Both North, South Carolina Saw Increased Activity in 2003

McGraw-Hill Construction recently reported that December contracts for future construction activity in the states of North Carolina and South Carolina improved dramatically, and that both markets ended 2003 with positive growth.

In North Carolina, December contract activity was 25 percent ahead of last December, from $1.3 billion a year earlier to the current $1.7 billion level. Nonresidential construction stayed lower, however, declining 12 percent to approximately $249.2 million. Residential increased by 15 percent, to just over $1 billion, while the nonbuilding sector more than doubled, from last year's $147.1 million to 2003's $385.1 million.

Through 2003, North Carolina contract activity increased by 5 percent. The nonbuilding sector was the only negative one for the year, declining 3 percent to $2.3 billion. Nonresidential saw the greatest percentage increase of 9 percent and totaled nearly $4.75 billion. Residential construction increased by 5 percent to roughly $11.6 billion.

In South Carolina, December contract activity increased by 47 percent over December 2002, to $799 million from last year's $542.7 million. By category, nonbuilding construction more than doubled over the year-ago figure, from $52.7 million in December 2002 to almost $148.9 million in the most recent month. Residential activity also surged, increasing 35 percent to $452.1 million. Nonresidential contracts increased by 27 percent to just over $198 million for the month.

For the entire year, residential activity showed the largest upswing, 17 percent, to end up at nearly $5.6 billion. Nonresidential also increased a significant 9 percent to end at slightly more than $2.3 billion. Nonbuilding construction declined by 13 percent, however, to end at almost $1.7 billion, down from 2002's $1.9 billion. In all, total 2003 contract activity in South Carolina was 8 percent ahead of 2002, with roughly $9.6 billion reported.

Griffin Electric Wins UNC at Charlotte Contract

Wayne J. Griffin Electric of Cary, N.C., was awarded the electrical installation work for the new Graduate Engineering Research Building at the University of North Carolina Charlotte.

The three-story, 96,820-sq.-ft. building, consisting of offices, classrooms and a research lab, will house UNC Charlotte's office of the Charlotte Research Institute, graduate research areas for chemistry and physics, and the Center for Opto-Electronics.

Completion of UNC Charlotte's Graduate Engineering Research Building is scheduled for February of 2005.

$15 Million Blue Ridge High School Contract Awarded

Greenville School District, Greenville, S.C., has awarded a $15 million contract to China Construction America/SC for the additions and renovations to the existing Blue Ridge High School. Plans call for new classrooms, renovations and upgrades to the cafeteria, gymnasium, auditorium, labs and administrative areas. Completion is scheduled for the summer of 2006.

Carolinas Contractor Wins ABC Craft Professional Award

Anthony Craig Neal of Sanders Brothers Construction recently won the Region 4 "Craft Professional of the Year" award from Associated Builders and Contractors. Neal, sponsored by the ABC Carolinas Chapter, Charlotte, was judged the top craft professional among contestants from ABC's Region 4, which includes Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee.

As regional winner, Neal was scheduled to participate in the national contest, to be held at ABC's national convention in Honolulu.