Metropolitan
Design & Building Preserves Historic Significance of Mary Horton
Rackham Court
Metropolitan
Design & Building Co., Inc., a St. Louis-based commercial and
residential design-build firm, which has specialized in adaptive
re-use and remodeling construction since its inception in 1981,
has completed the renovation of Mary Horton Rackham Court on the
Principia College campus in Elsah, Ill.
In the 1930s, noted architect Bernard Maybeck designed and built
the student dormitory, which is listed on the National Register
of Historic Places. Metropolitan's renovation of the 26,450-square-foot
structure included an overall upgrade of the building's condition,
appearance and performance; code compliance and building accessibility
issues; and mechanical systems upgrades. Metropolitan also created
space for computer rooms, phone systems, laundry facilities and
a counselors office-all of which were carved from existing building
volume.
Metropolitan preserved those elements that were architecturally
significant or still suitable to their function and changed only
those elements that had outlived their program or were in violation
of codes, explains, Jeff Clark, vice president of Metropolitan
Design.
"Our goal was to prepare this historic structure to serve its
residences for the next 60 years as nobly as it has for the previous
60," Clark says.
Above:
An artist's depiction of the new Doc's
Harley Davidson, 930 South Kirkwood Road,
in Kirkwood, MO. General contractor Clayco
Construction Co. will complete the $2
million expansion this fall.
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Harley
Davidson Dealership Triples Size with $2 Million Expansion and
Renovation
Clayco Construction Co. is handling the $2 million expansion
of Doc's Harley Davidson, which is named after Ralph "Doc" Schneidewind,
who opened the business in 1955 in downtown St. Louis and moved
it to Kirkwood in 1974. Since then, the dealership has become
a Kirkwood landmark, with sales jumping more than 50 percent
last year.
"The Harley
rider has changed over the years," says Pat Bush, vice president
and general manager of Doc's. "We have older riders, but a newer,
younger generation is discovering the freedom and fun of riding
a machine regarded as America's motorcycle. Harley collectibles
and accessories have become a big part of our business."
According
to local architect Forum Studio, the new Doc's will visually
convey the rough and tumble image of the Harley Davidson brand
name with the nostalgic look of a small town motorcycle shop.
"We wanted
to modernize the store, but retain the biker nostalgia that
is central to the Harley Davidson experience," Bush says. "Forum
Studio studied the company's historic manufacturing plant in
Milwaukee and created a dealership that captures the look of
a factory."
Located
on a two-acre site, the 28,000-square-foot masonry building
consists of rusticated concrete block walls spiked with galvanized
metal awnings. Metal-frame windows are secured with large, deep-threaded
bolts-a reflection of the hard-edged Harley image.
"Harley
Davidson is uniquely American-an icon of our nation that is
instantly recognized around the world," says Mike Benz, principal/senior
designer of Forum Studio. "Our design seeks to capture the storied
look of the Harley Davidson motorcycle shops that dotted historic
Route 66 from Chicago to Los Angeles."
Above:
Paric Corp is teaming with Flemco and
Kennedy Associates Inc. to build the first
new school built in the Normandy School
District in 30 years.
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Paric
Teams with Flemco and Kennedy to Build New Normandy Elementary
School
Paric Corp. has begun work on the first new school built in
the Normandy School District in 30 years. The project is the
seventh educational institution contract that Paric has won
in the last year. Normandy Elementary School will enable the
district to consolidate classrooms from three antiquated facilities
and serve more than 900 students in grades kindergarten through
six when it opens this fall.
Located on a 20-acre site adjacent to Normandy Middle School,
the 120,000-square-foot facility will serve students currently
attending or slated to attend McKinley, Harrison and Lincoln
elementary schools in the Normandy district.
The Normandy School District, which serves a large minority
population, established stringent minority participation goals
for the $13.9 million project, including 35 percent minority
workforce, 25 percent minority-owned companies and five percent
woman-owned companies.
Kennedy
Associates, Inc. designed the layout of the single-level building,
which is keyed to the highly efficient shared space concept.
The building consists of three pods, each serving two grades,
clustered around a shared central hub. A full-size gymnasium,
750-seat cafeteria, library and media center, technology lab,
music and art rooms are situated in the hub. Dedicated science
rooms are located within each pod.
Aluminum-framed
windows mark the buff brick exterior and bathe the main entrance
and classrooms in natural light. A holographic-effect skylight
fills the lobby and adjoining corridors with a spectrum of color.
Other finishes
and function areas include six computer hookups per classroom,
satellite communications; outdoor classrooms for up to 60 students;
administrative offices; space for community events; and an athletic
field.
Above:
Participating in the groundbreaking ceremony
for the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Technology Center in
Weldon Springs, MO. are (left to right) Don Licklider,
Mayor of the city of Weldon Springs, MO; Bill Snyder,
senior vice president and CIO, and Andy Taylor, president
and CEO, Enterprise Rent-A-Car; and Robert E. Sherwood,
principal, Pace Corporate Services/CRESA-St. Louis.
