Construction in the Ozarks: Winter 2017

From the Workforce Training Center on OTC’s campus to Mercy’s $110 million centralized cardiovascular care center and a 61-rom hotel for Bolivar visitors — construction crews are hard at work across the Ozarks.
—Hanna Smith, Features Editor

Retail center
210 W. Republic Road

Property owner James Tillman is building an approximately 4,800-square-foot retail center slated to finish in January 2018. Contracted with Dock Brothers Construction Co., the center can house either two 2,400-square-foot units or four 1,200-square-foot spaces. No tenants are signed yet, Tillman said of the $600,000 project – and he is still considering a name for the center. The project’s architect is Ireland Architects Inc., and engineers are Crocker Consulting Engineers Inc., mechanical and plumping; Heithaus Engineering & Associates Inc., civil; and Miller Engineering PC, structural. Tillman’s business, Complete Electrical Solutions LLC, is completing the building’s electrical work.

Gene Taylor Community Outpatient Clinic
1850 W. Republic Road

After years of preparation and an original targeted completion date of 2015, the Gene Taylor Community Outpatient clinic is slated to open its doors in about one year. The 92,000-square-foot structure – developed by Ohio-based Carnegie Management Corp. and contracted by DeWitt & Associates Inc. – will serve to consolidate the workload of a longtime U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs clinic in Mount Vernon with outpatient clinics in Springfield and another planned in Joplin. Wanda Shull, a spokeswoman for Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks, said the $26 million clinic would provide primary care, dental, mental health, radiology, optometry, a sleep lab, prosthetics and pulmonary services. Cleveland-based Westlake, Reed, Leskosky LLC is the project’s architect and engineer for structural, mechanical, electrical and plumbing work. Rozell Engineering Co. is the civil engineer.

Kum & Go Marketplace
2885 E. Chestnut Expressway

The West Des Moines, Iowa-based fuel and convenience store chain currently is building three of its new Marketplace stores in Springfield, said Kum & Go spokeswoman Kristie Bell. Iowa contractor Henning Construction Co. is putting the finishing touches on the East Chestnut Expressway store, which Bell said is replacing an aging, smaller Kum & Go nearby when it opens Nov. 9. The company acquired a vacant ConocoPhillips corner station and crews demolished it earlier this year. BRR Architecture Inc., of Kansas, designed the 6,200-square-foot store, and the engineering team comprised Olsson Associates Inc., Johnston Burkholder Associates LLC and Henderson Engineers Inc. In the last two years, Kum & Go has rolled out the Marketplace concept, each costing roughly $4 million, and a store in Republic was among the first in the chain, according to SBJ reporting.

Mercy Heart Hospital Springfield
1235 E. Cherokee St.

St. Louis-based general contractor McCarthy Building Co. Inc. is working on a $110 million project to centralize Mercy’s cardiovascular services to one location at the main hospital. Mercy spokeswoman Sonya Kullmann said the renovations include adding 8,000 square feet to the existing structure and 127,000 square feet of updates within the building. This will relocate the cafeteria to the front entrance on Cherokee Street, she said, enabling kitchen upgrades and improved access to dining space. The project is slated for completion in fall 2020. Bates & Associates Inc. Architects is designing the project, which is engineered by Illinois-based IMEG Corp.

Best Western Plus Vineyard Hotel and Suites
777 E. San Martin St., Bolivar

Bolivar visitors will have a new place to rest their heads when the 61-room Best Western Plus is completed May 18. General contractor Pinecone Construction LLC is working on the 43,791-square-foot project for Pinecone Holdings LLC. Father and son Thane and Drew Kifer are the owners/developers through Pinecone. Projected to cost more than $4 million, Managing Director Drew Kifer told SBJ the estimated economic impact of the hotel is $30 million in its first 15 years. Jonathan Tasset, AIA, is the project architect alongside engineers Tate Engineering Consultants, civil; Miller Engineering PC, structural; and Conway Duncan Inc., electrical, mechanical and plumbing.

Kum & Go Marketplace
305 W. South St., Ozark

Situated on the northwest corner of the South and Third streets intersection in Ozark, dirt is being moved for a new Kum & Go Marketplace store, slated to open in spring 2018. Kum & Go LC spokeswoman Kristie Bell said Texas-based general contractor Hawk Building Co. is working on the 6,200-square-foot building with BRR Architecture Inc. and engineering firms Olsson Associates Inc., civil; Johnston Burkholder Associates, structural; and Henderson Engineers Inc., mechanical, electrical and plumbing. According to SBJ archives, Kum & Go is well into investing $30 million in Marketplace store upgrades in the Springfield market. Though Bell declined to disclose the Ozark project’s cost, the new concept stores typically exceed $4 million in development. Kum & Go is also constructing a third Ozark location at 5552 N. 21st Street, expected to open in December. Its first Ozark store at 901 W. Jackson street opened Feb. 16 of this year.

