Cardinals Unveil New Targets for Ballpark Village

Cardinals Unveil New Targets for Ballpark Village

Battered by a shifting economy and tighter credit markets, 2008 turned into a rebuilding year for the Cardinals' plans for Ballpark Village in downtown St. Louis. On Wednesday, the Cardinals unveiled the outline of a new development agreement with the City of St. Louis that provides them with more flexibility as to what they will build.

Under the new plan, the Cardinals agree to build between 100,000 and 750,000 square feet of Class A office space, the first new office construction in downtown in two decades. Under the old agreement, the Cardinals committed to building 300,000 square feet of office space.

The retail component also has become cloudier. The existing plan called for constructing 300,000 square feet of retail space in Phase I. The new agreement gives the Cardinals a range to shoot for: 225,000 to 360,000 square feet.

The estimated cost of building Phase 1 has risen to $320 million from the previous estimate of $280 million. Although the percentage of the cost that the city and state are responsible for financing is decreased in the new agreement to 32 percent, the top amount of that commitment has increased by nearly $4.5 million to $102.4 million

The new plan also has a small residential component, 100 to 250 units, which would likely be built in Phase 2. The estimated cost of the total two-phase project also is given as a range in the new agreement: somewhere between $387 million and $600 million.

Cardinals' President Bill DeWitt and St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay commended Stifel Nicolaus for assisting in the negotiations that led to the new agreement. Stifel President Ron Kruszewski said, "We were charged with modifying the previous development agreement to give the development team more flexibility to respond to changing market conditions while also preserving the City's core principles. This new agreement accomplishes all of these goals."

Slay said he will recommend the new agreement for immediate approval to the Board of Estimate & Apportionment, the St. Louis Board of Aldermen, and the State of Missouri, a process that is expected to take eight to 10 months.

The off-again-on-again project has languished while mud and water accumulate in the hole at the old stadium site. The Cardinals hope that with this agreement the project will finally move forward. DeWitt announced that site work will begin shortly - an exact date is be announced in the coming weeks - to give developers a jump on the construction schedule pending approval by the Board of Aldermen and the Missouri Assembly. It also will give them a jump on the All Star Game, which will be played in St. Louis in July 2009.

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Tom Suter Creates Beauty “Up on the Roof”

"When this old world starts getting me down
And people are just too much for me to face
I climb way up to the top of the stairs
And all my cares just drift right into space
On the roof, it's peaceful as can be
And there the world below can't bother me..."

From the song "Up on the Roof" by Gerry Coffin and Carole King

In early July a dedication ceremony was held in an unlikely location: the rooftop of a two-story storefront at the corner of Marconi and Bischoff in the Hill neighborhood of the city. Attending was St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay. The roof was blessed by Father Vincent Bommarito of St. Ambrose Church. Holding court on a corner of the roof was Hill "royalty", Rich LoRusso of LoRusso's Cucina restaurant, which catered the event.

So what brought Mayor Slay, Father Bommarito, and Rich LoRusso up on the roof? Sustainability, technology, and heck of a view all came into play. Tom Suter of Shield Systems, Inc. has transformed the building's roof into a garden with a sculpture, flowers, and herbs.

Suter has been an architectural representative in the St. Louis area for 30 years, specializing in moisture protection. His product lines include below-grade waterproofing, sealers for masonry and concrete, waterproofing systems for plaza decks and garden roofs, traffic membrane systems for concrete exposed to vehicular or pedestrian traffic and a full range of exterior and interior expansion joints.

About nine years ago Suter bought a boarded-up tavern in the Hill neighborhood. Doing much of the work himself, he has restored the building into offices for his own company, a salon, a caterer, and two apartments on the second floor. The rooftop garden was created as both a demonstration center for the green roof system developed by CETCO, a line that Suter reps, and as a tenant amenity.

The lightweight assembly allows the 2" X 12" roof timbers to carry five inches of lightweight growing medium. The first task in installing the green roof system was to remove the existing built-up roof and add decking to receive CETCO hot, rubberized, fluid-applied CETCO waterproofing. Ninety mils of hot rubber membrane was reinforced with scrim cloth. A second coat of hot rubber at 125 mils was then applied and a protection course was placed in the curing rubber.

To increase energy efficiency two inches of Dow Styrofoam was placed over the entire deck area. On the non-garden area, CETCO pedestals were then used to level the deck area. In the pathway areas, precise Wausau pavers were placed directly on the pedestals in a similar manner to that used for raised computer flooring.

On the garden sections of the roof a heavy polyethylene root block material was installed, followed by the Dow Styrofoam covered by a reinforced scrim to help with loading.
CETCO Aquadrain — an eggcrate-shaped material with cups that collect and store irrigation and rain water — was then placed on top of the scrim and covered with four inches of engineered soil, a lightweight material filled with organics.

