the Associated General Contractors of America's National Certificate of Commendation for its safety performance. Other notable projects from the Pike portfolio include work on the Universe of Energy and World of Motion pavilions at Walt Disney World's Epcot theme park, distribution centers and retail stores for Wal- Mart Stores, Inc., the Albert R. Mann Library at Cornell University, and the Allison Maher Stern Snow Leopard Exhibit at the Central Park Zoo in New York City. The Ithaca College project, meanwhile, is on track for a mid- 2011 opening date, with Pike also focused on meeting intermediate milestones in the contract, including the delivery of new parking lots and roadways by mid- 2010, says Brown, who attributes the successful start to the project on the quality of the team that was assembled. " We've attracted a lot of high- quality subcontractors who are grateful for the work and who are eager to help us keep it on track and provide a lasting legacy at the college." The Pike Company, Inc.: Ithaca College A& E Center JANUARY 10 www. bus- ex. com 171 Green Building Council's LEED program. However, the project team now believes the project may have enough points to qualify for Gold level. Construction- phase elements of the project that are helping to contribute include extensive recycling of construction waste- at least 75 percent of material is being diverted from landfills- and heavy use of local and regional materials as well as paints and other coverings that feature low- VOC counts. The fieldhouse will also feature a passive ventilation system that relies on a 174- foot- tall tower to keep fresh air cycled into the facility and dramatically improve indoor air quality as a result. Pike has extensive experience working on LEED projects, notes Brown. Past Pike projects that earned certification include the Crandall Public Library in Glens Falls, the Daytona Beach Kennel Club and Poker Room and the US Land Point of Entry facility in Champlain, on the Canadian border. Pike has also won accolades for its safety programs and its low accident incident rate, earning

172 www. bus- ex. com JANUARY 10 L ocated in the center of the arts and education district in downtown Los Angeles, the University of Southern California ( USC) is one of the world's leading private research universities. Dating back to 1880 when the city was not much more than a frontier town, it is the oldest teaching and research university in the West. Today, it has grown to occupy a second prestigious campus in the city and not only runs programs throughout Southern California, including Orange County and Santa Catalina Island, but it also maintains centers in Sacramento and Washington DC. The main campus, University Park, is on a 226- acre site adjacent to Exposition Park, where a wealth of museums and recreational facilities can be found. The heart The matter of the Tutor- Saliba Corporation has almost completed the construction of a new Student Center that will be a fitting heart for the University of Southern California. Ben Sansom discovers how this prestigious new building will enhance the student experience for years to come second campus, the 61- acre Health Sciences Park, lies a few miles northeast and incorporates the Keck School of Medicine, the School of Pharmacy, and three major teaching hospitals. With 17,000 undergraduates and 18,000 graduates and professional staff - some 6,600 of whom are international students- USC has a vibrant and energetic research and learning environment. And the university is rapidly approaching the completion of a construction program aimed at upgrading and expanding the university facilities. This final phase of development began in 2008 with the demolition of the Commons and Topping Student Center buildings, which lie at the heart of the University Park Campus. A new four- story campus center was