OTC Workforce Training Center
731 N. Clay Ave.

The walls are up and the roof is on what will be Ozarks Technical Community College’s Workforce Training Center. The 21,600-square-foot building, contracted with Rich Kramer Construction Inc., is estimated to cost $2.6 million. OTC spokesman Mark Miller said it will be funded by moving the Center for Workforce Development from the south side of Chestnut Expressway as well as its fine arts department from the third floor of Gillioz Theatre. Both programs are in lease arrangements totaling about $80,000 a year. Miller said the savings over about 15 years would pay for the new building. The pre-engineered metal structure will house 18 welding labs, storage and warehousing. The project, estimated for completion in January 2018, is engineered by Toth and Associates Inc., civil and structural; and Interpres Building Solutions LLC, mechanical, electrical and plumbing.

Galloway Creek
3938 S. Lone Pine Ave.

General contractor Larry Snyder and Co. is constructing a $7.7 million two-building commercial and residential development for Galloway Creek Development Group LLC. The 46,372-square-foot development, designed by Buxton Kubik Dodd Creative, will be built with ground-floor commercial space below 66 loft-style apartments, said Jamie Thomas, vice president of sales and marketing for Entrust Property Solutions LLC, a co-owner and manager of the property. The apartments will comprise 30 studios and 36 one-bedroom units described as “urban-style luxury.” The Jalili family, who also co-own the development group with Entrust CEO Brent Brown and silent partners, will use a 4,500-square-foot portion of the commercial space for a new restaurant called Chops, according to SBJ reporting. Online retailer Culture Flock Clothing LLC also has committed to occupy 2,400 square feet.

Vib by Best Western
1845 E. Sunshine St.

A new Best Western International concept is going in on East Sunshine. Originally slated for completion this fall, Gordon Elliott, owner of project developer Elliott Lodging Ltd., said the date is now March 1, 2018, for the six-story hotel designed for millennials.  Elliott’s company is general contractor for the project, which broke ground Sept. 1, 2016, according to SBJ archives. The 40,000-square-foot Vib – pronounced “vibe” – hotel sits on 1.2 acres and is designed by Larry Burns. Engineers are Wilson Surveying Co. Inc., civil; Horner & Shifrin Inc., structural; and CJD Engineering LLC, mechanical, electrical and plumbing. Construction costs are estimated at $4.8 million, according to a building permit on file with the city.

Maxon’s Diamond Merchants
2850 E. Battlefield Road

General contractor Varsity Contractors Inc. is working on a 5,500-square-foot building that will house Maxon’s Diamond Merchants’ new location. The $1 million project is estimated to be completed January 2018 when owners Rick and Jane McElvaine plan to relocate the business from the Brentwood Center. According to Springfield Business Journal reporting, the move will nearly triple the store size and is intended to model the atmosphere of Tourneau in New York, the Wynn in Las Vegas or Freds Beverly Hills. The project architect is H Design Group LLC and engineers are CJW Transportation Consultants LLC, civil; Pinnacle Design Consultants LLC, structural; and CJD Engineering LLC, mechanical, electrical and plumbing.

CJD Engineering LLC and Mettemeyer Engineering LLC headquarters
2225 W. Chesterfield Blvd.

Construction began in late August on a $2.5 million shared headquarters for CJD Engineering LLC and Mettemeyer Engineering LLC. The 14,000-square-foot building in Chesterfield Village designed by H Design Group LLC is being built by general contractor Grindstone Construction LLC. The project is schedule to wrap in mid-May, CJD co-owner Ryan Jones said. CJD Engineering and Mettemeyer Engineering will have 4,500 square feet apiece on the second floor. The 5,000-square-foot first floor will be available for lease, though Jones said a tenant has not been secured. The land is owned by Jones and Alan Mettemeyer’s ENGR Properties LLC.

Kum & Go Marketplace
2650 W. Sunshine St.

In the spring, Kum & Go officials razed an aging, smaller West Sunshine Street store and crews are planning to finish the new Marketplace by the end of November. The West Des Moines, Iowa-based fuel and convenience store chain hired Texas-based S&W Construction as general contractor and Kansas firm BRR Architecture Inc. as architect, said Kum & Go spokeswoman Kristie Bell. The 6,200-square-foot store fits the 2-year-old Marketplace design, with indoor and outdoor seating, an open kitchen layout, device charging stations and complementary Wi-Fi. About 50 of Kum & Go’s 70-some Missouri stores are in the Springfield area, according to SBJ reporting. The chain has been investing $30 million in property upgrades and development in the market the past two years. Bell said five of the roughly $4 million stores are under construction: three in Springfield and two in Ozark.