"From an educational viewpoint I wanted a living a garden and an exhibit to be able to show architects and owners CETCO Greenscapes roof systems," Suter said. "And I wanted my tenants to be able to enjoy the space."

Suter said that the both the commercial and residential tenants appreciate the views and quiet afforded by the garden. The herbs grown on the roof are used in preparing food for the catering business.

A plaque on the roof dedicates the garden to Suter's mother, Theresa Suter, who died a short time before the dedication ceremony.

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Is Commercial Construction Recession Bound?

by Peter Downs

The U.S. construction market is entering a recession from which it will not recover until 2010. That seems to be the consensus among prominent national construction economists.

Robert Murray, vice president of economic affairs for McGraw-Hill Construction, said new construction starts for 2008 will fall an estimated 11 percent to $558.5 billion. The commercial building market, which had grown in 2006 and 2007, started to lose momentum in the second quarter of 2008, he said. The market will fall back eight percent in dollar volume and 16 percent in square feet for the year, he said, with construction of stores and warehouses suffering the most. Single-family will follow a terrible year with an even worse one, he said, declining 28 percent in dollar volume and 31 percent in dwelling units for the year.

FMI has revised down its outlook for 2009 and expects nonresidential construction "to falter late in 2008 and into 2009." According to Heather Jones, construction economist for FMI's Research Services, total construction spending will fall four percent in 2008 and one percent in 2009. "The decline in 2009 will be driven by a decrease in nonresidential construction for the first time since 2003," she said.

Kermit Baker, chief economist for the American Institute of Architects (AIA), predicts a "dramatic drop" in nonresidential construction activity in 2009, especially in the office and retail sectors. The consensus forecast developed by the AIA foresees a 1.9 percent drop in inflation adjusted construction activity this year followed by a 6.7 percent drop in 2009.

"We've seen a dramatic contraction in design activity in recent months," Baker said. "Right now things are especially hard in the West and in the commercial and multifamily residential sectors. This weakness in design activity can be expected to produce a contraction in these construction sectors later this year and into 2009," he added.

"The one bit of good news is that this contraction in activity is likely to be considerably milder than the construction recessions of the early 1990's and earlier this decade," he said.

Baker cautioned that inflation could make the contraction worse than predicted. "The cost of construction materials has increased more than twice that of consumer products and services - up 37 percent versus 18 percent since 2004," he said, and that could hold back demand for new buildings.

"Surging prices for diesel fuel, asphalt, steel and other materials are clobbering construction budgets," said Ken Simonson, chief economist for The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC).

The PPI for inputs to construction industries--materials used in all types of construction plus items consumed by contractors, such as diesel fuel--surged 10.4 percent over the past 12 months. The index for highway and street construction leaped 18.9 percent.

"Bad as those figures sound, the increases in asphalt and steel costs have been even worse since these prices were collected in mid-June," Simonson said. "In the first two weeks of July, asphalt prices have jumped by 40 percent in several parts of the country. Prices for rebar--steel used to reinforce concrete in highways, bridges and buildings--soared $200 per ton."

In the futures markets, aluminum has been setting records, while natural gas has doubled in price from a year ago. That has triggered jumps in the cost of construction plastics--such as polyvinyl chloride pipe, insulation and flooring--that use natural gas as a feedstock.

"Unless Congress passes additional funding in the next few weeks to keep highway construction funds flowing, many states will stop awarding contracts," Simonson warned. "Other public agencies, as well as private owners, must adjust their budgets promptly to reflect the new price realities for construction," he said.

Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) noted that job losses already are mounting in construction, an indication that activity has already started to slow.

According to Gerry Fritz, a spokesman for the ABC, the nonresidential construction sector lost 5,600 jobs in June; 29,100 jobs over the last six months, and 43,900 jobs since June 2007. Total construction employment, he said, is down 452,000 since June 2007, a decline of nearly six percent.

With developers faced with rising construction costs "the industry can expect far fewer nonresidential construction starts in the year ahead," he said The ABC, he added, "anticipates continued nonresidential construction job losses in the remaining months of 2008 and into 2009."

Ed Sullivan, chief economist of the Portland Cement Association (PCA), said construction already is in recession and he expects it will not rebound until 2010 as the economy "is being dragged down by high energy costs and weak employment fundamentals." Focusing on the home building industry, he predicted housing starts will fall 36 percent in 2008 compared to 2007, for a third straight year of declines. By then it should be near bottom and housing starts probably will fall only one more percent in 2009, he said.

