March Contracts: N.C. Down 63%, S.C. Drops 43%

Compared to the same period of a year ago, the value of new contracts signed in March for future construction fell by 63% overall in North Carolina, and by 43% 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 $1 billion, down from last March’s total of nearly $2.8 billion.

Contract value in all three of McGraw-Hill Construction’s broad construction categories declined double-digit percentages compared to a year ago. For the second month in a row, residential dropped 52% compared to last March, totaling about $452.8 million for the month. That compares to last March’s $947.6 million total. The nonbuilding sector – which includes infrastructure projects – fell 92% and totaled just $107 million. The nonresidential category dropped 10%, tallying about $475.6 million in new projects during the month.

For the year-to-date, North Carolina’s overall contract activity is 58% behind 2008’s pace. The nonbuilding sector is an incredible 82% behind 2008, with roughly $339.2 million in new contracts through the first three months of the year. Residential is 57% behind for the year, with just over $1.2 billion in new contracts through March. That compares to last year’s $2.9 billion. The nonresidential category is 35% behind ’08, with approximately $1.1 billion in new contracts so far.

In South Carolina, March contracts fell by an overall rate of 43%. The state’s total for March was $447.4 million, down from the year-ago tally of $781.5 million.

The residential sector fell 54% in March compared to the same period of a year ago, for a $231.9 million monthly total. That compares to the $506.4 million in residential contracts of a year ago. The nonresidential sector fell by 33% to tally $127.9 million for the month. There was positive news in the nonbuilding sector, however. The value of contracts in this sector actually increased 3% compared to a year ago and totaled $87.6 million.

For the year-to-date, South Carolina’s overall contract activity is 60% behind last year’s pace, with approximately $1.25 billion in new contracts for the first three months of the year. The nonresidential category is 42% behind 2008, with roughly $404.7 million in new contracts so far. The residential sector is 57% behind last year, with a $575.2 million total. Despite the March uptick, the nonbuilding sector is 75% behind last year, with a $273.6-million tally.

$99.8M Fort Bragg Design-Build Project on Fast Track

Caddell Construction Co. of Montgomery, Ala., is the contractor for a $99.8-million design-build contract to build the 108th Air Defense Artillery Complex project at Fort Bragg, N.C. McGraw-Hill Construction, publisher of Southeast Construction, reported construction started in April 2009.

The project includes 14 buildings with a total square footage of 557,000 sq ft. LS3P Associates of Charleston, S.C., is the architect. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is the project owner.

The project is scheduled for completion in October 2010.

BE&K Awarded Progress Energy Contract for Richmond Co. Energy Project

KBR announced today that BE&K Construction Co., a division of its services business unit, was awarded a power contract by Progress Energy Carolinas, to provide construction services for a new natural gas-fired combined-cycle unit at the Richmond County Energy Complex near Hamlet, N.C.

BE&K will provide general construction services, including installation of foundations, power generation and auxiliary equipment, piping, electrical,instrumentation, control and related systems for the facility. Work was expected to have begun in April 2009.

Hendrick Completes Second Phase of Valerie C. Woodard Office Center

Hendrick Construction of Charlotte, N.C., completed the second phase of the Valerie C. Woodard Office Center, giving Mecklenburg County employees an additional 80,000 sq ft of office space in a building renovated from an aging mall.

Formerly the Freedom Mall, the Valerie C. Woodard Office Center is an environmentally sensitive neighborhood revitalization project. Mecklenburg County will seek LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council for the project later this year.

Green-building features completed in phase two include an underground irrigation system that collects and stores rainwater from the roof. The site also has rain gardens that cool, cleanse and slow the movement of storm water before it enters nearby creeks. Other green-building features include an under-floor air distribution system, the use of recycled materials, as well as eco-friendly paints, carpets and furniture.

The Valerie C. Woodard Office Center currently houses more than 400 employees from the county’s Social Services, Information Services and Technology and Real Estate Services departments in 180,000 sq ft of space. When phase three is completed, the building will accommodate more than 1,000 county employees in approximately 400,000 sq ft of space.

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