FreedomPark to Include Big League Dreams

The City of Las Vegas awarded Roche Constructors Inc. the $45.9 million contract for the design and construction of the 68 acre Freedom Park in Las Vegas. Dekker/Perich/Sabatini is Roche's design partner on this project that features a Big League Dreams ball field complex and park renovations.

The Big League Dreams ball field complex consists of seven fields aptly named and themed after major league ball parks such as Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, and Yankee Stadium. Each of these fields has artificial turf infields and fixed tiered seating. The amenities include two concession buildings, administration building, maintenance building, batting cages and two tot play areas. The renovation portion of the project includes an adaptive recreation area, three lighted group picnic structures, a new performance event area, perimeter walking path, new skate park and two soccer fields.

Fire Station #20 at Lake Mead Park Serves as Anchor for Community

Clark County Fire Station #20 at Lake Mead Park, North Las Vegas, Nev.

BJG Architecture + Engineering has been named architect of record for Fire Station #20, located on the southwest corner of Judson Avenue and Sloan Lane in North Las Vegas. The $5.5 million project is scheduled to break ground February with completion slated for November 2009. The new government facility will replace the outdated existing fire station and will consist of one building totaling 12,067 sq ft. The new station will be located in the northeast corner of Lake Mead Park, a master-planned development which includes a senior center, recreation center and aquatic center. This station will use the prototype design developed for the Clark County Fire Department and will provide an anchor for the community in addition to the various community centers located nearby. A general contractor has yet to be named for the project.

Southwest Gas Corp. Pumps Up New Facility

Jaynes Corporation has been awarded a $10.8 million contract to construct a new Southwest Gas Corporation operations facility in Henderson. The new facility will replace an aging existing property that was recently sold. The Southeast Operations Center will be built on a 16-acre site located south of St. Rose Parkway and east of the Henderson Airport. The project includes the construction of a 58,000 sq ft concrete tilt-up office/warehouse facility, a 14,000 sq ft fabrication shop, and a 16-building training facility complex as well as the construction of the streets and utilities to support the operations center. The training facility includes 16 mock-up buildings and an open excavation area used to train employees. The buildings, built to look like homes, apartments and businesses are laid out to resemble city streets and neighborhoods. These buildings will allow Southwest Gas employees to train in a more realistic environment. The project, which was designed by Gary Guy Wilson Architects, is scheduled to be completed in early June of 2009.

RHP Mechanical Brings Lab up to Speed

In order to provide accurate and reliable medical research for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies worldwide, preclinical research labs and vivarium facilities must operate in a highly controlled environment, free of contaminants and fluctuating temperatures.

Reno-based RHP Mechanical Systems completed a retrofit for a northern Nevada preclinical research lab relocating into an existing facility. With an exposed, uncontrolled environment stretching 450,000 sq ft, the facility in its original state failed to meet Health Department and medical research and development standards. RHP brought the facility up to code, while staying within budgetary and time limits. Through the use of pioneering 3-D technology, RHP installed a dry-side HVAC system and panelized duct system that uses 100% outside air, preventing recirculation and ensuring a cleaner, healthier air quality - a solution that allows a constant yet even flow of 320,000 cu ft of air per minute, resulting in a controlled environment free of temperature variance and contaminants.

Additionally, by installing the system on site under the supervision of an on-site engineer and safety director this innovative system saved the client $250,000.

Burke & Associates Completes Marnell Airport Center and Seven Hills Institute

Marnell Airport Center, Las Vegas, Nev.

Burke & Associates Inc. has recently completed phase one of the new Marnell Airport Center complex, located in Las Vegas. This 14 acre development, adjacent to McCarran International Airport, is master-planned for three, three-story 81,616-sq-ft Class A office buildings at completion. This $7.5 million project is owned by Marnell Properties and was managed by Burke & Associates. KKE of Nevada Inc. was the project architect.

Burke & Associates also completed the Seven Hills Behavioral Institute, located in the prestigious Seven Hills area of Henderson, Nevada. This $6.7 million, 26,400 sq ft steel and block 56-bed psychiatric facility includes an outpatient treatment clinic and a two story in-patient treatment center with three separate patient wings, designed to blend in with the surrounding office complex. This project is owned by Seven Hills Psych Center, LLC and Pacific Design Concepts was the project architect.

Las Vegas Boulevard Apartments get New Life

The Siegel Group Nevada Inc has completed its acquisition of Casa Palms, a 137-unit apartment complex situated on approximately 1.33 acres of land on Las Vegas Boulevard in Downtown Las Vegas. The purchase price was $5 million which equates to approximately $36,500 per unit and reflects The Siegel Group's proven strategy of acquiring value-added assets at below-market prices which it is able to quickly renovate and reposition. SASCO Properties, an affiliate of the Siegel Group, will assume operational control and immediately begin a substantial renovation of both the exterior and interior of the property to correct years of deferred maintenance issues while converting the property to its Flexible-Stay program. Additionally, plans are also underway to landscape the grounds and construct both a new pool and a retail component. Due to the existing deferred maintenance combined with a 50% occupancy rate and the previous owners neglect of the complex, the property possesses significant upside potential. The property will be renamed Siegel Suites Las Vegas Blvd. and operate under the Siegel Suites brand.

New Life Breathed into Tungsten Mine

RHP Mechanical Systems has been awarded the contract for the re-opening of the Springer tungsten mine in Imlay, Nevada. This plant was originally built by G.E. in 1979 at a cost of $55 million and was closed in 1982 due to declining market demand. RHP engineers have completed the redesign of the steam process systems and now are mobilized on-site undergoing the installation of the process piping, instrumentation, industrial ventilation, equipment upgrades and re-commissioning the existing equipment. This project is scheduled to be complete in late December and in operation in early 2009. This will be the only tungsten-producing mine in the United States and is expected to supply 30% of the world's tungsten market.

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