Chicago Announces $1 Billion School-Building Plan

Chicago officials have announced a $1 billion plan to build 24 new schools and renovate three others.

The plan would draw on city redevelopment funds from tax increment financing districts and Chicago Public Schools bond funds. It would bring nine new high schools, 15 elementary schools and three major high school renovations to neighborhoods across the city.

Major Richard Daley said he expects to build five new schools and complete the three renovations within the next three years. The remainder of the schools would be constructed over the following three years.

On the West Side, the plan includes a new Westinghouse High School, major renovations at Austin and Collins high schools and an additional brand-new high school in the Garfield Park communication that replicates the successful model used at the Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences.

On the North Side, the projects include a renovation at Mather High School, an additional brand-new high school for the Irving Park community and several elementary schools to relieve overcrowding.

Finally, on the South Side the program would include five new high schools, four new elementary schools and four replacement schools.

About 60 percent of the funding would come from TIF dollars, and the remaining dollars are expected to come from CPS bond funds.

North Avenue Bridge Reconstruction Begins

Construction crews began work in June to replace the North Avenue Bridge over the North Branch of the Chicago River.

The $21.4 million project will replace the 99-year-old bridge with a modern, architecturally significant bridge employing the latest in bridge technology.

Before the work began, the city built a temporary bridge to handle vehicles and pedestrians so that North Avenue traffic can continue to flow throughout the project.

The new bridge will widen the roadway to feature two full lanes in each direction, the same as the rest of North Avenue.

Currently, North Avenue narrows to one lane over the bridge. The new bridge will also feature sidewalks on both sides, a benefit for pedestrians.

The new bridge will be a hybrid suspension/cable-stay bridge, the first of its kind in Chicago.

The center section will be a suspension bridge, while the ends will be cable-stayed. A suspension bridge hangs from cables anchored at each end, while a cable-stay bridge supports the deck with cables from a central tower or towers.

This configuration allows for an open, airy bridge with a thin deck, or roadway platform. It also creates the maximum amount of clearance over the river, as required by the federal government.

The city has structured the project so that North Avenue will remain open to traffic throughout construction. The temporary bridge will have one lane in each direction, the same as the current configuration. One sidewalk will also remain open.

Chicago-based Walsh Construction Co. is the contractor. Kansas City, Mo.-based HNTB Corp. is the lead designer, and Chicago-based Muller & Muller Architects focused on design elements of the project.

The project is scheduled for completion in fall 2007.

St. Louis University To Get Arena

St. Louis University has announced that an $80.5 million arena project is planned for the campus' eastern end.

The facility includes a 10,600-seat basketball arena, practice facility and athletic department offices and support facilities. It will be home to men's and women's basketball, concerts, family shows, trade shows, commencements and other events.

Groundbreaking was expected in late August or early September, and the project is expected to finish in March 2008.

St. Louis-based Clayco is the general contractor.

Casino Queen Breaks Ground

A $60 million Casino Queen gaming facility was announced for East St. Louis, Ill., and it will replace the existing Casino Queen.

The 236,000-sq.-ft. facility is expected to open in summer 2007.

The two-level, tilt-up concrete building with steel roof will feature 22-ft.-high ceilings, 38,000-sq.-ft. gaming floor, buffet, casual cafeteria, steakhouse, lounge and stage bar.
The casino will adhere to a southwestern theme, according to the St. Louis-based architect Kuhlman Design Group.

The gaming facility will be floating but no on a barge like the old river-based casinos.

Once the site is excavated, special foam sheets that a 4-by-20 ft. in size and about 3 in. thick will be stacked 5 ft. high for the entire footprint of the gaming area or about 30,000 sq. ft.

Concrete about a foot thick will be poured and an under-floor duct system will be installed, followed by more poured concrete to create the gaming floor. Water will be added to the excavated basin, allowing the gaming area to float in its most, moored at strategic pints around the building.

The casino will reportedly be the fist land-based "boat in a moat" in Illinois.

A joint venture of St. Louis-based Clayco and St. Louis-based Legacy Building Group LLC is the contractor.

New Schools to Rise In Wauconda, Beecher

Wauconda Community Unit School District 118 has started a new middle school, high school renovations and other projects.

Construction started in May on Matthews Middle School, and the 94,000-sq.-ft. facility is expected to be finished in August 2007. The facility will house 21 regular classrooms, in addition to other facilities.

Matthews Middle School will rise on 100-year-old farmland, and the 39-acre site includes two wetland areas and clusters of trees.

A unique feature is that classroom pods will be tilted to maximize views of the trees and wetlands.

Meantime, the Wauconda High School project will include 120,464 sq. ft. in additions and 47,000 sq. ft. in renovations. The project follows the same timeline as the middle school.

Providence, R.I.-based Gilbane Building Co. is the construction manager, and Waukegan-based Legat Architects is the architect.

In other news, a 62,500-sq.-ft. junior high school for south suburban Beecher School District 200-U has started.

The school will have a two-story classroom wing built to accommodate further expansions in the future.

An interesting element is that the school district received a grant to help pay for a domestic water solar hot water collection system. It is designed to supplement the domestic hot water heating system to help reduce the fuel consumption costs.

Construction is scheduled for completion in summer of 2007.Hickory Hills-based Henry Bros. Co is the general contractor.