Carolinas AGC Announces Pinnacle Awards

The Carolinas Associated General Contractors announced the winners of its annual Pinnacle Awards for outstanding achievement. Winners included:

• Best Highway-Heavy Project - The Pedestrian Bridge Overpass over South Carolina 277 in Columbia, S.C. Lee Construction Co. of the Carolinas, Charlotte, served as the general contractor for this new gateway into the City of Columbia, which incorporated a design never before used in South Carolina bridge construction.
• Best Utility Project - Bee Tree Dam and Burnette Dam Improvements in Buncombe County, N.C. The general contractor was Hickory Construction Co., Hickory, N.C. The existing 75-year-old spillway, situated on a 58 percent slope, was completely removed and replaced. Hickory's alternative techniques made the process faster, safer and more accurate.
  
• Best Building Project - The Grove Arcade Renovation in Asheville, N.C. General contractor Weaver Cooke Construction of Greensboro, N.C., oversaw the renovation of this 75-year-old historic landmark, which included retrofitting nearly 300,000 sq. ft. for a public market, office space and luxury apartments.
  
• Best Partnering Project - Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center Brenner Children's Hospital, Winston-Salem, N.C. This award honors not only the construction team, but also the owner and the designer. The general Contractor was Bovis Lend Lease of Charlotte. The architect was Gresham, Smith and Partners of Nashville. The owner was Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center. This 12-story vertical expansion project added more than 400,000 sq. ft. to buildings and parking garage facilities.
• Best Subcontractor: Gastonia Plumbing & Heating Co., Gastonia, N.C.
  
• Best General Contractor: T.A. Loving Co., Goldsboro, N.C.
• "Build with the Best" Award: South Carolina Representative George Bailey.

Strong February Increases Reported for North, South Carolina

McGraw-Hill Construction recently reported that February contracts for future construction activity in the states of North Carolina and South Carolina increased significantly, with both states experiencing approximately 20 percent growth.

In North Carolina, February contract activity was 20 percent ahead of the same time period a year ago, increasing from roughly $1.3 billion to the current level of almost $1.6 billion. Nonresidential construction continued to decline, however, decreasing 31 percent to approximately $306.9 million. The larger residential sector offset that decline, however, by increasing by 33 percent to nearly $938 million. Meanwhile, the nonbuilding sector continued to show robust strength, more than doubling from last February's $156 million to the most recent figure of $322 million.

So far in 2004, North Carolina contract activity has increased by 17 percent over 2003. Nonresidential is flat, with $834.8 million reported to date. Residential construction has increased by 22 percent to roughly $1.8 billion, and the nonbuilding sector is estimated at 35 percent ahead of the same time a year ago, with nearly $466.8 million reported.

In South Carolina, February contract activity increased by 22 percent over February 2003, to approximately $763.6 million from last year's $624 million. The nonbuilding sector showed the greatest growth, improving by 59 percent to almost $100.4 million. Nonresidential also surged, increasing by 40 percent to roughly $227.2 million. Residential activity increased as well, moving ahead 9 percent to almost $436.1 million.

For the year-to-date, nonbuilding construction has nearly doubled over the year-ago figure, from $122.5 million reported through the first two months of 2003, to better than $241.1 million for the same period of 2004. Nonresidential contracts have also surged, moving up 47 percent to just over $528.2 million for the year to date. Residential contracts were 5 percent ahead of last year's figure, ending up at about $873.6 million for the first two months of 2004.

Joint Venture Wins Three South Carolina University Projects

BGKS, a joint venture comprised of Brasfield & Gorrie, M.B. Kahn and Southern Management Group, has been awarded three projects at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. The first project is a four-level diagnostic and treatment hospital, an eight-level clinic and 164-bed tower with total floor area of 627,825 sq. ft. The second project involves an eight-level, 1,500-car parking deck with total floor area of 583,000 sq. ft. The third project consists of a three-level, 50,150-sq.-ft. central energy plant.

Construction of these projects, which total $185 million, was expected to start in the first quarter of the year and will be completed in first quarter 2007.

Hardin Announces South Carolina Projects

Atlanta-based Hardin Construction Co. recently announced a pair of South Carolina projects for Marriott Ownership Resorts International. The first was the Ocean Watch Villas Building B in Myrtle Beach, a nine-story, 77-unit time-share building. The architect is HKS Inc. of Dallas. Completion is scheduled for January, 2005.

Hardin will also be building the first and second phases of Marriott's Surfwatch resort on Hilton Head Island. This project consists of two five-story, 35-unit timeshare buildings; one level of parking; a four-story central facilities building; associated sitework, demolition, utilities, hardscape and landscape. The architect is NCG Architects. Completion is scheduled for December 2006.

Mount Pleasant Awards Contract to HDR to Develop Master Plan for Waterfront Park

The town of Mount Pleasant, S.C., has awarded a contract to HDR Engineering to provide planning and supporting consulting services for a waterfront park and recreational pier.

The town intends to construct the new park at the base of the existing Silas N. Pearman and Grace Memorial Bridges when the bridges are demolished to make way for the new Cooper River Bridge.

Cat Dealers in North, South Carolina Announce Merger

Carolina CAT, Gregory Poole Equipment and Blanchard Machinery have announced the acquisition of Arrow Equipment Inc., the Blaw-Knox, Hypac and Lull dealer for North Carolina.

Arrow Equipment will retain its name and become the authorized dealer in the Carolinas for Cat Paving Products, focused on selling and supporting Caterpillar's line of asphalt pavers, rollers and related attachments.

The transition in North Carolina became effective March 1. In South Carolina, Blanchard Machinery will remain the authorized dealer for CAT Paving Products temporarily and will begin the transition of Arrow Equipment into that territory effective June 1.

While the dealer for CAT Paving Products and related attachments, Arrow Equipment will continue to support the parts, service and rental needs of existing customers owning Blaw-Knox, Hypac and Lull products. Arrow Equipment will also remain the authorized dealer for Lull forklifts in North Carolina.