Facebook isn’t the only one coming to Sweet Home Alabama. In 2015, Google announced their plan to construct a $600 million data center in Jackson County, Alabama.
Six years later, that plan is now becoming a reality. Google began construction for their data center in April of 2018, and they hope to complete it in the coming year.
Formally announced in 2015, Google’s Alabama Data Center was always an ambitious project. It totals $600 million in construction costs, and it is expected to create 75 to 100 highly technical jobs in the Jackson County area. The entire data center will be spread across 360 acres of land adjacent to the now-defunct Widows Creek coal-fired power plant.
Yet, the data center seeks to set itself apart from the coal power plant. According to Google, the center will feature state-of-the-art energy efficiency technology. It will rely on sustainable, renewable energies that will power the center as well as the surrounding community.
Said Gary Demasi, director of Global Infrastructure at Google: “For more than 50 years, the Widows Creek plant has generated electricity for the region. Now the site will be used to bring Internet services and information to people around the world – powered by 100 percent renewable energy. We see a lot of potential in redeveloping large industrial sites like former coal plants, and we’re excited to bring the data center to Alabama.”
The Google Data Center will be the fourteenth to exist globally, and the eighth in the U.S.
At Construction Protection Systems, we’re proud to have had the opportunity to play a small part in the construction of Google’s Data Center. Stay tuned for more updates from the innovators of 1-2-3 Door Shield—the original, reusable door protection system.
Our kids deserve the best, especially when they’re at school. A good education depends on good resources and a great learning environment. At North Kansas City High School, they are doing just that.
After a 3-year long project, North Kansas City High School has updated its facilities to provide students with the latest technology for a better learning experience.
The construction project totaled $65 million and added over 165,000 square feet to the existing school. A $114 million bond referendum helped fund this project, as well as the construction of two new elementary schools and two sixth grade centers.
New construction sites sought to update and expand the current school. These new areas included a performing arts center, a band rehearsal room, a weight room, a cafeteria, a gym, and a collaboration area. Throughout the entire 3-year project, the school never closed, and kids could continue their education without interruptions.
The project’s purpose was to “preserve the past but also update the school with the latest technology to adequately prepare students.” The 90-year-old school has deep roots in the community, and it was important to school officials that the construction project respected that history. Nevertheless, changes needed to be made. The addition of e-learning classrooms as well as a library media center has now brought North Kansas City High School into the 21st century. Kids will have the tools necessary for a high-quality education without sacrificing the history of the building.
At Construction Protection Systems, we’re proud to have had the opportunity to play a small part in North Kansas City High School’s latest construction project. Stay tuned for more updates from the innovators of 1-2-3 Door Shield—the original, reusable door protection system.
In June of 2018, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey, local leaders, and Facebook officials announced a $750 million project for a new data center in Huntsville, AL. The project, set to be completed in 2020, would be one of several new construction projects Facebook had in store for its company. But with the coronavirus now spreading across the country, has Facebook met its 2020 goal? Here we provide you with the updates:
About the Project
The Huntsville facility will be one of several data centers Facebook has around the world. Working in concert with this global data center network, the facility would connect the more than 2 billion Facebook users with their corresponding apps and services. It would also employ roughly 100 people in high-paying jobs.
The project, known as Project Starbelt, will cost approximately $750 million for the company. It will be located in the North Huntsville Industrial Park, spreading out around 340 acres, with the entire facility coming in at 970,000 square feet.
Delays from the Coronavirus
While Facebook’s plans were ambitious, no one could have foreseen the coronavirus’ impact back in 2018. Construction was scheduled for completion in 2020, but Facebook was forced to pause construction efforts after the outbreak of COVID-19.
In a post on March 23, Facebook stated: “To help protect the health and safety of construction crews during the COVID-19 outbreak, we are significantly reducing construction activities at our site. We look forward to welcoming everyone back on site as soon as it’s safe to do so.”
At Construction Protection Systems, we’re proud to have had the opportunity to play a small part in the construction of Project Starbelt. Stay tuned for more updates from the innovators of 1-2-3 Door Shield—the original, reusable door protection system.
The coronavirus has shown us how important high-quality medical centers are in our country. The Kaiser Permanente healthcare organization recognized this need early on when they expanded their Capitol Hill Medical Center in Washington, D.C. A high-tech facility that offers advanced urgent care, cardiology, and more, the Capitol Hill Medical Center is now primed to deliver expert care during these tough times.
About Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanent operates healthcare facilities across the country. From Washington State to Washington, D.C., they are leaders in providing preventative services and cutting-edge treatment. They focus on a wide variety of specialties, including cancer care, maternity, pediatrics, cardiac care, and more. They are also one of the nation’s most productive research institutions, well-known for their advancements in cancer research, heart disease, and vaccines.
About the Capitol Hill Expansion Project
The main goal of the Capitol Hill Project was to expand the current Adult Medicine clinic in anticipation of patient growth. However, this intial expansion also impacted other departments within the medical center. Existing departments, such as pediatrics, were relocated to other floors and areas of the facility. These other floors were also expanded to allow room for pediatrics, as well as the other departments in that area, such as Infectious Disease, and OB/GYN.
The pediatric center specifically went through several changes to provide a more comfortable patient experience. These included the following:
Ocean-themed rooms and colors
Ocean white noise playing through the speakers
Interactive elements such as whiteboards, projectors, and more
New playrooms
As renovations were ongoing, the medical facility remained fully operational. Hensel Phelps, the construction company in charge of the project, worked mostly at night, outside of the facility’s operating hours. This meant that neither the construction nor patient care was delayed throughout the duration of the project.
At Construction Protection Systems, we’re proud to have had the opportunity to play a small part in the expansion of Kaiser Permanente’s Capitol Hill Medical Center. Stay tuned for more updates from the innovators of 1-2-3 Door Shield—the original, reusable door protection system.
The coronavirus pandemic has shown how important it is to have high quality centers for advanced medical care. At the Froedtert & Medical College of Wisconsin, they did just that. In the past few years, they have constructed and completed the Froedtert & Medical College of Wisconsin’s Center for Advanced Care, a 609,000 square foot facility in the heart of Milwaukee, WI.
The Froedtert Center for Advanced Care is intended to treat the rising number of patients while still providing expert care to each and every person who walks in.
It is centered on advanced and specialty care, with various clinics such as the Heart and Vascular Center and the Transplant Center. In all, the facility has 12 floors that are all connected to the campus’ other main buildings through the second floor. There is a universal exam room that can adapt to any patient and any situation, and there is plenty of space to house the many patients that will inevitably visit the Froedtert Center for Advanced Care.
There is cutting-edge work happening both inside and outside the Froedtert Center for Advanced Care. On the inside, the hospital has combined the surgical, interventional, and intensive care areas into one floor. This will better optimize patient flow to allow the hospital staff to more effectively handle the 18,000+ surgeries they perform each year. It also has a split waiting area with windows for visitors to enjoy the views of Milwaukee.
On the outside, the architectural design of the building features various vertical elements in order to lengthen and amplify the appearance of the facility. It has entire walls of glazed windows that reflect the many woods and ponds nearby, as well as an artistic aesthetic reminiscent of many modern art sculptures. Colors and shapes are also repeated throughout the entire building, tying together all of the various parts of the facility.
At Construction Protection Systems, we’re proud to have had the opportunity to play a part, however small, in the construction of Froedtert & Medical College of Wisconsin’s Center for Advanced Care. Stay tuned for more updates from the makers of 1-2-3 Door Shield—the original, reusable door protection system.
Whether we use it for work or pleasure, Facebook has become an integral part of our everyday lives. However, while you’re liking and commenting and posting pictures, there is a team of Facebook employees making sure that everything runs smoothly. Many of them now work at Facebook’s Menlo Park Campus which has been recently expanded to accommodate the growing social media site.
Facebook Headquarters
Facebook was founded in 2004, and in the past 16 years it has grown into one of the most powerful social media sites in the world. They’re headquartered in Menlo Park, California, or “MPK” as Facebook employees like to call it. The entire campus is like its own little town with coffeeshops, streets, and even a barbershop. It is truly a home away from home for the 45,000 employees who work there. There are even shuttle buses that will take employees from the Menlo Park Caltrain station to Facebook Headquarters.
