Last September, Money magazine was the latest publication to rank McKinney, Texas, as the best place to live in the U.S., based on such factors as economic growth and the quality of its schools.
The city, located about 33 miles north of Dallas, is trying to capitalize its newfound status to attract more residents and businesses. (Its population is currently around 155,000.)
To that end, next Monday McKinney is scheduled to begin construction on a $34.5 million 80,000-sf aquatic and fitness center that local officials hope will make the city even more marketable to newcomers. The center will be built at the Gabe Nesbitt Community Park.
Brinkley Sargent Wiginton Architects is the architect of record on this project. Moody Nolan is the recreational designer. Counsilman-Hunsaker is the aquatics consultant. And Manhattan Construction Group is the Construction Manager at Risk. The city started accepting subcontractor bids in May, and local officials expect the center to be completed by December 2016.
The three-story center will have a gym, fitness rooms, sports courts, water slides, and 10,000 sf of pools, including a 25-meter indoor competitive pool. The center will also offer classes and childcare.
The Courier-Gazette, a local newspaper, reports that $33 million of the project’s cost are being funded by the McKinney Community Development Corporation with a combination of sales tax revenue and bond financing.
This project, the biggest in McKinney’s history, has been kicking around since 1999, when Ryan Mullins became the city’s assistant parks and recreation director. In 2006, voters approved bond financing for the center. (The Dallas Morning News reports that the final plans for the center are scaled down from an initial project that would have cost $44 million. It also reports that the center has taken so long to get started because the McKinney Independent School district, which was to provide $15 million, backed out of the deal.)
The groundbreaking for the new center will be a welcome event for McKinney, whose image took a hit last month when, during a rowdy party the Craig Ranch Community pool, a police officer pushed a 15-year-old girl to the ground and drew his gun on other young people.
Related Stories
| Jul 2, 2013
LEED v4 gets green light, will launch this fall
The U.S. Green Building Council membership has voted to adopt LEED v4, the next update to the world’s premier green building rating system.
| Jul 1, 2013
Report: Global construction market to reach $15 trillion by 2025
A new report released today forecasts the volume of construction output will grow by more than 70% to $15 trillion worldwide by 2025.
| Jun 28, 2013
Building owners cite BIM/VDC as 'most exciting trend' in facilities management, says Mortenson report
A recent survey of more than 60 building owners and facility management professionals by Mortenson Construction shows that BIM/VDC is top of mind among owner professionals.
| Jun 13, 2013
7 great places that represent excellence in environmental design
An adaptive reuse to create LEED Platinum offices, a park that honors veterans, and a grand national plaza are among the seven projects named winners of the 2013 Great Places Awards. The Environmental Design and Research Association recognize professional and scholarly excellence in environmental design, with special attention paid to the relationship between physical form and human activity or experience.
| Jun 5, 2013
USGBC: Free LEED certification for projects in new markets
In an effort to accelerate sustainable development around the world, the U.S. Green Building Council is offering free LEED certification to the first projects to certify in the 112 countries where LEED has yet to take root.
| Jun 3, 2013
Construction spending inches upward in April
The U.S. Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce announced today that construction spending during April 2013 was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $860.8 billion, 0.4 percent above the revised March estimate of $857.7 billion.
| May 31, 2013
Japan to transform canal into world's largest outdoor pool
A wild proposal by the city of Osaka, Japan, would transform the Dotonbori Canal into a 2,625-foot-long, 40-foot-wide pool.
| May 21, 2013
RSMeans cost comparisons: pools, racquetball courts, bowling alleys, hockey/soccer facilities
Construction market analysts from RSMeans offer construction costs per square foot for four building types across 25 metro markets.
| May 20, 2013
Jones Lang LaSalle: All U.S. real estate sectors to post gains in 2013—even retail
With healthier job growth numbers and construction volumes at near-historic lows, real estate experts at Jones Lang LaSalle see a rosy year for U.S. commercial construction.
| May 17, 2013
First look: HKS' multipurpose stadium for Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority (MSFA), the Minnesota Vikings and HKS Sports & Entertainment Group have unveiled the design of the State’s new multi? purpose stadium in Minneapolis, a major milestone in getting the $975 million stadium built on time and on budget.
