Both N.C., S.C., Experience Gains in November

The value of new contracts for future construction activity inched up in November for the North Carolina market while it surged in South Carolina, McGraw-Hill Construction reported recently. The pace of North Carolina's contract activity improved by 2 percent in November, while South Carolina's increased by 23 percent.

In North Carolina, new November contracts totaled nearly $1.8 billion, compared to last year's roughly $1.7 billion total. Residential improved by 17 percent compared to last November and tallied nearly $1.3 billion. The value of nonresidential contracts also increased, by 7 percent, to total approximately $418.3 million. The value of nonbuilding contracts fell by 70 percent and totaled approximately $73.1 million for the month, compared to last year's $239.8 million.

North Carolina contract activity is now 11 percent ahead of the first eleven months of 2004, with a total value of approximately $21.8 billion. Nonresidential is 6 percent ahead of last year's pace, with nearly $4.6 billion in new contracts. The value of residential contracts has climbed by about 16 percent to total roughly $15 billion. The nonbuilding sector is 5 percent behind last year's pace, with about $2.1 billion in new contracts.

In South Carolina, November's 23 percent gain was the result of strong growth in both the residential and nonresidential sectors. The overall total for November was roughly $1 billion, compared to last year's $836.5 million tally. Residential contracts increased by 34 percent to total roughly $673 million, compared to last November's $502.3 million. Nonresidential surged by 62 percent to total roughly $281.9 million, well above last year's $173.9 million total. The nonbuilding sector continued its decline, however, dropping by 55 percent to tally $72.1 million, down from last year's $160.3 million.

Year-to-date, the value of new contracts in South Carolina, estimated at about $11.5 billion, is now 5 percent ahead of last year's pace. However, residential, at about $7.9 billion and with a 32-percent improvement so far, is the only positive sector. The nonbuilding category, with a nearly $1.1 billion total, is an estimated 52 percent behind 2004's pace, while nonresidential, valued at about $2.5 billion, is down by about 8 percent.

Highwood Properties to Develop 29-Story HQ for RBC Centura Bank

RBC Centura Bank has selected Highwoods Properties to develop its new corporate headquarters in downtown Raleigh. Plans call for a 29-story mixed-use complex that will include office and retail space, as well as 10 stories of residential condominiums. Completion is scheduled for 2008.

Highwoods will serve as the master developer, Dominion Realty Partners as the residential developer and Cooper Carry as the architect.

The 400-ft.-tall, 710,000 sq.-ft. building will house RBC Centura's corporate offices, a branch bank, street-level retail space, a seven-level parking deck, five floors of for-lease office space and approximately 140 residential condominium units.

The building's façade will be stone and glass on the first floor, transitioning to architectural pre-cast concrete and glass above. At the condominium levels, the building skin becomes floor to ceiling glass.

Batson-Cook to Build $47.7 Million TradeMark Condos

Batson-Cook of Atlanta was awarded a $47.7 million contract to build the 28-story TradeMark building in Uptown Charlotte. The project will include nearly 490,000 sq. ft. of living, parking, office and retail space. The building will feature 202 residential units.

This is Batson-Cook's second contract with the project developer, Boulevard Centro. David Furman Architects is the project architect.

VOA Design-Building Renovation of Fort Bragg's Kennedy Hall

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District has commissioned the Orlando office of designer VOA Associates as architect of record for a $10.7M renovation of Kennedy Hall Building D-3205 at Fort Bragg, N.C. VOA is providing full architectural/construction administration services for the design-build project. Construction was expected to start in January, with completion targeted for March 2007.

The construction team will demolish the 72,675 sq.-ft. Kennedy Hall, an existing steel frame structure, to its structural shell, exclusive of the exterior building precast concrete and concrete masonry unit/stucco walls and scheduled areas within the basement. All interior spaces will be reconfigured to provide classroom and administrative space for the U.S. Army Special Forces Non-Commissioned Officer and Warrant Officer Academies into one facility.

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