Borders, nations no obstacle to local design professionals

Welcome to the Springfield Business Journal's look at Far Horizons.

Far Horizons is a showcase of projects by Springfield design professionals that are located outside the immediate Springfield/southwest Missouri area.

The sites of these projects, designed by local architects and engineers, range from the exotic isles of the West Indies, to the more prosaic and familiar locales of Joplin and Eureka Springs, Ark. Hotels, road improvements, casinos, custom homes, theaters, technology centers, banks, medical facilities and schools are just a sample of the works detailed in this special section.

We hope our readers will enjoy this look at the far-reaching influence of local architectural and engineering firms as they continue to shape the built environment, in and ourt of Springfield.

Clarissa French

Special Section Editor

Warren Bates & Associates, Architects

Theatre in the Smokies

The Theatre in the Smokies, located at Pigeon Forge, Tenn., was designed by Alan Bates and Barry Byrd for project owner Dr. MacDonald Burkhart. Built by general contractor Creative Structures Inc., the theater was completed in 1996.

This theater was designed for live music performances similar to Branson theaters. The 15,000-square-foot lobby and 25,000-square-foot auditorium hold approximately 2,000 people. The theater was built in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains.

The site sloped 90 degrees from front to back, creating opportunities and challenges. We designed the theater to fit into the hillside and blend with the mountainous surroundings.

In the design we connected the mountainous surrounds with the state-of-the-art interior by using large glass curtain walls framed by native stone and heavy timber. This allows the theater patrons to have the comfort and feeling of a Smoky Mountain lodge and still be able to view the surrounding scenery.

Briggs Architecture + Design

Located in the Bitter Root Valley of western Montana, between Victor and Hamilton, this home, designed by Donald A. Briggs, AIA, for the Pohley family Jay and Colleen, and their daughters Hillary, Megan and Therin was completed in September 1998.

The general contractor on the home was Jay Pohley.

The president of Pioneer Log Homes of western Montana traveled to Springfield for a particular architect to design his personal residence.

The home, located on 13 acres of open range, commands panoramic views of the Rocky Mountains the playground of deer, elk and big horn sheep and the mountains provided inspiration for the building form and orientation.

The home includes 5,110 square feet of living space, 2,150 square feet of garage/shop, and 1,000 square feet of porches and terraces.

The design combines hand-peeled logs, native stone and touches of cedar-shingle siding and iron, in the western lodge and camp-style traditions.

Butler Rosenbury & Partners

The Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World and Embassy Suites Complex in Grapevine, Texas, is a dual project with two different owners, Bass Pro Shops LP and Hammons Hotels II, respectively.

The Grapevine Outdoor World was designed by Tom Jowett, AIA, vice president of design and development for Bass Pro Shops, and Mark Tuttle, AIA, director of design for Bass Pro Shops. Centex-Rooney Construction of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., was the general contractor on the project, completed in March 1999.

The Embassy Suites was designed by Steve Minton, AIA, senior vice president of architecture for John Q. Hammons Industries, and David Hess, AIA, principal and architect with Butler Rosenbury & Partners, who did the exterior design. The general contractor was CDI Contractors of Little Rock, Ark., and the hotel complex was completed in September 1999.

The 200,000-square-foot Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World includes features, such as chandeliers and timber structures fabricated by Bass Pro Shops' own fabrication shop in Nixa. All the murals and several of the faux finishes were completed by Bass Pro's finish shop.

The Embassy Suites is a 12-story, 330-suite hotel with 15,500 square feet of meeting space.

Challenges included creating a consistent exterior design while accommodating the goals of both clients for their respective buildings, as well as having two contractors on the same site constructing connected buildings, with a third tenant as the connector.

The Casey Associates Inc. - Architects, Planners

The Centurion Facility in Angola, Ind., was designed by project architects Allen Casey and Vince Ebersoldt for owner Jack Henry and Associates Inc. of Monett. Jim Ingledue Construction Inc. was the general contractor for the project, which was completed Dec. 10, 1999.

The Centurion Facility is a back-up disaster recovery center for banks. Planning began in mid-May for the new $3 million, 17,500-square-foot building, with complete design and construction occurring in just seven months. Located on a 12-acre wooded site, the two-level structure contains a complete data center which is essentially storm-proof and is powered by redundant emergency systems.

The building also contains instructional classrooms, private offices, a conference room, break room and an open area with modular work stations. The Casey Associates is providing architectural services for similar facilities for Jack Henry and Associates in 13 cities across the country.

Gaskin Hill Norcross

The First Security Bank, Fayetteville, Ark., designed by William J. Gaskin for owner First Security Bankcorp, was completed in September 1999.

The design intent focused on providing the bank a presence in a new market through a contemporary design that created an upscale corporate image.

A substantial setback from the street provides a dramatic setting that features a curved two-story front portico, understated curved glass areas on the sides and mirrored glass not typical in a retail setting.

