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February 14, 2018

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

AZA Incorporates New Automated Exit Lane Technology – a First of its Kind in the Southwest

PHOENIX –– The expansion plans of Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport (AZA) focus on transforming the passenger experience and improving operational efficiency. The new design incorporates technology to improve passenger flow and reduce congestion to the existing exit lanes, a priority for the airport in response to continued growth.

“Expanding our TSA Security Screening Checkpoint and adding a new Fully-Automated Exit Lane enables us to better serve the growing number of air travelers choosing Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport”, said Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport Authority Executive Director/CEO J. Brian O’Neill, A.A.E. “These projects provide enhanced security, increased efficiency and a better overall passenger experience.”

With DWL Architects’ expertise and extensive knowledge of airport operations, AZA and DWL Architects collaborated with DPR Construction and dormakaba to execute a workable plan. Having previously completed a study on exit lane technology, DWL Architects prepared a solution to meet the airports requirements.

“As we assessed the different needs with AZA, we knew larger security improvements were necessary to accommodate the demands of today’s airport. In addition to the dormakaba automated exit lane, the checkpoint has also been expanded from four to five lanes, with the space to accommodate a sixth lane.” said Sandra Kukla, executive vice president of DWL Architects. “AZA is paving the way for the region by integrating this new exit lane technology and we couldn’t be more excited to be a part of it.”

For improved passenger efficiency, DWL Architects created a “gateway” for the new exit lane. The retrofit from a serpentine hallway to an unmanned exit lane required that the exit lane run perpendicular to current traffic flow and necessitated creative way finding ideas to guide passengers through the portal.

The dormakaba Exit Lane Breach Control (ELBC) system was selected due to its modularity and “smart technology” interface which optimizes airport operations. Replacing guards with technology not only eliminated the possibility of human error, it has proven to offer more control, airside protection against security breaches and substantial cost savings without compromising passenger safety. “This installation at AZA incorporates a two lane, three-door unit with new sensors and object detection,” said Bill Seibert, Business Development Manager at dormakaba. “It is the first of its kind to be installed in the Southwestern United States.”

As one of Arizona’s premier technical builders, DPR Construction’s extensive knowledge working on TSA checkpoints, and occupied spaces paved the way for seamless execution on this project. To ensure a superior experience and minimal disruption for passengers and staff, the team devised a strategic phasing plan that underscored the safety of the travelling public and ease of traffic flow. This resulted in completing the project an entire month ahead of schedule, just in time for the Valley’s influx of flights due to Spring Training season in March.

“Our real strength on this project was in the phasing plan that put the passenger, staff and the operation of the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport first, ultimately making it ‘just plane easy’ for our client,” said Jim Lauer of DPR Construction. “We’re thrilled to re-define and contribute to PMGAA’s growing presence in the Valley and its role in supporting the region’s economy while providing a streamlined traveling experience for residents and visitors alike.”

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About Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport: Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport is owned and operated by the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport Authority (PMGAA). PMGAA consists of representation from Mesa, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Gila River Indian Community, Phoenix, and Apache Junction. Gateway Airport offers nonstop passenger service to 46 cities via Allegiant and WestJet Airlines and welcomes more than 1.3 million passengers each year. Corporate, military and general aviation customers are served by Gateway Aviation Services, a 24-hour full service FBO located just north of the passenger terminal.

About DWL Architects + Planners, Inc.: Founded in 1949, DWL Architects + Planners, Inc. has established itself as a local leader in aviation design. Playing the leading role in the development of several aviation projects across the state, DWL Architects’ aviation team focuses on terminal expansions, renovations, concourses, concessions, checkpoints and more. We bring expertise from a range of industries like aviation, hospitality, civic, healthcare and higher education. Among the most dynamic and respected locally owned architecture firms in the Southwest, DWL Architects has a legacy of connecting people with places through design. Further information at www.dwlarchitects.com.

About dormakaba: dormakaba is one of the top three companies in the global market for access and security solutions. With strong brands such as Dorma and Kaba in our portfolio, we are a single source for products, solutions, and services related to doors and secure access to buildings and rooms.  With around 16,000 employees and numerous cooperation partners, we are active in over 130 countries. dormakaba is headquartered in Rümlang (Zurich/Switzerland) and generates an annual turnover of over CHF 2 billion. SIX Swiss Exchange: DOKA (formerly: KABN / KABNE) Further information at www.dormakaba.us.

 About DPR: DPR Construction is a unique technical builder with a passion for results. Ranked in the top 50 general contractors in the country since 1997, we are a national commercial contractor and construction manager that has grown with our customers by delivering measurably more value. Whether a multi-million-dollar technical facility or a conference room renovation, we execute every project with relentless accountability. We listen to your goals. We develop strategies based on your business. We track our performance. We do everything we can to earn your trust and build great lasting relationships.

