Topping Out Celebrated at The Standard at Philadelphia 

Gilbane Building Company, Landmark Properties, CUBE 3 Architects and subcontracting partners celebrated the official topping out of The Standard at Philadelphia, a new 280-unit luxury student housing project in University City, Pennsylvania. Gilbane is providing construction management at-risk services for the construction of the 18-story tower. The new 280-unit, 802-bed mid-rise building will feature upscale finishes, including gourmet kitchens, quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances, hardwood-style laminate floors and large closets. Floorplans range from studios to six-bedroom units. Community amenities include a fitness center, a sports simulator, an elevated pool and hot tub deck, a sauna, computer labs, a study lounge, … Read more

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Façade of Historic Armory Restored at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Western Specialty Contractors has restored the brick and stone façade of the historic armory at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Western contracted with project general contractor Grunloh Construction to tuckpoint the armory’s east elevation, as well as portions of its north and south elevations. The scope of work also included the demolition and rebuilding of an existing parapet wall using block masonry, salvaged stone and fabricated stone that closely matched existing stone. The severity of deterioration on the upper areas of some masonry walls required a change in scope to completely rebuild additional parapet locations. Due to irregular dimensions … Read more

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Terminal D Pier West Tops Out at Houston Airport 

Over 350 people gathered to celebrate the topping out of the new D West Pier at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas. Staff from Houston Airports, Fentress Architects and consultants, Austin-Gilbane Joint-Venture and the subcontractors participated in the beam ceremony and an appreciation lunch. When the project is complete, the international carrier gate capacity will increase to 18. The project is a part of the Houston Airport System’s International Terminal Redevelopment Program, an extensive capital improvement program. The project scope includes a new pier to accommodate six wide-body international airplanes and a new sterile corridor to funnel passengers … Read more

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Skanska Tops Out Mixed-Used Development in Washington, D.C.

Skanska has topped out 17xM, an 11-story, 334,000-square-foot mixed-use development in Washington, D.C. The development has achieved WiredScore Platinum. The project is also targeting LEED Gold and Fitwel certifications. Milestones include an estimated 23,000 cubic yards of concrete used on the jobsite, an estimated 44,000 cubic yards of soil removed from the project site and a reduction of carbon by an estimated 20% with the Embodied Carbon in Construction Calculator tool. The building will include amenity spaces with integrated features, such as conference and event facilities, a rooftop deck and a private lower-level terrace. The design also incorporates a private vehicular … Read more

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Architecture Billings Index Slowdown Continues

More architecture firms reported a decline in billings in February, indicating an extension of a recent downturn in design activity according to a new report released from The American Institute of Architects. The score for February fell slightly to 48 (any score below 50 indicates a decline in firm billings). However, inquiries into new projects continued to improve, as did the value of new design contracts. Both indicators suggest that design work is expected to improve in the coming months. Key ABI highlights for February include: Regional averages: West (50.4); Midwest (48.8); Northeast (48.4); South (47.3) Sector index breakdown: mixed … Read more

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