Arkansas Studies Institute opens its doors

The $17.2 million Arkansas Studies Institute in downtown Little Rock celebrated its grand opening on March 21.

The Arkansas Studies Institute in downtown Little Rock, Ark., includes the papers of six Arkansas governors, more than 10,000 manuscripts and 46,000 books.

The project marries an 1882 wood frame building, a 1914 concrete building listed on the National Register of Historic Places and a 2009 steel and glass building to create the 68,000-sq-ft facility. The copper/glass exterior features seven frosted glass panels that form the front entrance to the institute. The sun-controlled glass panels will block the heat but make full use of natural lighting. Steel beams run throughout the building, enabling the Institute to hold almost three times the weight of the normal commercial structure.

The institute is the state’s largest free-standing facility dedicated to the study of Arkansas. It includes the papers of six Arkansas governors, more than 10,000 manuscripts and 46,000 books. ASI is also the new home to the Butler Center for Arkansas Studies, the Clinton School of Public Policy administrative offices, the Arkansas Humanities Council and the UALR Urban Studies and Design program.

The architect for the institute was Polk Stanley Rowland Curzon Porter Architects Ltd. of Little Rock. Construction Manager was East-Harding Inc.

East-Harding is a Little Rock-based general contractor/construction manager active in commercial construction throughout Arkansas. Past projects include the renovation of the historic Capital Hotel, the new South Campus of Pulaski Technical College and eSTEM Public Charter Schools.

Nabholz Construction builds ‘green’ for new corporate office

Nabholz Construction is using its green building expertise to construct its new office building in west Little Rock.

The building will provide office space for staff and serve as an educational model for its project managers and superintendents, clients and others who are interested in learning about sustainable construction practices.

The 15,000-sq-ft structure being built on Aldersgate Road is working to achieve a dual rating through the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System and Green Globes, a rating from the Green Building Institute.

Nabholz Construction has four completed green buildings and six under construction that are valued in excess of $256 million. Green building projects are located in Conway, Little Rock, Mountain Home and Fayetteville. In Bentonville, Nabholz is collaborating with the Texas-based Linbeck Group on building the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.

Nabholz was responsible for constructing the state’s first LEED Gold office building in Little Rock for Winrock International. It built the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality complex in North Little Rock, the Benchmark Group offices in Rogers and the Army Air National Guard aviation facility at Camp Robinson.

Jerry Currence, a principal of Taggart Foster Currence Gray Architects Inc. of North Little Rock designed the building. Engineering services are provided by the Crafton Tull Sparks firm of Little Rock. The expected completion date for the Nabholz office is fall 2009.