Opus Northwest has been selected to design and build the new School of Leadership Studies facility at Kansas State University (KSU) in Manhattan, Kan. The $11 million project is planned and designed to achieve LEED^® Silver certification and will be entirely privately funded under the auspices of the KSU Foundation and will house the School of Leadership Studies.

 

KSU created the first comprehensive leadership studies program in the Midwest and is the only university offering an interdisciplinary degree to students from every college. Currently, more than 1,300 students are participating in the leadership studies program.

 

The two-story, 36,000-square-foot building design is inspired by the “Arts and Crafts” architectural style and will utilize native Kansas limestone on the exterior along with an outdoor dining patio and an outdoor amphitheater. In addition to classrooms, seminar rooms and offices for faculty and student organizations, the new building will feature a 220-seat town hall auditorium, six open meeting spaces, an Info Café and will house the Cargill Center for Ethical Leadership. Construction is scheduled to be completed in December 2009.

 

“K-State is excited about the opportunity to work with a premier company like Opus,” said Jon Wefald, president. “The School of Leadership Studies is truly a unique program. Once completed, this building will provide a home for this program that continues to prepare our students to become strong leaders in their college and professional careers.”

 

Opus Northwest Construction, L.L.C., is a regional division of Opus within the Opus Group and is the design-builder for the project. “We are honored to be selected by K-State to design and build the first LEED certified building on their campus,” said Oscar Healy, senior director of construction.

 

Opus Architects & Engineers Inc., is providing architectural and engineering services. Treanor Architects served as the design and programming consultant.

 

Opus Northwest, L.L.C. is headquartered in Minneapolis and is one of five regional companies within the Opus Group. The Opus Group, based in Minneapolis, is a full-service real estate development company with 55 years of experience. Opus is recognized as a national leader in office, industrial, retail, multifamily, government and institutional development and has offices across the United States and in Canada. Committed to creating great real estate, Opus implements best practices in sustainable design and construction to maximize building performance and reduce environmental impact. A community steward since its inception, the Opus Group is committed to the long-term development of people and communities by contributing 10 percent of its pre-tax profits to community organizations. For more information, visit www.opuscorp.com.