Construction news

Brooks & Freund has reached mid-point construction of phase I at Paseo, a 444-acre gated community located at the northwest corner of Palomino Lane and Penzance Boulevard in South Fort Myers. Phase I includes 35 casita homes and town home buildings.

Brooks & Freund will build 123 buildings total in Paseo, a Stock Development community.

Jack Fichter of Brooks & Freund is the project manager, and Willy Copeland is the job superintendent. Architectural Network provided architectural design services. Construction is expected to be complete in January 2009.

J.L. Wallace Inc. has started the renovation and expansion of the National Guard Armory, located at 3405 Marion St. in Fort Myers.

The project includes the renovation of the existing 10,520-square-foot National Guard Armory with a 2,500-square-foot expansion. The expansion will create a new training area, add storage and expand the mechanical and electrical rooms. The bathroom facilities, offices, supply areas and storage rooms will be renovated, and the electrical and plumbing systems will be replaced. In addition, J.L. Wallace will demolish an existing one-story structure east of the armory building and replace it with a new motor pool storage and maintenance bay building.

The original armory building was constructed in the 1950s and has several unique architectural features including a barrel vault roof structure, which will remain intact.

Harold Morgan of J.L. Wallace is serving as senior project manager, and Jeff Griffith is serving as job superintendent. Renovation is expected to be complete in November.