Barker Rinker Seacat Architecture of Denver was recently honored with an Aquatics International Dream Designs award for its design of The Salvation Army Ray & Joan Kroc Corps Community Center in Salem, Ore. According to the Aquatics International website, “the Dream Designs showcase is an annual program that highlights extraordinary aquatics facility design projects.” Photo courstesy of BRS Architects The 91,500-sq-ft community center represents part of the program initiated by a $1.8-billion gift from the late Joan Kroc, wife of McDonalds founder Ray Kroc. The Dream Designs program considers such factors as the incorporation of sustainable technology and/or equipment, creative

The recent completion of a streetscape renovation of Fillmore Plaza in Denver’s Cherry Creek North Business Improvement District allows the plaza to be easily converted from a special events venue into an open street for limited vehicle traffic. Courtesy of Design Workshop The new Fillmore Plaza serves as the gateway to Cherry Creeks popular retail and dining district. The plaza redesign is the final improvement of The New North, the districts privately funded, 16-block, $18.5-million streetscape project. Other key goals of the project were to increase pedestrian “dwell time” and establish the area as a citywide destination for multiple activities.

Boise-based design firm CSHQA’s recent renovation of the First National Bank of Driggs has won a 2011 Orchid Award from Preservation Idaho. Courtesy of CSHQA The Key Bank renovation revealed its original neo-federal brick faade. Courtesy of CSHQA The original building, circa 1916. Every year, Preservation Idaho hosts the Orchids and Onions Awards, designed to celebrate individuals and organizations that have made a positive contribution to historic preservation (an Orchid), and in turn to bring awareness to those projects that have shown insensitivity to the state’s cultural history (an Onion).CSHQA and KeyBank were honored in the Contribution to Historic Preservation

In June, Salt Lake City’s Hunt Electric hosted over 180 guests to an open house in celebration of the company’s 25 years in business. Hunt CEO Richard Hunt told the gathering that the company got started when, “I started playing around with some tools in my garage” in 1986.  Today, the company has over 250 employees and has moved from providing traditional electrical contracting to design-build and engineering, renewable-energy services, infrastructure and traffic, communication and preventative maintenance—a full-service electrical contractor.   The current City Creek Block 76 project involves six of the company’s divisions.Hunt Electric has been successful by instilling cutting-edge

Construction manager/general contractor Pinkard Construction Co., Lakewood, Colo., with Barker Rinker Seacat Architecture, Denver, recently completed the $5.3-million Brighton Oasis Family Aquatic Park in Brighton, Colo. Courtesy of Pinkard Construction The new park, which replaces the citys 50-year-old outdoor pool at Benedict Park, has a large pool area, two slides and a lazy river with a wave machine. The new park, which replaces the city’s 50-year-old outdoor pool at Benedict Park, has a large pool area, two slides and a lazy river with a wave machine.
Pinkard completed the hyper-fast-tracked Oasis ahead of schedule and under budget despite losing the two

The Town of Georgetown, Colo., dedicated its newly expanded wastewater treatment facilities on June 21. The improvements replaced and upgraded the existing aging wastewater treatment facility equipment and processes, most of which incorporate sustainable attributes. Courtesy of the Town of Georgetown he Georgetown Wastewater Treatment Facility greatly improves the quality of water in Clear Creek, a busy Colorado artery that provides recreation and water supply to downstream agricultural and drinking water users. Courtesy of the Town of Georgetown (L to R) Bob Frachetti, president of Frachetti Engineering Inc., is joined by Georgetown Water and Wastewater Superintendent John Curtis; Cassandra Eyestone,

The Research Support Facility on the campus of the U.S. Dept. of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colo., was recently certified LEED Platinum for New Construction by the U.S. Green Building Council. Courtesy of NREL At 222,000 sq ft, the RSF leverages energy efficiency and environmental performance in a large-scale commercial office building. At 222,000 sq ft, the RSF leverages energy efficiency and environmental performance in a large-scale commercial office building. With 19% of the energy in the United States consumed by commercial buildings, a DOE goal for the RSF project is to help change the way commercial

The Lake Street Parking Garage at Colorado State University in Fort Collins is among 12 winners of the International Parking Institute’s awards for outstanding parking facilities and operations in the association’s Awards of Excellence. The competition includes common threads of innovation, efficiency, eco- and user-friendliness, cost-savings and collaboration among its winners. The awards were presented in Virginia in early June. The CSU project won the first place award in the category of Best Design of a Parking Structure with 800 or More Spaces and earned an Honorable Mention in the Architectural Achievement Category.Increases in enrollment and campus buildings had all

The Déjà vu Rendezvous in Denver on May 13 raised $217,000 for the Assistive Technology Partners program at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. ATP supports people with disabilities through innovative technologies and services. More than 650 people attended the annual fundraiser, which has raised nearly $700,000 over four years. “This event was first envisioned as a way to unite past and current members of the Colorado construction community annually and celebrate the industry and relationships we have established,” said Mike Harms, senior vice president at Denver’s GE Johnson Construction Co., and one of the event organizers. “It has

The Associated General Contractors New Mexico Building Branch recently bestowed a Best Buildings Award on the new Las Cruces Regional Recreation and Aquatic Center. The $11-million, 35,000-sq-ft center opened in October and consists of a leisure pool, lockers, lobby, and core-and-shell for a future fitness center. Copyright 2011 Patrick Coulie, Courtesy of BRS The main entry of the $11-million, 35,000-sq-ft Las Cruces Regional Recreation and Aquatic Center, which opened in October. The city of Las Cruces, N.M., commissioned Las Cruces-based Steve Newby Architects and Associates Inc. and Denver-based design architect Barker Rinker Seacat Architecture to design the Las Cruces Regional