After a public interview on May 18, 2015 New Mexico Highlands awarded the construction contract for the historic Trolley Building project to Franken Construction Company. The 21,027-square-foot project entails preservation and expansion of the Historic Trolley Barn located in the heart of Las Vegas, NM will house the universities modern media arts program.
Started in June of 2015, Franken Construction is on track to complete the facility by June of 2016. Currently under construction, the project is a great collaboration between the university, local designers and engineers, regional subcontractors, and Franken Construction. Designed by Baker Architecture + Design based out of Albuquerque, the new building includes:
• Classroom computer labs
• Faculty offices
• Graduate studios
• Green screen and black room classrooms
• A digital printing lab, photo studio, construction lab, and darkroom
• A conference room
• A gallery space in the lobby and corridors
Architectural features of the building exterior include patina metal wall panels with exposed stone walls, wood windows, and a large steel map of the city of Las Vegas to evoke the history of the building as a train facility, as well as to show the modern use of the building as a media arts center. The building is designed to meet the minimum of a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Rating, which Franken Construction is taking charge of for the construction portion by tracking, regionally sourced materials, low VOC materials, and recycled content containing building products. The total building cost for the Trolley Building project is $8.3 million, with the construction portion requiring $5.9 million.
Franken Construction is very excited to work with the New Mexico Highlands project on yet another landmark project. Over the years Franken Construction has completed a number of historical renovations in Northern New Mexico, such as the NMHU Student Union Building, the Viles & Crimmen Residence Hall, the Felix Martinez Administration Building, and the Ilfeld Auditorium historic preservation.
