Archive for the ‘Sustainaiblity + LEED’ Category

Leopardo Breaks Ground on New $6.4-Million Library, Seeking LEED Silver Certification

Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010

CHICAGO, Illinois (March 3, 2010) – Leopardo recently broke ground on the new, $6.4-million West Humboldt Park Branch Library.

Located at 733 N. Kedzie Ave., the 14,800-square-foot, one-story, full-service branch library is one of the first using a prototype design by Lohan Anderson. Leopardo is serving as the general contractor.

Seeking LEED Silver certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), the library will utilize geothermal systems for heating and cooling, resulting in dramatic reductions in energy consumption. Additionally, a prevegetated modular green roofing system will reduce the urban heat island effect, conserve water and decrease storm water runoff. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Chicago Public Library, LEED, West Humboldt Library
Posted in Community, Municipal + Recreation, Sustainaiblity + LEED

Leopardo Wins Corporate Social Responsibility Award

Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Illinois (March 2, 2010) – Leopardo was recently honored as a recipient of the 2010 Communitas Leadership Award for corporate social responsibility and community service.

The Communitas Award recognizes exceptional businesses, organizations and individuals that are unselfishly giving of themselves and their resources, and those that are changing how they do business to benefit their communities.

According to the judges from the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals (AMCP), Leopardo clearly exhibited the spirit of communitas, a Latin word that means people coming together for the good of a community. Leopardo was the only Illinois recipient and the only general contractor to win.

Posted in Awards + Recognition, General Corporate, Office + Industrial, Personnel, Retail, Sustainaiblity + LEED

Leopardo Awarded $13.5 Million Contract to Build 84,000-SF Jewel-Osco in Chicago

Wednesday, January 6th, 2010

Only Second Jewel-Osco Store in Country to Seek LEED Silver Certification

CHICAGO, Illinois (January 6, 2010) – Leopardo was awarded the $13.5-million contract to demolish the existing Jewel-Osco at 3630 N. Southport Ave. and build a new 84,000-square-foot Jewel-Osco.

The new store will triple the size of the previous location and make use of the entire site with zero lot line construction. Underground parking will allow for 124 spaces with priority spacing reserved for hybrid vehicles.

This will be the second Jewel-Osco building in the country to seek LEED certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) with LEED Silver status being the target. A prevegetated modular green roofing system is being installed to reduce the urban heat island effect, reduce noise, conserve water and reduce storm water runoff.

The interior will feature an entry atrium, three-person elevator and a wine cellar on the second floor. The anticipated completion date is August 2010. Leopardo is serving as the general contractor with Camburas & Theodore as the architect.

Tags: grocery construction, Jewel, Jewel-Osco, retail construction
Posted in Retail, Sustainaiblity + LEED

Leopardo Awarded Contract to Build 101,000-SF Adler School of Professional Psychology

Tuesday, December 15th, 2009

adlernewsthmb School Seeking LEED Silver Certification

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.

Posted in Community, Education, Interiors, Sustainaiblity + LEED

Leopardo Completes $108-Million LEED-Gold Aurora Police Headquarters

Wednesday, December 9th, 2009

Police Headquarters Wins Coveted “Project of the Year” Award

AURORA, Illinois (December 9, 2009) – Leopardo recently completed the Aurora Police Headquarters and Branch Court. Located at 1200 E. Indian Trail, the $108-million facility houses 500 public safety employees and is a consolidation of three bureaus and 11 police divisions, a 911-emergency call center and branch court house.

The police campus consists of a 154,000-square-foot police headquarters building, which houses the branch court and 911-emergency call center; a 41,000-square-foot training and support building that contains a firearms range, evidence storage and forensic examination laboratories; and a 204,000-square-foot, 500-car parking garage.

