Dignitaries from across Oklahoma gathered in November for a ceremonial groundbreaking of a new water treatment plant in Enid that will serve as a key element of the Enid Kaw Lake Water Supply Program—the largest capital project in the city’s history. When construction is completed in late 2023 by Garver and Garney Construction, water will be pulled from Kaw Lake through a new pump and intake station. It will then travel nearly 70 miles through 30-in. and 36-in.-dia pipes before it’s treated at the new 10.5-million-gallon-per-day water treatment plant in Enid. The intake pumps and water treatment plant are designed to be expanded in the future to supply 21 million gallons of water per day. This will provide the residents of Enid and northwest Oklahoma with a sustainable surface water supply that will meet their needs for the next half century and more.

Varispace Coppell Marks Topping Out

Workspace innovation company Vari and contractor Adolfson & Peterson Construction topped out VariSpace Coppell in January, officially marking the construction midpoint. VariSpace Coppell is expected to open in summer 2022.

A celebratory luncheon was held Jan. 26 at 450 North Freeport Parkway, the future site of Vari’s headquarters and its third VariSpace campus in Dallas-Fort Worth. Representatives from BOKA Powell and Corgan, the project’s design team, were also in attendance.

Vari’s world headquarters will be located in approximately 60,000 sq ft at VariSpace Coppell. The remaining 120,000 sq ft will be available for tenants. The 180,000-sq-ft structure will stand three stories tall on a 10-acre property with available surface parking. The tilt-wall building will showcase the space-as-a-service model that allows companies to tailor workspaces to their specific needs. 

BOKA Powell designed the core, shell and site. Corgan Architects designed the building’s interiors.

Westwood Acquires Pacheco Koch

Westwood Professional Services Inc., a national multidiscipline, engineering firm, has acquired Texas-based Pacheco Koch Consulting Engineers LLC. Pacheco Koch is a full-service engineering, surveying and planning/landscape architecture firm performing work in both public infrastructure and private development throughout Texas. The transaction was finalized on Dec. 13.

The Pacheco Koch acquisition is central to Westwood’s long-term strategy to expand into new regions and grow its existing markets and services. It brings Westwood approximately 250 new team members and five additional offices—located in Dallas, Fort Worth, Celina, Austin and Houston—to Westwood’s existing Texas locations in Plano and San Antonio.

Pacheco Koch will operate as Pacheco Koch, a Westwood company, for 12-24 months and continue to serve clients from their current locations.

Kirksey and th+a Join Forces

Kirksey Architecture has expanded to North Texas with its acquisition of Dallas-based t. howard & associates (th+a). The integration is expected to enhance the firm’s expertise and geographical reach, creating a practice with 173 employees and 72 registered architects, serving a broad range of industry sectors. 
This marks the opening of Kirksey’s third Texas-based studio, with established offices in Houston and Austin. 

As of Jan. 11, th+a will operate as Kirksey | th+a. Todd Howard, who founded th+a and served as president, will take on the role of executive vice president, director – North Texas.

Work Starts on EpiCenter

Construction has started on Fort Bend County’s EpiCenter. The 195,000-sq-ft multipurpose arena is located off the US 59 South service road adjacent to the county fairgrounds.

Stoha is prime architect and PBK Architects is the design architect on the arena, which features a glass-enclosed lobby that will provide a direct visual connection to the site and nearby US 59. Funding for the project comes through a public-private partnership between the county and developer Stonehenge Holdings LLC.

During hurricanes, floods and extreme weather events, the EpiCenter will be used as an operations center and emergency evacuations shelter. Satterfield & Pontikes is general contractor on the project.

Construction is expected to be complete in summer 2023.

$99 Million in Coastal Projects Approved

The Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA), Baton Rouge, announced Feb. 3 the approval of the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act (CWPPRA) Task Force’s $99 million in funding, which advances seven coastal projects in four parishes.

The following projects received funding for construction through CWPPRA: the $26.5-million Breton Landbridge Marsh Creation (West) project that will create and nourish approximately 379 acres of marsh habitat in Plaquemines Parish; the $27-million No Name Bayou Marsh Creation project that will create and nourish approximately 468 acres of marsh in Cameron Parish; and the $32.3-million Northeast Turtle Bay Marsh Creation project that will create and nourish 536 acres of marsh in Jefferson Parish.

The following projects received funding for engineering and design through CWPPRA: the $2.8-million East Cove Marsh Creation project that will create and nourish 274 acres of marsh in Cameron Parish; the $3.5-million Port Fourchon Marsh Creation project that will create and nourish 450 net acres in Lafourche Parish; the $3.6-million Northeast Turtle Bay Marsh Creation Extension project that will create and nourish 343 acres of marsh in Jefferson Parish; and the $3.4-million Grand Bayou Ridge and Marsh Restoration - Increment 2 project that will create 302 acres of ridge and marsh in Plaquemines Parish.

Brazos Transit District’s Coordination Complex Center

Dallas-based MYCON General Contractors Inc. has completed construction on the Marvin Tate Coordination Complex Center, Brazos Transit District’s (BTD) new corporate headquarters located at 2117 Nuches Lane in Bryan, Texas. After writing six different grants and after four years of planning, the 11,518-sq-ft Coordination Complex Center is a 100% Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant building and features integrated technology.

Williamson Group Architects and PlanNorth Architectural Co. were the architects for this project. Brazos Transit District is the owner. 

JW Marriott Dallas Arts District Hotel Tops Out

The newest hotel in downtown Dallas topped out in December. J.W. Marriott Dallas Arts District is a 12-story full-service hotel built on top of an existing 10-level parking garage. Upon completion in the first quarter of 2023, the 274,000-sq-ft hotel will offer 267 rooms, a street-level lobby and bar, shuttle elevators from the street level to the hotel, a sky lobby, pool and pool deck, bar, full-service kitchen, three-meal restaurant and exterior dining area.

Construction began on the hotel in May, with HKS serving as the architect of record and DPR Construction as the general contractor. The hotel is situated on the corner of San Jacinto Street and North Harwood Street in downtown Dallas’ Arts District.