Osteopathic Foundation new building design

The Colorado Springs Osteopathic Foundation is building a new office and clinic near the intersection of Fillmore Street and Centennial Boulevard.
The single-story building will feature Colorado-style materials, such as stucco and wood, said architect Rob Seever, whose firm Keystone Associates is working on the project in conjunction with James W. Nakai & Associates Architects, both of Colorado Springs. Officials held ground-breaking ceremonies for the project this week.
"They’ve been saving their money for years to do this, and their enthusiasm comes out tenfold," Seever said.
The interior will be "patient friendly," he said, with warm tones and handicapped accessibility.
H.W. Houston Construction Co. of Pueblo is the general contractor.

You can still fly the friendly skies

The story about United Airlines in the Nov. 1 Gazette business section has confused some readers, according to Globe Travel, which has received several calls from Colorado Springs residents.

Customers still can buy airline tickets from United and still walk up to the United ticket counter when checking in for their flights. The difference is that the people behind the counter are not be United employees. They work for SkyWest Airlines, which is operating the flights in an arrangement with United.

United decided, effective Oct. 31, to contract out all United business in Colorado Springs to SkyWest Airlines. SkyWest Airlines already operates many United and Delta airline flights in Colorado Springs and throughout the nation.

Architects to meet this weekend in Vail

The Colorado chapter of the American Institute of Architects will conduct its annual, statewide design conference from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Friday and from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday at the Vail Cascade Resort & Spa in Vail. More than 200 architects and other design professionals are scheduled to attend the conference, which will present seminars that focus on the theme of "Redevelopment: Profession, Practice and Community." Several nationally and internationally known architects are scheduled to make presentations. In addition to the conference's educational seminars, the AIA Colorado 2006 Design Awards and special recognition honors for achievements in architecture will be presented during a formal dinner from 6 :30 to 10: 30 p.m. Saturday. More information: www.aiacolorado.org. Click on the Vail 2006 logo.

Apartments filling up

Fewer Colorado Springs-area apartments were vacant in the third quarter, according to figures from a California research firm that match the findings of local apartment industry experts. RealFacts, based north of San Francisco and which tracks multi-family markets in several western cities, says the Springs' third quarter apartment vacancy rate fell to 8.9 percent from 10.3 percent during the same period in 2005. Third quarter rents averaged $708, down $2 from the same time in 2005, according to RealFacts.

Figures compiled by the Apartment Association of Colorado Springs and the Colorado Division of Housing, along with reports from local real estate broker Doug Carter, have shown the same general trend of falling vacancy rates. Their reports also have suggested that rents are on the way up, reflecting an increase in demand. Local industry experts have said a solid local economy, the presence of thousands of military personnel at area installations and the lack of apartment construction have combined to drive down multi-family vacancy rates, which climbed into double digits after the recession of early 2001 and the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

KFC listens to its neighbors

That brick treatment on the exterior of the rebuilt Kentucky Fried Chicken outlet at 3101 W. Colorado Ave. is the result of an appeal from the neighborhood association. The Organization of Westside Neighbors (OWN) felt that the presence of 19th century homes across the street from the KFC/A&W and other older structures nearby called for something that would fit better into its surroundings. OWN also got Harman Management Corp., owners of the KFC franchise, to use smaller signs than originally planned. The Colorado Avenue KFC/A&W store, which reopened Oct. 15, is the first in Colorado to feature a brick exterior and only the third in the United States

Business notebook

Goodwill Industries of Colorado Springs has closed on the purchase of a property at Janitell Road and Circle Drive which will eventually be developed as a replacement for the downtown store at 324 E. Pikes Peak Ave. The high bidder on the downtown property has already met with Goodwill administrators, but no timetable for the sale has been set. ...

Jeremy Gianzero, an E.R. nurse for Penrose St. Francis Health Services and also a mechanic, will received a jacket, barbecue grill set, a year's supply of bratwurst and a gift certificate for clothes from sponsor Dickies for being one of five finalists in the 15th annual American Worker of the Year contest. He lost out to Mississippi elementary school principal Janet Buras ...

Whole Foods Market will host the annual Taste of Thanksgiving fundraiser at its 7635 N. Academy Blvd. location 6-8 p.m. on Nov. 10. Urban Peak Colorado Springs, a local homeless shelter for teens and children, will be the beneficiary of the fundraiser. ...

Chamber dinner postponed

The Greater Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce's annual dinner, scheduled for Dec. 7, has been postponed. A new date will be announced soon, the chamber said. Check the Biz Blog for that announcement.

CIGNA HealthCare of Colorado gets kudos

U.S. News & World Report's rankings of "America's Best Health Plans 2006," released in its Oct. 30 issue, rates CIGNA HealthCare of Colorado the No. 1 health plan in the state for the second year in a row.

The magazine worked with the national Committe for Quality Assurance for its annual ranking of commercial plans based on clinical quality, member satisfaction and other criteria.

In September, the Colorado Business Group on Health's annual survey gave CIGNA the highest marks for overall rating of its health plans and health care.