McCarthy Manages Construction of $36.6M Southern Illinois University Student Services Building to On-Time, In-Budget Completion

 

ST. LOUIS, Mo. — McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. served as construction manager for the recently completed Student Services Building for Southern Illinois University — Carbondale in Carbondale, Ill. The $36.6-million, four-story complex, was built on time and within budget entirely with student fees.

The signature structure sits at the front door of campus and consolidates 19 campus departments focused on various services, from admissions to financial aid, to career services and housing. These services were previously scattered around campus, mostly in old and outdated buildings. The brick and stone building was built to last with quality materials and upgrades, such as a sprayed on weather barrier, said McCarthy Project Manager Corey Black. The construction team utilized software providing 360-degree views of each room that could be viewed on the IPad during construction and as a reference after completion. A combination of the technology and the team helped to keep the project on track, said Black.

“The SIU team was great to work with and helped the project come in on time and within budget,” said Black.   “Our biggest challenge was minimizing disruption and maintaining traffic flow around a tight construction site in one of the busiest areas of campus. We worked closely with the SIU team to communicate any potential construction impacts with those on campus,” added Black. The project broke ground in April 2012 and completed in November 2013.

The lobby of the 129,000-square-foot building provides a wow factor as one enters the building.   Students, faculty and visitors are met with 3,600 square feet of atrium glass, as well as a light fixture suspended 45 feet and featuring orbs that regularly change color. The project was designed by Carbondale, Ill.-based White & Borgognoni Architects, P.C.

Local involvement on the project was important to both SIU and McCarthy, and both are committed to using as many local subcontractors as possible on all their projects. McCarthy managed the project from its Collinsville, Ill. office and the project employed approximately 420 Illinois-based workers over an 18 month period.   Prime contractors are all from Illinois, and included: River City Construction LLC; Brown Electric, Inc.; Southern Illinois Piping Contractors, Inc.; France Mechanical Corporation and Prairie Fire Sprinkler. Besides the architect, the design team included BRiC Partnership, LLC; The Core Group; David Mason Associates and Asaturian Eaton & Associates.