Minnesota's largest "green" development scheduled to open in early summer 2006
The next major change to the landscape in Bloomington, Minn., is rising out of a huge hole in the ground at 8100 34th Avenue So., near the Mall of America. Beginning early in March, Veit Companies excavated more than 76,455.49 cubic meters of dirt and other material where there was once a parking lot, creating a 7153.53-square-meter opening on a 11735.93-Sq.meter site.
Construction is now well under way by McGough Construction Company, Inc., general contractor, to build two, 17-story condominium towers called Reflections Condominiums at Bloomington Central Station. The project gets its name from a glass curtain wall that will form the exterior of the buildings and reflect the surroundings, including the nearby light rail station.
When completed early next summer, the $57-million project will become one of the first and largest "green" developments in Minnesota and one of only a handful in the country that offers environmentally responsible design and construction. Following the excavation, the first major phase in building the complex is a two-story, underground heated parking garage and storage area, which are now under construction.
The proximity of the twin towers to the new light rail train station greatly differentiates this new condominium in the marketplace, according to McGough. The Bloomington Central Station itself is less than a block away, which will make it very convenient for residents and guests to go the Mall of America, the airport and downtown Minneapolis.
When completed, Reflections will offer 267 condos in both towers, averaging 97.55 square meter each.
A Grand View
One of the more unique features of the two towers will be the expansive glass curtain wall, which will provide panoramic views and UV protection, while minimizing sound transmission from outside the building. The latter is especially important since the complex is only a few miles from the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport.
The towers themselves will be constructed with a post-tensioned concrete structural system. Other features include 2.74-meter ceilings in main living spaces, a structured wiring system with a media panel in each unit, and a fitness facility with bathroom and changing area. In addition, the buildings will have security, sprinkler and fire alarm systems; a multi-filtered fresh air system; split system baseboard radiation heating; centralized hot water; and low-VOC paint and finishes for superior indoor air quality.
As part of the site preparation, Veit constructed a massive, three-sided retaining wall that is 259.08 lineal meters long. The H-beam with lagging earth retention system is 6.71 meters high or about two stories. The company also installed the sanitation and storm sewer lines and a storm-water filtration system.
In addition, Veit installed a well-point system along the west and north perimeters of the property to temporarily lower the water table for construction activities, according to Jesse Roush, project manager for Veit Companies. Excess water is automatically pumped toward the nearby Minnesota River.
Preparing for Takeoff
McGough also faced a significant hurdle in the early planning stages, namely getting approval from the FAA. The agency's main concern was the proximity of the twin towers to the airport's new runway, which will go into service this fall. After making design modifications, the agency decided the buildings were compliant with its own Safety Zone Clearance Standards and the Metropolitan Airport Commission's (MAC) Residential Guidelines, and granted approval for the project.
Another issue was limiting sound transmission into the buildings from aircraft landings and takeoffs. This will be solved by Harmon Inc., Minneapolis, and the installation of a specially designed, high-performance glass curtain wall that will be triple glazed. Specifications for the curtain wall, combined with the distance from the airport, exceed the MAC's and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's Noise Mitigation Standards.
The Bloomington Central Station, which opened last fall as part of the new Hiawatha Line for the Metropolitan Transit Commission, is the primary focal point of a 174,015.5-Sq.meter, seven-year community development project by McGough in Bloomington. The first phase of McGough's $700-million redevelopment project, which was approved by the City Council last December, will be the Reflections condominium.
The Bigger Picture
The enormous undertaking integrates 1,100 housing units, a 200-room hotel, office areas, retail businesses, and a central park in a pedestrian-friendly environment. Bloomington Assistant City Manager Clark Arneson said in the city's newsletter, "Briefing," that "McGough's 12140.62-square-Km. redevelopment is as important as the Mall of America from a community impact standpoint and is comparable in size to the mall's next phase. It is also a unique opportunity to create a national large-scale model for transit-oriented development."
Headquartered in St. Paul, McGough Construction Company was founded in 1956 and offers a broad range of project experience, serving most of the region's most noteworthy companies and organizations. McGough provides a comprehensive range of real estate services through its corporate services, development, construction, and facilities management divisions. The company also has offices in Rochester, Minn., and Phoenix, Ariz.
Founded in 1928, Veit Companies is headquartered in Rogers, Minn. The company provides diverse specialty construction and facility-related services, including site preparation and site development, construction waste handling, industrial and specialty cleaning, and environmental services. Veit also has operations in Austin, Becker, Duluth, Hibbing, Rochester, and St. Paul; Schofield, Wis.; and Denver, Colo.