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.
With the coronavirus spreading across the country, medical and data centers have become more important now than ever before. Both have become critical in the fight against the coronavirus, with medical centers healing our sick and data centers helping to better understand how we can flatten the curve. Yet, this also means that both types of facilities have become increasingly overwhelmed as they deal with rising hospitalization rates and supply shortages. For some of these institutions, however, they are equipped with brand new equipment and facilities that can help them in their hour of need. From Poughkeepsie to Gainesville, Construction Protection Systems is proud to have been a part of these past construction projects that are helping those on the front lines.
Vassar Brothers Medical Center, Poughkeepsie, NY
Located in Poughkeepsie, NY, Vassar Brothers Medical Center is one of the premiere medical centers in the area. Just this past year, it completed a $500 million project that resulted in a 696,000-square-foot expansion of the facility. This expansion included 264 private medical/surgical patient rooms, 30 ICU rooms, 66 treatment rooms, a loading dock, additional parking, and more, thus allowing the medical practitioners at Vassar Bros to help more patients in the Poughkeepsie area.
Google Data Center, New Albany, OH
In November of 2019, Google broke ground in New Albany, OH for their brand-new data center. A $600 million project, the Google Data Center will work to keep the internet flowing smoothly and
efficiently to provide us the data we need in times like these. Not
only that, but the Google Data Center in New Albany will also be matched
with 100% renewable energy.
North Florida Regional Medical Center, Gainesville, FL
The North Florida Regional Medical Center
is a 432-bed care center that just got a little bit bigger. Beginning
in June of 2017, the NFRMC underwent several stages of expansion and
modernization, including updating patient rooms, adding two freestanding ERs, expanding their emergency department entrance, and more. Completed in 2018, this project has provided more beds and more room for emergency responders to treat their patients.
Facebook Data Center, New Albany, OH
In addition to the Google Data Center, New Albany also received a Facebook Data Center in 2019. A $750 million project, the Facebook Data Center helps to control and monitor Facebook traffic. By doing so, they are helping people stay connected to one another while also providing them access to the information that they need to best weather this crisis.
Lawrence Memorial Hospital, Lawrence, KS
For nearly 100 years, Lawrence Memorial Hospital has been serving the Lawrence, KS area. More recently, however, they’ve undergone a
major expansion and renovation to their facilities, specifically their
Emergency Department. An $81.6 million project, the Lawrence Memorial
Hospital is set to have an expanded waiting room, 12 additional private
rooms, three triage rooms, and an upgraded electrical power system.
Gulf Coast Medical Center, Fort Myers, FL
In Fort Myers, FL, two hospitals became one with the consolidation of the Gulf Coast Medical Center and the Southwest Florida Regional Medical Center. This consolidation resulted in a brand-new building, featuring 423,000-square-feet of new construction and 25,000-square-feet of renovation. The new hospital now sports many critical facilities, including an emergency department, lab, surgery department, 229 patient rooms, and more.
At
Construction Protection Systems, we’re proud to have had the
opportunity to play a part, however small, in these many renovation and
construction projects. Stay tuned for more updates from the makers of 1-2-3 Door Shield—the original, reusable door protection system.
In order to properly treat their patients, every medical center must have the equipment, space, and personnel that they need on-site. That’s why the St. David’s North Austin Medical Center underwent a recent expansion to provide their patients with the care they need. The project was a massive undertaking, spread out across four concurrent phases and costing $34 million in total. The construction took about 12 months, and during that time the hospital was kept fully functional in order to continue treating patients.
Four phases
In 2009, St. David’s went under an $83 million, 175,000-sq.-ft.
expansion of the women’s center. The current project renovated and expanded
upon portions of that previous project while also constructing additional sections.
The entire project was cut up into four, consecutive phases, that included the
following:
Antepartum vertical expansion
This expanded the current radiology department, adding an
extra 32,000-sq.-ft. as well as 26 patient beds and a relocated mechanical
penthouse.
NICU vertical expansion
This took place directly alongside the preexisting neonatal
intensive care unit (NICU). 20,000-sq.-ft. in total, in added 20 new NICU bays
as well as the relocated mechanical penthouse.
Surgery shell addition
Adding on to the existing building, this phase added 25,000-sq.-ft.
It connected the women’s center tower to the operating rooms and sterile core
of the existing hospital.
Pediatrics ED and PICU renovations
The final phase was perhaps the most extensive. With
20,000-sq.-ft. in renovations, this part of the project added a new ambulance entrance,
exam rooms, pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) rooms, trauma room, CT scan
and radiology. It also installed a new set of elevators that would transport
patients from the first-floor emergency department (ED) to the second floor
PICU.
Keeping the hospital fully functional
When renovating a hospital, it’s important to make sure that
construction does not disrupt patient care. This was the case at St. David’s
North Austin Medical Center. Throughout the twelve months that this project
took place, St. David’s remained fully functional. Even when construction was occurring
in the most sensitive areas of the hospital (such as the emergency department
or the NICU), it remained business as usual. This was accomplished by using a
six-inch-thick sound barrier wall to muffle construction noise that was
occurring inside of the hospital. The construction team also “used heavy
protective plastic and clean suits each time that they moved or modified the
sound wall to isolate the work areas.”
