Lerner Ladds + Bartels completes bid documents for University of Rhode Island dorm project; Keough Construction Management to serve as project manager

Lerner Ladds + Bartels completed bid documents for a new student housing project at the University of Rhode Island. The Hillside Residence Hall includes 429 beds, multipurpose spaces, offices of residential life, and a classroom to support both living and learning. The selection process for a qualified general contractor is underway after a bidding review. Bids came in around the targeted budget of $34 million. Keough Construction Management has been brought on board to serve as owner's project manager as the construction process begins. The project is scheduled be completed in June 2012. The project aims for a holistic approach to sustainability and tries to capture the most effective and economical methods to achieve a green building. A stimulus grant of $74,254 was awarded to the university that will contribute to an innovative solar hot water heating system. Through the use of this system along with integrated sun shading, natural ventilation, green roofing, radiant heating, recycled content in building materials, and light dimming systems, the residence hall will aim for a LEED Silver certification through the USGBC. The Hillside Residence Hall is the largest entirely new building project that Lerner Ladds + Bartels has been commissioned to design. The project team includes Mackey Mitchell Architects, Odeh Engineers, WJE Engineers & Architects, PARE Corp., Carol R. Johnson Associates, Creative Environment Corp., Daedalus Projects, Hughes Associates, Earleylight, Cavanaugh Tocci Associates. The owner's group includes Tom Frisbie-Fulton, Chip Yensan, and Paul DePace of the University of Rhode Island.