Statewide construction project roundup.

• Author: Slaten, Russ
• Position: SPECIAL SECTION: Building Alaska - Statisitics of construction contracts

Although the busy summer construction season is over, it doesn't stop many crews from continuing well into the fall. With the hopes of mild weather, Alaska contractors will bear down to stay on time and under budget.

Anchorage U-Med District

Neeser Construction continues to make progress on the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) School of Engineering parking structure on UAA Drive. The general contractor was building the second floor of the four-story garage in July. The $23 million project will be complete in the fall and opened for UAA's 2016 fall semester next August.

Neeser Construction completed the $78 million UAA Engineering and Industry Building on Providence Drive this summer, along with the connecting $6.1 million UAA Health Campus Pedestrian Bridge. Neeser finished the shell of the bridge in the summer and completed the finishing touches and laid down carpet in July.

Davis Constructors & Engineers, Inc. will complete the $6.7 million Wells Fargo Sports Complex Renewal and Repurposing Phase II project this month. The two-floor, 105,735-square-foot renovation project on the UAA campus began in May.

On the Alaska Native Health Campus, Watterson Construction says it's about 50 percent complete with the two-story Southcentral Foundation Therapy Center. The $25 million project will be complete in the fall of 2015.

The Alaska Native Medical Center Patient Housing facility saw the completion of the parking garage and foundation work in the summer. Neeser will complete steel and roofing work in November and expect to start construction of the sky bridge next spring, with total completion expected in fall 2016.

The Petersen Group is building the Thomas Center for Senior Leadership located near Lake Otis Parkway and Tudor Road. Owned by St. Mary's Episcopal Church Housing Company LLC, the housing project is funded by a $5 million grant from Lowell and Tay Thomas. The Petersen Group began construction in July 2014 and expect it to be completed in November, with thirty-five workers at peak construction.

Neeser will complete construction of the Blood Bank of Alaska's new headquarters, laboratory, and collection facility in Anchorage thanks to an $8.5 million loan from AIDEA (Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority). The 57,000-square-foot facility will consolidate the Blood Bank's Anchorage facilities and expand capacity and is expected to produce approximately 133 direct jobs over the sixteen-month construction period, according to the Blood Bank of Alaska.

Municipal Schools

The Airport Heights Elementary Renovation and Addition began this spring, and the Anchorage School District expects it to be complete by August 2016. General contractor Watterson Construction for the $16.7 million project says it was 10 percent complete with the project in July and expects peak employment to be about fifty workers. McCool Carlson Green designed the project.

The new Rilke Schule German School of Arts and Sciences located off Dowling Road in Anchorage is set to be complete this month. RIM Architects designed the 39,500-square-foot building. Pfeifer Development and Sitnasuak Native Corporation, the village corporation of Nome, are partnering to develop the project under the joint venture, Nanuaq Development LLC. Criterion General saw about fifty workers at peak construction.

The Rabbit Creek Elementary School Renewal project began this summer in South Anchorage. Watterson Construction was awarded the $8.4 million by the Anchorage School District. Watterson will complete the project by next summer, with peak employment at about forty-five workers.

Watterson Construction expects to complete the Girdwood K-8 School Renewal project in August. The $19 million renewal project, designed by McCool Carlson Green, completely reworks the roof systems and includes a two-story expansion for middle school students, a gym, and a reimagined commons and library. Watterson began the Anchorage School District project in the summer of 2014, with fifty-six workers at peak construction.

Midtown Developments

Criterion General, Inc. is continuing to make progress on the Kuukpik Corporation Building on 36th Avenue that began...