Staying on schedule
One of the biggest accomplishments of this project was that
it was finished on schedule. As many know, construction projects are often
delayed due to unforeseen circumstances. And, indeed, throughout this particular
project there were forty days of delay due to rain. However, the construction
team was able to recoup those lost days and still managed to finish within the
12-month schedule.
At Construction Protection Systems, we’re proud to have had
the opportunity to play a part, however small, in the expansion of the St.
David’s North Austin Medical Center Campus. Stay tuned for more updates from
the makers of 1-2-3 Door Shield—the original, reusable door protection
system.
Hotel renovations are unique in that hotel properties are
generally always occupied while the renovation work is being done. This is a
fact of life, since shutting down an operating hotel for renovation is seldom
an option due to the need to avoid laying off, re-hiring and training sometimes
hundreds of employees, not to mention the lost revenue during a shut-down.
A highly specialized business
Renovating hotels is a highly specialized business that is
almost always performed by specialty contractors who travel around the country
and engage with hotel chains in often far-flung locations. Usually, hotel
renovations involve guestroom, lobby, food and beverage and meeting room
furniture replacement, which also can necessitate on-site auctioneering
services. Phased demolition usually follows and can be as simple as
re-painting, wallpapering and carpet replacement, all the way to wholesale
replacement of windows, plumbing fixtures, lighting, mechanical equipment,
bathroom countertops and tile, door replacement and security hardware
conversions. Renovations can also incorporate ADA and fire/life safety and
elevator upgrades and common area, food and beverage and amenity space
improvements. The more of these elements that are included in the renovation,
the more complex the planning and execution of the work becomes.
Communication with hotel management
Even the purely cosmetic renovations entail a high degree of
communication and coordination with the hotel operations management team. Hot
buttons for hotel operations start with detailed demolition and construction
schedules, approved in advance, for each phase of the work. Of critical
importance is the timing and staging of the furniture removal and demolition in
such a way as to avoid disrupting hotel operations, especially guests, food and
beverage services and back of the house service entrances and loading docks. It
is not uncommon for hotel renovations to be scheduled on a floor-by-floor basis
with guest security, construction access points, elevator usage, noise and dust
control and hours of operation all subject to careful execution of a detailed
plan and schedule, approved in advance by the hotel operator. Specialty
hotel renovation contractors understand and incorporate these and other
specific hot button issues on behalf of their clients if they are to achieve a
successful and profitable renovation project resulting in a highly satisfied
client and the prospects for future renovation contracts.
Timing is everything
Because new and renovated hotel construction almost always
involves furniture removal and replacement, the timing and logistics of moving
enormous volumes of materials, and associated dunnage, becomes a major
component of a successful hotel renovation project. During this process,
protection of large numbers of doors, both existing and new, from damage during
demolition, construction and furniture-moving operations is a high
priority.
For many years, we at Construction Protection Systems have partnered with the most reputable specialty hotel renovation contractors in the U.S. and Canada in providing effective, re-usable door protection products. To learn more, contact us today on our website or by phone at 303-740-6700.
The University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business is one of the most well-known and renowned business programs in the country. It’s why, six years ago, university leaders decided that it was time for a proper community that could foster intellectual growth. UGA’s Business Learning Community will do just that. Completed in July of 2019, the Business Learning Community has been time and effort well-spent.
About the Project
The construction for the Business Learning Community first started in 2014, but the idea began in 2013. The purpose, school officials said, was to transform the Terry College of Business by “creating a new learning environment…where students can gather, study, work on projects, interact with faculty inside and outside the classroom, and network with alumni and employers.” The entire project (funded by both the state of Georgia and private donors) totaled $140 million, resulting in six new buildings that stretched across 300,000 square feet in the heart of the campus.
The project was divided into three distinct phases which
took a total of six years to complete:
Phase 1: Correll Hall (2013-2015)
Correll Hall (named after alumni Alston D. “Pete” Correll
Jr. and Ada Lee Correll) was the first building of UGA’s Business Learning
Community to be constructed and completed. With a total of 74,291 square feet,
Correll Hall now provides a location for graduate studies and college
administration. It has four stories that include 10 classrooms, an innovation
lab, a graduate commons, project team rooms, interview rooms, student lockers,
and communal spaces for the university community.
Phase 2: Amos Hall, Benson Hall, and Moore-Rooker Hall (2015-2017)
While Phase 1 stuck to just one building, Phase 2 included
three, with Amos Hall in the middle and Benson Hall and Moore-Rooker Hall on
either side. Each of the three buildings are five stories. On the bottom floors
there are two auditoriums, eight classrooms, a capital markets lab, a music
business lab, and (since this is a college campus) a bakery café. The upper floors
house faculty and staff offices in addition to seminar rooms and project team
rooms.
