SunTran Bio-Diesel Delivery System
Owner: City of Tucson
Architect: Adams and Associates

Ten-thousand gallon Bio-diesel tanks and delivery equipment were added to an active SunTran bus fuel island. In addition to regular diesel and compressed natural gas, these tanks provide SunTran with more fuel options. Challenge: Many separate manufacturers’ equipment was integrated into a fuel management and safety system. Solution: Lanes were kept open every evening as the fleet rotated through for its fueling without interruption.

Roberts Elementary and Naylor Middle School
Owner: Tucson Unified School District
Architect: Design Results

This popular two-school campus in central Tucson needed a couple of big changes and several small improvements to maintain a positive experience for students. Challenge: A central entry was needed to serve both schools. Solution: Kittle worked with TUSD to identify an area to cut new entry doors into an exterior wall by a central administration office. Kittle designed a new covered entryway and plaza that would be more easily identified than other entrances that had been used for years. This helps efficiency and security at the campus. Challenge: A separate set of restrooms was needed in the elementary wing. Solution: Kittle found under-utilized portions of locker rooms that were convenient to underground utilities and young students so they would not have to walk to older students’ restrooms farther away. Kittle worked with their consultants to design pleasant ADA-compliant restrooms that were schedule and budget efficient.

Ventana Medical Systems Server Room
Owner: Ventana Medical Systems, Inc.
Architect: Advantech

This world-wide enterprise with hundreds of employees needed more space to grow its intensive computer system. Challenge: Climate control systems, fire suppression systems, and electrical equipment needed to be modified and added to this server room with no shut down of operations. Solution: Kittle and its subcontractors worked to protect live fire sprinkler heads, to develop a system to prevent dust from getting into electronic equipment while allowing adequate ventilation, and to safely lift heavy equipment without injury to workers or the banks of computers below.

Rental Car Facility Upgrades
Owner: Tucson Airport Authority
Architect: Tucson Airport Authority

Work occurred without disturbing operations of multiple car rental agencies in this busy facility. Challenge: Automatic exterior sliding doors were not opening wide or fast enough for customers and their large luggage. Solution: existing centered two-panel doors were replaced with a three-part full width system to allow a significantly wider passage within the existing opening. Customers were detoured as-needed and a variety of adjacent finishes were matched to tie in the new system. Challenge: Heavy traffic and under-slab moisture was causing carpet tile to fail. Solution: Moisture tests were conducted and an appropriate moisture barrier installed to allow installation of terrazzo flooring. This material is easier for TAA to maintain given the heavy foot and wheel traffic in the building and it is one of the most durable floors available.

Orange Grove Middle School Kitchen Expansion
Owner: Catalina Foothills School District
Architect:  Durrant Group

Kittle built a new dishwashing area in an under-utilized part of the cafeteria to increase capacity and it built a more efficient kitchen layout to improve food service. Challenge: minimize disruption of the school. Solution: Work was done during the summer break to be ready for the new school year. Trenching to a new grease interceptor outside was performed in a way that avoided damage to the building’s unique brick veneer  exterior.