Benz Resource Group

The new School of Leadership Studies Building, located on the campus of Kansas State University, opened in January 2010.  This new 36,000 square foot, $9.8 million facility provides a state-of-the-art teaching environment designed for collaborative and inclusive pedagogy.  With student organization offices and meeting rooms, faculty offices, informal meeting areas and a cafe as well as three classrooms, three seminar rooms, and a 200 seat Town Hall auditorium, this building is a center of activity in the heart of the campus.

Design/Build: Opus Northwest, Kansas City, MO; Project Completion January 2010

"Ms. Benz is knowledgeable about all aspects of a building project and an effective educator to those of us who are not.  She envisions the successful completion of building from the beginning of the project and capably manages all aspects to ensure success.  She chairs meetings with diplomatic timeliness.  Her budget projections are conservative yet accurate.  She is highly effective at "getting to yes" whether it be in negotiating contracts, personnel disputes or bringing consensus among the many vested interests of a university project.  Additionally, she monitors schedules rigorously for all parties involved, is always a step ahead and never fails to advocate fully for the owner's interests." Dr. Susan Scott, Founding Director, School of Leadership Studies, Kansas State University

Architect: Specht Harpman Architects, Austin, TX; General Contractor: VRW Construction Inc., Project Completion 2009

"It has been a pleasure to work with Susan Benz and her group of associates. Projects they handle are always on time and within budget.  They are always consummate professionals." Rhonda Cartwright, Vice President for Financial Affairs, St. Edward's University

The new Jarvis Wing at the Beach Museum of Art was built to provide galleries for temporary exhibits, an outdoor sculpture court and curatorial facilities. In addition, some areas within the existing museum building underwent remodeling, including mechanical upgrades and window glass replacement. The 17,000 square foot addition was completed in the fall of 2007 for a total project budget of $6.5 million.

Architects: Andersson Wise Architects, Austin, TX; General Contractor: Coonrod & Associates, Wichita, KS; Project Completion 2007

"I really felt that she was the owner's representative on the project, and would and did fight for issues that were central to our building. In many ways this advocacy helped ensure the quality of the project from financial, to schedule, to building function, and architectural details." Lorne Render, Director, Beach Museum of Art

Fleck Hall served St. Ed’s as a science building from 1958 to 2007, when it was converted to a general purpose classroom and meeting room building with a full renovation of the existing two floors and an addition of a third floor and elevator tower. This 28,000 square foot building was extremely tight on schedule and budget, calling upon the management, design and construction teams to be creative every step of the way. As the first building encountered at the university’s main entrance, Fleck Hall serves as a reminder that re-use is not only viable, but optimal.

Architects: Andersson Wise Architects, Austin, TX; General Contractor; American Constructors Inc., Austin, TX; Project Completion 2007

"Benz Resource Group has done an excellent job for the university. Susan is detail-oriented, maintains highly efficient project tracking systems and stays on top of every issue. Her greatest assets, however, are facilitating creative solutions and collaborating with all of the project team members. She is fair, she does what she says she is going to do and she completes tasks in a timely manner. These traits foster trust among team members and allow her to be an extremely effective leader when challenges arise." Dave Dickson, Former Vice President for Financial Affairs, St. Edward's University

This new office building provides 49,300 square feet of Class A office space and a garden retreat for staff. Benz Resource Group was hired by SEDL at the very start of the project to assist in developing project budgets, selecting an architect and determining whether to build new, purchase and remodel or relocate to a new rental space. Once the decision was made to build at the RMMA development, BRG monitored the professional services’ progress, schedules and budgets through move-in, representing SEDL with regulatory agencies, Austin Energy District cooling representatives and the development management.

Real Estate Brokers: Oxford Commercial; Architects: Studio 8 Architects; General Contractor: Raymond Construction, Inc.; Project Completion 2008

"Susan evidenced many strong characteristics in her work with us ... including dedication, reliability and honesty ... I never worried that there was something I needed to worry about because I knew Susan was diligently watching over all that was being done." Wesley Hoover, President and CEO, SEDL

This men’s dorm was built in 1963 and served the University’s freshmen men until the spring of 2005, when the building interior was remodeled to provide faculty offices. Benz Resource Group assisted in setting the budget, selecting the architects and general contractor, purchasing furniture and coordinating move-in. At $1.5 million, the budget was tight, but the construction schedule was even tighter: construction began when the students moved out in May and was complete in time for faculty to occupy in August.

Architects: McKinney Architects, Austin, TX; General Contractor; VRW Construction, Inc., Austin, TX; Project Completion 2006

"Benz Resource Group performs all the functions of a project manager such as contract negotiations, chairs team meetings, monitors budgets and schedules, facilitates solutions and protects the owner's interests. However, the reason the university continues to call on Benz Resource Group is the way they execute and the results they achieve." Dave Dickson, Former Vice President for Financial Affairs, St. Edward's University.