AZA Automated Exit Lane – Landside

Little do many know, DWL Architects has been working with Midwestern University since 1995, not only on their Glendale, Arizona campus but also in Downers Grove, Illinois. Throughout the past two decades, we have helped the university grow into one of the nation’s largest Osteopathic medical schools – completing nearly 100 projects on their two campuses. These leading-edge facilities include state-of-the-art practice labs, classrooms, lecture halls and libraries, as well as community clinics providing dental, optical, family medicine, podiatry, behavioral and now veterinary care.

Check out some of our recent photography below, captured by Kyle Zirkus Photography, and learn more about our extensive experience on the Downers Grove campus.

To learn more about this project visit: Banner Health Center at Desert Ridge. Photography by: David Schacher Photography, LLC.

“I think, in the end, we created a product that everybody could be proud of,” said Michael Braun, executive vice president at DWL Architects.

Read Full Article.  Article by CBS 5, AZFamily.com

To learn more about this project, visit this link: Scottsdale Airport Terminal Area Redevelopment

Over the weekend, our Healthcare Team helped celebrate the grand opening of the brand new Banner Health Center in Desert Ridge.

Banner Health expanded into the Desert Ridge community with a brand new 29,350 square foot healthcare clinic. The new integrated clinic will focus on providing primary care services and dermatology services that includes a luxurious medical spa and laser treatment suite.

In keeping with DWL’s patient-centered approach, the 30 exam rooms are designed to maximize patient comfort and provide easy access to in-house amenities which include x-ray imaging, an independent laboratory and a conference area for ongoing community and staff presentations.

The project was designed in collaboration with Butler Design Group and Ryan Companies.

“This project will be solidifying our ranking as one of the top airports in the county. I’m not sure of any aviation airport similar to us that is undertaking such a large task, and then working with our business partners,” said Scottsdale Airport aviation director Gary Mascaro.

Read Full Article.  Article by Construction Equipment Guide

To learn more about this project, visit this link: Scottsdale Airport Terminal Area Redevelopment

Check out this release from Phoenix Sky Harbor, acknowledging the airport’s achievement in winning the second annual Airport Innovation Award for its creative work to improve the passenger experience and deploy cutting edge technologies.

“Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is honored to receive this prestigious award,” Director of Aviation Services Jim Bennett Bennett said. “Our goal is to deliver world-class customer service to every customer every day, and I’m proud that our team creates innovative solutions and initiatives to accomplish that goal.”

Yuma’s Pacific Avenue Athletic Complex, an elite tournament destination, is opening its doors this weekend. Kicking off the grand opening and an exciting time for the City of Yuma, is the PAAC’s first tournament.

Rested on a 50-acre site, the complex consists of six 325 foot, lighted softball fields for league and tournament play, an irrigation storage lake, concessions building, state-of-the-art PA system and digital scoreboards, an outdoor cafe, meeting/umpire room, a playground and more spectator amenities. The project rests on the northwest corner of Pacific Avenue and 8th Street, adjacent to the Bureau of Reclamation levee and canal, in the vicinity of Yuma’s historic downtown area.

The PAAC site is unique in the sense that it pays tribute to its past and is returning to a point of convergence for the community. The new PAAC establishes the site as a gathering point of diverse groups with the same interests, similar to what happened many years ago in the City of Yuma. Historically, Yuma served as point in the American Southwest, where people once traveled from more than 1,000 miles away in all directions to cross the Colorado River. Now, a new place of pride for the citizens of Yuma, the PAAC design is heavily influenced by this theme of convergence through visual quality of the athletic complex, various hardscape patterns, shading structures and seating areas with the focal point being the main concessions building.

The PAAC now offers a brand new experience the City of Yuma didn’t have before, offering opportunities for locals and visitors, alike, to come play, eat, practice and spectate. It also serves as a multi-purpose open space to host community events including festivals and concerts, and ultimately, provides a new point of pride for the City of Yuma.

To check out the construction progress over the past several months, check out this video!

Master Plan

Two of DWL’s projects were honored with the Award of Merit in separate categories for Engineering News Record’s Best Projects in the Southwest.

Midwestern University College of Veterinary Medicine Equine and Bovine Center has won the 2017 Best Projects Merit Award in the Higher Education/Research category and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Terminal 3 – Terminal Processor was honored with the same Merit Award in the Airport/Transit category.

The annual awards program is dedicated to honoring the best construction projects and companies in the U.S. and Puerto Rico with the Southwest region consisting of Arizona, New Mexico and Nevada. Among the 20 categories, ranging from airports to sports and entertainment venues, each project is judged using five criteria: safety; overcoming challenges and teamwork; innovation and contribution to the industry; construction quality and craftsmanship; and functionality of design and aesthetic quality.

