Navy Selects Walton Construction for $25M Barracks

The Department of the Navy-Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast has selected the St. Louis office of Walton Construction Co. as general contractor on the new $25.3 million Parris Island Barracks Complex in Parris Island, S.C. VOA Associates is the architect for the project, which was scheduled to begin construction in January 2009, with completion targeted for November 2010.

Walton Construction states it will work to achieve Silver LEED certification on the South Carolina barracks complex.

The project includes a three-story barracks, a headquarters training complex and a central mechanical plant. The Parris Island Barracks Complex will provide living quarters and a training facility for all Marine recruits east of the Mississippi River.

N.C., S.C. End 2008 with Major Declines

Compared to the same period of a year ago, the value of new contracts signed in December for future construction fell by 31% overall in North Carolina, and by 28% in South Carolina, according to the latest information from McGraw-Hill Construction, publisher of Southeast Construction.

In North Carolina, the overall total for new project starts was roughly $821.3 million, down from last December’s nearly $1.2 billion.

Despite the overall decline, residential was the only one of the three broad construction categories to decline during December, however. The value of new residential contracts dropped by 59%, compared to a year ago, to tally $360.7 million. By contrast, the nonresidential sector improved by 24% to total about $309.4 million, compared to last December’s $249.1 million. The nonbuilding sector – which includes infrastructure projects – improved by a significant 90% to total about $151.2 million, which compares to the year-ago figure of $79.8 million.

For the year, McGraw-Hill Construction estimates North Carolina at 21% behind 2007. The residential sector ended at an estimated 40% behind 2007, and totaled roughly $9.2 billion in new starts. The nonresidential market finished at an estimated 5% behind ’07, with about $6 billion in new starts. The nonbuilding sector’s roughly $4 billion total for new project starts equated to about 48% ahead of 2007.

In South Carolina, December contracts were 28% lower than the same period of a year ago, and totaled roughly $524 million. That compares to last December’s total of roughly $729.7 million.

The nonresidential sector improved by about 56% compared to last December for a $282.6 million total. Residential fell 59% for a $188.9 million monthly total. The value of nonbuilding contracts was 41% behind the same period of a year ago, for a total of $52.6 million.

For the final estimate of 2008, McGraw-Hill Construction is estimating the value of new starts in South Carolina at about $10.2 billion, or 30% behind 2007. Residential ended at $4.7 billion, or 31% behind 2007. Nonresidential finished at 45% behind 2007, with a cumulative total of $3.6 billion in new project starts. The nonbuilding segment ended at 45% ahead of 2007, with an approximately $1.9 billion total.

Concorde Completes Renovation Work for Classroom Central in Charlotte

Concorde Construction Co. recently completed renovations to the Classroom Central building, a free store for teachers who work in low-income schools in the Charlotte, N.C., area.

Concorde coordinated with multiple companies to provide all in-kind construction services to this charity. The building needed aesthetic improvements and organizational restructuring. The contractor built new offices, remodeled the conference room, renovated the women’s bathroom, modified product storage racks structure, built a store room, reconfigured the volunteer and check-in stations, and created movable kiosks at check-out.

Concorde Construction provided preconstruction, project management and supervision for the renovation. The local subcontractors recruited to assist with the project included Universal Drywall, A&K Painting, Ammons Plumbing, Associated Flooring, BNR Construction, 84 Lumber, Twin Star, Etheridge Electric, Burgess Sales and Supplies, and Vintage Cabinetry. The projec team spent more than 800 manhours to complete the renovations and contributed more than $12,500 in project management, supervision, labor and materials.

David Privitera, Executive Vice President and COO for Concorde Construction stated "We are honored and humbled to help Classroom Central in updating their facility. We deeply respect their mission and understand the importance in efficiently serving as many teachers and students in need as possible.”

Classroom Central is a free store for teachers who work in low-income schools in the Charlotte region.Through their mission of equipping students to effectively learn by collecting and distributing free school supplies, Classroom Central served more than 80,000 students during the 2007-2008 academic year. Since opening in 2002, more than $12 million in free school supplies have been distributed to students in Charlotte-Mecklenburg and surrounding school districts.

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