Schuster/Dynamic/CH2MHill/DOE

Developer Closes Investment Fund, Looking for Property

Seattle - Seattle-based real estate development and investment firm, The Schuster Group, closed a $40 million real estate investment fund as of June 30, 2009.

The Schuster Group will invest in undervalued properties and build environmentally sustainable projects while meeting the financial goals of its investors. To date, SRP has completed two acquisitions and is actively seeking additional opportunities.

The Schuster Group plans to leverage the value of SRP through partnerships with other well established private equity firms and traditional lending sources.

CH2MHill Awarded Wastewater DBOM Contract

Spokane - Spokane County Commissioners selected full-service engineering, procurement, construction and operations firm CH2M HILL to design, build and operate a new wastewater treatment facility.

In January 2009, Spokane County Commissioners gave CH2M HILL the nod to begin the designing and permitting for the facility valued at nearly $130 million. The design-build operate approach minimizes short-term capital expenses and long-term operational costs.

The 8-million gallon-per-day water reclamation facility use a membrane bioreactor and nutrient removal treatment to reduce phosphorus levels in the effluent to below 50 parts per billion.

CH2M HILL will design the facility with a focus on minimizing the environmental impact. The firm’s sustainable-design approach not only ensures that the facility will meet regulatory requirements and will leverage the best available treatment methods, but also is crucial to the plant’s operations. The sustainable design allows energy recovered through digester gas production, process heating and co-generation systems to generate electricity to help run the facility. A LEED Silver rating will be met for several key buildings.

The plant, expected to begin operations in 2012, will be operated by CH2M HILL for 20 years.

Low Income Rehabilitation Project for Seniors Funded

Seattle - The Seattle Housing Authority received $8.1 million in stimulus funding to rehabilitate and preserve nearly 200 units of housing for low-income seniors and to build 70 units of housing affordable to working individuals and families.

One of the buildings was put up for sale, and bought by Housing Resources Group.

DOE to Inspect Dams to Protect Nearby Housing

OLYMPIA – The Department of Ecology (Ecology) will inspect some dams more frequently and step up its efforts to identify and order repairs for unpermitted dams that may pose a risk of flooding to downstream homes.

The intensified public safety campaign was funded by the 2009 Legislature.

Ecology is responsible for inspecting and ensuring the proper maintenance of more than 1,000 dams in Washington state holding at least 10 acre-feet of water (3.26 million gallons) or liquid.

Ecology has identified another 103 structures in aerial photos that appear to be unpermitted “significant hazard” dams located upstream from one or two homes. Those that prove to be “jurisdictional” will end up in Ecology’s inventory and subject to a new inspection schedule. Beginning Jan. 1, 2010, significant hazard dams will be inspected every five years instead of every ten.

Tool Manager Program Available to Contractors

Redmond - Dynamic Systems, Inc., a Redmond, Washington software developer specializing in data collection applications for the construction industry released a low cost tool manager program based on bar code technology.

In business since 1981, DSI provides bar code systems to the construction industry, including a tool management system, a maintenance scheduler, inventory control, time and attendance and job costing. Bar code data collection has been proven to be the most accurate and efficient method of tracking or counting tools and equipment.

If it requires one minute checking a tool out or in, and if your staff spends even 20 minutes a day searching for tools, the overhead savings is dramatic. “Loss and theft of tools is a major overhead cost (estimated at over $1 billion a year) for the construction and manufacturing industry. Our customers see a typical payback for the Tool Manager within 3-4 months,” states Alison Falco, President of Dynamic Systems.