Aiming for LEED Gold Certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), the campus features numerous environmentally-friendly elements:

Permeable pavers to absorb storm water runoff and reduce heat island effect
Daylight harvesting features to maximize light and reduce energy needs
Recycled products used in ceiling, drywall, steel, concrete, countertops, etc.
All finishes washable with soap and water – no chemicals required
Photovoltaic panels generate electricity from solar radiation
Engineered to use 27 percent less energy and 30 percent less water than an average building of similar size

During construction, the Aurora Police Headquarters was the largest civic building under construction in Illinois and the largest full-service station under construction in the United States.

The Construction Industry Service Corporation (CISCO) named the Aurora Police Headquarters “2009 Project of the Year” as part of its annual Pride in Construction Awards. Midwest Construction Magazine called the police campus one of the few memorable cultural and municipal construction projects in the region.

Leopardo served as the lead construction manager on the entire campus with McClaren Wilson and Lawrie, and Cordogan Clark and Associates as architects.

Below are links to some of the media coverage on the project:

Turning Green to Gold
Illinois Real Estate Journal
October 21, 2009 Cover Story

Cultural and Municipal Building Projects Make Their Marks in the Midwest
Midwest Construction
October 2009 Cover Story

Police Get Ready to Relocate to Sprawling New Headquarters
Chicago Tribune
December 9, 2009

New Aurora Police HQ Wows the Public
Sun-Times Media
December 6, 2009

Aurora Police Unveil Their New Home
Daily Herald
December 5, 2009

[Click here] to watch the testimonial video interview with former Aurora Police Chief Bill Powell, who was part of the committee that originally selected Leopardo to build the headquarters. The video is also embedded below.

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Posted in Awards + Recognition, Community, Municipal + Recreation, Sustainaiblity + LEED

Leopardo Employee Elected Vice Chair of U.S. Green Building Council’s Chicago Chapter

Wednesday, March 4th, 2009

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Illinois (March 4, 2009) – Leopardo’s general superintendent of construction, George Tuhowski III, was recently elected vice chair of the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Chicago Chapter. The vice chair term will last until December 31, 2009; after which, George will become chair of the chapter for 2010 and then ex-officio chair in 2011. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Awards + Recognition, General Corporate, Personnel, Sustainaiblity + LEED

Leopardo Awarded Contract to Build 106,000-SF Avondale Elementary and Middle School

Thursday, February 5th, 2009

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. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Community, Education, Sustainaiblity + LEED

Leopardo Completes Randy Zweiban’s New Province Restaurant

Friday, October 31st, 2008

Eco-Friendly Restaurant Aims to be First in Downtown Chicago to Earn LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Certification

CHICAGO, Illinois (November 3, 2008) – Leopardo, one of the nation’s premier construction companies and a recognized leader in sustainable building practices, recently completed the 4,200-square-foot interior build-out for the new Province restaurant. Randy Zweiban is the executive chef and owner of the modern American restaurant with cuisine influenced by South America and Spain. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Hospitality + Hotel, Interiors, Retail, Sustainaiblity + LEED

Leopardo Highlights 10 Solutions for Building Smarter, Saving Time and Money

Monday, August 18th, 2008

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Illinois (AUGUST 18, 2008) – In the face of the worst economy since the Great Depression, Leopardo has authored a white paper pinpointing 10 practical and economical solutions that will help companies save significant time and money on construction.

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.]

Posted in Aviation, Community, Education, General Corporate, Healthcare, Hospitality + Hotel, Interiors, Mixed-Use, Municipal + Recreation, Office + Industrial, Residential, Retail, Sustainaiblity + LEED

Green Careers: Leopardo Superintendent Featured in Crain’s

Monday, July 7th, 2008

CHICAGO, Illinois (July 7, 2008) – Leopardo Superintendent Gary Hardy was featured in the June 30 edition of Crain’s Chicago Business for his leadership in sustainable construction education and practices. In addition to highlighting Gary’s dedication to environmentally-friendly construction, the article underscores Leopardo’s passion to build green… to build green projects and to build green employees. Click here to read the complete article. Read the rest of this entry »