Designed by Partners by DESIGN; Built by Leopardo Companies; Pursuing LEED Silver

CHICAGO, Illinois (May 28, 2010) – American Hospital Association (AHA) recently moved into its new 118,000-square-foot headquarters on four and a half floors at 155 N. Wacker Dr. The newly finished space, which is pursuing LEED Silver Certification, was designed by Partners by DESIGN incorporated and built by Leopardo Companies.

The facility maximizes transparency through spatial arrangement of offices, workstations and ancillary functions. Use of transparent, translucent and reflective materials in combination with warm wood tones and natural materials provides a relaxing spa-like environment in which to work.

AHA’s mission was to provide a facility that empowers employees to be energized to succeed through a thoughtful, open environment, incorporating natural light and ancillary “outside the office” workspaces.

Integration of AHA branding elements throughout the space reinforces information flow between groups as well as the AHA organizational overview. Gallery spaces were dispersed throughout the facility whereby history and future are brought together through fixed and multi-media elements.

Behind the scenes, Leopardo installed state-of-the-art mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems, including Lutron lighting systems, an uninterruptible power supply (UPS), pre-action fire protection and a direct digital control (DDC) HVAC system with 24-hour cooling. A data center supported by nine intermediate distribution frame (IDF) rooms for wiring were completed on an accelerated schedule seven weeks prior to substantial completion.

The AHA project team consisted of Project Manager Ken Soltis Associates with Partners by DESIGN incorporated as architect and Leopardo Companies as general contractor.

CHICAGO, Illinois (March 3, 2010)

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.

The West Humboldt Park Branch Library continues the Chicago Public Library’s effort to create a standardized system of neighborhood resource centers that are flexible, convenient and inspirational.

The library, which will be completed in December of 2010, will also feature community meeting space with computers and internet access.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Illinois (March 2, 2010)

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.

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.

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.

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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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.

As vice chair, George will work with the other directors on the board to establish chapter policy, determine long-term goals, build membership, and develop strategic initiatives. George was originally elected to the USGBC Chicago Chapter’s board of directors in 2007. He will have the honor of chairing the chapter when the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo returns to Chicago in 2010.

As general superintendent at Leopardo, George oversees 60 superintendents who are responsible for the construction of 300 projects per year. George is an instructor of green construction practices at Wright College and sits on the school’s Environmental Technology Program’s Advisory Board. He also served on multiple Greenbuild 2007 committees and played an integral role in Leopardo’s construction of the event-sponsored LEED-Platinum Legacy Project.

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.

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.

The eco-friendly, 140-seat restaurant is the first in downtown Chicago to seek Gold LEED-CI (commercial interiors) certification. It features cork flooring and tabletops, recycled leather chairs, PVC-free vinyl booths, organic concrete stain, floor-to-ceiling windows, highly-efficient heat pump mechanical and lighting systems, environmentally-friendly paint and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified wood that is from this region and formaldehyde free. The kitchen has a poured floor which is more durable and earth-friendly than standard quarry tile.

Aside from sustainable building materials, Province restaurant also incorporates green equipment and farm-to-table cuisine such as shrimp and organic grits, braised Heritage Farms lamb and slow roasted Gunthorp Farms pork.

The restaurant is located in the West Loop at 161 N. Jefferson St. in the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) building, which itself is certified Gold LEED-EB (existing building). The CTA building was the first in the State of Illinois to receive the LEED Existing Building certification.

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.]