Lawrence Group has completed the redevelopment of Kirberg Co.’s 44,000-square-foot headquarters and distribution facility in St. Louis. Lawrence Group provided design/build services for the redevelopment of the historic property, which contains office and warehouse space.

The two-story building achieved LEED certification with sustainable features such as bamboo flooring, motion-sensor lighting, maximized natural light, the use of recycled materials, a green roof, increased water efficiency and the installation of a shower for employees to promote alternative transportation.

Source: REBusiness Online

One of the big national AEC stories of 2007 was the number of top design firms acquired by larger companies last year. Sixteen firms “disappeared” from the ENR Top 500 Design Firms list due to acquisitions.

The trend to instantly create companies that can provide a full range of services — from planning and design through construction and even operations and maintenance — has been fueled by larger projects and clients who want single source delivery.

The U.S. dollar’s fall against foreign currencies is another factor that makes acquisition of U.S. firms by foreign companies look more enticing than ever. European companies can get 30% more for their money by using Euros in the U.S.

Still, there’s a lot to be said for the stability, integrity and commitment of firms owned by their founders, management teams or ESOPs (employee stock ownership plans). Among such successful companies in St. Louis are McCarthy, Walton Construction, Guarantee Electrical, Lawrence Group, Clayco, Kwame Building Group, Graybar Electric.

These companies and many others have found ways to provide the broad range of services owners want while still maintaining local ownership.

What other local AEC firms can you add to the list?

Walton Construction St. Louis has been selected as general contractor for the new $6.7 million, 20,000-square-foot Chesterfield Medical Institute. The facility will include an outpatient surgical unit and three medical practices — Laser & Dermatologic Surgery Center, West County Dermatology and Generation Dental Group. Walton also is providing pre-construction, estimating and value engineering on the two-story medical complex. The architect on the project is Feeler-Scheer Architects LLC.

Source: St. Louis Business Journal

Last year, developer Kevin McGowan and his company blueurban held a one-day sales event for lofts in their new Ballpark Lofts at Cupples Station Building #8, and sold 61 of 68 lofts in an hour and a half.

The real estate market is very different this year, but blueurban plans to repeat the sale and the buyers’ priority list that led up to it. Does McGowan expect similar results?

“Interest for our Cupples Station Building #9 loft project is much greater and we expect to sell all of these lofts on a single Saturday this spring,” said McGowan in an announcement. The lofts in question overlook Busch Stadium and will sell for $170,000 to over $500,000. McGowan expects to sign up 61 priority buyers who each will hand over a refundable $2,500 check for priority right to pick and buy the loft of their choice.

“Our goals are the same as last year and our expectations so far have been met,” said bluerban’s marketing rep Jenni. “Ballpark Lofts are right in front of Busch Stadium. During ball season, living there is an experience only few can say they have.”

We’ll be interested to see how it goes…

Jeff Ship, Division Safety Manager for Walton Construction, was featured in a St. Louis Post-Dispatch “Ask the Experts” column on Friday.

“Q. In addition to possible fines, what are potential costs associated with accidents on the job site?”

“We base our safety program on risk prevention, not fines. We actually review the project before responding to a bid, evaluating all possible risks that could affect our employees and our company. Accidents can have an impact on a project on many levels, from increased cost production issues to delays. The medical bills and time lost by a worker recovering from a broken arm, for example, can cost the company $15,000. Accidents also can erode employee trust in the company if co-workers worry that a job site is not a safe environment.

“Serious or multiple work site accidents are likely to increase an employer’s insurance and bonding rates, and affect the company’s experience modification rating, which affects workers’ compensation rates. They can put a damper on future work prospects, even lead to contract termination if a client feels the contractor has failed to meet safety requirements.

“A good work site safety program prevents accidents by training employees to be responsible and accountable for safety, and by empowering them to enforce the rules to stop any unsafe act.”

Jeff Ship, Walton Construction

A new Miami-Date County ordinance went into effect on Friday, three days after a section of a tower crane collapsed at a Bay condominium construction site near downtown Miami, leaving two workers dead and five others injured.

The new ordinance requires certification of operators, who must pass a written test and show proficiency, including the ability to maneuver and shut down the giant crane, and then to secure it, according to ENR.

The state of Florida does not require certification. Miami-Dade County is among a handful of major metropolitan areas — including Chicago, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York, Omaha and Washington — that have passed their own rules requiring licensing of tower-crane operators.

Missouri is not one of the 15 or so states that currently require crane operator certification.

In early March, a crane accident on the I-64 reconstruction project closed Clayton Rd. in St. Louis for 13 hours when a clamp holding a beam broke, causing the crane to topple. No one was injured in that accident.

Source: ENR