Commerical Construction

Owen-Ames-Kimball receives award

Owen-Ames-Kimball Company was presented with a 2009 Excellence in Construction Award for the Peace River Elementary School project by the Florida Gulf Coast Chapter of Associated Builders Contractors Inc. These awards are presented biennially to recognize general contractors and subcontractors for their finest work completed over the past 24 months.

Peace River Elementary School, the first LEED Silver level Florida elementary school certified by the United States Green Building Council won in its category of K-12 School Projects Over $20 million. OAK met the challenge of building the post-Hurricane Charley replacement school adjacent to an active modular campus. The rebuilding process afforded the Charlotte County School District the opportunity to incorporate in the school construction many energy-saving and environmentally friendly features such as "smart" lights and preferential parking for fuelefficient vehicles.

Owen-Ames-Kimball Company has been selected for construction of phase one of Florida Gulf Coast University's new Fine Arts Building 2. The Fine Arts Building 2 will be located near the existing arts complex building on the Fort Myers FGCU campus and will house the Bower School of Music and the visual and performing arts program. Construction will include a lobby reception area, music classrooms, practice rooms, 210- seat recital hall, offices for faculty and an instrument storage room.

The OAK team for this project will include Scott Reynolds, job site superintendent; Leo Smith, project manager; and Patrick Conran, vice president of operations and general superintendent.

J.L. Wallace to build Esperanza Apartments

J.L. Wallace Inc. has been awarded a contract by Florida Non-Profit Services Inc. to construct Esperanza Place Apartments, Phase I, an affordable housing development for farm workers in Immokalee.

The project, financed by USDA and Florida Housing Finance Corporation, will include the construction of three two-story multi-family buildings and all associated site work. Construction is expected to begin by late August 2009 with an estimated completion date of May 2010.

David Grossman will serve as project manager and Robbyn Spears will be project manager assistant. Architectural design services were provided by Slocum Platts.

J.L. Wallace finishes bank renovation

J.L. Wallace Inc. has completed the renovation of the SunTrust Bank branch located at 4415 Metro Parkway, Fort Myers. The project included the installation of new ceilings, flooring and lighting in the existing 4,081-squarefoot building. Architectural services were provided by Robert Reid Wedding Architects and Planners, AIA Inc.

David Grossman of J.L. Wallace served as project manager with Brian Dragich as superintendent and Joy Ready as project manager assistant.

GATES picked as construction manager

GATES has been selected as one of four construction managers for the Continuing Contract for Minor Projects for Edison State College. GATES was selected after a lengthy qualification process that involved submission of detailed experience and personnel information and interviews.

A total of 26 firms made submissions which Edison State College's Selection Committee short-listed to eight firms to participate in the interview process. As construction manager under this contract GATES will provide programming, schematic work, design development, construction documents, budgeting and scheduling for remodeling and renovation projects at all campuses.

Contract awarded for Bunche Beach park

J.L. Wallace Inc. has been awarded a contract by Lee County to build the Bunche Beach Preserve, a new park along San Carlos Bay. The Bunche Beach Preserve, located on John Morris Road in Fort Myers, will be self-sustaining, meaning no electric or water utilities will be needed to maintain it. The project, which is just over one acre in size and near Bunche Beach, includes site work, storm water retention system, parking area, restroom facilities, fishing piers, kayak launches and boardwalks.

David Grossman, a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional, will serve as the project manager and Robbyn Spears will be the project manager assistant.