[August 27, 2010]

Balfour Beatty Construction Celebrates Topping Out of Florida Atlantic University's New Student Housing Complex

Yesterday, in Boca Raton, Florida, Balfour Beatty Construction and Florida Atlantic University (FAU) celebrated a significant milestone-"topping out" the first two residential towers of FAU's Innovation Village, a recreational, residential, and retail village designed to enrich campus life.

Leading the celebration, Balfour Beatty sponsored a barbeque lunch, which drew more than 500 attendees. During the event, each of the project's specialty contractors received awards for an impressive safety achievement-zero lost-time accidents since the $66 million project broke ground in January.

"A top priority at Florida Atlantic University is to provide programs and places that will heighten the traditional university experience for our students and all members of the FAU family," stated Dr. Charles Brown, the university's vice president of student affairs. "Innovation Village is a key component of our vision. In the next decade, we have no doubt that theresident student population will double to more than 5,000 students."

"We're right on schedule to let students move in at the start of the 2011 school year," reported Dan Morrow, general superintendent with Balfour Beatty. "To help us deliver this project on time, we pre-fabricated nearly all of the 716 bathrooms. These factory-built units saved us substantial time, reduced tons of on-site waste, and will significantly shorten the time to punch out the whole project."

Designed to LEED Silver specifications, the project features 375 apartment-style units to accommodate 1,200 students. Each two- or four-bedroom suite offers students private bedrooms, as well as a living room, dining area, and full kitchen to share with their roommates. Wireless internet access will be available throughout the 11-acre complex. Other amenities include a state-of-the-art security system, on-site parking, a swimming pool, sand volleyball courts, covered areas to shelter bicycles, barbeque areas, fitness rooms, conference rooms, and computer labs.

"This is an exciting time for all of us at Balfour Beatty Construction," said Clinton Glass, senior vice president. "The recession has forced us to come up with creative solutions, and when you have the confidence of a trusted partner like FAU, you have the latitude to find innovative ways to build projects."

About Balfour Beatty Construction

Balfour Beatty Construction, a leader in the U.S. commercial construction industry for 77 years, provides general contracting, at-risk construction management, design-build, preconstruction, public/private, and turnkey services for public and private clients nationwide. The company employs 2,100 professionals, is a Top 10 Green Builder, and was recently named one of the 100 Best Companies To Work For® in the U.S. by Fortune Magazine. The company is part of London-based Balfour Beatty plc, a global leader in professional services, construction services, support services, and infrastructure investment with over $16 billion in annual revenues. To learn more, visit balfourbeattyus.com.

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