Aging Chicago Sewers to Get Upgrade

Three $26 million contracts have been let to renew aging wastewater pipes in Chicago’s 100-year-old system.

About 360,000 ft of combined sewer pipe will be rehabilitated over a five-year period as part of the project.

The city is home to more than 4,400 mi of sewer, which has deteriorated throughout the years and is prone to collapse. The rehabilitation area has been divided north, central and south. The contracts call for renewal of up to 120,000 ft of combined sewer pipe in each district to restore structural integrity and reduce inflow and infiltration (I/I).

The contractor is Wheeling-based Kenny Construction Co. It is using cured-in-place pipe method from Paoli, Ind.-based Inliner Technologies LLC.

Kenny will provide up to three crews to work the three areas, which are divided as south of 63rd Street, between 63rd Street and North Avenue and north of North Avenue. Most pipes in these areas range between 10 and 48 in. in diameter.

Edward Jones North, South Campus Expanding

Edward Jones’ North Campus in St. Louis is expanding with a nine-story office, four-story training center and multi-purpose room.

The 372,000-sq-ft office is the first of three to be built over the next three years. Some of the new buildings will replace smaller structures dating back to the 1960s and will give the financial services firm 650,000 sq ft of new office space.

The multi-purpose room can accommodate up to 600 people and features a retractable seating system optimizing flexible use of the space.

Although most of the Edward Jones campus expansion will occur in Northwest St. Louis County just east of Interstate 270 and south of Dorsett Road, a 225,000-sq-ft office-building addition and 960-car parking garage adjacent to the firm’s South Campus headquarters at Manchester and Ballas Roads is also being built.

Both North and South Campus projects are expected to be completed by nest fall.

St. Louis-based McCarthy Building Cos. is the contractor, and St. Louis-based Arcturis is the architect.

St. Louis’ Adam’s Mark To Get $63M Overhaul

A $63 million overhaul is planned for St. Louis’ Downtown Adam’s Mark hotel, a project expected to take 16 months.

The 910-room property is being converted to the Hyatt Regency St. Louis Riverfront. Plans include renovating guestrooms, converting additional guestrooms for disabled accessibility and redesigning public spaces on the ground floor and 18th floor to incorporate new amenities.

COMING-based COMING is the contractor, and St. Louis-based Trivers Associates is the architect.

Aurora Getting Police HQ

A $70 million Aurora Police Headquarters and Branch Court Facility have broken ground.

The campus, located on Indian Trail Road just west of Farnsworth Avenue, will several elements.

They comprise a three-story 155,000-sq-ft police headquarters, branch court facility and 911 center to house 400 workers; a 40,000-sq-ft training and support building for evidence processing and storage; and a separate 200,000-sq-ft parking deck.

Hoffman Estates-based Leopardo Construction is the primary construction manager, and Aurora-based R.C. Wegman is the construction manager of the parking structure.

Multi-Tenant Lab Project Starts in St. Louis

The Creve Coeur, Mo.-based Donald Danforth Plant Science Center has announced that Hanover, Md.-based Wexford Science+Technology LLC will start construction of a $36 million, 118,000-sq-ft multi-tenant, post-incubation, wet laboratory and office building. Wexford is a developer and investment company.

It will be the first of three buildings in a new research park to be called the Bio-Research & Development Growth Park to support the needs of start-up life science companies.

The buildings within BRDG Park will contain wet laboratory and office space to support the scientific and business needs of emerging life science companies. With offices directly adjoining the laboratory space, companies can more efficiently conduct research to improve product development.

Missouri supported the construction project through a contribution of $1 million in Missouri state tax credits. Wexford made a $2 million contribution to the Missouri Development Finance Board to secure the $1 million in state tax credits.

St. Louis-based Tarlton Corp. is the contractor on the project, and Baltimore-based Gaudreau Inc. is the architect.

Chicago Lighthouse Agency to Redo, Expand Headquarters

The Chicago Lighthouse social service agency has announced a renovation and expansion program.

The renovation is set for completion in early to mid 2009. It will expand the Lighthouse by 12,000 sq ft, enabling the agency to not only grow its existing programs, but introduce new ones.

Among highlights are an enlarged low-vision clinic; an expanded retail store which sells adaptive equipment and independent living aids; an employment program for blind veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan; and a music education/recreation center.

The 102-year-old agency serving mostly the blind has been housed at its present location at 1850 W. Roosevelt Rd. since the mid 1950s.

Minneapolis-based Mortenson Construction is the contractor.

‘Major Moves’ Construction Begins in Northern Indiana

The Indiana Department of Transportation has announced that construction work on the Major Moves Preservation Project on U.S. 41 (Calumet Avenue) from south of 175th Avenue to 165th Avenue in Hammond has begun.

Calumet Avenue will be restricted to one 11-ft-wide lane in each direction for northbound and southbound traffic in the $11.5 million project. The project includes the pavement and sidewalk replacement, water line, storm and sanitary sewer line replacement, signal modernization at six intersections, and the installation of new lighting throughout the project limits.

Major Moves fully funds a decade of critical highway projects in Indiana. When Major Moves is complete in 2015, more than 200 new construction and 200 major highway preservation projects are expected to have been built.