Phase 3: Ivester Hall and Sanford and Barbara Orkin Hall (2017-2019)
The final phase of the project wasn’t as extensive as the
previous, but it nevertheless included essential elements of the soon-to-be
Business Learning Community. Ivester Hall and Sanford and Barbara Orkin Hall
(named, as were the others, after alumni) are the first buildings to greet you
as you enter the Business Learning Community. Both buildings house large
auditoriums and classrooms, in addition to offices, labs, and seminar rooms. A
few of these include a behavioral lab and the Simon S. Selig Jr. Center for
Economic Growth. The two buildings also have a large outdoor space in front,
now known as the Coca-Cola Plaza.
Completion
After Ivester Hall and Sanford and Barbara Orkin Hall opened
in July of 2019. The six-year project came to a close. The last few months of summer
included “landscaping, final touches and installing instructional technology in
the classrooms.” After this was completed, the entire Business Learning Center
was then opened for students, faculty, staff, and alumni to enjoy during the
Fall 2019 semester.
At Construction Protection Systems, we’re proud to have had
the opportunity to play a part, however small, in the development of the University
of Georgia’s new Business Learning Center. Stay tuned for more updates from the
makers of 1-2-3 Door Shield—the original, reusable door protection
system.
Our government works hard to protect us from all sorts of threats. While sometimes threats are easily seen, other times our government has to safeguard us against threats that are not easily seen. Serious animal diseases (also known as zoonotic diseases) can, if not handled properly, devastate our communities. That’s why the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have teamed up to build a new, state-of-the-art National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF). This facility will help us learn more about animal diseases and how best to protect our population from an outbreak.
About the project
The NBAF will, according to the USDA, “be the premier center
of scientific excellence for the study of transboundary, emerging, and zoonotic
animal diseases (those transmitted between animals and humans) that threaten
U.S. agriculture economy, food supply, and public health.” In other words, the
facility and the people working inside it will study the diseases that transmit
between humans and animals in order to best prevent and contain them. The
facility will take over for the Plum Island Animal Disease Center while also providing
additional capabilities and resources that the previous facility lacked.
The facility
Located in Manhattan, Kansas, the NBAF will be over 700,000
square feet, have over 400 working personnel, and it will act as the nation’s
only maximum containment space for large animals. While there will be some
office space, the majority of the facility will be used for Biosafety Levels
(BSL)—biological laboratories that are designed to insulate contagious diseases,
protecting lab personnel as well as the surrounding environment. The NBAF, the
USDA claims, will be “one of the most advanced biocontainment facilities in the
world[.]”
Why do we need it?
Having a facility like the NBAF is necessary for both our
public health and security. Zoonotic diseases (diseases that are spread between
animals and people) count for 75% of the new and emerging infectious diseases
that are affecting the world population. Without proper procedures, the bacteria
for these diseases can wind up in our food sources and water supplies. While
some people who are infected exhibit few symptoms, others can wind up seriously
ill with even the risk of death.
At the NBAF, however, scientists will be able to study these
diseases in order to better protect the U.S. population from an outbreak. They can
research potential treatments and find new ways of controlling diseases that we
do not yet have a cure for. Plus, thanks to biocontainment features, they will
be able to study these diseases safely even in the case of a natural disaster
such as a tornado (a common occurrence in a place like Kansas).
When will it be open?
As of August 2019, the NBAF project is approximately 83
percent complete. The construction of the main laboratory began in May 2015 and
is currently on schedule for completion in May 2021. However, the facility won’t
be operational until all of the proper permits and registrations are received.
The estimated date for this is December 2022. Once this occurs, the USDA will
start transitioning operations from the Plum Island Animal Disease Center to
the NBAF. This transition will be complete by the year 2023.
At Construction Protection Systems, we’re proud to have had
the opportunity to play a part, however small, in the development of the nation’s
first National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility. Stay tuned for more updates from
the makers of 1-2-3 Door Shield—the original, reusable door protection
system.
Every university knows the value of on-campus amenities.
With more and more people attending college each year, it’s more important now
than ever before to have the space and necessities that those future students
will need. Clemson University realized this when, in 2015, they had to turn
away 850 students who wanted to live on campus.
In order to accommodate the rising number of incoming students, Clemson University went to work on a brand new, on-campus apartment complex named Douthit Hills.
The entire complex contains seven residential buildings.
These feature studio, two- and four-bedroom apartments that contain amenities
such as oversized windows, courtyards, and landscaped walkways. Three of the
seven buildings are reserved for first year students; the rest, meanwhile, are
for upperclassmen who want to remain a part of campus life throughout their
four years.
And indeed, having ample on-campus residential space is good
for both the university and the surrounding community. Living on campus helps
students remain involved in campus affairs, while also reducing town traffic
and campus parking issues.
Douthit Hills also provides the necessary amenities for a
successful college career. It has ample seating areas for group and solo work,
as well as lobby lounges and community kitchens to let students blow off some
steam.
At Construction Protection Systems, we’re proud to have had the opportunity to play a part, however small, in the construction of Douthit Hills. Stay tuned for more updates from the makers of 1-2-3 Door Shield™—the original, reusable door protection system.
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