The number of single-family home starts in June was at its lowest monthly level in 17 years, 64.5 percent below the peak of the building boom in January of 2006, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. Home builders do not expect it to get any better any time soon.

"Builders are reporting that traffic of prospective buyers has fallen off substantially in recent months," said National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Chief Economist David Seiders. "Given the systematic deterioration of job markets, rising energy costs and sinking home values aggravated by the rising tide of foreclosures, many prospective buyers have simply returned to the sidelines until conditions improve," he said. Builder confidence levels and sales outlooks in June hit their lowest marks ever in the Wells Fargo/NAHB Housing Market Index.

Construction economists aren't the only ones predicting recession, according to Kevin Kliesen, an economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Writing in the July issue of The Regional Economist, he noted that, "Escalating oil price and commodity prices, a sharp contraction in the housing market, and financial market turbulence have increased the odds of recession this year, according to most forecasters."

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Clayco Named Construction Manager for New Supercomputer Facility

Clayco Inc. was recently named construction manager for a new 90,000-square-foot computing facility for the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the National Center for Super Computing Applications (NCSA).

Located in Champaign, the NCSA Petascale Computing Facility (PCF) will house a new supercomputer currently in development, known as Blue Waters. This IBM system's enhanced computing power will enable scientists and researchers across the United States to make extraordinary leaps in scientific discovery.

The PCF will feature a command center, system administration center and office space for 50 staff members. It will also contain a 20,000-square-foot machine room with a six-foot raised floor large enough to house Blue Waters, as well as other systems. Current plans also call for 24 MW electrical capacity and 5,400 tons of water cooling capacity from the University's chilled water distribution loop.

"Clayco's experience in data center design and construction will allow us to work in harmony with the innovative computer architecture and the needs of the scientists," said Scott Murnick, project director at Clayco and on the NCSA Petascale Computing Facility project. "We are excited for the challenge to drive the creation of a facility that embraces the requirements of operating an unprecedented research infrastructure while offering strategies for a system with the least impact on the environment."

Energy efficiency and sustainability are pivotal to the design and construction of this project. The PCF will achieve LEED certification, with LEED Silver certification as the goal.

Environmental efforts include building three on-site cooling towers to provide water that has been naturally chilled by the cold outdoor air, rather than electrically cooled and eliminating the installation of an Uninterruptible Power Supply to minimize floor spaced required and increase energy efficiency. Since Illinois is ranked among the top states in tornado frequency, the building is also designed to withstand an F3 tornado and winds of 165 mph.

Clayco added Nova as a team member. "We just finished a Mission Critical project with Nova in Chicago. This is a winning combination," said Steve Street, project executive. Nova is a Mission Critical Contractor based in New York, New York.

Clayco's project team includes Steve Street, project executive; Frank Baum, project estimator; Chad Derus, project manager; Frank Wiza, project superintendent; Scott Murnick, project director; and Kevin McKenna, Regional Vice President. The architect is EYP Mission Critical Facilities and the interior designer is M. Arthur Gensler Jr. & Associates. The civil engineer is the Terra Technologies, Inc., the structural engineer is Rubinos and Mesia Engineers, Inc., and the mechanical engineer is Schirmer Engineering Corporation.

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Nuns Tickled Pink Over KAI Job

KAI Design & Build has completed a 10,000-square-foot addition to the Mount Grace Convent at 1438 E. Warne Avenue in St. Louis, MO. The convent is home to the Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters, known as the "Pink Sisters" because of their unique rose-colored habits.

Established in St. Louis in 1928, the Mount Grace Convent is one of only 18 convents of the Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters in the world. KAI provided design/build, architecture and estimating/scheduling services on the $2.8 million project, which included demolition of the existing termite-damaged rectory and two adjacent residences, and construction of a new two-story addition, garage and 65-space parking lot. The lay office remained open and operational during the construction.

"The project started at $120,000 to simply replace the existing termite-damaged rectory," said KAI Project Manager Marcus Moomey. "Then, the Pink Sisters wanted to add three bedrooms for visitors and guests, as well as a kitchen, eight bedrooms for themselves and a basement. When the Mother Sister came from Germany to meet with KAI, she decided that all future international conferences would be held in St. Louis, so even more rooms were needed for the visiting sisters.

Eventually, the Pink Sisters decided to buy the adjacent lots and create a 65-space parking lot for special events." The new addition was constructed of load bearing masonry with precast floors and roofs. Special attention was given to matching the detailed brick and cut stone of the original convent. The project began in September 2006 and was completed in February 2008, on-time and within the sisters' new budget.

To help pay for the parking lot, the Pink Sisters held fundraisers and sold t-shirts.

