Colorado-Real-Estate-Journal_370091

Page 36 - November 1-14, 2023 www.crej.com Construction, Design & Engineering Santulan Architecture, a Den- ver-based architecture firm, cel- ebrated the opening of a new three-story mixed-use develop- ment. The development is home to the company’s headquar- ters, along with 25 new attain- able apartments, known as Tula Apartments. While Santulan has designed more than 14,000 multifamily residences across the region, the new three-story mixed-use build- ing at 388 Santa Fe Drive marks the firm’s first time serving as the developer of a ground-up project – experience the firm will be able to immediately apply in its work as a trusted adviser for clients embarking on similar develop- ment projects. “Incorporating attainable hous- ing into our new headquarters was an easy decision for our team to make,” said Harsh Parikh, founder and president of San- tulan Architecture. “As housing architects, we have learned so many valuable lessons and we thought it would be exciting to apply those to our own devel- opment while doing our part to address Denver’s housing chal- lenges.” In designing the building, San- tulan prioritized the use of raw, natural materials such as wood, steel, concrete and masonry, not only for their intended function- ality but also for their aesthetic expression in their unaltered state. The design includes high ceilings, ample natural light, bio- philic design elements, biking infrastructure and exercise facili- ties. Tula apartments are available for rent and include studio, one- and two-bedroom floor plans. The apartments feature a rooftop terrace with 360-degree views, an outdoor kitchen, a fire pit, a pet area and a large solar array. Each unit offers a full kitchen, washer and dryer, and city or mountain views. The location within the Santa Fe Arts District addition- ally puts residents in proximity to multimodal transit options. s Santulan Architecture designs mixed-use project in Santa Fe Arts District Thousands of students are walking into seven new schools designed by MOA. This marks the most new schools MOA has ever opened in a single school year. But in addi- tion to these new schools, the firm also is celebrating the completion of two major school additions, and over a dozen renovation and upgrade projects – designing and delivering projects big and small, renovated and new, pre-K through high school, from Loveland to Pueblo. • In August, Pueblo School Dis- trict 60 opened five new schools. Funding these projects through its 2019 $237 million bond initia- tive, Pueblo is making a historic investment in its future. Two new high schools, two new elementary schools, and a new K-8 expedi- tionary school are the most vis- ible parts of this transformation, which also includes dozens of dis- trictwide upgrades and improve- ments. MOA, which has worked with D60 for six years, worked in partnership with HGF Archi- tects, RTA Architects and BrainS- paces on the design of the five new schools. • In October, Cherry Creek Schools is doing something unprecedented: opening the first district-owned and -operated day treatment center in the country. As a day treatment center, Traverse Academy serves students in cri- sis, providing a bridge between inpatient or full-time clinical care and the stresses of regular public school. These facilities typically are run by the state or health care providers. Combining the firm’s PK-12 education and health care studios, the firm delivered a facil- ity that sits at the intersection of mental health care and secondary education. • MOA celebrated two decades of working with Aurora Public Schools by completing another two major projects for the district this year. Del Mar Academy is a PK-8 school in the Lynn Knoll neighborhood. MOA also com- pleted the second phase of Auro- ra Science Technology School, a STEM-focused middle-high school located on the Fitzsimons Innovation Campus. • In Littleton, the final of three new elementary schools for Little- ton Public Schools is Little Raven Elementary School, which serves 650 students in a diverse com- munity in Littleton. The school’s interior design highlights this diversity: The lobby features a wall graphic of a tree with colorful roots that include maps from cities around the world. • In Jeffco, the district gave the go-ahead for a classroom addi- tion to Prospect Valley Elementary School, while construction was still underway on the main project. The team successfully shepherded the addition through documenta- tion and permitting while concur- rently overseeing construction on the original new facility. In addition to these larger proj- ects, there are plenty of other proj- ects wrapping up this fall. From mechanical systems replacements to finish updates, these projects improve or maintain school facili- ties across the Rocky Mountain region, including Excel Acad- emy Renovations; New America School Renovations (Lakewood campus); and various renovation projects for Jeffco Public Schools, Thompson Public Schools, Little- ton Public Schools and St. Vrain Valley Schools. s MOA designs schools throughout the Front Range Short Elliott Hendrickson Inc., a national employee-owned engineering and architecture firm, acquired assets from Ram USA, widely recognized for its groundbreaking patented tech- nology for facility and infra- structure assessment. This move increases SEH’s service offerings and reinforces SEH’s commit- ment to leveraging technology for improved facility and infra- structure solutions. Ram USA, now Ram Compa- nies LLC, will operate as a whol- ly owned subsidiary of SEH. “From first becoming aware of Ram, we saw tremendous potential in joining forces,” said SEH CEO David Ott. “Jeff and his outstanding team have been at the forefront of using tech- SEH acquires Ram USA, expanding facility, infrastructure assessment capabilities Tula Apartments include a rooftop deck. The Neenan Co. and the city of Salida are preparing to break ground on the city’s new fire station. The state- of-the-art facility upgrade is set to replace the current fire station that has been uti- lized by the community for 121 years. The $16.6 million project will provide 20,345 square feet of modernized space for apparatus, admin- istration, training and liv- ing quarters, supporting the fire fighters and residents of Salida. Neenan was tasked with replacing the current fire station with one that would enhance the health of fire- fighters and increase effi- ciency for long-term use. For instance, with cancer rates rising amongst fire- fighters, the new fire sta- tion design aids with the safety and health needs of the firefighters by incor- porating decontamination zones to prevent the spread of carcinogens and an iso- lated gear-washing space. It will also include Americans with Disabilities Act acces- sibility and overall comfort for the firefighters that work hard to service this com- munity. To support training needs, the building features a three-story training and hose-drying tower, allowing firefighters to conduct out- door training and simulate rescue situations as well as a training classroom located at the front of the building. The upgrade was inten- tionally designed with lon- gevity in mind, with low- maintenance and durable finishes, and aligns with Salida’s 2021 Climate Action Plan to support sustainabil- ity for the long-run. s Neenan Co. breaks ground on Salida Fire Station upgrade Virta Health, dedicated to helping individuals reverse Type 2 diabetes, prediabe- tes and obesity, announced the opening of its new head- quarters in downtown Den- ver, one year after announc- ing its expansion into the city at the Metro Denver Eco- nomic Development Corp.’s Site Selection Conference. The occasion was marked by a special event attended by Virta Health CEO Sam Inki- nen and Denver Mayor Mike Virta Health opens HQ Please see Virta, Page 45 Please see SEH, Page 45 The $16.6 million project will provide 20,345 square feet of mod- ernized space for apparatus, administration, training and living quarters. Business News