Construction in the Ozarks: Spring 2015

Springfield Business Journal’s project profile report provides a snapshot of developments across the Ozarks.

Sherwood Elementary School/ Boys & Girls Clubs
2524 S. Golden Ave.

Springfield Public Schools still is on track for an August completion of its $17.74 million Sherwood Elementary School project. SPS spokeswoman Pam Bodine said plans also are in the works with the city of Springfield to widen Golden Avenue in front of the building at a cost of $400,000 split between SPS and the city. For the 77,997-square-footbuilding, general contractor DeWitt & Associates Inc.is working with design plans from Sapp Design Associates Architects PCand engineers Olsson Associates Inc., civil; Toth and Associates Inc., structural; and Malone Finkle Eckhardt & Collins Inc., mechanical, electrical and plumbing. The project also includes roughly 5,500 square feet dedicated to the Boys & Girls Clubs – the first such arrangement for a public school in Missouri.

L&W Industries LLC
3850 E. Mustard Way

Springfield-based railroad signal products manufacturer L&W Industries LLC is relocating to the Partnership Industrial Center from 3149 E. Chestnut Expressway. Dirt is moving for the 47,000-square-foot building along Mustard Way. Rich Kramer, president of project general contractor Rich Kramer Construction, said the more than $2 million expandable building would include manufacturing and design space, as well as offices and a sales department. Werner & Associates LLC is handling design work with engineering by Heithaus Engineering & Associates Inc., civil, and Smith-Goth Engineering Inc., mechanical, electrical and plumbing.

Sidewalk Plaza
3233 E. Sunshine St.

Stone, wood and glass facade work is going up on Raga Properties LLC’s Sidewalk Plaza on East Sunshine. Expected to be complete in mid-April, Raga Properties and Baron Design & Associates LLC principal Rita Baron signed Cricket Wireless as the center’s first tenant. Baron said two other undisclosed tenants already have signed on, with space available for up to three more. Morelock-Ross Builders Inc. is general contractor on the $900,000, 9,412-square-foot project.

Timmons Temple Church of God in Christ
1100 N. Hampton Ave.

Carthage-based movers Tilton and Sons Inc. are relocating the historic Timmons Temple Church of God in Christ from its home at 934 E. Webster St. to nearby Silver Springs Park to make way for an apartment complex. In the second phase of three moves for the 444,000-pound structure, Tilton and Sons is using remote-controlled hydraulic dollies, including some 80 wheels, powered by a generator that travels with the structure. Springfield-Greene County Park Board spokeswoman Jenny Edwards said Jeffrey Wells of Wells & Scaletty LLC drew up plans for a new foundation with surveying from Anderson Engineering Inc. The foundation will be built up around the structure, with infill and renovation from the Building & Construction Trades Council of Springfield and Vicinity in the months to come. Paula Ringer, co-chair of nonprofit Save Timmons Temple, said the estimated cost to move the church is $250,000, of which they’ve raised about $140,000, including a donation from apartment developer Greenway Studios LLC. Once complete, the roughly 1,800-square-foot structure will be used as an event center, owned and operated by the Springfield-Greene County Park Board.

Greenway Studios Apartments
934 E. Webster St.

Greenway Studios LLC is developing roughly 3 acres in Midtown for its microefficiency apartment concept on the original site of Timmons Temple Church of God in Christ, which is being moved to a nearby park. Construction already has begun on the first of two buildings, with work beginning on the second as soon as the church is removed. Greenway Studios partner Brent Brown said the complex comprises 84 units in two three-story buildings. Designed for nearby college students, each unit would be 350 square feet. Bates & Associates Inc. designed the roughly $4 million project, with engineering work from Whitlock Engineering LLC, civil, and Colvin Jones Davis LLC, mechanical, electrical and plumbing. Larry Snyder & Co. is general contactor on the project which includes a dog park and pool. The first building is slated to be complete Aug. 1, with the second building to follow in 30 days.

319 DownTown patio
319 W. Walnut St.

Owner Shawn Gott is upgrading patio space at event center 319 DownTown. Previously a fenced-in parking lot, Gott is transforming the space into an outdoor patio complete with 18-foot brick facade walls, five 18-by-8-foot windows, an electronic video screen and a corner clock tower featuring and 8-foot square faceplate he hopes to work with local artists on for a rotating design. Bill Nesbitt, owner of project general contractor Nesbitt Construction Inc., said the $250,000 project hit a snag as crews began digging a foundation and found an empty pit below the lot. Roughly $75,000 later, Nesbitt said crews installed nine 30-inch piers 22 feet deep to support the freestanding walls. The project is expected to be complete by May 1.

Reliable BMW Showroom
3521 E. Sunshine St.

Randy Ganz, president and CEO of project general contractor DeWitt & Associates Inc., said crews are dismantling the former Reliable Used Car Center to make way this summer for Reliable’s new BMW Showroom, currently housed on its lot across Sunshine Street. Ganz said the roughly $2.5 million project is a complete gut and remodel with service bay additions and upgrades to meet BMW standards.

Gardner Capital Inc.
4803 S. National Ave.

Walls are up on the $4.8 million, 17,000-square-foot office building as crews work to enclose the three-story structure expected to be complete this summer. General Contractor Larry Snyder & Co. is working with architect Baron Design & Associates LLC. Project engineers are Bentley Building Co. LLC, civil; Miller Engineering PC, structural; and Colvin Jones Davis LLC, mechanical, electrical and plumbing. Financed by Springfield First Community Bank, Southern Bank plans to utilize the first floor, with real estate investment company Gardner Capital on the top two levels. Gardner Capital currently occupies about 6,500 square feet of the Liberty Bank building on South National Avenue.

Meta-Games Unlimited remodel
3309 E. Sunshine St.

Goodwin Family Partnership LP revamped its 18,000-square-foot East Sunshine building to make way for additional retail tenants. Previously a Movie Gallery on the west end and MGU Inc., dba Meta-Games Unlimited, on the east end, owner Ryan Bennett said he gutted the building following Movie Gallery’s closure and revamped the west end with an expanded play room and modern metal facade for the gaming store. The east end will become retail space for up to four tenants, he said.

Graceway Baptist Church Family Life Center
5010 S. Farm Road 135

Southwest Springfield’s Graceway Baptist Church is in the midst of a $1.7 million expansion following a three-year capital campaign by members. Pastor Robert Stephenson said the family life center will add a gymnasium and needed classroom space on the structure’s second level. Loyd-Fraker Construction is handling the 23,000-square-foot build, with design work from Greg Mitchell Architects and engineering from Pinnacle Design Consultants LLC, civil and structural, and Vandersluis Engineering Inc., mechanical, electrical and plumbing.

Sunvilla Tower renovation
833 E. Elm St.

Missouri State University is renovating its 18-story student apartment complex. Expected to be complete this summer, the $13 million project renovates the interior with the primary purpose of increasing life safety features within the building. Doug Sampson, university architect and director of planning, design and construction,said the 1964-built building still had many original finishes. Kitchens in each apartment will have an open kitchen plan, and cooking appliances are now being reinstalled. The building also will receive a new fire suppression system. General contractor is KCI Construction Co. Inc. Project architect is The Lawrence Groupwith engineering from Anderson Engineering Inc, civil; KPFF Consulting Engineers, structural; and KJWW Engineering Consultants, mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire.