An office worker filmed a construction site blaze that shut down parts of the CBD

The fire in a building on the corner of William St and Little Collins St. Picture: Fiona Hamilton Source: Herald Sun

Workers near the site of the blaze in a building on the corner of William St and Little Collins St. Picture: Fiona Hamilton Source: Herald Sun

UPDATE: A BLAZE at a building under construction in Melbourne's CBD has sent toxic smoke billowing across town.

The fire broke out just after 10am on the top two levels of a seven-storey construction site at 121 William St.

Up to seven MFB fire crews worked to extinguish the blaze, which was understood to be burning through polystyrene materials.

The fire is thought to have started when sparks from a welder showered electrical wiring on the seventh floor of an office tower undergoing renovations.

But about 40 firefighters had the blaze under control within half an hour and stopped it from spreading to another floor.

Metropolitan Fire Brigade Commander Lou Mele says crews had to use extinguishers because water to the site had already been cut off during the renovation work.

"One workman required some treatment for smoke inhalation," he said at the scene.

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Fire erupts at CBD building site

LIZ MCDONALD

Construction of a 13-storey building to replace BNZ House in Cathedral Square could begin as early as this year.

Cristo Ltd, the family consortium that owns the site, has planned a building of a similar size and style to replace the one damaged in the earthquakes.

Construction will depend on securing tenant interest and insurance cover.

Marketing agents Jonathan Lyttle and Ryan Geddes said the rents would be "top end".

The BNZ had been the building's main tenant, but the bank had been looking for new premises for its Christchurch headquarters before the quakes. It now leases space in the Canterbury Technology Park in Burnside.

Demolition of the Cathedral Square building has started.

The new building, designed by Christchurch architects Warren and Mahoney, would be 50 metres high and feature glass walls and the same green Welsh slate as the existing structure. It will include 11,000 square metres of floor space, including a penthouse.

Cristo said construction could begin this year and finish by 2015.

Structural engineer John Hare, of Holmes Consulting, said the building might have deep piles and a steel frame, as well as seismic dampers left visible behind glass walls.

Continued here:
Office block signifies a fresh start for city

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY Architectural consultants have recommended more than $60 million worth of construction in the coming 10 years to help the Sheriff's Office keep up with population growth and increases in the crime rate but also get out of its existing headquarters into a modern building.

And that's not lost on County Commission Chairman Gary Wheeler, a former sheriff who worked in the now-27-year-old building, at 4055 41st St. in Gifford, from 1992 through 2000.

"That's a sick building," Wheeler said Friday. "There's a lot of mold. One time we removed a wall in my office and it was black (inside) with mold two inches thick."

When he left office in 2000, he said, following a defeat by Roy Raymond, he stopped going into the sheriff's building every day and his aching sinuses cleared up.

For current Sheriff Deryl Loar, who took office in 2008, the building is bursting under the strain of 500 employees. And it doesn't even have a fire-sprinkler system.

"There are a lot of things you've got to have (now)," he said Friday.

Vero Beach architect Anthony Donadio and David Crabtree, an associate with Architects Design Group of Winter Park, pitched their latest proposals to the commission in a recent meeting.

Crabtree, who couldn't be reached Friday for comment, gave estimates this month that combine to $61.4 million for the work to renovate a 13,000-square-foot warehouse for the new Crime Scene Unit, build a new 91,000-square-foot uniform patrol building and a 94,000-square-foot support-service building.

The county is tackling the first project now, but isn't expected to deal with the largest building until 2022 at the earliest.

"We'll assist you in seeking grants," Crabtree said. "It's not like $28 million (for the second building) is needed tomorrow. We have time to help you plan for that."

Excerpt from:
Sheriff's Office takes 10-year look at new construction to update facilities

CEBU CITY, Cebu - Construction has started for another information technology (IT) building at the Cebu IT Park, a project by the Ayala-led Cebu Property Ventures and Development Inc. (CPVDC) and Asian i-Office Properties Inc. (AIO) pegged at a total cost of P1 billion.

CPVDC and AIO broke grounds recently for the construction of e-Bloc Tower 3, encouraged by the strong market response to e-Bloc Towers 1 and 2 also at the Cebu IT Park.

"The construction of e-Bloc 3 is a manifestation of our strong commitment to makeCebu IT Park a preferred BPO/IT destination in the country," said Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) President Antonino Aquino.

