KBE Building Corporation Honored With Connecticut's Top Construction Awards
KBE Building Corporation received top honors from Connecticut's Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. annual Excellence in Construction awards for the firm's work on two projects.
Online, February 2, 2012 (Newswire.com) - KBE Building Corporation (KBE) (www.kbebuilding.com) received top honors from Connecticut's Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. (CT-ABC) annual Excellence in Construction awards for the firm's work on two projects.
• Top Health Care Facility Construction ,The Whitney Center Renaissance Project
• "People's Choice Award", The Whitney Center Renaissance Project
• "Best in Show" Armed Forces Reserve Center-Middletown
The Whitney Center
The Whitney Center Renaissance Expansion Project in Hamden, Connecticut won the top award in Health Care Construction, as well as the People's Choice Award, which was voted on by the 700 contractors who attended the annual ceremony.
The Renaissance Expansion Project is a $50 million, seven-story, 195,000 square-foot addition to Whitney Center, an existing Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC). The new independent living building provides 88 additional apartments ranging from 1,076 to 1,800 square feet. The project also includes renovation of many areas around the existing building, such as the Living Room and Pub, new kitchen and dining areas, new administrative and marketing offices, a new maintenance building and a two-level parking garage.
The new and existing buildings are connected by a newly constructed, one-story corridor called "Main Street," which includes community spaces and amenities including a bank, offices, business center, Cultural Arts Center, library, conference room, salon and spa, Bistro and public restrooms.
The project was completed ahead of schedule in August 2011, and has been recognized by the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund for "Energy Efficiency Leadership" for its extensive "green" roofing systems, energy-efficient lighting, and rooftop air handling units.
The project was designed by SFCS Architects, with Program Management by Eventus Strategic Partners.
The Whitney Center Renaissance Expansion Photo by Paul Burk Photography
Armed Forces Reserve Center-Middletown
Out of the13 selected projects for the competition, The Armed Forces Reserve Center in Middleton, Connecticut won Best in Show.
The Armed Forces Reserve Center in Middletown, CT is a $54 million, 203,000 square-foot facility that encompasses a state-of-the-art training center, a vehicle maintenance facility, and a field equipment storage facility for the Connecticut National Guard and Army Reserve. Designed and constructed in just 18 months, this project used recycled building materials and included high-efficiency heating and cooling systems, a solar hot-water heating system, solar panels, bio-retention basins, a gradual slope designed to slow and control storm runoff and serve as a natural purification system. It features the first ever "green" roof used in National Reserve Center building programs.
The four story, 164,000 square-foot training facility provides four Army Reserve units and six Connecticut Army National Guard units with administrative, educational, assembly, library, learning center, vault, weapons simulator, and physical fitness areas.
For this project, KBE Building Corporation teamed up with DeRita Construction Company to become KBE Ventures, and served as the Design-Builder and Prime Contractor. Kleinfelder, Inc. was the Designer of Record. The project has recently won the 2012 Engineering Excellence Grand Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies, and is also on track to achieve LEED Gold certification.
"We are extremely proud to receive such prestigious awards," said KBE Principal and CEO Mike Kolakowski. "It is also an exceptional honor to not only be recognized by ABC, but also all the other Connecticut contractors for our work on the Armed Forces Reserve Center. Thank you to all our hardworking employees and committed clients for helping us become the company we aspire to be."
In addition to the three awards, ABC has recognized KBE Building Corporation as one of the top construction companies in the United States with exemplary safety records, rewarding them with a Platinum STEP Award (Safety Training & Evaluation Process) for the tenth year. KBE has also been re-certified as an Accredited Quality Contractor (AQC), a distinction it has earned each year since 2002.