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Enterprise
Rent-A-Car Builds Technology Center in Weldon Spring
In response to the growing technology application needs of Enterprise
Rent-A-Car's 4,000 offices worldwide, the company is building
a new 163,000-square-foot technology center, which is scheduled
for completion in early 2001.
In addition to overseeing the construction process, Pace Corporate
Services/CRESA St. Louis directed the land acquisition, site
plan approval, site development, assemblage of the design and
construction teams and design management of the technology center.
H.O.K. St. Louis is the architect and Paric, St. Louis, is the
general contractor for the two-phase project.
The "hardened" two-story, brick building with reinforced masonry
walls is designed to house high-technology equipment and activities.
For example, the structure will resist wind loads up to 250
miles per hour and flying debris up to 125 miles per hour.
Above:
Located on 513 acres in downtown
Alton, IL, Alton Cneter Business Park has the
capacity to host more than one million square
feet of new and renovated office, retail, warehouse
and high-tech manufacturing space.
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Alton Center Business Park Kicks Off Downtown Revival
"We view Alton Center Business Park as the second coming
of Union Seventy Center Business Park in north St. Louis," says
Michael H. Clark, president of Clark Properties, which has begun
phase one development of the 153-acre Brownfields redevelopment
located in downtown Alton, Ill.
"We've demonstrated at Union Seventy that there is sufficient
regional demand for high-quality, price-advantaged office, warehouse
and manufacturing space in a well-located, renovated venue,"
Clark adds.
Alton Center, which has the capacity to host more than one million
square feet of new and renovated office, retail, warehouse and
high-tech manufacturing space, has a projected completion value
of more than $50 million. Initial activities focus on soil and
groundwater remediation, asbestos abatement and demolition.
Fast-track construction proceeds simultaneously with environmental
clean-up, which focuses on infrastructure improvements to 26.2
acres on the southwest end of the tract and on the gut renovation
of two existing warehouses totaling 450,400 square feet. Originally
built in the 1960s and 1970s, the structures will have 18- to
22-foot clear height ceilings, 40- and 50-foot wide bays, new
dock doors and dock levelers as well as dolly pads.
The eastern half of the triangular site will host new office,
retail, warehouse and high-tech manufacturing space. The office
and retail sites will border Broadway Avenue and have fully
signalized access.
"Alton Center is the key to the revitalization of downtown Alton,"
says Alton Mayor Donald Sandidge. "We expect the entire project,
when complete, could result in the creation of more than 1,000
new jobs."
Gray Designs New Unity Health Medplaza in O'Fallon
Gray Design Group; Inc. has designed a new 44,000-square-foot
medical facility for Unity Health. The medical building, which
is located in O'Fallon, Mo., opened in February in O'Fallon,
Mo.
Gray Design, a St. Louis-based commercial architecture and interior
design firm, designed the building's exterior and interior elements.
The two-story medical facility features a curved entry with
a green metal canopy and a circle drive. A glass tower is featured
over the main lobby to allow additional natural light. The lobby
also includes porcelain tile, cherry wood veneer wall panels
and a large chandelier. The building's external features combine
green glass, precast concrete accents, brick and split-faced
concrete block base.
The Gray Design team was comprised of Larry Milles, principal
in charge; Ron Dierker, project manager; Gary Wehmeier, project
designer; and Pam Rodebaugh, interior designer.
Express Scripts and Rockwell Automation Lease Duke-Weeks'
Riverport II
Long-time tenant Express Scripts and Duke-Weeks Realty Corporation's
multi-market tenant Rockwell Automation has fully leased Duke-Week's
104,800-square-foot Riverport II industrial facility in Earth
City.
In response to the overwhelming lease activity toward Riverport
Business Center in the Earth City submarket, Duke-Weeks began
development of Riverport II last October on a speculative basis.
With an exterior of masonry brick and ribbon windows, the industrial
facility is fully equipped with five dock doors, seven drive-in
doors and parking for 432 vehicles.
Express Scripts, a leading managed care company and the largest
pharmacy benefit management company in the nation, consolidated
its West Port, Earth City and Riverport I offices into 83,000-square-feet
at Riverport II. All total, the company will occupy 356,139
square feet of office and industrial space in Duke-Weeks' St.
Louis portfolio.
Rockwell Automation, having partnered with Duke-Weeks for commercial
real estate property in Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Nashville,
will have two of its corporate divisions-Allen Bradley and Reliance
Electric-occupying 21,800 square feet of Riverport II to be
used as office space for sales, research and development, customer
training and service.
In the St. Louis area, Duke-Weeks' portfolio of office and industrial
properties it owns, manages or has under development totals
more than 6.4 million square feet.
