February Contracts: N.C. Down 55%, S.C. Drops 72%

Compared to the same period of a year ago, the value of new contracts signed in February for future construction fell by 55% overall in North Carolina, and by 72% 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 $895 million, down from last February’s total of nearly $2 billion.

Contract value in all three of McGraw-Hill Construction’s broad construction categories declined by more than 50% compared to a year ago. Residential dropped 52% compared to last February to total about $482.8 million for the month. That compares to last February’s $1 billion total. The nonbuilding sector – which includes infrastructure projects – fell 58% to total about $117.8 million. The nonresidential category dropped 58%, too, tallying about $294.5 million in new projects during the month.

In South Carolina, February contracts fell by an overall rate of 72%. The state’s total for February was $440.7 million, down from the year-ago tally of $1.6 billion.

The residential sector fell 52% compared to the preceding February for a $198.1 million monthly total. That compares to the $411.1 million in residential contracts of a year ago. The nonbuilding sector fell by 88% and totaled nearly $107.1 million. The nonresidential sector fell by 53% to tally $135.5 million for the month.

Shelco to Build $31 Million Project for UNC-Asheville

The Greenville, N.C., office of Shelco was selected by The University of North Carolina Asheville to build its $31 million, North Carolina Center for Health Promotions & Partnerships project.

The project’s highlight building is the 4,000-seat Kimmel Arena. The balance of the new buildings will provide new space for classrooms, research and teaching labs; cardiovascular and strength training rooms; offices, meeting rooms and seminar space; studios for dance, aerobics, yoga and other physical activity courses; a wellness café and teaching kitchen; and incubator space for wellness-related community enterprises.  A new parking deck will be provided as well.

The project team is targeting LEED certification.

Hendrick Construction Completes Coaster, County Jail

Hendrick Construction of Charlotte announced it has completed its work on two major projects – the Carolina Cobra roller coaster at Carowinds, and a new county jail addition in Mecklenburg County.

The 125-ft-tall Cobra thrill ride is the second-tallest roller coaster in the amusement park. It features a 935-ft track with three inversions. The project required 1.6 million pounds of structural concrete and 60,000 pounds of reinforcing steel to support the track and forces exerted by the ride.

Hendrick Construction built Carolina Cobra’s foundations, queue line, control station, and amenities. Hendrick also worked with Carowinds to assemble and mount the structure.

The project owner was Cedar Fair Entertainment Co.

The contractor also completed the 81,000-sq-ft Mecklenburg County Jail-North Annex. The annex can hold up to 250 inmates in 36,000 sq ft of space, and features 10,000 sq ft of administrative space.

The facility will primarily house low- to medium-security inmates.

WPC Engineering Recognized for Lighthouse Stabilization in Charleston

Engineering firm WPC won the Palmetto Award for the 2009 Engineering Excellence Awards competition of the South Carolina chapter of the American Council of Engineering Companies.

WPC, which served as engineer, submitted its Morris Island Lighthouse Stabilization Project, which involved the careful construction of a sheet pile cofferdam around the historic lighthouse located on Morris Island in Charleston, S.C., built in 1876.

Since 1938, more than 2,000 ft of land surrounding the structure had been lost. The exposure of the lighthouse foundation to the ocean led to the deterioration of the timber piles and timber matting on which the structure was founded.

Contracted by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, Taylor Brothers Marine Construction constructed the cofferdam, consisting of a 72-ft diameter ring of 46-ft long sheet piles and a protective rip-rap barrier.

To protect the structure from damage during new cofferdam construction, WPC designed and implemented a vibration control plan that not only measured structure tilt, existing crack movements, vibrations and environmental factors, but also allowed for real-time monitoring of the data.

A post-condition survey and subsequent monitoring plan data analysis showed no damage occurred to the lighthouse during the project and that the lighthouse was effectively protected.

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