Burns & McDonnell sets hiring record in 2018, announces $42 million expansion

Burns & McDonnell will build a 142,000-square foot office building and 550-stall parking garage at its Kansas City World Headquarters, a $42 million expansion that will complete the engineering firm’s local campus and grow local employee capacity by 22 percent.

“We are on track to hire 300-400 additional employees in Kansas City this year alone, and 1,000 employees company-wide,” Burns & McDonnell CEO and Chairman Ray Kowalik said. “Lower oil and gas prices have driven growth over the last year, and the economy is strong as a whole.”

Targeted for completion in 2020, Burns & McDonnell will use an integrated design-build approach for the four-story building. VanTrust Real Estate will provide development services for the project, which will be constructed between the existing 9400 Ward Parkway office building and the campus’ parking garage along 95th Street.  

“Our diverse business lines allow us to provide full-service solutions to our clients,” Kowalik said. “Our clients reap the benefits of a quicker and more seamless experience from beginning to end. It’s a model that helps grow our success.”

The new building will primarily include additional employee work stations and conference rooms, adding 780 spots and bringing the campus’ potential headcount to 4,300, according to Brittney Swartz, Burns & McDonnell design project manager.

Sustainability will be a priority, with additional charging stations and a high-tech shade system allowing for energy efficiency through daylight “harvesting.” Conference rooms will have integrated technology and camera systems allowing for quicker, smart meetings with clients across the globe.

Rapid growth in the energy and power transmission markets, as well as public infrastructure, are driving demand for space and creating a race against the clock.

“We will have space problems between now and the opening of the new building,” Kowalik said.

BUILT Interior Construction goes wall-to-wall with custom building solution

BUILT opened its Kansas City office in 2015, determined that the construction industry was ready to embrace a sustainable, tech-friendly, pre-manufactured building solution that would save time and money for the end user.

As the company celebrates its third birthday this month, it's clear that the vision of partners Dave Anderson, Mark Brandmeyer and Russ Branden is paying off. High-profile clients in the health care, education, and corporate space are lining up to incorporate the company's flexible building solution into their projects.

"It's a totally new and different way to build interiors," said BUILT Partner Dave Anderson. "Conventional construction can't do these fit and finishes, and we are able to bring down overall project costs with our speed to market."

Recent projects include Kansas City Orthopaedic Institute's expansion, several BCBS SpiraCare clinics, and new headquarters for Mariner Holdings and Mediware Information Systems.

Using the DIRTT-branded prefabricated solution, BUILT creates customizable, floor-to-ceiling sliding glass panels that allow for easy access to IT, plumbing and electrical infrastructure within the walls. 

"We like to say, we don't make walls; we liberate the space between them," said Andre' Davis, business development manager for BUILT. "We serve as a strategic partner to anyone interested in building better, using technology and clean construction methods to future-proof their space."

Panels arrive ready to install and bypass the need for paint or wallpaper, which allows for a quicker buildout and cleaner construction sites. It's a solution that health care providers finding particularly attractive because components arrive UL-tested and construction is minimally disruptive to busy medical facilities and offices. 

One more perk: the pre-manufactured solution reduces concerns about available construction workers.

"We believe we add value to any General Contractor out there trying to win projects, especially because labor is so tight," Davis added. "We just need three weeks of lead time, and we can be on-site by the fourth week."

Find out more about BUILT Interior Construction online at Builtinterior.com.

Summit Square ribbon cutting celebrates record leasing activity

NorthPoint Development and project partners officially cut the ribbon Thursday at Summit Square, a 308-unit luxury apartment complex located within Lee’s Summit’s thriving Summit Tech corridor.

Summit Square includes seven buildings and a clubhouse with outdoor amenities such as outdoor terrace with salt water pool, custom grilling station and covered veranda with a gas fireplace. Indoor clubhouse amenities include a lounge, kitchen/gathering space, fitness center and spinning studio, salon, massage room, media room and conference room.

