Tellepsen Honored for Houston Landmark Church
Lakewood Church project receives 2006 Landmark Award for $95 million makeover
HOUSTON (April 27, 2006) – Tellepsen Builders’ renovation of Compaq Center into a 16,000-seat sanctuary for Lakewood Church received the 2006 Landmark Award for “Best Rehabilitation/Renovation” on Tuesday, April 25 in Houston, Texas
Presented by the Houston Business Journal, the Landmark Awards recognize outstanding commercial real estate projects and developments that make significant impressions on the Houston landscape.
Tellepsen converted the existing 400,000 square foot Compaq Center, former home of the Houston Rockets and Comets, and constructed an additional 200,000 square feet to complete the Lakewood Church Central Campus location. The $95 million renovation was the largest and most complex church project completed by Tellepsen Builders in their 96-year history.
“Tellepsen’s legacy is kept alive through the landmarks we leave,” commented Howard Tellepsen, Jr., president and CEO. “We are honored to be recognized for our contribution to Houston’s architectural landscape and feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to tackle the challenges and experience the rewards the Lakewood Church project presented.”
The $95 million Lakewood Church Central Campus project is the first time a former basketball arena has been converted into a church. The combination of renovation and new construction, its complexity, the tight job site and the aggressive 16-month schedule made the project incredibly challenging. To keep the team motivated, a large sign was put up in the construction office that read, “If it were easy, everyone would be doing it.”
Tellepsen recognized with 2006 Landmark Award
Project features included a 26,000-square-foot central plant constructed on top of the former food court to house new boilers, chillers, cooling towers and electrical transformers, providing utility service separate from the rest of the Greenway Plaza development. A 5-story, 200,000 square foot building was erected on the eastern side of the sanctuary, providing space for classrooms, assembly rooms, a bookstore, a coffee/gathering area and television production offices. The project also involved constructing a stage, flanked by waterfalls and elevated seating to accommodate a 250-member choir. The orchestra pit in the center of the stage can be raised or lowered.
Last year, Tellepsen was recognized with two Landmark Awards for their work on St. Martin’s Episcopal Church and St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital office building and parking garage. St. Martin’s Episcopal Church received the 2005 Landmark award for “Best Rehabilitation/Renovation” and St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital office building and parking garage received the award for “Best Medical” Landmark.
Tellepsen Builders
Building on a Century of Trust, four generations of the Tellepsen family have made the Houston area their home, and four generations of Texans have relied on Tellepsen for the places they live, work, play, worship and learn. Tellepsen has been performing general contracting and construction management for both public and private sectors since 1909.
Tellepsen is turning dreams into reality in commercial, education, healthcare, liturgical, retail, residential and retirement communities, hotels and recreational facilities, as well as a host of other areas. The successful company is responsible for building some of Houston’s most notable landmarks such as the Shamrock Hilton Hotel, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston and the original St. Luke’s Episcopal hospital and Texas Children’s Hospital. For more information on the company and a complete list of projects and awards, visit www.tellepsen.com. |