EBloc 3 is a 12-story office building with a total of 15,764 square meters leasable area. Tower 3 is the third installment to the e-Bloc Towers built as locations for BPOs, information technology and information technology-enabled services business locators.

CPVDC President Francis O. Monera also said the quick take-up of spaces in Towers 1 and 2 has prompted them to launch another office building.

CPVDC and AIO constructed e-Bloc 1, which now houses J.P Morgan Chase and Co. and NCR Philippines. Following that, they built e-Bloc 2, which is still under construction but already 80 percent leased to BPO-IT companies with growing operations.

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Firm Constructs R1-B IT Building

By WILLIAM J. KEMBLE Correspondent

TOWN OF ULSTER, N.Y. The Town Board has approved construction of a medical building on a U.S. Route 9W site where deteriorating cement structures have been an eyesore for years.

Construction could start as soon as May, according to a representative for developer MHMG-KM Kingston.

The unanimous vote allowing the developer to build an 83,440-square-foot facility, which will be occupied by Mid-Hudson Medical Group practices, came during a board meeting on Thursday.

The former Miron Building Products site on which the building will be constructed is across Route 9W from Adams Fairacre Farms and next to the southbound entrance to U.S. Route 209.

Project manager Larry Boudreau said the only changes the developer has made since a January presentation to town officials was eliminating access to the property from Grant Avenue, which borders the north and west sides of the site, and adding a lane for right turns into the site from southbound Route 9W.

Boudreau said the state Department of Transportation did not want that (Grant Avenue) access, and the reason why is that it is too close to the railroad (tracks). They gave a lot of reasons for safety issues that included people ... turning on the tracks.

Mid-Hudson Medical Group, whose doctors work in more than two dozen disciplines, is based in Dutchess County and has offices in Rhinebeck, Red Hook, Livingston, Brewster, Hopewell Junction and Fishkill.

Last year, Kingston-based Pine Street Pediatric Associates became part of the group and is expected to have an office in the new Ulster building while also maintaining its Midtown Kingston office.

Brian Cohan, a property representative for the developer of the Ulster building, said there will be about 150 employees in the new medical building.

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Town of Ulster OKs construction of medical office building

The Asok-Sukhumvit area of central Bangkok faced chaos on Saturday as a fire broke out at a 13-floor office building but no one was injured, police said.

The spectacular fire, believed to have been caused by an electrical short-circuit, originated on the seventh floor of the Fico Place building located on Sukhumvit Soi 21 (Asok) shortly before 3pm and spread quickly to other top floors.

The inbound and outbound lanes from the Asok-Phetchaburi to Asok-Sukhumvit intersections were closed to traffic to allow more than a dozen fire trucks and crane units better access to combat the blaze. Heavy traffic jams resulted in the immediate area and surrounding vicinity.

Firefighters sprayed water into the building from outside but failed to contain the flames which spread to the 12th floor at about 4pm. Limited space around the building and power lines reportedly obstructed the firefighting operation.

The firefighters decided to demolish parts of the walls of the building to try to control the blaze from inside because the complexs key-card access system prevented them from entering, and fire hoses were lacking.

The fire was brought under control about 4.30pm. The estimated damage is not yet known.

Deputy Bangkok Governor Malinee Sukvejvorakij said the cause of the fire was under investigation. Initial assumptions suggested problems in the buildings interior electrical systems were likely to blame, as the complex was closed and no one was working on the weekend.

City Halls Public Works Department will look into the safety of the building after forensic police examine the scene and reach a conclusion about the cause of the fire, Dr Malinee said.

The Public Works Department will also check whether the construction of the building complied with the building control law.

Fico Place is owned by Fico Corporation controlled by the Srichawla family, who operate the Grand Millennium Sukhumvit Hotel, Le Fenix Sukhumvit Hotel and Fenix Tower in Sukhumvit Soi 31 among many other businesses.

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Fire at Asok building

The historic MacArthur Park building in downtown Palo Alto would be relocated to make way for a new theater and a multi-story office building under an ambitious proposal from philanthropist John Arrillaga.

