Wayne N. Aspinall Federal Building and US Courthouse Named Best Project

DENVER - Nov. 11, 2013 - PRLog -- The Wayne N. Aspinall Federal Building and US Courthouse project was recognized by ENR Mountain States 2013 Best Projects Awards as the Best Renovation/Restoration project in the Colorado area.

More than 80 projects were entered into this year's Best Projects competition. Projects were judged on design and construction quality, their contribution to the community and industry practice, and how well teams overcame unusual challenges through collaboration and innovation.

The modernization of the historic facility in Grand Junction, CO, preserves the building’s historic character while transforming the landmark into one of the most energy efficient, sustainable buildings in the country. Just last month, the building achieved the highest LEED Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

One of the major pre-project milestones included the successful award by GSA of a Design-Build contract for the Modernization and High Performing Green Building renovation of the 41,562 SF structure to the team of design-build contractor and architect-of-record The Beck Group, and design architects and engineers Westlake Reed Leskosky. The design-build approach acknowledged the federal government’s goal to be carbon-neutral by 2030 and to create, through this project’s design, a “green proving ground” demonstrating how to potentially make an existing historic building perform at net-zero energy, 17 years ahead of schedule.

Funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), the project transforms the 1918 structure into a sustainable model.  In fact, The Wayne N. Aspinall Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse is targeted to be the GSA’s first site net-zero energy facility on the National Register of Historic Places.

About the Project Team:

Owner:

U.S. General Services Administration
Rocky Mountain Region

Design-Build Partners:

The Beck Group

Atlanta, Austin, Dallas, Denver, Fort Worth, Mexico City, San Antonio, Tampa

Design-Build Contractor and Architect-of-Record

Westlake Reed Leskosky

Cleveland, Los Angeles, New York, Phoenix, Washington D.C.

Lead Design Architect, Integrated Engineer, Sustainable Design, Historic Preservation and Technology Design Consultant

About U.S. General Services Administration:

As the federal government's workplace solutions provider, the U.S. General Services Administration works to foster an effective, sustainable and transparent government for the American people. GSA’s expertise in government workplace solutions includes:

·        Effective management of government assets including more than 9,600 government-owned or leased buildings and 215,000 vehicles in the federal fleet, and preservation of historic federal properties;

·        Leveraging the government’s buying power through responsible acquisition of products and services making up approximately 14 percent of the government’s total procurement dollars;

·        Providing innovative technology solutions to enhance government efficiency and increase citizen engagement; and,

·        Promoting responsible use of federal resources through development of governmentwide policies ranging from federal travel to property and management practices.

About Beck:

Founded in 1912, The Beck Group offers a full spectrum of commercial professional services including development, planning, architecture, interior design, construction and sustainability consulting. The company is headquartered in Dallas and maintains a national team of over 500 employees, who work among a network of offices in Atlanta, Austin, Denver, Fort Worth, Mexico City, San Antonio and Tampa. The firm’s notable projects in recent years have included the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia; Nasher Sculpture Center in Dallas, Texas; Michael W. Krzyzewski Center for Athletic Excellence in Durham, North Carolina; Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, California; and the USF Health Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation (CAMLS) in Tampa, Florida. For more information, visit www.beckgroup.com.

About Westlake Reed Leskosky:

Widely published and recognized for design excellence, Westlake Reed Leskosky (www.WRLdesign.com) has been cited with over 300 design awards in the past ten years.  The firm has offices in Cleveland, Washington DC, New York, Phoenix, and Los Angeles, CA.  The national architect/engineer/technology design firm is a leader in integrated and sustainable design nationally, hitting the country’s industry charts for top firms and green design, including ranking #3 Overall based on design, business, and sustainability in AIA’s Architect magazine’s 2013 Top 50.

Westlake Reed Leskosky bases success and growth on integrated and comprehensive building design services with building specialization in historic preservation and educational facilities, as well as cultural, civic, healthcare, and work place environments.  This expertise is delivered using Building Information Modeling with highly integrated specialized capabilities including LEED/sustainable design, interior design, structural, mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineering, data transport/IT and technology design, security design, theatre technical services, audio-visual and lighting services, assistance in historic and new markets tax credits, and cultural arts planning.