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport – Terminal 3 Terminal Processor: Uniquely located in the heart of Phoenix, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is undergoing a major transformation with the Terminal 3 Modernization Program. To remain operational through construction and have as little impact to airport personnel and travelers as possible, the program was broken into multiple construction phases with the first phase of the Terminal Processor, now open to the public. Phase I included four main components: a new consolidated checkpoint, additional ticket counters, new baggage claim devices, and exterior and interior finishes. Phase I of the Terminal Modernization Program provides the City of Phoenix the opportunity to better serve the aviation community and set the standard for passenger experience.

Midwestern University College of Veterinary Medicine – Equine and Bovine Center: the 70,000 s.f. Equine and Bovine Center (EBC) is a teaching, research, and diagnostic facility at the Midwestern University Glendale campus as part of the new College of Veterinary Medicine. It is a community resource designed for larger animals, including but not limited to horses, cows and other large ruminants and is the first of its kind in the state. The overall layout of the College of Veterinary Medicine complex is based on Midwestern University’s ONE HEALTH initiative where human and animal research work in sync for mutual benefit. Cross-disciplinary interaction was a driving factor for this project, and to achieve that, the design team incorporated spaces for innovative teaching.

PHX Terminal 3 – Terminal Processor: Views to Security Screening Checkpoint

PHX Terminal 3 – Terminal Processor: Passenger Level

Midwestern University College of Veterinary Medicine – Equine & Bovine Center

Midwestern University College of Veterinary Medicine – Equine & Bovine Center: Necropsy Suite

Scottsdale Airport will host a ceremonial groundbreaking to officially mark the launch of the terminal area redevelopment project. It takes place at 8:00 a.m. Wednesday, July 12, at the terminal building, 15000 N. Airport Drive. This project will upgrade and enhance this area with some of the largest hangars at the airport and maximize use of the parcel’s building footprint to offer a new “place” in Scottsdale. A place where residents and visitors can experience the airport for more than just travel.

Located on the west side of the airport, the new Aviation Business Center will include a public plaza, restaurant, event venue, airport administration offices, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection office, as well as other top offices and two executive hangars. Other roadway, parking and aesthetic improvements are also included in the redevelopment. All businesses in and around the airport will remain open during construction. The airport administration offices will relocate to the Operations Center, located just north of this site at 15255 N. Airport Drive, during the interim.

The most recent update to the Airport’s Master Plan, completed by Coffman Associates, cited the need for more executive hangar space to accommodate growth in aviation activity. This was the point of departure for this project. Douglas Davies, partner of D.M.D Real Estate Group, partnered with the city to validate the need for more hangar space.

“Our market analysis showed the timing was ideal for this type of project,” says Douglas Davies.

“Scottsdale Airport’s property is too valuable not to utilize it efficiently and wisely,” says Gary P. Mascaro, aviation director. “The demand for more hangar space continues to grow. When key partnerships were formed, the project was no longer a ‘pie in the sky’.” Those partnerships are with Gemini Air Group, Inc., Volanti (formerly Zulu Caffé) and D.M.D Real Estate Group.

The $27 million price tag will be financed through city-issued bonds. Revenue from the lease agreements and ancillary business permit fees will cover the debt payments over the next 20 years.

When completed, the Aviation Business Center will embrace its location offering outstanding views of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve Mountains and aircraft. The new restaurant, Volanti, will be located on the second floor with an expanded menu and hours, and it will manage the event venue.

The hangars at 30,000 square feet each will offer direct runway access, 28-foot doors and a private fuel facility onsite. Gemini Air Group, Inc., an aircraft charter and maintenance company, will lease and operate the hangar facilities. The hangars are slated for completion in spring 2018.

As part of this project, the city will build a veterans’ memorial shade plaza. A Pre-World War II Stearman plane, similar to those that flew during Scottsdale Airport’s origins as a WWII flight training facility, will be the centerpiece.

“DWL Architects is proud to be part of such a transformational project in the city of Scottsdale,” says Michael C. Braun, executive vice president. “As a long-term partner to the city, we are looking forward to creating a more welcoming destination for airport users, as well as residents and visitors.”

Mead & Hunt is the engineering firm. JE Dunn is under contract to construct the building.

The design supports sustainability and the city will pursue Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.

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About DWL Architects + Planners, Inc.
Founded in 1949, DWL Architects + Planners, Inc. has established itself as a local leader in aviation design. Playing the leading role in the development of several aviation projects across the state, DWL Architects’ aviation team focuses on terminal expansions, renovations, concourses, concessions, checkpoints and more. Because of this experience, DWL Architects’ work has been consistently recognized locally, nationally and internationally. Among the most dynamic and respected locally owned architecture firms in the state of Arizona, DWL Architects has a legacy of creating people places. With nearly 45 professionals, we bring expertise from a range of industries like aviation, hospitality, public infrastructure, healthcare and higher education. DWL Architects believes in connecting design to its environment.