Interior materials continue the contemporary theme with polished finishes in an atrium with a surrounding walkway. The lobby features a free-standing, two-story elevator accessed on the second floor by two bridges. The glassed-in elevator looks out through the glass front entrance.

Laura Jean Derrick, Architect

The Crescent Hotel, located in Eureka Springs, Ark., is designed by architectural designer Richard Pollard and architect Laura Jean Derrick for owners Marty and Elise Roenigk.

The general contractor on the project is Dick Howell, of Howell Construction, and the completion date is winter of 2000.

The Crescent Hotel was built in 1886. In the 1960s, it suffered a major fire which destroyed the entire fourth floor, observation tower and south penthouse.

This restoration project consists of replacing the burned portions with elements which replicate the original and building a new fifth-floor penthouse to be used as the owners' residence.

Strict adherence to the Department of the Interior's standards for rehabilitation is required as the building is on the national register and tax credits are being used for the project.

Lohmeyer-Russell PC

This exterior renovation for the Holiday Inn Joplin Hotel and Convention Center, owned by John Q. Hammons Hotels Inc. and designed by Jim S. Lohmeyer, AIA, was constructed by CCS Contractors of Lewisville, Texas, and completed in November 1998

This project consisted of renovating the exterior of the Holiday Inn Hotel in Joplin. The hotel was originally built in the early 1980s, and the original building exterior was a split-face type concrete block.

Our goal for this project was to soften this look and add visual interest along with the addition of color. We achieved this through the use of a stucco-type wall finish, gable- and mansard-type roofs, and the use of color at various places within the stucco finish system.

Ness Architects Inc.

The Thousand Oaks Medical Center in Joplin was designed by Donald Ness for owner Southwest Missouri Development Enterprises LLC.

Crossland Construction was the general contractor on the project, which was completed in August 1999.

Thousand Oaks Medical Center is a 90,000-square-foot building located at at 1905 W. 32nd Street in Joplin. This four-level medical complex, with an outpatient surgery center acting as the building's anchor, is occupied by a variety of independent doctors specializing in diverse fields. The building utilizes glass and EIFS to produce a clean, modern facade.

Pellham Phillips Hagerman Architects and Engineers

Winning the Attraction of the Year for Tourism award presented by the governor of South Carolina, the 2,700-seat Carolina Palace Theater anchors the Broadway at the Beach complex in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

A state-of-the-art stage, fly loft, catwalks and acoustical devices provide the flexibility for a variety of performances. The grand lobby encompasses a gracefully flowing staircase leading to the balcony.

Rich colors and elaborate detailing set the mood for the theater. Within sight of the Atlantic Ocean, the Palace and its distinctive 50-foot diameter dome attracts tourists up and down the East Coast.

Completed in 1995, the theater is owned by John Q. Hammons.

Esterly, Schneider & Associates

Located in Rolla, where it commands a beautiful view of Blue's Lake, the 24,000-square-foot Bond Clinic was designed by Craig Schneider, AIA, and Melissa Higbie.

Owned by Medical Facilities Group LLC, the clinic was designed for 10 doctors and completed in May 1999. Hogan Construction Inc. of Rolla was the general contractor.

Constructed on two levels with separate waiting/reception areas on each level, the clinic features five pods for the physicians, making a total of 40 examination rooms on two levels. Ancillary spaces surround the pods for maximum efficiency.

The design provides for primary and specialty care practices on the two levels. A large oncology suite was designed. Support spaces complement the design and provide the staff with optimum resources.

Warren & Goodin Architects/Engineers Inc.

The St. Vincent Casino in Kingstown, St. Vincent, West Indies, is owned by Feather International of Minneapolis, Minn., and designed by architect Melvin M. Moore with Walter Warren, PE. Feather Development of Minneapolis is the contractor, and the completion date is 2000.

The St. Vincent Casino is a one-story, 9,000-square-foot conversion of a country club in a nation with a population equivalent to Springfield. This conversion to a full casino is to stimulate the tourist industry, which is a growing principal industry.

The design challenge is that the only local industrial plant produces corrugated metal. All material quantities are determined, bought in Florida, then containerized and shipped to the island. St. Vincent accepts professional registration and building codes recognized in the United States.

Sam A. Winn & Associates Architects PC

The New Waynesville High School, designed by architects Sam Winn, AIA, and Les Schulz for the Waynesville R-VI School District, will be competitively bid in summer 2000. Construction is scheduled to begin following the contract award, and a proposed completion date of summer 2002 has been set.

This new high school is designed to accommodate 1,500 students and will help alleviate crowded conditions experienced throughout the district. Budgeted at $15 million, the three-story, 200,000-square-foot building will be constructed of masonry and precast concrete walls with an energy conserving roof system and two ground-level entrances.