The Expansion – MPK21
With so much to offer, it may be odd that Facebook decided to expand their Menlo Park Headquarters even more. And yet, that’s exactly what they did. Announced in 2017, MPK21, as the expansion was called, was a $300 million project. It is 962,000 square feet in total, with two buildings, a 200-room hotel, as well as a pedestrian and bike bridge which connects the campus to the nearby Bay Trail. It was designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry and was built in less than 18 months.
Sustainability
MPK21 was built with sustainability in mind. It features a 3.6-acre rooftop garden, 200 trees, and a half-mile nature pathway that meanders through the campus. Water systems regularly clean and recycle the area’s water, saving a total of 17 million gallons of water each year. The Town Square also features 40-foot-tall redwood trees, and most of Facebook Headquarters is home to many families of foxes.
Collaboration is key
The best way for any business to function is through collaboration. Facebook’s MPK21 was built to do just that. It features quiet areas for people to focus on their work as well as open spaces for teams to get stuff done. Additionally, dining areas provide further chances for teambuilding, while a 2000-person event and meeting space gives the company ample opportunity for larger events.
Looking Towards the Future – Willow Village
MPK21 is not the only campus expansion that Facebook has been working on. In 2019, they announced plans for a new area of Facebook Headquarters. Called Willow Village, this new expansion will be just across the street from Facebook’s main headquarters. It will replace an outdated, one million square foot industrial complex. It adds office complexes, homes, retail outlets, hotel rooms, outdoor spaces, a town square, and more. Similar to the rest of Facebook’s headquarters, Willow Village would truly be its own community, sporting grocery stores and apartment complexes to allow employees to live and work in one place.
At Construction Protection Systems, we’re proud to have had the opportunity to play a part, however small, in the construction of Facebook’s most recent campus expansion. Stay tuned for more updates from the makers of 1-2-3 Door Shield—the original, reusable door protection system.
Most frequently referred to as Berkeley Lab, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratoryperforms state-of-the-art, scientific research for the Department of Energy (DOE). With thirteen Nobel Prizes associated with the lab, Berkeley Lab has distinguished themselves as one of the most renowned laboratories in the country, tackling some of the most pressing scientific problems that face humankind.
One way to help them in their quest was to build an entirely new Integrated Genomics Building (IGB) to help bring together researchers from the DOE and those from the Systems Biology Knowledgebase (KBase).
Completed in 2019, the IGB cost an estimated $91.5 million. Nevertheless, it was money well-spent. With modern facilities and utilities, the IGB provides the researchers at Berkeley Lab with a flexible yet stable environment to perform necessary and sensitive research. At 77,000 gross square feet, it also offers the space required to house high performance computers that are needed to support scientific discovery.
The IGB is also built specifically to help with collaboration amongst scientists—key to furthering current and future research. Said Biosciences Associate Laboratory Director Jay Keasling: “The IGB will drive new research synergies and operational efficiencies with [DOE] and KBase housed together…Our IGB team will also have easier access to UC Berkeley, where we already have dozens of research collaborations and where there will be many new opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and post-doctoral mentoring.”
At Construction Protection Systems, we’re proud to have had the opportunity to play a part, however small, in the construction of Berkeley Lab’s Integrated Genomics Building. Stay tuned for more updates from the makers of 1-2-3 Door Shield—the original, reusable door protection system.
During normal times, people will flock to sports arenas around the country for a night’s worth of entertainment. Football games, rodeos, concerts, basketball, and hockey are just some of the many events you can witness inside of an arena. For a country that loves its sports and music, an arena is almost a necessity. This is especially true for the city of Fort Worth, TX.
Back in 2019, construction of Dickies Arena, a 14,000-seat sports arena, was finally completed. This gave the citizens of Fort Worth a modern and spacious facility to host the many teams, singers, and stars that would visit the city. Read on to learn more about the construction of this multipurpose arena:
Breaking Ground
On November 4, 2014, the citizens of Fort Worth overwhelming voted in favor of constructing a new, multipurpose arena for the city called Dickies Arena. Having been funded by Fort Worth, the State of Texas, and many private organizations, individuals, and foundations, the arena would be the culmination of both public and private efforts. It would be capable of hosting a wide variety of events, including the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo, local hockey games, conventions, concerts, basketball games, and more. On April 18, 2017, the “Let The Dirt Fly” groundbreaking ceremony took place, and construction was underway.