By utilizing Building Information Modeling (BIM) software, KAI was able to provide the sisters with realistic images of what the new facility would look like before it was constructed. BIM also allowed KAI to closely monitor the material changes and construction estimates to keep the project within budget.

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Lake St. Louis “Lifestyle Center” to Open

Davis Street Land Co. is opening The Meadows at Lake St. Louis on Aug. 23. The Meadows is the first lifestyle center developed in St. Charles County. The first phase includes nearly 30 retailers and restaurants, including 13 opening their only stores in St. Charles County plus three making their Missouri debut. Designer of the complex is M+H Architects. Brinkmann Constructors is the general contractor on the $33 million project. Other team members are Stock and Associates , civil engineer; Alper Audi Inc., structural engineer; Durrant, M/E/P; and SWT, landscape/hardsca

Located on a 64-acre site at Lake Saint Louis Boulevard and Interstate 64 (I-64), the center will include such retailers as BC's Kitchen, Banana Republic, Cach, Chico's, Clarkson Jewelers, Coldwater Creek, Eddie Bauer, Jos. A. Bank, New Balance St. Louis, Puddle Ducks, Salon Kashmir, Talbots and The Walking Company. Three retailers will be making their Missouri debut at The Meadows, including Von Maur Department Store (to open in 2010); Backwoods, the outdoor apparel chain opening in early 2009; and Bachrach.

Phase I features four retail buildings totaling 260,000 square feet clustered around an inviting central plaza with seating and performance spaces. A 15-foot tall bronze sculpture by local artist Marty Linson stands at the plaza's center. A 40-foot-tall clock tower marks the octagonal-shaped plaza with its venue for festive events presented on an inviting stage. A pergola with a redwood trellis forms the backdrop for the stage. Four 12-foot-high stone columns topped with limestone planters mark gateways to the plaza.

Each of The Meadows' four buildings hosts 10 to 15 retailers. Storefronts contrast deep-set, limestone frames with 11- to 15-plus-foot-tall shop windows and clerestories accented with brick and limestone facades. Shops feature distinctive entrances which emphasize individual brand. Continuity is expressed in cast medallions bearing the logo of The Meadows and store addresses, a limestone ribbon around each building and gabled roofs with slate-style shingles and ornamental copper gutters, downspouts and flashing.

A dozen patterns and types of brick pavers and stamped concrete are used to subtly direct way-finding. Cast iron benches and decorative railing framing landscaped stretches add to the charm. The center is planted with more than 100 varieties of trees, grasses, and flowers. Parking is provided via discreet, intuitively navigated roundabout slowing and directing automobile traffic around the plaza.

At night, architectural lighting illuminates elements of building facades shadowed during the day, including basket weave brick patterns beneath eaves and medallions. Landscape lighting and cast iron street lights brighten walks for shoppers.

The Meadows at Lake Saint Louis is owned, leased and managed by Davis Street Land Company in partnership with Bruce Johnston, a lifetime resident of St. Louis with more than 25 years of retail real estate experience. Based in Chicago, Ill., Davis Street develops and owns upscale specialty and lifestyle centers. The principals of the company are responsible for such unique retail properties as Plaza Frontenac and The Shops at Clarkson Corner in St. Louis, Renaissance Place and Orland Park Crossing in Chicago, The Mall at Green Hills in Nashville, Tenn. and The Gardens on El Paseo in Palm Desert, Calif. To learn more, visit http://www.dslandco.com .

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Cantillon files £400,000 counter-claim in historic Strand scheme row

The main contractor building an 11-storey hotel on the site of the BBC’s first radio broadcast has fired a counter-claim at a subcontractor suing for £1.5m.

Contractor Cantillon has demanded damages from subcontractor O’Keefe Construction (Greenwich) totalling almost £400,000.

O’Keefe initiated legal action against Cantillon in August this year, claiming it was owed almost ВЈ1.5m for demolition work completed in December 2006.

The firm spent around 18 months demolishing old Marconi House in London’s Strand to make way for a Silken five-star hotel and apartments designed by Foster + Partners.

In a defence and counter-claim filed at the Technology and Construction Court, Cantillon claims that piling installed by O’Keefe was out of tolerance and the firm did not meet deadlines.

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It denied all claims made by O’Keefe in its lawsuit and said the firm had not justified its claim for £1,467,168.07.

Of particular issue is the presence of a sub-contract between O’Keefe and Cantillon.

O’Keefe claims it refused to go “back to back” with Cantillon’s main contract, while Cantillon claims express oral terms in the sub-contract meant the firm did agree to go back to back.

The Urvasco project has long been dogged by legal woes, with Cantillon taking Urvasco to adjudication for breach of contract in 2007.

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