Neighbors Construction served as general contractor for Summit Square, its 14th project for NorthPoint. NSPJ Architects provided design and architecture services.

"NorthPoint and NSPJ have once again outdone themselves with the design of this property and it shows by the record-breaking lease-up we have witnessed. It's truly amazing,” said Aaron Neighbors of Neighbors Construction.

Summit Square is on track to be the fastest lease-up of any project Neighbors Construction has built for NorthPoint, with five of the seven delivered buildings 90 percent leased. 

“Our residents are raving about the quality of the product, spectacular amenities, the outstanding management team and this amazing location,” Community Manager Pam Lakey said. “In my 27+ years on site in the Kansas City apartment rental market, I have never been a part of something this special.”

You can check out photos of the project’s progression since construction began in December 2016 here by heading to the project page on Neighbors' website. More information at www.summitsquarekc.com.

CityPlace mixed-use project 'tops out' first 120,000 SF office building

Block Real Estate Services, LLC marked a construction milestone for its CityPlace Corporate Centre III office building with a traditional ‘topping out’ ceremony. Anchored by Mediware Information Systems, Inc., the 120,268-square foot building is the first of four Class A office buildings planned for the mixed-use project located at the southwest corner of College Boulevard and Highway 69 in Overland Park.

“We are honored that Mediware selected CityPlace as the home of its corporate headquarters, validating our premier mixed-use development designed for residents to live, work and play for years to come,” CityPlace Developer Ken Block said.

Community members involved in the planning, development and construction of the property, signed the project’s final steel beam before it was hoisted and placed atop the building on August 13.

Constructed by Titan Built, designed by Hoefer Wysocki Architects and developed by Block Development Company, the office building will include a blend of granite and precast panels andreflective glass in a modern design. 

“When we learned about the new construction at CityPlace, we knew we wanted to get in on the ground floor of this project," said Mediware CEO Bill Miller. "As we solidify our position as the leading innovator in health care and human services solutions, we needed a world headquarters that would reflect our vision of powering stronger, healthier communities.” 

Mediware, a leading supplier of software solutions that help health care and human services providers. will occupy floors three and four of the four-story building and has committed to a future lease term of 15 years and four months, beginning in June 2019.

Once complete, CityPlace will feature up to 600,250 square feet of office space, 1,382 multifamily units, 140 senior units, and up to 60,000 square feet of retail space. For more information about CityPlace, visit www.cityplacekc.com. For more information about Block Real Estate Services, LLC, visit www.blockllc.com.

Patience, perseverance paves path for Prairie Village fire station project

A long-awaited, new 15,000-square foot fire station in Prairie Village is on target for a spring delivery, with HarenLaughlin Construction wrapping up metal stud framing and interior masonry work this month. Up next: pouring the station's mezzanine and installing its exterior brick veneer.

But the biggest challenge of the $6 million project took place in the site selection and pre-construction phase, which began in 2012. Finding "available dirt" took several years, and then once a workable site behind Mission Road Bible Church  at 78th and Mission Road was identified, all parties had to work together to ensure traffic flow to the church.

"This is a unique location, and it's been a large, arduous task to get it approved," said Cory Davison, HarenLaughlin project manager. "There's been lots of coordination with the church and a juggling act to make sure they have parking on Sundays and can keep their facility open during construction."

The new station will include three bays and the ability to house nine firefighters at a time. It also offers Consolidated Fire District No. 2 a more central location in the heart of Prairie Village, allowing for quicker emergency response times, according to Fire Chief Tony Lopez. 

"There's been some real head rubbing on this project and sometimes we didn't think we would ever strike a deal. It's been a long process, with a lot of starts and stops," Lopez said. "But now things are really moving along nicely."

The station was designed by Archimages, Inc., with Newmark Grubb Zimmer representing the owner and providing brokerage services in the transaction.