White-Spunner Construction to build student housing at Auburn University

White-Spunner Construction Inc. of Mobile, Ala., recently announced it has signed two contracts totaling $99 million with Auburn University to build eight buildings that are part of The Village, a new student housing complex.

The Village, located on the west edge of campus between Wire Road to the west and Donahue Drive to the east, is scheduled for completion in Fall 2009 and will provide about 1,650 student beds.

The project consists of eight four-story brick residence halls and meeting facilities that will be constructed around a collection of quadrangles and green space, all connected by a series of tree-shaded sidewalks.

The suite-style residences include a common living room, kitchenette, four bedrooms and two baths. A large bay of windows in the main living area offers students an abundance of natural light and views to exterior green space. Individual bedrooms afford each student a private sleeping area, closet and study area. The residence halls will also include group meeting and study rooms on each floor and will offer students state of the art communication and data services.

“The master plan and building design are grounded in the character and image of Auburn University with inspiration drawing from early architectural styles and buildings including Samford Hall, the Quad Dorms and various academic buildings,” says architect Stephen Allen, Williams Blackstock Architects.

KBR announces plans to acquire BE&K Inc.

KBR recently signed a definitive agreement that allows the company to proceed with plans to acquire 100% ownership of BE&K Inc., a privately held Birmingham, Ala.-based engineering, construction and maintenance services company.

The transaction, which is subject to regulatory approval, is valued at $550 million, subject to a post-closing adjustment.

With revenues for the year ended March 30 of about $2 billion, BE&K serves both domestic and international customers, and employs roughly 9,000 people. BE&K’s international operations are located in Poland and Russia.

In addition to these offerings, BE&K also provides services to commercial and industrial clients, including healthcare and education markets, through its Buildings Group, and provides premier construction and facility life-cycle services to the U.S. Government.

“Growing our services business unit remains a key strategic objective for KBR. Acquiring BE&K is a significant step in re-establishing KBR as a leading North American contractor and maintenance services provider,” says William P. Utt, KBR chairman, president and CEO.

The Colonial Co., Brasfield & Gorrie partner to build new community

Hampstead, a multi-phase, mixed-use residential and commercial development in Montgomery, Ala., by The Colonial Co., is on track for completion of phase one in October, according to Brasfield & Gorrie LLC of Birmingham, Ala., general contractor on the project.

This phase features more than 80,000 sq ft of retail and office space designed by Gary Justiss, Dungan Nequette Architects, and TurnerBatson Architects of Birmingham.

The Hampstead community is a unique project to the area designed by Duany Plater-Zyberk & Co., creators of Seaside & Rosemary Beach. Hampstead incorporates the principles of New Urbanism, which promotes an efficient use of land and focuses on creating cohesive neighborhoods.

Hampstead is the first community to be approved under the city’s new SmartCode, making this large undertaking unique from the start for the project team. The SmartCode is a unified land development template for planning and urban design. This code encourages a community aesthetic while including a more urban structure for streets and open spaces.