Skanska Named CM for Cape Fear Valley Med Center

Skanska USA Building has been awarded the construction-management-services contract to build a $90 million addition to the Cape Fear Valley Medical Center for Cape Fear Valley Health System in Fayetteville, N.C.

The 300,000-sq.-ft. addition will include a patient care tower with emergency department, heart and vascular center, a 24-bed critical-care unit, a 48-bed medical surgical unit and mechanical support. Also included in Skanska's contract is a 500-space parking deck and 50,000 sq. ft. of renovations to the existing hospital.

Contract Activity Declines for Both North Carolina, South Carolina

McGraw-Hill Construction recently reported that the value of July contracts for future construction activity declined in both North Carolina and South Carolina both declined, compared to the same period a year ago.

In North Carolina, compared to July 2003, the most recent month's activity dropped by 8 percent to total roughly $1.6 billion, down from last year's nearly $1.8 billion. Only the residential sector was positive for the month, growing by 5 percent to end at approximately $1.1 billion. The next biggest market, nonresidential, declined by 16 percent, and was estimated at nearly $339 million. Nonbuilding contracts declined by 42 percent over last July, ending at an estimated $190.7 million.

Year-to-date, though, the news is still positive, with North Carolina contract activity having increased by 18 percent over 2003 to total nearly $12.5 billion. Nonresidential is even with 2003, with just over $2.8 billion in contracts reported to date. Residential construction has increased by 23 percent to total roughly $8.2 billion, and the nonbuilding sector is estimated to be 33 percent ahead of 2003, with roughly $1.4 billion reported.

South Carolina activity dropped by 21 percent in July, with a 67 percent decrease in the nonbuilding category the most significant contributor to that decline. Nonresidential also dropped, by 6 percent, for a monthly total of $194.7 million, while residential increased by 7 percent over last July to total roughly $547.8 million.

Even with this month's decline, however, the value of new contracts for the year-to-date in South Carolina is estimated at about $7 billion, or 21 percent ahead of 2003. Nonbuilding construction is roughly 53 percent ahead of last year's total through the first seven months of 2004, with nearly $1.6 billion in contracts reported. Nonresidential, with an estimated value of approximately $1.6 billion, has improved by 12 percent for the year-to-date, while the value of residential contracts, estimated at almost $3.8 billion, has improved by 15 percent for the year.

Hunt to Build Umstead Hotel in Cary, N.C.

Hunt Construction Group's Tampa office has been awarded a construction-management contract to build The Umstead hotel in Cary, N.C., for owner/developer Four Star Ventures. Scheduled for completion in early 2006, this six-story, 217,000-sq.-ft. luxury hotel will feature 150 guestrooms and suites, a 12,500-sq.-ft. spa, 8,500 sq. ft. of meeting space and other amenities.

R.J. Griffin & Co. Picked as GC for The Park

R.J. Griffin & Co. of Charlotte has been selected as general contractor by development group 222 S. Caldwell Street Partnership for construction of The Park, a 21-story high-rise residential condominium located at Third and Caldwell streets in uptown Charlotte's second ward.

Built atop an existing parking deck, the project will include a 10,593-sq.-ft. rooftop park on the 20th floor, featuring a skylight pavilion, gardens, walking trails, a putting green and a swimming pool. Construction started in August. Source: Engineering News-Record.

John S. Clark Begins Addition at Bekaert Textiles

John S. Clark Co. of Greensboro, N.C., has begun construction on a 49,777-sq.-ft. addition of manufacturing space at Bekaert Textiles, located in the Union Cross Business Park in Winston-Salem.

Bostic Building Battery at Parkwest in Mt. Pleasant

Bostic Construction, a Greensboro, N.C.-based multi-housing construction and development company, is heading into the final phases of construction of The Battery at Parkwest. The apartment community in Mount Pleasant, S.C., is scheduled to open in January.