The Surrounding Area
Dickies Arena is situated in the heart of Fort Worth, just three miles from the Downtown District. It sits adjacent to the Will Rogers Memorial Center campus, a public entertainment venue that was the city’s main event space before the construction of Dickies Arena. When visitors first come to the arena, they are greeted to a breathtaking, Southwest Art Deco plaza, a homage to the city’s wonderful Art Deco architecture and their cowboy culture. Below the plaza is an 85,000-square-foot building meant to house animals for the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo. When the Rodeo is not taking place, this building is used for conferences and conventions.
Dickies Arena
The rest of the complex houses the arena. It is here that the largest events are held, including concerts, sports games, and, of course, the Rodeo.In total, the entire area encompasses 715,000-square-feet, and the arena takes up about 560,000 SF, seating up to 14,000 visitors. However, the seating capacity can fluctuate depending on the event that is taking place inside (basketball games, for example, hold up to 13,300, while Rodeo performances can accommodate 9300 spectators). During construction, the roof posed a significant design challenge. About the size of three football fields, it is designed to provide visitors with enhanced acoustics and flexible rigging for the variety of events that will take place. The arena is designed as a large, clear span facility without structural columns. As such,anintricate combination of tension rings and compression rings was installedto properly support the roof.
Additionally, the arena features various artistic reliefs and mosaic tiles that harken back to the western, cowboy culture of Fort Worth. These facades were created by three renowned artists: Mike Mandel, William Matthews, and Evergreene Studios. While the styles of the different artists are varied, theirdepictions of the frontiernevertheless celebrate the western heritage of Fort Worth, making Dickies Arena a true cultural centerpiece of the city.
At Construction Protection Systems, we’re proud to have had the opportunity to play a part, however small, in the construction of Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, TX. Stay tuned for more updates from the makers of 1-2-3 Door Shield—the original, reusable door protection system.
Every educational institution needs to have the space and tools on-hand in order to raise the next generation of leaders. Charlotte Country Day School, an independent school in Charlotte, North Carolina, is trying to do just that.
Charlotte Country Day School is close to completing a two-year long project meant to renovate and build future learning centers on their campus.
This project, according to the Mark Reed, Head of the School, is set to not only enhance the current infrastructure for current and future students. He states:
“The planned enhancements to campus facilities are a significant
commitment in ensuring Country Day remains at the forefront of
delivering an exceptional education for our students, both now and in the future, through innovative and creative learning spaces.”
The construction project started in 2018 and is set to complete in the summer of 2020.
It has three main phases. The first phase was completed in August of
2018 and included a new center for science and mathematics as well as an
additional learning center. The second phase finalized in August of 2019 with a newly constructed student center that features several dining halls. This phase also included the renovation of one of the science buildings.
Finally, the third phase, which is set to be completed this summer,
includes the John and Claudia Bek Upper School Learning Center. This
center will feature a brand-new library and media center for students and faculty.
At
Construction Protection Systems, we’re proud to have had the
opportunity to play a part, however small, in the Charlotte Country Day
School’s most recent projects. Stay tuned for more updates from the
makers of 1-2-3 Door Shield—the original, reusable door protection system.
Enrolling over 3800 students across three campuses, The Classical Academy in Colorado is the biggest K-12 public charter school in the state. Not only does it seek to teach students the basics of a good education, but its main purpose is to instill a love of the music and arts.
With its newest addition to its North Campus, The Classical Academy will be
able to provide its students with state-of-the-art fine arts spaces for music
and theater.
Undertaken by Nunn Construction, the newest addition features a 635-seat theater that will host all of the school’s concerts and theatrical performances. The theater has cushioned seats to keep all guests and visitors comfortable, no matter how long a performance may be. In addition to the theater, a scene shop, a music room, and dressing rooms were added for student performers.
The theater is also connected to a commons space that
features a prominent entry point into the High School. Previously, the High
School lacked a main entry, but now through “a creative design solution,” the
commons space provides a definitive entry point for the entire school. In addition
to serving as a main entrance, the commons can also double as a community space
and a high school cafeteria. By serving a multi-functional purpose, the commons
space can provide students with everything they could possibly need.
At Construction Protection Systems, we’re proud to have had the opportunity to play a part, however small, in the most recent addition to The Classical Academy’s North Campus. Stay tuned for more updates from the makers of 1-2-3 Door Shield—the original, reusable door protection system.
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