The project consisted of the demolition and build-out of a private ground floor entrance lobby and high-tech classrooms, conference rooms, library, collaborative spaces and administrative offices on the upper two floors. A two-story open atrium with grand staircase at each end connects the upper floors.

Extensive use of glass and natural lighting create a pleasant learning and working environment, and state-of-the-art audio/visual systems can be found throughout the campus.  The urban campus incorporates environmentally friendly materials and energy efficient plumbing, HVAC and lighting systems, and is seeking LEED for Commercial Interior Gold certification.

Leopardo served as the general contractor with OWP/P Cannon Design as the architect. ConopCo was the project manager.

CHICAGO, Illinois (October 4, 2010)

Located at 315 S. Peoria, the building features 135 student apartments containing 441 bedrooms. Each apartment is fully furnished with its own kitchen, granite countertops, dishwasher, microwave, 42” plasma TVs per bedroom, and individual bathrooms with almost every bedroom.

The first floor amenities include a tanning room, fitness center and custom lounge area with upgraded finishes, including a glass block wall with color-changing LED lighting, and 11,400 square feet of retail space. As part of the project, Leopardo also built a new two-story, 15,000-square-foot parking garage.

“Leopardo overcame several unexpected challenges to the already compressed 10-month schedule by aggressively managing its own self-performed trades of metal stud, drywall, rough and finish carpentry, taping and painting,” said Pierre Cowart, senior vice president at Leopardo. “We also design-built and self-performed the entire low-voltage infrastructure, including structured cabling, access control, audio and television, surveillance and telephony low-voltage. It was a massive project made successful by Leopardo’s active involvement at all levels of design and construction.”

The project utilized federal historic tax credits as the building required a combination of re-use, salvage and custom replacement of existing historical features, including perimeter windows, lobby areas and façade.

Leopardo served as the construction manager along with Fitzgerald Associates as architect.

According to Crain’s description of the video, “the latest forecast shows construction activity is slower than initially expected this year. But at least one local contractor [Leopardo] says the market is improving.”

“Leopardo is breaking ground on several new projects this year.  The company has hired about 10 people recently,” said Chicago Business Today Host Lisa Leiter.

In recent months, Leopardo has been awarded about 20 projects totaling approximately $70 million worth of construction.

CHICAGO, Illinois (December 15, 2009) – Leopardo was recently awarded the $9.5-million contract to build out the new 101,000-square-foot Chicago campus for Adler School of Professional Psychology at 1 N. Dearborn St.

Beginning in February and finishing in August 2010, the build out will feature a private ground floor lobby entrance as well as high-tech classroom and administrative space on the 15th and 16th floors. Two new grand staircases, with open atriums, will connect the upper floors. The build out, which will incorporate several environmentally friendly finish materials and energy efficient HVAC and lighting systems, will be seeking LEED for Commercial Interiors Silver Certification.

Leopardo is serving as the general contractor with OWP/P Cannon Design as the architect. ConopCo is the project manager.

School Seeking LEED for Schools Silver Certification

CHICAGO, Illinois (February 5, 2009) – Leopardo Companies, Inc., in a joint venture partnership with Markham, IL-based Reyes Group, was recently awarded the contract to build a new 106,000-square-foot, three-story elementary and middle school in the Avondale neighborhood on the Northwest side of Chicago. The contract was awarded by the Public Building Commission of Chicago.

The pre-kindergarten through 8th grade school will include a steel frame and masonry construction with a C-shaped design to serve 900 students. The building will include science, computer, music and art classrooms, as well as a library, gymnasium and dining facilities. The $25 million building is targeted to achieve LEED for Schools Silver Certification, including a 50 percent green roof.

According to the publication’s October 27 issue, and based on 2007 revenue figures, Leopardo is one of the top 15 contractors in Chicagoland. In 2007, Leopardo had total revenues near $280 million.

The construction article that accompanied the list also highlighted Leopardo’s market diversification. Leopardo has specialized expertise in numerous sectors including office, industrial, healthcare, tenant interiors, retail, hospitality, education, municipal, recreational, residential and aviation.

Fornelli Hall
At the historic Pittsfield Building on Jewelers Row at 55 E. Washington, Leopardo converted nine floors and 135,000 square feet of office space into 177 student apartments and 360 bedrooms. The entire building is 40 stories and 392,000-SF. The residences are occupied by students from Roosevelt University and Robert Morris College for the 2008-2009 school year. Leopardo Construction was the project’s general contractor.

Tailor Lofts
Leopardo is beginning the conversion of the entire 10-story, 230,000-square-foot building at 847 W. Jackson into 135 student apartments and 432 bedrooms. Each apartment will feature its own kitchen and each bedroom includes a private bathroom. The first floor will have 10,000 square feet of retail. The residences will be occupied by students from University of Illinois – Chicago in August 2009. Leopardo is serving as construction manager-at-risk with Atlanta-based Place Properties as developer.

Building Design+Construction magazine called in progressive thinking and told its 75,000 readers to “take a page from Leopardo.”

Download the full-length Smart Construction report. [Updated February 2009 with the most current data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.]