185,000-SF Pharma Center Cops Top State Award

The relocation wrapped up in May, with news coming about a week ago that the Kajima Construction Services Inc. project was given a first-place award in the annual Association of General Contractors' state competition in the under $10-million category.

Kajima Associates Inc.'s Southwest office in Coppell, on the outskirts of Dallas, was the architect while its construction arm handled the development. Landscape Consultants of Plano was the landscape architect for the C-International pharmaceutical distribution center.

The center is home to Cardinal Health's distribution and provider services, which account for 81% of the corporation's annual revenues. The center is expected to distribute an average of $1.3 million per day to health-care providers and retailers in North Texas when it hits full speed, according to Kathy M. Fetters, Kajima Construction's business development manager.

The design boasts 18,000 sf of offices, 120,000 sf of ground-floor warehouse and 57,000 sf of mezzanine warehouse space. The delivery schedule of 10 months was the biggest obstacle for the developer, says Kajima in a press release. The project also copped an AGC local award.

Fort Worth's Woodmont Co. too has received an award--a top partnership accolade from the city's independent school district. Woodmont partners with the Como Elementary School. Some 35% to 40% of Woodmont's employees participate in the collaborative effort, says Stephen Coslik, Woodmont chairman. For three years, the firm's employees have been serving as mentors, tutors and readers at the elementary school as well as providing perks such as school supply drives.

According to Woodmont, honors also went to Pier 1 Imports, Lockheed Martin, Meritech Mortgage, Southwestern Bell Communications, Fort Worth Zoon, Kiwanis Club of Fort Worth, Osteopathic Health System of Texas, Renaissance Worthington Hotel, the US Naval Air Station JRB and Texas Society of CPAs.