Related Links: GAO: VA Deserves Blame for Problem Projects VA Issues 'Show Cause' Notice to Builder of Orlando Hospital Health Care Work Leads List of Top Projects in Mountain States The Kiewit-Turner joint venture building a massive new U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs hospital in Aurora, Colo., says it wants out of the $604-million job. In a complaint filed with a federal appeals board in July, the contractor blames multiple design changes and project mismanagement for an additional $200 million in projected cost overruns.The figure is beyond a $200-million escalation targeted by the team in January, bringing the current construction

Rendering courtesy of City of Colorado Springs The City for Champions project would include a new $59-million museum for the Air Force Academy. The city of Colorado Springs has applied for $82 million in sales-tax incentives from the Colorado Regional Tourism Act to build nearly $220 million in projects that would boost the area’s visitor profile.Dubbed “City for Champions,” the plan calls for a new U.S. Olympic museum, for $59 million; a downtown minor-league baseball stadium and event center, for $60 million; a sports-medicine and performance center at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, for $27 million; and a

Resurfacing work on I-70 eastbound in Glenwood Canyon, east of Hanging Lake Tunnel, has been completed ahead of schedule. Contractor Interstate Highway Construction of Englewood had a contract with the Colorado Dept. of Transportation for a 94-working-day project and completed the work in 78.5 days—or 15.5 days early. With a $6,000/day early completion incentive offered by CDOT, IHC will earn an incentive of $93,000 for the accelerated work.
 Photo courtesy of CDOT CDOT says the concrete reconstruction will extend the life of the highway for up to 30 years. “We implement early-completion incentives on projects with high public and community

Studio NYL Structural Engineers is no longer the new kid on the block in regional, national or international design markets. The Boulder, Colo., engineering firm, founded in 2004 by principals Chris O'Hara and Julian Lineham, has pushed the boundaries of structural design, tackling new project types and geography that have made it one of the most sought-after structural designers in the region. Related Links: CSM Celebrates Opening of New Marquez Hall Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art Renovation Recent work illustrates the firm's diversity: devising a stainless-steel skeleton to fit within the body of a skier in "The Skier's Edge," a

An important new women's business center in Afghanistan opened at the end of May. It is aimed at educating entrepreneurs who want to start their own businesses in the war-torn country. Related Links: Petra Master Plan Wins National Design Award U.S. Rebuilding Efforts in Afghanistan The International Center for Afghan Women's Economic Development is also the new home for the U.S.-Afghan Women's Council, several other nongovernmental organizations and a university program focusing on women's economic development. The center, designed by Denver-based architectural and interior design firm Burkett Design, is located on the campus of American University of Afghanistan (AUAF). It

Regional design firms are decidedly more upbeat than in previous years. They report an upswing in several markets, most notably multifamily, mixed-use, offices, energy and some public-works sectors. Big concerns include the decline in funding for institutional work, finding enough qualified people to do the work and ongoing uncertainty about the long-term health of the economy. Related Links: Regional Designers Push for More Diverse Services Regional Design Firms Hurting From Flat Economy, Stalled Projects However, many regional design firm leaders think the local economies in Salt Lake City, Boise and Denver will continue to improve and remain stronger than in

Aircraft manufacturer MSC Aerospace has announced a major expansion in southern Utah. The company, and its subsidiaries Metalcraft Technologies (MTI) and SyberJet Aircraft (SJA), plan to expand their current Cedar City facilities to create more manufacturing capabilities in a 20-year agreement with the state of Utah.
 MTI is an aircraft parts and aero-structures manufacturer. MTI fabricates, processes and assembles parts, sub-assemblies and aircraft tools according to customer specifications using aluminum, titanium and stainless steel. MTI’s customers include Boeing, Bombardier’s Learjet, General Electric, Gulfstream, Lockheed, Northrop Grumman, SyberJet, Vought and others.MSC and its subsidiaries will invest millions into the Iron County

Photo Courtesy of Stantec Photo Courtesy of Stantec Related Links: Global Best Projects Awards B.C. Stadium Attracts New Vancouver Casino-Hotel Vancouver Rebuilds Key Road in the Shadow of the Olympics Vancouver's BC Place, built in 1983 and home to the 2010 Olympic Games, needed a new retractable roof. Key roof components came from three continents. Mast sections were fabricated in Thailand during blockades and political unrest. A volcanic eruption in Iceland delayed airfreight from Europe and the tsunami in Japan disrupted shipping in the Pacific. The project team, led by PCL Constructors Westcoast Inc., worked with more than 150 consultants, subcontractors

A much-anticipated new fire station in Denver’s Lowry neighborhood, designated as Fire Station 18, moved into the construction phase with an early May groundbreaking led by Denver city officials. Attending the ceremony were Mayor Michael Hancock, Denver City Council President Mary Beth Susman, Manager of Safety Justice Alex Martinez, Denver Fire Department Chief Eric Tade, and Better Denver Bond Implementation Manager George Delaney of Denver Public Works. Photo courtesy of City and County of Denver Denver Mayor Michael Hancock (left) joined city and fire dept. officials for the groundbreaking of the citys newest fire station in Lowry. The voter-approved 2007

Design and preconstruction are under way on a project to consolidate two existing campuses and create a single PK-12 school in the Platte Valley School District in northeastern Colorado 40 miles east of Sterling. Photo courtesy of Platte Valley School District The Platte Valley School District will renovate and preserve key elements of its historic, 1921 Art Deco-style school in a facilities-consolidation project that will begin this summer. Rendering by SLATERPAULL Architects Renovations will restore the building to its original grandeur and provide functional spaces, a 21st Century learning environment and a safe and secure facility. The district consists of