A joint venture between UK contractor Balfour Beatty and Florida design-and-build company Stellar has won a $85m contract to build 130,000 sq ft extension to Jacksonville’s Museum of Science and History (MOSH).
A new museum with a 2.5-acre footprint will be based in the Shipyards East area in downtown Jacksonville. It will contain exhibition and event space and a planetarium.
When complete, the facility will allow MOSH to cater to 469,000 visitors a year, an increase of 168% on the present number. It will also be able to welcome 58,000 students, a 50% increase.
Bruce Fafard, MOSH’s chief executive, said: “After reviewing proposals from numerous teams through our competitive process, we were particularly interested in the complementary nature of Balfour Beatty’s national experience and Stellar’s local roots.
“Their combined approach demonstrated a holistic understanding of our visitor experience plan, both within our building and across the broader sports and entertainment district.”
Richard Lovelace, Stellar’s senior vice president of commercial, said: “MOSH is a community pillar that has inspired scores of designers, engineers and innovators within our region.
“Through our participation in this joint venture with Balfour Beatty, we hope to create a building where the next generation of creative thinkers can find inspiration to become pioneers and leaders.”
Budgeting will begin in February 2022, with construction due to start in 2023.
