North, South Carolina Experience Declines of 63%, 43% in March

Also, Caddell Construction Co. of Montgomery, Ala., and LS3P Associates of Charleston, S.C., are design-building a new facility at Fort Bragg

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 construction categories declined by double-digit percentages compared to last year. Residential dropped 52% compared to last March, totaling $452.8 million. That compares to last March’s $947.6 million. The nonbuilding sector–which includes infrastructure projects–fell 92% and totaled $107 million. The nonresidential category dropped 10%, tallying $475.6 million.

For the year-to-date, North Carolina’s overall contract activity is 58% behind 2008’s pace. The nonbuilding sector is an 82% behind 2008, with $339.2 million in new contracts through March. Residential is 57% behind, with just over $1.2 billion in new contracts. That compares to last year’s $2.9 billion. Nonresidential is 35% behind ’08, with $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, for a $231.9 million total. Nonresidential fell by 33% to tally $127.9 million. There was positive news in the nonbuilding sector, however. 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, with approximately $1.25 billion in new contracts through March. Nonresidential is 42% behind ‘08, with $404.7 million in new contracts. The residential sector is 57% behind, at $575.2 million. Despite the March uptick, the nonbuilding sector is 75% behind ‘08, at $273.6 million.

$99.8-Million 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 Construction 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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