KBE Building Corporation Constructing CPBN Learning Lab

Online, April 4, 2013 (Newswire.com) - KBE Building Corporation (KBE) (www.kbebuilding.com) has begun construction on a new Learning Lab at Connecticut Public Broadcasting Network (CPBN).

For over 50 years, CPBN has been Connecticut's largest classroom, bringing high-quality programs to thousands of people every day. Now CPBN is strengthening its mission to serve, educate and enlighten by creating a state-of-the-art teaching facility called the Learning Lab, and KBE is renovating this $3.5 million learning center. Upon completion this summer, the new facility will include 20,000 square feet of classroom and studio space housed on two floors of CPBN's Asylum Avenue facility.

This new facility, created through an agreement with Hartford Public Schools, is a digital learning destination that will engage 100 high school seniors each year from the Journalism & Media Magnet Academy (JMMA). It will offer students the opportunity to learn, experience, and practice broadcast journalism under the guidance of CPBN career professionals. JMMA seniors will spend their school year developing their capstone and media portfolios that will enable them to strengthen their understanding of academic subjects while developing critical career and life skills.

In 2004, KBE worked with CPBN to construct the award-winning renovation of the six-story office building at 1049 Asylum Avenue, which created a state-of-the-art digital broadcast and production center for the Connecticut Public Broadcasting Network.

About Connecticut Public Broadcasting Network

The Connecticut Public Broadcasting Network (CBPN) includes CPTV and WNPR. CPTV, a media service of CPBN, is a locally and nationally recognized producer and presenter of quality public television programming, including original documentaries, public affairs shows and educational programming. CPTV has built a reputation as a leader in children's programming, including playing an historic role in bringing Barney & Friends™, Bob the Builder™ and Thomas & Friends™ to public television. The station offers 11.5 hours of positive, nurturing children's programs each weekday, reaching 50,000 to 70,000 households daily. The CBPN also includes WNPR, an affiliate of National Public Radio, Public Radio International and American Public Media. WNPR serves 260,000 listeners weekly in Connecticut, New York and Rhode Island with news and information. Its award-winning local programming includes The Faith Middleton Show, The Colin McEnroe Show and Where We Live. CPBN also includes two affiliate channels: CPTV4U, a 24/7 television channel featuring award-winning drama, news and talk programming, concert performances, independent films, nature shows, British comedy and more; and CPTV Sports, Connecticut's only 24-hour local sports network, covering statewide high school, college, semi-professional and professional sports. For more information, visit www.cpbn.org.

About KBE Building Corporation

Regionally located in Farmington, Connecticut and Columbia, Maryland, KBE Building Corporation is a full-service, single-source commercial construction company strategically positioned to serve the Eastern and Mid-Atlantic U.S. Founded in 1959 and incorporated in 1966, the firm provides preconstruction, construction management, design-build, and general contracting services to clients in the educational, federal, corporate, seniors, hospitality, health care, institutional, and retail markets. KBE has managed more than $2.3 billion in construction volume over the last decade, and is ranked among Engineering News-Record magazine's top 400 construction companies nationally. Visit the company's Web site at www.kbebuilding.com.