Construction roundup: summer 2016.

• Author: Harrington, Susan
• Position: Building Alaska

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Summer brings warmer weather and one of the "other" seasons--construction. Last month we included transportation projects from the STIP (Statewide Transportation Improvement Projects) issued by the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities. This month we're including vertical construction projects from around the state. While this is a lengthy construction roundup it is by no means complete. It is a sampling of the work being done and incudes about $1 billion dollars in public and private projects that are under construction across Alaska this summer.

Education

General contractor Watterson Construction Company is continuing renovations on the Airport Heights Elementary renovation and addition in Anchorage for the Anchorage School District (ASD). The $16.75 million project began in spring 2015 with projected completion this summer. It was 84 percent complete in May with peak employment expected to be fifty. MCG Architects designed the project.

Watterson is also continuing renovations on ASD's Rabbit Creek Elementary renovation and addition project in Anchorage. The $8.425 million project began last summer and is expected to be complete this summer. Peak employment on the project is forty-five. In May the project was 70 percent complete. Bezek Durst Seiser is the architect.

The 56,590-square-foot, $13.6 million Gladys Wood Elementary School replacement project for ASD in Anchorage is being led by MCG Architects--the firm's roles in the project are architecture, interior design, and educational planner. Cornerstone General Contractors began construction in June, and the multi-year project is scheduled to be completed in August 2017. Subcontractors include CRW Engineering Group (civil engineer, survey), RSA Engineering (mechanical/ electrical engineer), PND Engineers (structural engineer), Shannon & Wilson (geotechnical engineer), Corvus Design (landscape architecture), and Estimations (cost estimator).

Kumin is the architect through to the 35 percent bridging documents on the Romig Gym Seismic Repair project, an approximately 9,900-square-foot roof repair job for ASD. The project was in the negotiation phase in June, and the rest of the design will be Design-Build and had not been awarded. Subcontractors (to the 35 percent bridging documents only) include Schneider (structural), EHS (hazardous material abatement design), and HMS (cost estimating). The project has a July anticipated start date.

Kumin is also the architect on the 34,000-square-foot West High School/Romig Middle School IMC Wing Comprehensive Plan and IMC Seismic Repair and Renovation Phase 1 for ASD. Also in the negotiation phase, subcontractors include Schneider (structural), RSA (M&E), EHS (hazardous material abatement design), EEIS (roofing design), and HMS (cost estimating). Phase 1 of the project is scheduled to begin in spring 2017, pending passage of a bond in November 2016.

Davis Constructors & Engineers is the general contractor for the $13 million, two-story, 56,775-square-foot Turnagain Elementary School Renewal project for ASD in Anchorage. The architect is Nvision Architecture. The project started May 23 and is expected to be complete August 11, 2017.

In Fairbanks, Davis Constructors & Engineers is general contractor as Haskell Davis JV on the UAF Power Plant project owned by the University of Alaska with architect Design Alaska. The project consists of two 140,000 pound-per-hour circulating fluidized bed boilers and a 17 megawatt steam turbine. It will heat the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus and has a completion date of June 30, 2018.

Bettisworth North is the prime architect, landscape architect, and interior designer on the James C. Ryan Middle School for the Fairbanks North Star Borough School District. The $29 million, 60,000-squarefoot replacement/expansion school in Fairbanks was started in April 2015 and slated for completion in July. G2 Construction is the general contractor for the project. Other architect and engineering firms working on the project include BrainSpaces (educational planning and specifications), Perkins + Will (educational planning and design), PDC Inc. (civil engineer, fire protection, mechanical, structural, electrical), Stafford Design Group (kitchen design consultant), HMS, Inc. (cost estimating), NORTECH (environmental/hazardous material engineer), and Shannon & Wilson (geotechnical engineer).

Bettisworth North is also the prime architect, landscape architect, and interior designer on the Dena'ina Elementary School in Knik/Wasilla for the Matanuska Susitna Borough School District. The 44,000-squarefoot, $18.4 million school project began in 2013 and is slated for completion in July. FE Contracting is the general contractor. Other architect and engineering firms working on the project include Perkins + Will (educational planning and design), BrainSpaces (educational planning and specifications), HDR Alaska (civil engineer), BBFM (structural engineer), PDC Inc., (mechanical and electrical), Shannon & Wilson (geotechnical engineering), Stafford Design Group (kitchen design consultant), HMS, Inc. (cost estimating), Support Services of Alaska (commissioning agent), Lounsbury & Associates, Inc. (survey), and Greenbusch Group...