Chico State Taps Turner for $98M Net-Zero Building

Chico State University has chosen Turner Construction Co. to build the school’s $98-million College of Behavioral and Social Sciences. When completed, the 94,000-sq-ft building will be the first net-zero energy building on campus and the third in the California State University system. The building, which began construction earlier this year, will be home to nine academic departments when it opens in 2024. It will offer 22 classrooms, five laboratories and one large, tiered lecture hall. It will also feature faculty offices, conference space and open and enclosed study spaces. “It sets a standard for the high-quality, high-value educational experience we offer at Chico State now and well into the future, while raising the bar for future efforts to support our commitment to sustainability,” said Gayle Hutchinson, Chico State president. Sustainable aspects of the building include solar panels, an efficient water system, a design that maximizes daylight and utilization of LED lighting, a chilled beam cooling system and an indoor garden.

Edwards AFB Starts $2B Solar Project

The U.S. Air Force has undertaken a $2-billion solar storage project at Edwards Air Force Base in Kern County, Calif. The project has almost 2 million solar panels installed and will have more than 120,000 batteries installed at completion. Last February, the first part of the project, a new 464-MW solar array, which includes 3,287 MWh of battery storage, went online. As the largest solar-plus-storage project in the world, it will supply up to 1,300 megawatts of power to the California Independent System Operator grid and is estimated to power more than 238,000 homes. The facility, built in collaboration with Terra-Gen LLC, is a result of the Edwards Solar Enhance Use Lease Project. The novel land management agreement marks the largest private–public partnership within the Dept. of Defense.

Seattle-Based Parametrix Buys Transportation Firm

Seattle-based engineering firm Parametrix acquired California-based Parisi Transportation Consulting, with offices in Berkeley and Marin County. Parisi has specialized in urban transportation, particularly planning and designing complete streets and incorporating active transportation. It also provides traffic engineering and transportation planning services. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Pomona-Pitzer College Athletic Facility Finished

C.W. Driver Cos. has announced the completion of the Rains Center for Athletics, Recreation and Wellness at Pomona-Pitzer College in Claremont, Calif. The 95,000-sq-ft facility is designed to support athletes, student physical education classes and fitness and recreation programming for students, faculty and staff. The new center is 15,000 sq ft larger than the previous building. The building achieved LEED Platinum certification, with an emphasis on energy efficiency, water-use reduction and indoor environmental quality.

Friendship Foundation Campus Moves Forward

The Friendship Foundation has received final approval from the state of California’s Division of the State Architect (DSA) to begin construction on its new Friendship Campus in Redondo Beach. The 3.25-acre education and vocational campus will provide post-secondary training for young adults on the autism spectrum or those with other intellectual or physical differences. Project Delivery Group has been selected as the general contractor for the 64,000-sq-ft Greenberg Family/Skechers Center on the campus, which is expected to cost $55 million and be completed in 2025.

EPA Approves $81M Loan For Southern California Water District

The Yucaipa Valley Water District in Southern California has been approved for an $81-million loan from the Environmental Protection Agency to expand its storage and production of recycled water, modernize its drinking water facilities and help provide more drought protection. The district will use the funds to diversify its water portfolio with recycled water initiatives. Construction of the infrastructure improvements is scheduled to begin this summer. The agency was prompted to take action after the major drought in 2007 and the subsequent cutbacks in State Water Project supplies.

Chapman University Dance Center Opens

Chapman University has completed the $16.8-million Sandi Simon Center for Dance, which opened for students this semester. The project, built by R.D. Olson Construction, involved adaptive reuse of the historic Villa Park Orchards packing house in Orange, Calif. Originally built in 1918, the building is designed to accommodate up to 150 students and will provide several new spaces, including four studios, a 120-seat performance studio, two classrooms, a kitchen space, physical therapy training room, faculty offices and a student lounge with terrace.

1,900-Stall Parking Lot Completed at CBX Airport

Cross Border Xpress (CBX) airport gets a new 18-acre secured parking lot.
Photo courtesy Latitude 33

The new Otay Tijuana North (OTN) Parking Lot serving Cross Border Xpress (CBX) airport, located on the U.S./Mexico border near San Diego, has been completed. Constructed by Latitude 33 Planning & Engineering, the 18-acre gated surface parking lot features approximately 1,900 parking stalls, shuttle service, accessible spaces and pedestrian routes. The parking lot provides critical infrastructure for the CBX bridge—a 390-ft international bridge spanning the U.S.-Mexico border that exclusively serves passengers traveling through the Tijuana International Airport. The CBX and Latitude 33 have begun permitting large-scale solar structures over an existing 600-stall parking lot.

Blueline Aquired by Atwell

Michigan-based Atwell, a national consulting, engineering and construction services firm, has acquired Blueline, a 75-person civil engineering, land planning and landscape architecture firm based in Kirkland, Wash. Blueline has four offices throughout Washington and serves clients in commercial development, residential development and public works. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Previously, Atwell’s presence in the Pacific Northwest was confined to its existing office in Portland, Ore.