Double-Digit Growth in '04 for North, South Carolina

McGraw-Hill Construction reported that the respective values of contracts for future construction activity were up significantly in both North Carolina and South Carolina during 2004.

In North Carolina, the year concluded with an 8 percent gain in December for a total value of approximately $1.8 billion. Leading the way in December was the nonresidential sector, which increased by 38 percent over December 2003 to total $395.5 million.The residential sector increased by 3 percent, to end at approximately $1.1 billion, while nonbuilding contracts improved by 1 percent to total roughly $375.5 million.

Overall, 2004 North Carolina contract activity increased by 13 percent over 2003 to total roughly $21.4 billion. Residential increased by 20 percent over 2003, to total roughly $14.1 billion, and the nonbuilding sector improved by 15 percent to total approximately $2.6 billion. Nonresidential was 5 percent behind 2003's pace, with nearly $4.7 billion in contracts reported.

Though 2004 was positive overall, the value of South Carolina contracts decreased by 4 percent in December. The nonbuilding category declined by 7 percent for a monthly total of roughly $132.8 million, compared to last December's $142.1 million. The nonresidential category declined by 32 percent from last December and totaled approximately $145.6 million. Residential improved by 11 percent, to total roughly $500.1 million. The total value of December contracts was roughly $778.6 million.

For all of 2004, the value of new contracts in South Carolina was roughly $11.8 billion, or 21 percent ahead of 2003's pace. Nonbuilding construction finished the year 47 percent ahead of 2003, with roughly $2.4 billion in contracts reported. Nonresidential, with an estimated value of approximately $2.8 billion, improved by 16 percent, while the value of residential contracts, estimated at about $6.5 billion, improved by 15 percent.

$33 Million Savannah River Site Contract Awarded

Tetra Tech has been awarded two new contracts, with total value of $42 million, for environmental work at two U.S. Department of Energy sites. One contract was awarded for approximately $33 million of environmental work at the Savannah River site located near Aiken, S.C. It includes the closure of three eight-acre radioactively contaminated lagoons and associated piping, environmental site restoration, and the closure of a 74-acre landfill.

The other contract includes approximately $9 million of environmental work at the Hanford site, near Richland, Wash. Source: Engineering News-Record.

Summit Contractors Building Multi-Residential Project in Charleston

Penny Creek Associates of Kiawah Island, S.C., recently awarded Summit Contractors of Jacksonville, Fla., with a contract to build a multiresidential facility in Charleston, S.C. The project will include 14 wood-frame buildings and a total of 80 units.

Lawrence Abell, LaPlata, Md., is the project architect. Project completion is scheduled for October.

Florida Firm Breaks Ground on Aiken, S.C., Facility

Flanders Corp. of St. Petersburg, Fla., announced the groundbreaking of its new, 400,000-sq.-ft. facility in Aiken, S.C. This represents the culmination of an effort by the Aiken/Edgefield Economic Development Partnership and the State of South Carolina in bringing Flanders and its wholly owned subsidiary, Global Containment Systems, to South Carolina.

This expansion will continue to support the new missions being undertaken by the Savannah River National Laboratory. Global Containment Systems is a qualified supplier of high-end containment and isolation barrier systems for this project.

The expansion in South Carolina will provide Global Containment Systems a state-of-the-art facility for in-place testing, integration and process control verification prior to shipment to the site.

Global Containment Systems provides design, engineering, procurement and document control, design control, manufacturing and fabrication, start-up, testing, project and construction management, and other services. Flanders is an air-filtration products manufacturer.

DeBartolo Developing Retail Project in Raleigh

Tampa-based real-estate developer DeBartolo Development continued its expansion into new national markets through its agreement to develop a 400,000 sq.-ft. retail project in Raleigh, N.C.

The Perry Creek Commons project will include a blend of big box tenants and local retail shops. The development will be located in North Raleigh.

DeBartolo expects the new retail destination will be completely built out by late 2008 or early 2009.