Small Biz, Minority-Owned, & Women-Owned Subcontractors Invited to Bid on Historic CT Building Projects
Farmington, CT, November 3, 2014 (Newswire.com) - Small business, minority-owned, and women-owned subcontractors across Connecticut learned the best way to bid on two historic KBE Building Corp. design-build projects at a free conference hosted by the $300 million commercial construction management firm on Oct. 30.
Held at Zach’s Community Room at the University of Connecticut in West Hartford, the conference featured refreshments, hors d'oeuvres, prizes, and a presentation by KBE Project Managers and Estimators.
When Eric Brown, Simon Etzel, and I became principals in 2007, one of our main goals was to increasingly show our subcontractors how much we appreciate what they do. This is just one of several free events we've hosted for their benefit in recent years.
Mike Kolakowski, KBE principal and CEO
The two building projects were the Litchfield Judicial District Courthouse in Torrington and the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Residence Hall at the University of Connecticut in Storrs.
Litchfield Judicial District Courthouse, Torrington
· $67.8-million construction project
· 183,600 s/f new L-shaped building with two wings
· two-story parking structure and on-site parking at grade level
· pursuing LEED Silver certification
· groundbreaking on Aug.12, 2014
· completion scheduled for March 2016
Design-Build Team includes KBE Building Corp., Design-Builder & Constructor; The DLR Group, Lead Architect; AM Design Architects, Inc., Associate Architect; BVH Integrated Services, Structural, Civil, Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing, Fire Protection, Security & IT Systems Engineer; CR3, LLP, Landscape Architect; Geodesign, Inc., Geotechnical Engineer; and Cerami Associates, Acoustical Design.
STEM Residence Hall, University of Connecticut, Storrs Campus
· $79-million construction project
· 210,000 s/f, multi-story residence hall with 727 beds
· Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) educational component
· first project awarded under Gov. Dannel Malloy’s Next Gen building program
· pursuing LEED Silver certification
· construction to commence in Nov. 2014
· completion scheduled for summer 2016
Design-Build Team includes UConn, Project Owner; KBE Building Corp., Design-Builder & Constructor; JSA Architects, Architect of Record; DiBlasi Associates, Structural Engineer; BL Companies, Civil Engineer; WSP, Mechanical/Engineering/Plumbing Engineer; Newman Architects and BVH Integrated Services; Design Architect and Engineer, Bridging Documents phase and University’s Design Consultant during the completion of design and the Construction Phase.
The Power of Design-Build
KBE has completed 12 design-build projects during its 55 years in business, including six for the State of Connecticut.
Design-build is an innovative way of delivering construction projects. As defined by the Design Build Institute of America, “Design-build is an integrated approach that delivers design and construction services under one contract with a single point of responsibility.” This creates a highly integrated team that is fully committed to controlling project costs and to working together to develop the best solution within the owner’s budget and schedule.
Design-build typically enables projects to be completed faster and at a lower cost than under traditional project delivery methods.
Building Positive Relationships with Subcontractors
The Oct. 30 conference was another way for KBE to show its commitment to its subcontractors.
“When Eric Brown, Simon Etzel, and I became principals in 2007, one of our main goals was to increasingly show our subcontractors how much we appreciate what they do,” said CEO Mike Kolakowski. “This is just one of several free events we’ve hosted for their benefit in recent years.”
In 2007, KBE also made a renewed commitment to philanthropy. Its corporate giving program 50 Ways to Make a Difference was established in 2009 to celebrate the firm’s new ownership, name change, and 50 years in business. In less than five years, 50 Ways has helped KBE associates donate more than $1.2 million and 5,000 volunteer hours to charitable causes benefiting children, seniors, and military veterans in Connecticut and Maryland.
This year’s 50 Ways beneficiaries included hard-working students within Connecticut’s technical high school system, to whom KBE awarded $17,000 in scholarships on June 6. KBE also served as the Founding Sponsor of a Connecticut Public Broadcasting Network (CPBN) initiative and documentary, Made in Connecticut.
About KBE Building Corporation
Regionally located in Farmington, Conn., and Columbia, Md., KBE Building Corporation is a full-service, single-source commercial construction company strategically positioned to serve the Eastern and Mid-Atlantic U.S. Founded in 1959 and incorporated in 1966, the firm is celebrating its 55th year providing preconstruction, construction management, design-build, and general contracting services to clients in the educational, senior living, federal, corporate, hospitality, health care, institutional, and retail markets. KBE has managed more than $2.5 billion in construction volume over the last decade and is ranked among Engineering News-Record magazine's top 400 construction companies nationally.
Media Contact: Jonelle Lawhorn | KBE Director of Marketing
t: 860.284.7431| c: 860.836.7517 | f: 860.284.7831 | e: jlawhorn@kbebuilding.com
