AMC Theatre Opens this Month at Streets of St. Charles

The Streets of St. Charles continues to flourish into a premier mixed-use community. Among the latest entertainment offerings for residents and visitors is the AMC Theatre opening this month. A 40,000 square-foot theatre complex with eight (8) screens makes up this new movie going experience and adds to the state-of-the-art amenity options on the property. The theatre is adjacent to a 1,250-space parking garage and is part of a 400,000 square-foot multi-use building that is currently under construction – the latest phase of development at Streets of St. Charles.

Cole is proud to have been a part of the overall project since its onset and is excited to see the latest attraction come to life. Our civil engineering and design services on the AMC Theatre included the planning and layout of the building, grading and storm sewer design, utility coordination, and construction administration. Cole’s landscape architecture team was responsible for extending the layout of the theatre entrance plaza and the incorporation of existing design elements for a display wall, in addition to continued streetscape design, site furnishings, and plantings. As both consultants and tenants, we look forward to future growth and development at Streets of St. Charles.

The Roxton Grand Opening

Cole is pleased to announce the opening of The Roxton in Denton, Texas. The Grand Opening Celebration will be held on Oct 16 from 5pm-7pm.  The property underwent rehabilitation in late 2012 with the assistance of a HTC (Housing Tax Credit) award from the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. Cole’s duties included analysis of existing infrastructure and design of replacement infrastructure, project phasing, coordination of platting and permitting, landscape architecture, and construction phase services for the 120 affordable housing unit property.

The Roxton (formerly Singing Oaks) represents just one of several HTC projects designed by Cole. Our experience with Housing Tax Credits includes numerous projects in North Texas and Louisiana.  We’ve helped complete over 2,500 multi-family units in 13 different communities.  Projects have included new construction, phased reconstruction, and over 600 senior assisted living units. Whether our clients are applying for competitive or non-competitive housing tax credits, we can help with pre-application site selection all the way through entitlements, design, and construction.

Cole is providing HTC engineering consultant services for additional projects on the boards in the state of Texas including Amberwood in Longview, a 78 unit property on 6.8 acres slated for completion this year; Saige Meadows in Tyler; Summit Parque in Dallas; and Abbington Meadows in Howe. We wish all of our clients luck in the upcoming TDHCA tax credit selection process for 2014.

Our St. Louis Office is Moving

Cole is pleased to announce that we are moving our corporate headquarters from Sunset Hills to downtown St. Louis, MO, at Union Station. On July 8, 2013, our St. Louis team will be working out of the Power House building in a fresh open setting that better reflects our collaborative environment.  This relocation complements our recent St. Charles County, MO, office move to the new urban inspired Streets of St. Charles and places us in a location similar to the Texas office in Frisco Square. All three of Cole’s established offices are now located in thriving business and entertainment districts.

This move not only continues to allow us to better serve the St. Louis region, it further aligns Cole with the re-urbanization of American cities; one of the more significant trends of our industry. We’re excited to have an office in the City of St. Louis which is experiencing a remarkable period of revitalization.

Stop by and visit soon! Our new address is: Power House at Union Station, 401 S. 18^th Street, Suite 200, St. Louis, MO 63103 (phone remains the same 314-984-9887).

Our office will be closed on July 5 to accommodate the move. We wish you a safe and happy Independence Day celebration!

Stribling Hall Receives LEED Silver Certification

Stribling Hall at the Missouri Military Academy (MMA) has recently been awarded LEED Silver Certification by the United States Green Building Council. Cole worked with M+H Architects on the demolition of existing Stribling Hall and construction of a new 6,000 SF building and improvements to the main entry of the campus and drop-off area. Cole’s contribution to LEED Certification included a stormwater pollution prevention plan, calculations for dedicated open space, drought tolerant native landscape design, and a tree shadow study complete with the selection of highly reflective paving materials. Our additional responsibilities included site grading, storm and sanitary sewer design, AutoTurn analysis, and consultant coordination for geothermal well layout and associated piping.

Ensuring that our projects endure through smart and skillful design and implementation is an intrinsic part of what we do here at Cole. Whether it’s water quality, material reuse, or energy efficient construction methods, we incorporate sustainable practices wherever possible. Our success lies in allowing sustainable elements to drive design decisions and subsequently integrate seamlessly with the built project. Stribling Hall, which was completed in early 2012, is the 10th LEED Certified project on which Cole has worked and the second on the MMA campus.

Cole’s Commitment to Licensure

For years, our partnerships have taken us to places beyond our regional borders. Regardless of location, Cole has always sought opportunity in new markets that are relationship driven and value unique, quality design, and progressive technology; which is synonymous with the Cole brand. Today we find ourselves working extensively throughout the United States on environmentally sensitive land developments and infrastructure projects.

With a staff licensed in nearly 40 states and a portfolio of projects representing a considerable national presence, Cole is committed to becoming an expert in virtually any part of the country. Along with the flexibility and knowledge required to work on substantial sites in many states comes the responsibility and commitment of continuing education. We are proud that our staff places a major emphasis on obtaining and maintaining licensure. In 2012 alone, eight of our staff members obtained licenses in 15 new states. As growth plans for 2013 and beyond come to fruition, we will continue to add to our portfolio of licenses. Currently our staff represents:

• Professional Engineers Registered in 36 States.

• Professional Landscape Architects Registered in 17 States.

• Professional Land Surveyors Registered in 7 States.

Sustainable Land Lab Finalists

Great news! Our team’s submission for the Sustainable Land Lab competition has advanced to round two. The Sustainable Land Lab competition is an initiative that was born from the Sustainable Cities conference hosted by Washington University’s Office of Sustainability. Area design teams were encouraged to propose innovative projects that transform vacant lots into assets that advance sustainability. Our talented partners Rosemann & Associates invited us to collaborate on their idea of a Chess Pocket Park. This outdoor community chess venue intends to provide a location for a local chess club which combines chess lessons, community chess mentors, community values, strategic thought, and sustainable lessons on systems and materials through club maintenance of the grounds. Our site is located at 2713 North 14th Street which is very near the Crown Square urban redevelopment area – a project on which Cole also partnered with Rosemann & Associates.

We’ll soon be busy further developing our concept for submission after the first of the year. In February the list will be narrowed to eight teams. Learn more about the Chess Pocket Park and some of the other great ideas from our fellow finalists here: http://sustainablecities.wustl.edu/land-labs-competition/submissions/

Cole Launches New Website

Our 2012 was kicked off with the launch of the new Cole website. We are pleased that you have found your way to it! We have refined the look of colestl.com to support our mission of taking quality to the next level and showing the industry our design-centric side. Among the updates, you’ll find a sophisticated feel and fresh take on our services and design solutions. It was created to provide a unique user experience and demonstrate a continued focus on client communications and partnership building. The new website is meant to have a strong impact and distinguished web presence that sets us apart in the industry and compels our clients to take note.

Cole Celebrates 20 Years

With genuine gratitude toward you, our loyal client base, Cole is celebrating 20 years in the civil engineering and design world. A world that continues to challenge us, bring about opportunities, and enrich our lives with new and existing partnerships. Knowing that relationships are the keys to lasting success, we understand that our success is purely a reflection of our client’s success. From the day Cole was established in 1991 as Cole & Associates, Inc., the relationships we have built, both inside and outside the office, have sustained our mission of providing professional services that exceed the expectations of our clients.

We reflect on our achievements and challenges faced over the last two decades with an eye toward the future. Through positive energy and excitement, we will continue to create our legacy. Our inspiration lies in learning and growing with our clients. We anticipate another 20+ years of great partnerships.