through fourth grade.

The original Pearl Hall Elementary opened in 1952 and has enjoyed only modest upgrades and renovations in recent years. A community committee recommended replacing the existing school with a new campus to handle enrollment growth, resolve persistent air quality issues, address the lack of space in the main office, and limited storage room within the school. It was also determined that the cafeteria space is inadequate for the size of the student population.

The assignment consists of 97,887 sq. ft. of new construction on a 15-acre site.

Bay Architects Inc. is providing architectural services.