Standing Above the Rest

29-story Condo is Second-Tallest Building in South Carolina

By Bea Quirk

Myrtle Beach-based Dargan Construction Co. reached high to achieve its dreams with the 29-story Margate Tower, which completed two months ahead of schedule.

"We had the wind at our back," said Harold G. Cushman III, Dargan vice president.

The 329-ft. tall condominium tower is the second-tallest building in South Carolina and sits on the ocean within the upscale residential community of Kingston Plantation, at the northern end of Myrtle Beach. It features 50,000 cu. yds. of concrete, 60 mi. of wood trim and 5,000 tons of reinforced steel.

The project was developed by FelCor Lodging Trust, a Texas-based real estate investment trust. Earl Swensson Associates Architects of Nashville was the project architect.

In addition to being the tallest structure Dargan has ever built, Margate is the most expensive, with a construction cost of $75 million. Typically, the company's projects average between $20 million and $30 million, said Brice Harry, project manager for Dargan.

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The project showcased the variety of Dargan's skills, from constructing a massive structure to installing carpets, flooring, cabinetry and fixtures in 251 customized condominiums.

The project almost didn't get off the ground. Construction was set to begin in November 2001, and the final meeting to seal the deal between all the parties was scheduled for Sept. 11 of that year. As a result of the events that day, some of the participants couldn't even get to the session, and the project was put off for a year. Ground was broken in September 2002.

Before reaching for the sky, Dargan had to dig deep for a solid foundation, using auger-cast drilled piles installed 45 ft. deep.

"We had to drill piles 15 ft. into the limestone rock layer to get the loads required for a building of this size," Harry said. "That meant all the foundation work was done below the water table and everything had to be dewatered. We had a pumping system all around the site."

The residential nature of the surrounding area also posed logistical hurdles. To keep the cars of the 500-plus workers away from Kingston Plantation, crew members were bused in from a nearby parking lot Dargan rented during construction.

Keeping noise to a minimum was another goal, and work always ended by 6 p.m. Quieter electrical pumps were used instead of diesel ones.

Keeping tight control over the quality of the cast concrete was the toughest part of the job. The team opted to solve that problem by asking the ready-mixed concrete company not to allow any water on the trucks and no water to be added onsite.

"After considerable thought and coordination with the concrete supplier, we decided the best scenario was to have a qualified technician onsite who had the power to adjust the mix through the addition of admixtures in lieu of water," Harry said. "Only the expert dealt with it, and nothing was tampered with onsite by unauthorized personnel. The guys in the field could focus on their jobs - getting the tower built."

The new procedure meant educating the drivers. When they voiced concern about their inability to wash down their trucks if they didn't carry any water, a special area was set up for them where they could do that before they went back on the road.

The system worked, and "we had no problems with concrete strength," Cushman said.

He praised the concrete supplier, Ready Mixed Concrete Co. of Myrtle Beach for its cooperation and knowledge, as well as for keeping prices locked in. The only problem occurred in the preplanning stage when domestic suppliers had to be found for post-tension strand after foreign companies withdrew from the U.S. market.

Often with condos, the general contractor isn't responsible for individual unit finishes. But with Margate Tower, Dargan also upfitted each of the condominiums, which Cushman said were 99 percent sold before the company broke ground.

Again, logistical issues had to be solved, such as how to get rolls of carpet that didn't fit into standard elevators up 29 floors. Dargan staff also worked closely with the sales team to make sure each unit was built to the owner's requirements.

Condo owners were able to order upgrades such as granite countertops, surround-sound systems and marble flooring. And each of the upgrades had options. For example, there were three different marble flooring upgrades to choose from and two kinds of wood - maple and cherry - for the cabinetry with four different finishes.

"Coordination and meeting deadlines were the keys," Cushman said.

Cushman added that successful coordination at every phase of the project led to the building being ready for buyers in August, two months ahead of schedule. In addition to Harry, the project manager, there was a general supervisor, two project supervisors and three assistant supers. "We have a tight organizational structure, and we have different supers for the different phases," he said. "Hard work, good subs, teamwork and good scheduling also helped us finish early."

That early completion also helped everyone breathe easier when hurricanes hit in late August and September. Although the South Carolina coast was not directly hit, the coast did experience winds of up to 70 mph. "We still had men onsite and made preparations," Harry said.

Project Team

Owner: FelCor Lodging Trust, Irving, Texas
Operator: Hilton Hotels Corp.
Architect: Earl Swensson Associates Architects, Nashville
General Contractor: Dargan Construction Co., Myrtle Beach, S.C.