Morley starts work on stem cell facility at USC

Santa Monica-based Morley Construction Co. has begun construction the Eli and Edythe Broad CIRM Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at the University of Southern California Health Sciences Campus.

USC is the first of 12 institutions to break ground on a stem cell research facility that is funded by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine.

The 93,000-sq-ft facility is expected to cost $65 million to build.

The Broad CIRM Center will focus on basic and discovery stem cell research, preclinical research and clinical research.

Composed of glass and granite, the Broad CIRM Center is planned as a five-story, cast-in-place concrete structure with one subterranean level to house imaging equipment. Advanced design features include a sophisticated cable-supported curtain wall and a “plug and play” feature allowing modular flexibility between laboratory and computational spaces. Other enhanced spaces include a tissue culture room and a cold room.

The project, designed by Los Angeles-based Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects, is striving to obtain a LEED silver rating.

Pankow begins 23-story office tower in Oakland

Oakland-based Charles Pankow Builders has started work on 601 City Center, Shorenstein-Met Life’s 23-story office tower in Oakland.

The nearly 600,000-sq-ft building is expected to become one of the city’s greenest office buildings. The owners will seek LEED gold certification for the project when it is completed in fall 2010.

The project was designed by Ted Korth of the architectural firm of Korth Sunseri Hagey.

601 City Center will feature office and retail space and include a two-level, 200-stall underground parking garage.

The building’s green elements are focused on enhancing energy efficiency and minimizing the building’s overall impact on the environment and include a green roof over its two one-story buildings, 30% less water usage than a similar building, use dual-paned tinted glazing, and more than 70% of the structural steel used in the building’s construction will be post-consumer recycled steel.

Other design and construction principals on the project include Nishkian Menninger Structural Engineers, Aimani & Pamidi (mechanical and electrical), KPFF Engineers (civil), Guzzardo & Associates (landscape architect) and Simon & Associates (green building consultants).

NTD, Echo Pacific finish San Diego elementary school ahead of time

NTD Architecture and Escondido-based Echo Pacific Construction, Inc. have finished Willow Grove Elementary School in San Diego in the Poway Unified School District.

The 63,500 sq-ft school can accommodate 750 students and cost $26.7 million to construct.

The school, which began construction in January, was originally planned to take 15 months to complete. However, the school was completed in August and the early finish is expected to save the school district approximately $500,000 in interim housing costs.

Sustainability played a major role in the design and planning of Willow Grove, which will soon be a certified California High Performance School. Comprehensive facilities contained within the school include a multipurpose center, kitchen, library, and administrative building with extended student services.

Other project team members include: Masson & Associates (civil engineer), KNA Consulting Engineers (structural engineering), Johnson Consulting Engineers (low voltage/technology), Sound Technology Consultants (acoustics and A/V), Nowell & Associates (landscape architecture), and Orness Design Group (kitchen consultant.)

Indio Teen Center finishes construction

The Indio Teen Center, the first of two new facilities on the city’s first intergenerational campus, has opened. WWCOT Architects designed the approximately $7 million, 12,500-sq-ft facility.

Set on approximately four acres and located across from Indio High School, the Indio Teen Center includes a lobby reception area, Internet cafe/library with a small kitchen, game room, TV lounge, recording studio and leadership classroom/conference room, as well as two multi-purpose rooms that can be joined via moveable walls to become one large gathering space.

Glendora-based PW Construction Inc. was the general contractor for the teen center.

The second phase of the intergenerational campus, the Indio Senior Center, is now under construction. Temecula-based EDGE Development is the general contractor for the senior center. The Indio Senior Center has been designed to visually connect with the Teen Center. Construction is scheduled to be complete in mid-2009.

Hunt begins CSULB research and science building

Hunt Construction Group, Inc. has started construction on a 160,000-sq-ft research and science building located at California State University, Long Beach.

The $86.8 million construction contract was awarded to Hunt by California State Long Beach. Los Angeles-based Smith Group, Inc. is the project architect.

The research and science building will accommodate research labs, six lecture halls, classrooms, faculty office space, storage facilities, and a vivarium. The new space will be used by several departments including biology, physics, sciences, education, chemistry and geology. The project is slated for completion by December 2010.

Hunt has a vast array of experience constructing facilities on college campuses and has completed projects throughout other Cal State and UC institutions.