Construction is slated to start later this year for Schlosser Development's $70 million, mixed-use development in downtown Austin. This premier entertainment, retail and restaurant project is being designed by Austin architects Graeber Simmons & Cowan in conjunction with California-based The Jerde Partnership. Other designers include The Austin Collaborative, and engineers Pickett, Kelm & Associates, Doucet & Associates and ARJO Engineers. When completed this landmark project will span 2-1/2 blocks and include over 420,000 SF of stores, restaurants, a 16-screen theatre, and a large phase two office building.

Acting as Schlosser Development's Construction Manager, American Constructors has played a key role in the planning, estimating, value engineering and constructability analysis. Design and construction challenges have included locating the truck dock below grade, and sandwiching 1,400 parking spaces into the many different levels of the project.

Paramount to the project's success is the creation of a "special place" that allows patrons to easily and enjoyably move from place to place throughout the development. To do this required locating a pedestrian "paseo" which will exit the parking garage and traverse the site ending in a "village" surrounded by restaurants and shops. Over 70,000 SF of open pedestrian areas create an "urban park" that make this not just another shopping center, but a "first" for Austin and truly in a class of its own.

Directing American's preconstruction efforts has been Vice President Marty Burger. When asked to comment on American's role, owner Brad Schlosser stated that "American Constructors has been instrumental in our ability to achieve a world class project at an acceptable budget." With design almost complete and construction soon to start, American Constructors will continue to assist Schlosser Development and the soon-to-be-selected general contractor in transforming the project from a dream to an Austin landmark.

In December 1997, American Constructors began the design for the new 51,330 square foot Aeroterm Air Freight Facility at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. The client, Aeroterm USA, Inc., is a Canadian based air freight company, who through the recent purchase of Cargoaire, has expanded its operations in the United States. After six months of design, pricing and coordination with airport officials, approvals and permits were obtained. Construction started in late June 1998 and Emery Worldwide has signed on as the first tenant leasing 26,000 SF. Projected move-in date is October 1998.

American Constructors' DESIGN/BUILD TEAM includes structural engineers Pickett, Kelm & Associates, civil engineers Espey/Huston, Spencer Godfrey Architects, mechanical/plumbing subcontractor Airco Mechanical and electrical subcontractor Anderson Electric. Leading the Team effort is American Constructors' Project Manager Craig Eilers.

When the property purchased for Leander Independent School District's (USD) new Pauline Naumann Elementary School did not close in August 1997, it appeared that the planned 1998 opening would have to wait another year. American Constructors' team, lead by Project Manager Tim Cahalane, was already on board but did not have a site on which to build. The USD Administration, led by Superintendent Tom Glenn, Jim Plain, John Gupton and Jimmy Disler, did not panic. American Constructors told them to get another property lined up and the construction schedule would be shortened from the original 12 month schedule. Architect Don Tew and civil engineer Mark McNeil, of Espey Huston, had to hustle to expedite final design and permits once the new property was selected. The American Constructors' team used the time that was lost up- front to plan and expedite critical and long lead-time materials.

On July 1, 1998, the Leander school district began moving into their new 94,000 SF school, only 11 months after USD closed on the new land and only 9 months after construction began. This incredibly condensed schedule was months faster than either Leander I.S.D. or American Constructors had achieved in the past.

Tim Cahalane credits this to the great team of subcontractors and American's crew of Dan Horan, Jim Jennings and Gene Mueller. The TEAM provided CLASSROOMS for KIDS when the Owner needed them and for a price they could afford.

Dirt work began in December 1997, several months prior to completion of the building design on Round Rock High School #4. Because the construction manager approach was used on the project, the Owner was permitted to get a head start on construction and meet an otherwise impossible completion date of July 1999. With the head start on construction, the Owner also gained time to allow for an adjustment in the design and make necessary changes to bring the project within budget. Design of this 300,000 SF masonry and steel building was lead by Austin's architectural firm of BLGY and engineered by Datum Structural Engineers and Hendrix Consulting Engineers. By early August, concrete work was nearing completion, steel and roofing were being installed and drywall partitions were already underway on the lower classroom floors. Leading American Constructors' efforts have been Project Manager Tom Peoples and Scott Cooper, ably assisted by Danyelle Pfaff, Tim Shelton, Bruce Blakely, David Fletcher, Gary Hall and Errin Arredondo.

American Constructors California Inc. (ACCI) recently started construction on 210 unit luxury apartment project in Valencia, California.

Located adjacent to the Valencia Country Club, this premier project of the Newhall Land & Farming and Valencia Companies is within walking distance of the Valencia Town Center, hotels, health club and theaters. Consisting of 12 separate buildings, a clubhouse and a pool building, this showcase project has been designed by Kaufman Meeks & Partners Inc. ACCI's Jack Simensen heads up the project and is assisted by Al Zeiaya, Art Topete, Robert Martineau and Gary Mazur. Completion is planned for next summer.

The fast growing Leander Independent School District has selected American Constructors to build another elementary school. The eight-and-a-half million dollar project is set to begin in August and will open for school in 1999. Architect Don Tew, assisted by engineers Larry Swayze, Mike Green, and Mark McNeil, have prepared the plans. Subcontractors include Randall Electric, Ideal National Mechanical, Ranger Excavating and P&S Masonry. Leading the preconstruction efforts have been American Constructors' Scott Cooper, Tim Cahalane and Danyelle Pfaff. Leading the construction effort will be Tim Cahalane and Dan Horan. Leander has also selected American Constructors to build their next middle school which is being designed by Fields & Associates and scheduled to begin in early 1999.

The 152,000 SF three story middle school building located in southwest Austin is scheduled for completion next summer.

Major budget and design challenges were overcome and sitework began in late April 1998 on this the fourth school that American Constructors has built for the Austin Independent School District. Because of environmental restrictions which minimized the available building area, the architectural team of Graeber Simmons & Cowan, together with Morales Associates, redesigned the school to be a multi-story building occupying only a portion of the 24 acre site. Leading American's Team, which has been heavily involved in trimming over $3 million from the initial estimates, has been Project Manager Corey Taylor. Field construction is being accomplished under the direction of American's Superintendent R.C. McMillan assisted by Mike Tietz, and Montoya Constructions' Mike Wallenhorst.

At the Round Rock High School project are Project Assistant STACIE JOHNSON and Field Engineer ERRIN ARREDONDO, a recent graduate of Texas A&M University. LANNIE HILLABRAND has joined our Leander project team as a Field Engineer having recently received a degree in civil engineering from the University of Arkansas.

In California, Project Engineer GARY MAZUR and Assistant Superintendent ROBERT MARTINEAU have been assigned to the Valencia Town Center Apartments and DENISE RUTH has joined the company as Administrative Assistant at the company's Huntington Beach office.

In November, 1997, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Austin and Travis County opened its East Austin Unit in the Alternative Learning Center (the old Anderson High School). For many months, the Board of Directors, chaired by Bill Heine, recognized the need for a Boys & Girls Club in East Austin. A core group of Board members researched the area and determined that the old Anderson High School was a prime location due to its close proximity to approximately 3,000 children. Since its opening, over 1,000 children have utilized the facility.