| 18-Building Proposal Suggested for Aurora
Geneva, Ill.-based Sho-Deen Inc. has announced a mixed-use
proposal for Aurora that would involved the construction of
18 buildings housing up to 2,000 residences, a hotel and 225,000
sq ft of retail and commercial space.
The proposal, called EastBank, is pending approval from city
officials. It would be located on 34 acres of formerly industrial
property adjacent to the Fox River.
EastBank would also include a commuter rail station at its
center-essentially reinventing the south portion of Aurora's
downtown district from an industrial area into an ultra-modern,
transportation-oriented residential development. As proposed,
the train station would offer service to downtown Chicago
and either be a Metra rail depot or an Amtrak stop.
The concept calls for a minimum of 900 condominiums, townhomes
and flats in high-rise and mid-rise buildings set along the
riverfront and throughout the property. Additionally, the
developers are envisioning a high-rise hotel facing the river
that would have up to 250 rooms. Many of the buildings would
also feature street-level retailers and dining establishments
and provide leased office space.
It would be the first high-rise development of its kind and
the first transportation-oriented development in Aurora.
The project would also include a riverwalk, parks, a public
parking, pedestrian bridge and office park.
If approved, EastBank would likely break ground in 2008.
Indiana Roundtable Votes
To Implement Diversity Initiative
The Indiana Construction Rountable Board has unanimously
approved a diversity initiative.
The ICR will ask its owner-members to begin collecting data-within
legal parameters as determined by each owner-from contractors
that would be required under ICR's Diversity Initiative. The
data will be used to qualify contractors that want to perform
work for owners participating in the program.
An industry educational forum is planned where owners and
contractors will be given the instruction and tools needed
to comply with the new program.
ICR Diversity co-chairs Doug Morris of Clarian Health Partners
and John Lambert of Eli Lilly and Co. noted that collecting
the data would have important uses that would bolster the
program's future and immediately begin to improve the diversity
outreach efforts.
The program will ask questions of the industry that should
facilitate changes in company practices that will stimulate
growth of the underrepresented groups in the industry, the
ICR says.
Each owner will have the latitude to determine whether it
will use evaluation criterion. Implementing the program in
this fashion reduces the risk of alienating the bidding base
for any particular owner while stressing the individual components
of the program as a means for providing substantial change
in the industry.
In 2004, the Board endorsed the "Morris Plan" put
forward by Clarian's Morris. It acknowledged that 20 years
of attempts to increase the number of women and minorities
making a living in the construction industry had failed.
Corporate America Pursuing
Green of a Different Kind
Most U.S. corporate leaders are interested in sustainability,
and the majority are examining ways to make sustainability
a consistent part of their companies' missions, a survey has
found.
The findings come from Greening of Corporate America SmartMarket
report on corporate America's opinions about sustainability
and green building.
McGraw-Hill Construction, which publishes Midwest Construction,
and research and report partner Siemens, released the study.
Among the findings:
18% of leaders surveyed are in the upper, or market transformational,
stages, with 15% viewing sustainability as a competitive advantage
and 3% driving their entire businesses through the value-driven
lens of sustainability.
Government and internal management are strong drivers of
green activities.
Risk concerns are no longer the primary reason for a company
to move toward sustainable practices.
60% of CFOs see the market differentiation that sustainability
activities and green building can provide their companies,
with over half of other respondents seeing this same benefit.
63% of CEOs recognize the financial benefits of green building,
and 67% of them see a specific operating cost benefit from
green.
57% of respondents think green fosters innovation within
their companies.
Corporate chiefs "believe that green building is in their
company's best interests, not only for the clear economic
benefits, but for the market differentiation and competitive
advantage," said Brad Haeberle, director of Marketing,
Buffalo Grove, Ill.-based Siemens Building Technologies Inc.
Champaign to Get Mixed-Use Facility
A 230,000-sq-ft, nine-story mixed-use facility recently
broke ground in Champaign, M2 on Neil.
The $41 million mixed-use building will offer restaurants,
retail, businesses and condominiums.
Located at the northwest corner of Neil and Church streets,
M2's first floor will offer a mix of dining options, unique
retailers and a financial institution. Office and commercial
space will occupy floors two through five.
Condominiums on floors six through nine will range from
$170,000 for a one-bedroom condo to $430,000 for a two-bedroom
condo with master suite, balcony, kitchen and other amenities.
The condominiums will range from 700 to 1,900 sq ft.
The city of Champaign plans to build, operate and manage
an attached 500-car parking garage. The garage will offer
parking to the public and to those who work and live in
the mixed-use facility.
M2 on Neil is designed to resemble Champaign's existing
architecture.
Outside, limestone and blond and red brick will comprise
the exterior. Glass throughout the building will allow natural
light inside. Contemporary finishes will enhance the urban
feel.
The M2 development will also help local companies and the
University of Illinois recruit and retain professionals
by offering big city amenities in one location.
Champaign-based One Main Development is the developer, Indianapolis-based
RATIO Architects Inc. is the design firm and Indianapolis-based
F.A. Wilhelm is the contractor.
St. Louis Care Facility To Have Expansion
The Mother of Good Counsel Home skilled nursing facility
in north St. Louis County has broken ground on a $10 million
expansion and renovation.
The expansion will add 9,658 sq ft of space to the facility,
creating an environment that is more open, calming, bright,
simple and uncluttered.
More than 43,400 sq ft of space will be renovated, including
the 70 resident rooms, all private. Upgrades include new
lighting, improved bathrooms, plantation-style shutters
and a palette of warm, natural materials and colors. A floor-to-ceiling
tack-able wall surface next to each door will allow residents
to personalize their own entryways.
Grounds improvements include new green space, a garden patio
for resident dining, a stone wall and landscaping, new signage
and improved access to the site. Infrastructure and utility
systems also will be upgraded and improved.
The architect for the project is Christner Inc., and the
general contractor is BSI Constructors.
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