From the Ground Up: Fishing Heritage Center
500 W. Sunshine St.
Brian Brown
Reporter
Owner/developer: The Johnny Morris Foundation
General contractor: Whiting-Turner Contracting Co.
Architects: Michael Oleksak (Boston), Butler, Rosenbury & Partners Inc. and Torgerson Design Partners
Engineers: Heithaus Engineering & Associates Inc., civil; Mettemeyer Engineering, structural; Smith-Goth Engineers Inc., mechanical, electrical and plumbing
Size: 60,000 square feet
Estimated cost: $5.7 million
Lender: None
Estimated completion date: May
Project description: The Fishing Heritage Center is part of the final two phases of the more than $80 million Wonders of Wildlife museum project, which will be known as the National Hunting and Fishing Heritage Center and Aquarium, said Mickey Black, Bass Pro Shops general manager and Wonders of Wildlife operations director. Almost two-thirds of the 315,000-square-foot project by Bass Pro Shops founder John Morris, the aquarium and fishing center is designed with over 1 million gallons of aquatic exhibits and a mile of immersive walking paths, with interactive features such as shark and sting ray touch tanks and walk-through tanks, Black said. The final phase, opening in fall 2015 in the Wonders of Wildlife building, is the 50,000-square-foot Hunting Heritage Hall and Wildlife Galleries with displays from Ducks Unlimited, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and the National Wild Turkey Federation. The $10 million first phase, the John A. and Genny Morris Conservation and Education Center was complete in 2012. The entire project, which Black said is comparable to the Museum of Natural History in New York, is estimated to create 1,500 construction jobs. It is funded by over $12 million in donations, a $30 million Bank of America loan backed by Morris and by Morris directly. The estimated cost on the fishing center is based on city building permits.
Project of the Month: Campanelli Construction awarded 375,000 s/f renovation for O’Reilly Automotive’s distribution center
Devens, MA Campanelli Construction has been chosen as construction manager for the 375,000 s/f renovation of O’Reilly Auto Part’s distribution center located at 15 Independence Dr.
“O’Reilly is looking forward to working with Campanelli Construction as we expand our presence in the northeast. The company has millions of square feet of experience in industrial construction and was a natural pick for the project” said Tim Scholl, director DC field projects of O’Reilly Auto Parts.
The distribution center, previously built by Campanelli Construction for another client in 2000, will undergo interior renovations converting the building into a specialized automation distribution center with a 20,700 s/f office component. The project will be led by Campanelli Construction project executive, Dick Halverson. Completion is expected for October 2014.
O’Reilly purchased the Class A industrial warehouse at 15 Independence Drive in fall 2013. The transaction involved a favorable buy-out of then-current tenant Kraft Food’s lease, represented by Cushman & Wakefield’s team of Torin Taylor, Richard Ruggiero, J.R. McDonald and Mike Frisoli. JLL’s team of Rich Schuhwerk, Tony Coskren and Brian Pinch represented O’Reilly in the sale. The Commercial Brokerage Association named the transaction “2013 Industrial Deal of the Year” at their annual Achievement Awards held on March 6.
Devens continues to be a hub for manufacturing and distribution facilities in Mass. The city is geographically central to major cities in New England; Devens is only 35 miles northwest of Boston, 30 miles from Worcester, 37 miles from Manchester, N.H. and 67 miles Providence, R.I. O’Reilly’s new facility is part of a 4,400 acre master-planned business park named the Devens Commerce Center. The property provides 57 loading docks and access to U.S. I-495 and Rte. 2.
Campanelli Construction is actively working on construction projects across the U.S. Most recently they completed the 85,000 s/f South Shore Medical Center in Norwell, Mass. Other recent projects include the completion of Seafrigo’s 175,000 s/f cold storage facility in Elizabeth, N.J., the completion of Symmons Industries new 25,000 s/f office space in Braintree, Mass. from a converted warehouse and the current construction of two Preferred Freezer Services distribution centers in Florida and Texas. Campanelli Const. has built over 17 million s/f to date, 11 million s/f of which has been industrial construction.
O’Reilly is one of the largest specialty retailers of automotive aftermarket parts, tools, supplies, equipment and accessories in the U.S. The company is publicly owned and operates over 4,100 stores in 42 states.
The project team included:
Campanelli Construction – construction manager;
JLL- broker representative for O’Reilly Auto Parts;
RKB Architects, architect;
Smith-Goth Engineers, mechanical & electrical engineer;
Kelly Engineering Group, civil engineer; and
Platinum Fire Protection and Services, fire protection.