GSA Makes It Official Southeast Federal Center

Forest City Washington plans 5.5 million sq. ft. of residential, commercial, retail and cultural space along the banks of the Anacostia River.

Forest City Gets Keys to Southeast Federal Center

The U.S. General Services Administration turned over the keys for the development of the 44-acre Southeast Federal Center in Washington to Forest City Washington in June. The current plan calls for 3.2 million sq. ft. of residential and 2 million sq. ft. of commercial, retail and cultural space.

WASHINGTON, DC - Developers have made plans for the 44-acre Southeast Federal Center official. The U.S. General Services Administration turned over the keys to Forest City Washington of Washington, D.C. in June for the phased development on the banks of the Anacostia River in The District.

The current plan calls for 3.2 million sq. ft. of residential and 2 million sq. ft. of commercial, retail and cultural space. There will also be a 5-acre waterfront park with a promenade along the river. Additional zoning and planning are ongoing in conjunction with the neighboring baseball stadium project, said Harold DeBlanc, director of the Southeast Federal Center Project. "We've got to make sure that we're in-line appropriately with the stadium," De Blanc said.

No schedules have been set for construction, but DeBlanc said Forest City expects that the first groundbreaking will not take place before mid 2007. The current plan includes 30 buildings, although DeBlanc said there will be additional opportunities for development. Among the first priorities will be to make improvements along the waterfront and establish it as an attractive amenity, he said. DeBlanc said there is one building estimated between 250,000 sq. ft. and 325,000 sq, ft., which could be "delivered immediately if a tenant appears."

Greg Spivey is overseeing construction activity for Forest City.

Centex to Build K Street Office Building

WASHINGTON, DC - Centex Construction of Fairfax, Va., was recently awarded a contract to perform preconstruction and general contracting services for 1430 K Street, NW, in Washington, D.C. The project, which was awarded by Nest & Totah Venture, LLC, is a 75,000-sq.-ft. Class A office building. The tower will include 11 stories of office space, one story of retail space and two stories of underground parking. Donnally, Vujcic Associates of Gaithersburg, Md., designed the project.

Gilbane Lands $64 million VCU Business School Project

RICHMOND, VA - Gilbane Building Company of Richmond, Va., will manage construction of a new $64 million academic facility at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond. The facility will house both the School of Business and School of Engineering. The design is intended to meld the two schools and help promote a technology-focused business education.

Gilbane Building Company is managing construction of a new $64 million academic facility at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond. The facility will house both the School of Business and School of Engineering.

Demolition of existing buildings is scheduled for late summer with a groundbreaking planned for October. Construction is expected to be completed in time for the Fall 2007 semester.

The research and teaching facility is part of VCU's Monore Park Campus in downtown Richmond. The project will add an academic building of approximately 260,000 sq. ft., housing classrooms, laboratories, case study room, lecture halls, multi-media teaching facilities, a trading room, a café, faculty offices, administrative offices, and related support space.

R.W. Murray Finds Four Deals in Prince William County

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, VA - R.W. Murray of Manassas, Va., recently announced four new design-build and construction management projects in Prince William County, Va. The firm is building the 41,400-sq.-ft. Dumfries Commerce Center in Dumfries. The $3.7 million project is a single-story office, warehouse and condominium facility designed by Architecture Inc. It is scheduled for completion in October.

R.W. Murray is also working on the 42,000-sq.-ft. Signal Hill Professional Center in Manassas. The M Group-designed office/condo facility will include underground parking.

A new 56,000-sq.-ft. facility in Gainesville, for Automotive Resources is also on the firm's roster. The Garcia Seufert Architects-designed facility will include warehouse, manufacturing and office space.

The firm's special projects group has been selected to complete another renovation project for Cardinal Bank. The 3,500-sq.-ft. project will be the bank's third branch in the county.

Vollmer Announces New Contracts in Eastern Pa.

PHILADELPHIA - Vollmer Associates of Philadelphia, Pa., recently announced several new projects. The firm is performing surveying and engineering services for modernization and expansion projects at Drexel University and Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. The Drexel University project includes rehabilitating the academic quadrangle and establishing new gateway elements at the center of the university. Hargreaves Associates of Cambridge, Mass., is the lead urban designer and landscape architect. The Thomas Jefferson project includes the new Dorrance H. Hamilton Building, which is designed by Burt Hill Kosar Rittleman Associates of Philadelphia.