Grand stairwells in the core of the building allow easy access to the library and cafeteria, which will be used by students and local citizens. Classrooms are departmentalized by curriculum, with shared computer labs and science labs. Future additions include a theater seating 750, a natatorium, planetarium and athletic fields.

Warren & Goodin

Architects/Engineers Inc.

The Tobique Casino, in the Maliseet Nation, Perth-Andover, New Brunswick, Canada, is a recreational facility designed by Walter Warren, PE, with architect Melvin M. Moore. The Killian Group is the general contractor for the project, which has a completion date of 2000 and is owned by the Maliseet Nation at Tobique.

A one-story, 30,670-square-foot recreational facility, the Tobique project includes a restaurant, performance/bingo hall, lounge and full casino.

Design challenges were related to the facility's location on the Maliseet Reservation. The reservation is remote from construction supply houses, concrete had to be batched at the site and the winters are severe, with night temperatures of 40 degrees below zero not being uncommon.

The parking lot layout provides for snowmobiles, and the food storage facilities are larger than normal to accommodate infrequent deliveries.

The Wischmeyer Architects Inc.

Located in Fayetteville, Ark., the Donald W. Reynolds Youth and Family Center is designed by Robert Stockdale, AIA, with team members Hannah McNeil and David Beach.

Owned by the Fayetteville Youth Center, the general contractor is yet to be determined for this project, which has a completion date of spring 2002.

The New Donald W. Reynolds Youth and Family Center will offer a broad variety of programs aimed at different levels and facets of youth development, and a kaleidoscope of opportunities for families to be actively engaged together. It is designed to provide a positive and constructive environment for interaction among youth, families and adults from diverse backgrounds.

Architecturally, the design uses transformation and recursion to define space and express the energy and playfulness of youth. Rectangular forms move, rotate and change scale essentially tumbling across the site to yield a dynamic composition of shape, material and color.

Butler Rosenbury & Partners

Designed by John C. Miller, PE, structural engineering studio leader at Butler Rosenbury, this project is a gypsum storage dome in Willow Island, W.Va., for owner Allegheny Light and Power. The general contractor on the dome, completed in December 1999, was Domtec International LLC of Idaho Falls, Idaho.

The project comprised the structural design of the 160-foot-diameter by 80-foot-tall thin-shell concrete storage dome. The dome is eight inches thick at the base and five inches thick at the apex. The structure has no interior supports and is constructed using an inflatable form and applied shotcrete.

The dome will be used to store waste gypsum material, which is sold and converted into gypsum sheathing. The product is loaded using conveyor equipment that will be located at the dome apex and unloaded through a tunnel in the dome floor, where it will be conveyed to a barge loading platform for transport.

Gaskin Hill Norcross

Designed by Ken Stufflebeam, the Shaw Medical Building Ambulatory Care Facility, located in West Plains and owned by Ozarks Medical Center, was completed in November 1998.

Gaskin Hill Norcross provided complete architectural and engineering services for this 29,000-square-foot facility. Engineering challenges included special design requirements for a linear accelerator, magnetic resonance imaging machine and a chemotherapy suite as part of a state-of-the-art cancer treatment and diagnostic center.

The second level facilitates a new rehabilitation center including physical therapy, speech therapy, industrial rehabilitation and occupational rehabilitation. This new facility was achieved at a cost of $98 per square foot.

The Larkin Group Inc.

Designed by Richard A. Worrel, PE, Bradley L. Tate, PE, and Scott M. Gorsuch, PE, the Pflumm Road improvements, between 127th and 135th streets in Overland Park, Kan., were completed Dec. 10, 1999. Owned by the city of Overland Park, the project was constructed by O'Donnell & Sons.

Innovative asphalt pavement technology, including a subsurface drainage system and a design that preserved several homes, were aspects of the Pflumm Road project, which upgraded a two-lane country road into a four-lane, median-divided roadway through a developing section of Overland Park.

One of the design challenges involved in the project was minimizing disruption to area residents. Larkin worked with the city to achieve this goal, designing a retaining wall to save three homes. The 12-foot-high, 600-foot-long wall used aesthetically pleasing materials to preserve the atmosphere of the neighborhood. A privacy fence was built atop the wall for the residents.

Pellham Phillips Hagerman Architects/Engineers

The Embassy Suites Hotel in Monterey, Calif., designed by Pellham-Phillips-Hagerman for owner John Q. Hammons, was completed in 1995.

The 12-story high-rise is the tallest building between San Jose and Santa Barbara. Located near the San Andreas Fault, the engineering demands on this structure were severe.

After starting construction, the project sat idle for a year when a severe earthquake drastically altered California Building Codes. PPH's redesign included Kevlar-wrapped concrete columns.

The Hotel has a six-story waterfall, a glass atrium roof and a large convention center. A massive, on-site storage tank provides water to the fire sprinkler system in case the city's water supply is disrupted by an earthquake.