The plan, which was unveiled in a staff report Thursday and which the Palo Alto City Council is scheduled to discuss for the first time Monday night, would significantly transform a highly visible site next to the downtown Caltrain station -- a site owned by Stanford University that serves as an entryway into downtown Palo Alto. The city and Stanford University have previously flirted with the idea of building a performance center near this location and had even commissioned a study in 2000 to consider whether such a project would be feasible. The company TheatreWorks, which currently rents space in Palo Alto and Mountain View for its performances, also took part in the 2000 study, seeing the project as a possible permanent home in Palo Alto for its theater operations.

Stanford ultimately decided in 2005 to back away from what was then called the Palo Alto/Stanford University Performance Art Initiative and to pursue its own plan for building performing-arts venues.

Now, the two sides are once again looking to bring major changes to the prominent site. The earlier initiative had evaluated as a possible location for performing-arts facilities the Palo Alto side of El Camino Real -- the city's El Camino Park. The new proposal focuses on a location directly east of that land, 27 University Ave.

"The importance of a site in this area is the link between the University and the City of Palo Alto," Deputy City Manager Steve Emslie wrote in a report. "The area provides a direct link to the University Caltrain station, direct vehicular access and public visibility. The prominence of the site enables a theatre to be a community landmark while having a physical association with Stanford."

Arrillaga, a developer and philanthropist who is well-known for his significant contributions to Stanford University, his alma mater, pitched the project, according to Emslie's report. The concept includes "a new multi-story office building fronting El Camino Real, a separate theatre building on approximately 60,000-80,000 square feet, and a three-level underground garage," Emslie wrote.

It would also include improvements to transit, pedestrian and bicycle connections and a relocation of the MacArthur Park building, a state-recognized historical landmark that served as a meeting place for soldiers and their families during World War I. Initially located in Menlo Park, the building was moved to its current location in 1919.

The proposal to build a new office building and theater could receive a major boost from the ongoing expansion of Stanford University Medical Center -- a $5 billion project that the council approved last year after several years of public hearings. As part of the approval, the medical center had agreed to pay the city $2.25 million to design and develop an attractive park space with pedestrian pathways, benches and flower borders near the downtown transit station. The goal is to minimize traffic by encouraging people to walk, bike or ride Caltrain to the expanded hospitals.

The development agreement between the city and Stanford specifies that the $2.25 million must be used for "improvements to enhance the pedestrian and bicycle connection" from the transit center to the intersection of El Camino Real and Quarry Road.

Staff is recommending the city use $250,000 from this account to hire an architect, a site planner and an urban designer to evaluate the new proposal and to launch the necessary environmental analyses, including a traffic study, an arborist report, a storm-water-management plan, a sanitary-sewer study and a storm-drain analysis.

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New theater, office building pitched for downtown

Donald J. Trump is chairman and president of the Trump Organization.

Over the past year, I have been outspoken in expressing my love for this country and emphasizing the importance of making America great again. One of the reasons I am proud to be a real estate developer is that, for the past several decades, my company has accomplished what many said was impossible.

From building iconic properties from the ground up (such as New Yorks Trump Tower and Trump International Hotel and Tower Chicago), to restoring historic landmarks (including 40 Wall Street, the facade of Grand Central Terminal and the legendary Plaza Hotel), to revitalizing and building communities (exemplified by the redevelopments of the Commodore Hotel and the West Side Yards project), we have continued to challenge ourselves to surpass even our own demanding expectations. All that said, in todays marketplace one of the most important responsibilities and goals that I have as a developer and business operator is to create tens of thousands of jobs and bring beauty and life to key cities across the world. I intend to do just that at the Old Post Office building on Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington.

On Feb. 7, the Trump Organization was selected by the General Services Administration (GSA) for the most sought-after hotel redevelopment opportunity in the country. We will serve as sponsor, developer, brand and operator and will shepherd the Old Post Office building through every stage of concept, redevelopment and operations. We are both humbled and honored to have been chosen for this important job and will bring to bear all of our resources and experience to create something that Washingtonians and D.C. visitors alike will be proud of for decades to come.

We recognize that the greatest assets of this beautiful building are its iconic exterior facade, interior cortile and soaring clock tower, and we intend to meticulously preserve these historic elements. We are confident that the hotel, once completed, will become one of the most visited attractions in the city. The clock tower, with its incredible 360-degree views of the District, will continue to be open to the public, and members of the Washington Ringing Society will be able to continue their tradition of ringing the Congress Bells. Working in conjunction with the National Park Service, our goal is to create a more interactive, educational and comprehensive experience for guests and visitors.