Vollmer was also selected by YMCA of the Brandywine Valley to do the site design for a proposed 80,000-sq.-ft. family center to be constructed in East Goshen Township, Pa. Construction of the facility, which was designed by Bernardon Haber Holloway, is expected to begin in spring 2006 with completion scheduled for fall 2007.

The firm also won a contract with the Borough of West Chester, Pa., for assistance with its National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System general permit.

Mancini-Duffy Awarded Postal Rate Commission Project

WASHINGTON, DC - Mancini-Duffy of Washington, D.C., was recently awarded the commission to provide interior design services for the relocation of the Postal Rate Commission in Washington. The 30,000-sq.-ft. facility includes a hearing room and various private offices and meeting spaces. The Mancini-Duffy team consists of Design Principal/Director Arnold Craig Levin; Project Manager Elizabeth Floyd; and Project Designer Bethany Lehman.

T.N. Ward Breaks Ground on Philly-area Horse Track

CHESTER, PA - Ground was broken on the Harrah's Chester Casino and Racetrack project in Chester, Pa., in June. The $200 million construction project, located approximately eight miles south of Philadelphia International Airport, will include a 5/8-mi. harness racetrack; a 1,500-seat grandstand and simulcast facilities; a 2,500-slot casino; a 24-hour restaurant; a buffet; a lounge; and a 300-seat clubhouse dining area.

The facility is scheduled to open in April 2006. T.N. Ward of Ardmore, Pa., is the general contractor. SOSH Architects of Atlantic City, N.J., designed the structures.

Bovis Begins Two Northern Virginia Projects

Bovis Lend Lease of Bethesda, Md., recently broke ground on the $62 million Spectrum at Falls Church in Falls Church, Va.

BETHESDA, MD - Bovis Lend Lease of Bethesda, Md., recently broke ground on two new projects in northern Virginia. The firm was selected by Waterford Development of Reston, Va., to provide preconstruction and construction management services for Spectrum at Falls Church in Falls Church, Va. The $62 million project, which was designed by Cooper Carry, includes 189 condominiums, a 233,198 sq. ft. parking garage, 31,899 sq. ft. of retail space and 32,953 sq. ft. of office space. Construction began in May and is scheduled for completion in May 2007.

Monument Realty selected Bovis to provide preconstruction and general contracting service for The Hawthorn, a nine-story $28 million condominium building in Arlington, Va. Davis Carter Scott is the architect. The 135-unit, 230,000-sq.-ft. building includes a two-level, below-grade parking garage. Construction began in April and is scheduled for completion in December 2006.

Forrester Starts Columbia Heights Community Center Construction

WASHINGTON, DC - Forrester Construction of Rockville, Md., recently broke ground on the $9.4 million Columbia Heights Community Center in Washington, D.C. The 60,000-sq.-ft. building is designed to be silver LEED certified and will include a gymnasium, four basketball courts, a library, community lab, aerobics room, weight room and culinary studio.

The four-story building is owned by the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation. Leo A. Daly is the architect. Construction began in mid-June and will last approximately 13 months.

First Phase of $1 Billion Cancer Center Underway

PHILADELPHIA, PA - Construction has begun on a 14,000-sq.-ft. addition to the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia. The $4.8 million project will house several new operating rooms, two MRIs, a CT scan, ultrasound equipment and digital radiology services. J.J. DeLuca of Springfield, Pa., is the general contractor. EwingCole is providing architectural and engineering services. The project is the first phase of a 20-year $1 billion growth plan. Future projects include a new 200-bed hospital.

Manekin Breaks Ground on Third Montpelier Project

LAUREL, MD - Manekin of Columbia, Md., has begun construction on its third building at Montpelier Research Park in Laurel, Md. Covering 12 acres, the 19,170-sq.-ft. property is a build-to-suit project for The Jackson Organization. The one-story, brick building was designed by Banta Campbell. Occupancy is expected by the end of April 2006.