Thursday, December 17, 2009

If you build it, they will come

The Bexar County Performing Arts Center Foundation has chosen the joint venture of Houston-based Linbeck Group, LLC and San Antonio-based Zachry Construction Corporation (ZCC) as the team to provide pre-construction and construction manager-at-risk services. Linbeck/Zachry will work with the architectural design team to determine best practices for constructing the center, which will involve a combination of renovation and reconstruction of the historic Municipal Auditorium.

Linbeck/Zachry is responsible for recommending to the design team best processes, equipment and budget items that will allow for cost savings and timely completion of construction. Services will include a construction management plan and cost evaluation of best options for each building system, such as structure enclosure and architectural finishes. Linbeck/Zachry will also provide cost and quality control as well as develop and manage the construction schedule.

"While each of the final four finalists of these national/local teams of construction firms provided outstanding experience in building performing arts centers, Linbeck's overall experience in building the Bass Performance Hall in Ft. Worth among others, coupled with Zachry's experience and reputation for successfully completing many important San Antonio projects, guided our decision to select this Texas-based team," said J. Bruce Bugg, Jr., Chairman and President of the Bexar County Performing Arts Center Foundation. "We know the Linbeck/Zachry team shares our passion and commitment to make our performing arts center a new San Antonio icon of which we can all be proud."

"We are very excited about beginning discussions with the construction team to determine how we are going to build a one-of-a-kind performing arts venue," said Steven Q. Lee, Chairman of the Building Committee. "The Linbeck/Zachry team has great experience in building performing arts venues and a shared value system with the Foundation to not only build an exceptional facility but also be good stewards of financial resources. Their expertise will be critical as we begin to examine how we are going to get this facility built."

"We are excited to work on this project and look forward to working together with the Bexar County Performing Arts Center Foundation to create a new facility which will forever transform San Antonio's performing arts 'stage'. Our people are passionate about projects that significantly impact our communities," said Charles Greco, Linbeck President and CEO.

"We fully understand the vision for the new performing arts facility and respect the critical role the new center will play in advancing San Antonio's performing arts capabilities," said David Zachry, President and CEO of ZCC.

The Linbeck/Zachry team share a combined 150-plus years of experience in Texas and have significant experience in working on both historically sensitive facilities and performing arts centers. Examples of Linbeck's experience include construction of the Nancy Lee and Perry R. Bass Performance Hall and Modern Art Museum in Fort Worth; the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House in the AT&T Performing Arts Center in Dallas; the Nokia Live indoor theatre in Grand Prairie, Texas and the Marion D. Campbell Performing Arts Center in Massachusetts. Locally, Zachry has constructed the San Antonio River Improvement Museum Reach, the Medical Instructional Facilities that will be the cornerstone of Fort Sam Houston's new Medical Education Training Complex, the Westin Tower, the downtown Hilton Palacio del Rio Hotel and is currently building the Embassy Suites Hotel on the San Antonio Riverwalk.

On May 10, 2008, the voters of Bexar County approved the extension of the venue tax that will provide $100 million in funding for the Bexar County Performing Arts Center. With this public mandate, the Foundation will work to raise an additional $32 million in private funding to renovate the historic auditorium and adjacent Fire Headquarters building.

The new performing arts center will celebrate the unique character of an historic property while offering state-of-the-art acoustical interior design. With access to the San Antonio River, the Bexar County Performing Arts Center will be a gateway to cultural arts for residents and visitors alike.

The Bexar County Performing Arts Center Foundation is a private, nonprofit organization that is undertaking the renovation of the San Antonio Municipal Auditorium to build a world-class performing arts center for the citizens of South Texas. The Foundation owns the San Antonio Municipal Auditorium and the old San Antonio Fire Headquarters building, which together will function as the heart for San Antonio's cultural arts organizations. Upon completion of the renovations of the Municipal Auditorium, the Foundation will continue to own and operate the Municipal Auditorium and Fire Headquarters building as the newly transformed Performing Arts Center.

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