Turner’s Houston office completes new Municipal Courts Building in La Porte, Texas
Designed to withstand a Category 3 hurricane, the court building will also serve as an emergency control center during disasters
LA PORTE, TEXAS, August 7, 2009 - Turner Construction Company’s Houston office has completed construction of the new 11,300-square-foot municipal court building for the City of La Porte, Texas, located 25 miles east of downtown Houston on Galveston Bay. The facility will not only hold daily court operations but will also be used as an emergency control center for the City of La Porte during times of extreme weather. Constructed with concrete tilt walls and a structural steel frame, it is designed to withstand a Category 3 hurricane. Huitt-Zollars Inc. served as the project architect.
While acting as the hub of operations during a disaster is a huge benefit, the main use of the courthouse will be the daily operations of the court proceedings for the city. These will take place in a 4,000-square-foot courtroom completely finished in wood veneers. Administrative offices make up the other sections of the facility, allowing the City of La Porte to process, file and hold meetings related to municipal court proceedings. Also included in the project is a landscaped courtyard, 100,000 square feet of parking space for guests and employees, monument sign, walkway canopy to the adjacent police building, and the installation of six alternative energy sources, including a natural gas-powered generator.
Many sustainable features were also implemented in the value-added courthouse project. These include a roof made with high Solar Reflectance Index (SRI) materials, recycled glass and tile throughout its interior, dual flush handles on water closets, saving approximately 30% of typical water usage, low VOC-emitting carpet adhesives and paint, improving indoor air quality, and indigenous and drought-tolerant plants that allow for the utilization of a drip watering system as part of the courthouse’s irrigation plan.
Built in just six months, the project was completed two months ahead of schedule.
About Turner
Turner is the leading general builder in the U.S., ranking first or second in all major segments of the building construction field. During 2008, Turner completed $10.7 billion of construction. Turner is the only builder offering clients a nationwide network of offices across the U.S. Founded in 1902, Turner Construction Company is a subsidiary of the Turner Corporation located in Dallas, TX. For more information, visit Turner’s Web site at http://www.turnerconstruction.com.
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Media Contact: Claire Bloxom
claire@coopersmithagency.com, (214) 329-9191