We plan to invest more than $200 million in the building, and our 260 suites and penthouses are designed to be the most luxurious in the city. During the redevelopment process (and beyond), we look forward to working closely with the National Capital Planning Commission, U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, D.C. Historic Preservation Office, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, National Park Service, D.C. government and the GSA to carefully preserve and rehabilitate each of the Old Post Office buildings historic elements while simultaneously positioning the building for success in its new role.

Our expansive banquet facilities, ballroom and meeting spaces, as well as our sprawling spa and indoor and outdoor gardens, will further enhance our guest experience. A curated museum and exhibition gallery are planned to record and celebrate the Old Post Office buildings long and compelling history. Additionally, world-class restaurants, cafes and a bar and lounge will bring energy to the buildings unrivaled location. Spectacular outdoor-dining experiences will be created on the buildings front and back plazas. All of these amenities, and many others, will be open to the public and will bring new vitality to Pennsylvania Avenue and the District.

Importantly, Trump International Hotel, The Old Post Office Building, Washington, D.C., will create approximately 500 jobs during construction and another 500 permanent jobs once the hotel is operational. In addition to finally allowing this great building to achieve its full potential as a world-class hotel, turning the Old Post Office over to the private sector will provide the District economy with a much-needed boost. Our redevelopment plan will bring increased revenue to Washington and will save the American people millions in taxpayer dollars while providing the federal government with a lucrative financial return.

I look forward to preserving and repositioning this treasured landmark for D.C. residents and visitors to enjoy. When the project is completed in 2016, I feel certain that everybody will be proud of our enhancements to this already great building. We are honored by this opportunity, and we thank the GSA for placing their trust in us. We will not let you down.

The writer is chairman and president of the Trump Organization.

The rest is here:
Greatness for the Old Post Office building

The Berkley Board of Selectmen heard an update from the Town Office Building Committee on Wednesday.

Paul Modlowski, executive secretary of the Board of Selectmen and member of the Town Office Building Committee, said the committee has gone over the final concepts for a new Town Office.

Now its time to bring it to a vote and begin the process, if possible, said Modlowski.

The 10,000-square-foot building designed to last for 50 years will cost an estimated $3,500,000.

Those estimates are based on a certain type of construction, said Modlowski. If we bring the building in under estimate, that would be wonderful.

This is $3,500,000 max, he added.

If approved by voters at the May Town Elections and the Annual Town Meeting, the project could begin as early as June 5 when requests for proposals (RFPs) would be sent to architects. The building could then be occupied as early as April 2014.

Tax impact

According to Modlowski, the tax impact this building would have on Berkley residents would be $32.87 for a house valued at $100,000.

Modlowski also noted that if the project is completed in 2014, Berkley residents would not have to begin paying back loans until 2015.

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New Berkley Town Office in the works

2 March 2012

Former landmark CBD building set to rise from the rubble

Work will begin this year on a new medium-rise office building on the former landmark BNZ House site in Cathedral Sq.

Concept plans were today unveiled for the 13-level office building designed by Warren and Mahoney.

Owned by Cristo Ltd, a small private company of local investors, 2 Cathedral Sq will rise 50m and contain 11,000m2 of leasable space, including penthouse levels. It will have a similar shape and size to the previous building but incorporate the latest engineering and design features.

Construction is dependent on pre-leasing and availability of insurance but the owners intend to begin this year with completion scheduled for 2015.

Jonathan Lyttle and Ryan Geddes, specialist office leasing agents at Colliers International, said the medium-rise block would have a 5Green Star rating. Clad in glass on three sides, areas of the exterior would bear the same green welsh slate as the former building.

The owners appreciate that they have one of the most important sites in Christchurch on a major intersection and they want the building to help open the south east end of the Square to be a more vibrant and welcoming place.

This design respects the landmark building that anchored that corner of the Square for almost 50 years while signaling a more user friendly approach.

Structural engineer John Hare of Holmes Consulting said the owners are investigating designing the building with deep piles and a steel frame with seismic dampers to give significantly improved performance if there were more large earthquakes.

Originally posted here:
Former landmark CBD building set to rise from the rubble