This history museum telling the story of Washington State is located in an urban historic district and is directly adjacent to the most historic of Tacoma’s buildings, the old Union Station. Roughly 100,000 square feet in size and $26 million in construction costs, the museum was designed for maximum flexibility of programming, yet with very tight environmental controls for the protection of historic artifacts. Mechanical and electrical systems designed to maintain the proper humidity, temperatures and particulate levels were very important. In addition, security was a high priority and was complicated by the requirement that physical and electronic systems be nearly invisible! Twelve consulting firms overlaying design and technical requirements were coordinated and incorporated under Susan Benz’s direction.*

Architects: Moore/Andersson Architects, Austin, TX; Project Completion 1994

"...Susan's unique contributions to the project were her abilities to facilitate dialogue between the museum and the balance of the design team, plus management of all the prosaic logistical details in contract administration and scheduling, the absence of which has wrecked many a project." David Nicandri, Director, Washington State Historical Society

The Beach Museum of Art, nestled among trees in the oldest and most beautiful corner of this medium-sized campus, bisects an important pedestrian path linking “town” and “gown”. The building houses the University’s art collection and provides much needed multi-purpose space as well as additional classrooms for the Art Department. The functions of the building were separated into two wings bridging the pedestrian path; one serves as the “vault” for the display, storing and curation of the art, and the other for academic and public functions. Through a value-engineering program, the $6 million budget was stretched to upgrade and improve this very important corner of the campus and its grounds.*

Architects: Moore/Andersson Architects, Austin, TX; General Contractor: Eby Construction; Phase I Project Completion 1996

"Susan Benz's professional relationship with the entire K-State working group was and is excellent. She displayed a relentless pursuit of excellence in cost saving changes, quality management, scheduling and overall management of the project." Gary Hellebust, Former President and CEO, Kansas State University Foundation

Connecting the plaza of the Washington State History Museum to the rooftop of the new Museum of Glass, this pedestrian bridge not only crosses four lanes of traffic and multiple railroad lines, it is a destination in itself. Internationally renowned glass artist Dale Chihuly worked in tandem with the design team to design pavilions filled with his art, making the bridge itself exhibit space. Susan Benz maintained the project cost control, conducted the project meetings and maintained the permanent record. She served as Project Manager, coordinating the design work of the civil engineers, bridge designers, architects and artists through the design development phase of the project.*

Architects: Moore/Andersson Architects, Austin, TX; Project Completed 1994

"I was extremely impressed with Susan's design and technical abilities, as well as her ability to oversee this unique project." Dale Chihuly, Glass Artist

Lechmere was planned as a $50 million, multi-modal light rail and bus terminus with an auto “kiss and ride”, parking facility and electrical power sub-station. The technical and engineering complexity of this project came from the necessity to coordinate the efforts of multiple transportation, civil and electrical power engineers, representing three competing companies, who were not always in agreement on the most cost-effective solution to the design puzzle. Susan Benz’s negotiation skills effectively secured their cooperation and a design solution. Due to changing program requirements and the complexities of the site, this project went through multiple design schemes over a five-year period, during which time quality control of construction documents was provided by Susan Benz. She served as the Project Manager for three of the five years until the program was put on hold due to economic constraints of the Commonwealth of Massachussetts.*

Architecture by Wallace Floyd Associates, 1990. Due to a downturn in the economy, this buidling was not built.

"[Susan's] rapport with our clients and their needs has been exceptional, and her ability to motivate her project team has been a major factor in the successful completion of the projects she has managed." Peter Floyd, Wallace Floyd Associates

Palmer Auditorium, an architectural icon of the Austin townscape, was to be remodeled and augmented to create a fine arts performing center with three performance halls, a rehearsal hall and support functions. For a period of over a year, while the owner, ARTS Center Stage, continued to organize, Susan Benz provided Project Management services representing the owner. During that time, while employed by the associate architect to the design architect, Skidmore, Owens and Merrill, she coordinated meetings, sought design and technical proposals from consultants, negotiated contracts and wrote and implemented a plan to meet the minority participation goals established by the City of Austin.*

Architects: Skidmore Owings & Merrill, Chicago, IL; Susan's participation 1998-2000: this project was not built as conceived by SOM.

"[Susan] was always welcoming, always ready to help, organized, motivated and able to bring resolution to conflicts and disagreements. I hope you will consider Susan for your important projects, as I am certain she will lead you to a satisfactory and pacific conclusion." Leigh Breslau, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill

This remodeled residential compound resting on a bluff above Town Lake is part Tuscan, part Texas regional and part classic modern. The Main House was originally designed in the Tuscan style, and the traditional layout of small, interconnected rooms with small windows was altered to create open, flowing spaces to take advantage of the Texas light. A guest house situated part-way down the cliff face was replaced by a new, contemporary structure with a round, glass-enclosed dining/meeting room. Two smaller houses remodeled from garages for the teenagers and a pool cabana complete the compound.*

Architects: Dick Clark Architecture, Austin, TX; Completed 2003

"Susan Benz brought a clarity and calmness to a long, arduous project that kept me sane! I don't believe there is a better senior level project manager in Austin." Rick Hawkins, Owner