About Scottsdale Airport
Scottsdale Airport had about 164,000 operations (landings and departures) in 2016 and is one of the nation’s premier corporate jet facilities. Aviation activity at the airport and in the airpark created $536 million total economic benefits for the region in FY 2014/15. For more information on the construction project, event or Scottsdale Airport visit www.scottsdaleairport.com or call 480-312-8482.

June 7, 2017
Press Release by Valley Metro Light Rail

Construction Begins on the First Light Rail Project for Phoenix Transportation 2050 

Phoenix – Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton hosted a community celebration on the rooftop of Ability360 to mark the start of construction on the 50th St/Washington Station. It is the first Valley Metro infill station and the first capital project under Transportation 2050 (T2050), approved by Phoenix voters in 2015.

“Construction begins tomorrow and when the station opens in 2019, it will serve not only the many users of Ability360, but also neighboring businesses like Stockyards Restaurant, USPS and many others,” said Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton. “It serves a unique community and as such, was part of the PHX Innovation Games to create concepts that would best serve the users of this station.”

Station designer, Gannett Fleming, worked with the Innovation Games winner Dig Studio, station artist Barbara Grygutis, and the construction contractor Stacy and Witbeck, to make the station a model of accessibility. Features include a wider platform to accommodate mobility devices, as well as enhanced shading and lighting.  

Pictured: Front row, left to right – CTC member and Ability360 President & CEO Phil Pangrazio, owner of Stockyards Restaurant and Jokake Real Estate Services Gary Smith, Ability360 employee Jennifer Longdon.

Back row, left to right – CTC member Gail Knight, Phoenix Councilmember Kate Gallego, Sandra Ferniza, Director of Constituent Services for the Office of Congressman Ruben Gallego, Phoenix Deputy City Manager Mario Paniagua, Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton, Phoenix Councilmember and Valley Metro Board Chair Thelda Williams, and Ideation Design Group Principal Carl Schaffer.

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RYAN COMPANIES BREAKS GROUND ON NEW BANNER HEALTH CLINIC IN PHOENIX

PHOENIX, Ariz., (March 23, 2017) — Ryan Companies US, Inc. and Banner Health broke ground today on a 29,350 square foot healthcare clinic in Phoenix, across from Desert Ridge Corporate Center.

The new clinic will provide primary care services, dermatology services with spa and laser treatments and x-ray imaging. The healthcare office will have 30 exam rooms, an independent laboratory and a conference room.

“We are excited to become part of the Desert Ridge community,’’ said Mystie Johnson Foote, MD, Chief Executive Officer for Banner Medical Group. “We can offer our new community convenient, high-quality care for individuals and their families.’’

This will be the first Banner Health clinic to provide dermatology and medical spa amenities. The medical spa rooms will be designed to enhance patients’ experience and comfort.

“The new facility is designed to be a comfortable and empowering environment for the Desert Ridge community,” said Rachel Jebaraj, Project Manager at DWL Architects + Planners, Inc. “It’s been a privilege to support Ryan Companies and Banner Health, two leaders in their respective industries, in a building that demonstrates Banner’s commitment to exceptional patient care.”

Construction will conclude December 2017 and the new healthcare clinic will offer patients convenient access to primary care and dermatology services at one location.

Ryan Companies is providing development, construction and financing services for the project and will own the single-tenant medical office building once completed. DWL Architects + Planners, Inc. is the tenant improvement architect and Butler Design Group is the shell architect for the project.

“Banner Health is committed to excellent patient care and innovation, and Ryan is thrilled to develop and build an integrated clinic to meet existing community and Banner Health needs,” said John Strittmatter, Chairman, Southwest, Ryan Companies US, Inc.

The medical office building will be located between Irma lane and the Loop 101, west of Tatum Boulevard and adjacent to Mountainside Fitness.

Academic Excellence

Check out this story on Metal Construction News, discussing the various ways the Student and Academic Services Building on Northern Arizona University’s campus incorporates metal to achieve the design vision. In addition, learn more about how the facility is environmentally conscious, having achieved LEED Gold in 2016.

“The architectural character and sustainable strategies of the SAS Building celebrate many of the unique attributes of its surrounding natural and institutional environments. Specifically, the building’s exterior draws its aesthetic inspiration from the biologic forms of Northern Arizona’s extensive ponderosa pine forests and the intrinsic character of the existing campus architecture.”

– Mark Dee, Principal-in-Charge