A bad June led to an even worse July, as McGraw-Hill Construction reported the value of Florida contracts for future construction declined by 30 percent during the month, compared to the same period of a year ago. The total value of new contracts signed in July totaled nearly $4 billion, down from last July's nearly $5.7 billion total. All three construction categories reported by McGraw-Hill Construction experienced double-digit decreases during the month.

The state's biggest sector, residential, continued to retrench, with its July total of $2.9 billion down by 30 percent compared to last July. The second-largest sector, nonresidential, also declined by 30 percent. Its total for the month was $711.1 million, down from last July's $1 billion tally. The value of nonbuilding construction contracts - which includes roads, bridges and water infrastructure - dropped by 27 percent to total approximately $377 million for the month. Last July the nonbuilding category totaled nearly $516.3 million.

For the year-to-date, Florida contract activity is now estimated at about $38.7 billion, or 6 percent behind the nearly $41.4 billion reported through the first seven months of 2005. The nonresidential category is 6 percent ahead of 2005, with about $7 billion of activity so far this year. The residential market, with a $27.9 billion total, is now 8 percent behind last year. Nonbuilding construction is 11 percent behind 2005's pace, with a nearly $3.75 billion total.

Arc-Gasification Plant Holds Promise for Power Production

Officials in St. Lucie County are moving forward with plans to build a plasma-arc gasification plant, the first of its kind in the U.S. It will transform the county's solid waste into a combustible gas that will be used to generate power.

The county on June 13 awarded Atlanta-based Geoplasma LLC rights to design, build, own and operate an estimated $400-million plasma arc gasification facility. The plant will use plasma arcs to superheat about 2,000 tons of incoming county solid waste per day and 1,000 tons of waste mined daily from the county's landfill. The process will produce Syn-Gas, similar to natural gas.

The plant will process about 1 million tons of trash per year and produce enough electricity to power up to 48,000 homes, officials said. "Our goal was to find the final resolution of waste in an environmentally friendly and cost-effective manner," said Ron Roberts, assistant director at St. Lucie County Solid Waste Department. As a model, county officials used a Hitachi Metals plasma-arc gasification plant located in Japan.

"We think this is a technology that is ready for implementation," said Eric Grotke, a principal with CDM, Cambridge, Mass., consultant to the county. "With the growing needs on the energy side, it will make it more competitive on the cost side." County officials say profits from electricity generation will offset the plant's operating costs and allow tipping fees to remain near the landfill's current $32 per ton.

The plan includes construction of a modified combined-cycle natural-gas boiler in conjunction with the gasification unit. Syn-Gas will be pumped into the boiler to produce electricity. "With 3,000 tons of garbage, we can export 12 MW of power," said Geoplasma President Hilburn O. Hillestad.

Syn-Gas is a combination of hydrogen and carbon monoxide that composes up to 70 percent of the waste. "At high temperatures of 1,200° C to 1,400° C, the most stable gases are hydrogen and carbon monoxide," said Lou Circeo, director of plasma research programs at the Georgia Tech Research Institute. "If we took all of the municipal waste and collocated it with coal-fired power plants we could produce up to 5 percent of the nation's electricity from the plasma processing."

Despite the technology's potential, it has languished as being cost-prohibitive until now, Circeo noted. "Three or four years ago, you needed tipping fees of $50 to $80 per ton to be profitable for municipal waste," he said. But by collocating the plasma facility on the same premises with a gas-fired powerplant, "we have that down in the $20 to $40 per ton," he added.

In addition to generating electric power and allowing the county to reclaim real estate occupied by its growing landfill, there is a market for the inert slag produced by the plasma gasification process, which can be used to produce paver bricks, gravel, or concrete-grade sand, said Circeo.

County officials currently are negotiating with Geoplasma over an exclusive, long-term contract to take the county's solid waste. The parties have six months from the rights award to reach a deal, sources said. Source: Engineering News-Record. By E. Michael Powers.

Stiles Announces Veranda Falls Retail Development

Stiles Corp. of Fort Lauderdale, in cooperation with the Huizenga family, announced its latest retail development, The Shoppes at Veranda Falls, a 94,000-sq.-ft. shopping development in Port St. Lucie. Stiles divisions are providing the design, development, construction and leasing for the center, which will be anchored by a 45,000-sq.-ft. Publix supermarket.

In addition to the grocery store, the development will include 48,000 sq. ft. of retail space, including three restaurants, as well as two outparcels for future development. Occupancy is slated for the second quarter of 2007.

The Shoppes at Veranda Falls will serve as the gateway to the Huizenga Family's master planned mixed-use development, which will consist of residential, office, hotel, specialty retail and restaurant components.

Skanska Named CM for USF Medical Office Building at Tampa General

Skanska USA Building has started construction of the $16.7 million Health-South Pavilion, a 126,000-sq.-ft. medical office building for the University of South Florida's Tampa General Hospital campus. The architect is HKS.

The project scope includes the construction of the seven-story structure on an existing parking lot area. Completion is scheduled for July.

Skanska is currently managing two additional projects on the TGH campus, a hospital expansion and new parking garage facility.

Skanska/JCB Named CM for Replacement Elementary, High Schools

Orange County Public Schools has selected a team of Skanska USA Building and JCB Construction, both of Orlando, as construction managers for its Apopka Replacement High School and Columbia Replacement Elementary School projects.

The $57 million Apopka High School will feature 10 buildings, including three two-story classroom buildings and a 377,297 sq.-ft. gymnasium. Construction will begin in November, with completion scheduled for July 2008.

The $13 million Columbia Elementary project consists of a two-story, 96,927-sq.-ft. building, which will house administration, art and music rooms, a kitchen, multi-purpose and dining areas and classrooms. The project is scheduled for completion in June 2007.

SchenkelShultz will serve as the architect for both projects.

Weitz Under Way on Courthouse Expansion in Delray Beach

The Weitz Co. of West Palm Beach announced it is well under way with the construction of the South County Courthouse Expansion in Delray Beach.

Scheduled for completion by fall 2007, the two phase $24.5 million expansion will include 75,000 sq. ft. of new building area as well as 33,000 sq. ft. of renovated space in the existing courthouse. PGAL is the project architect.

Nicky Hilton Launches Nicky O Hotels in South Beach

Nicky Hilton recently announced her newest venture, Nicky O, a luxury hotel brand that will launch later this year in Miami. Designer Roberto Cavalli will design a 5,000 sq.-ft. penthouse suite at Nicky O South Beach.

According to the announcement, suites will range from $300 to as much as $5,000 per night for the rooftop penthouse suites.

Located in on Ocean Drive in the Breakwater building, the first of the Nicky O hotels will be an all-suite hotel/condo property.

SIKON Building New Sarasota Publix

SIKON Construction Corp. of Boca Raton was awarded a contract to build the new Broadway Promenade retail center anchored by a 32,502-sq.-ft. Publix supermarket in downtown Sarasota. The center will also contain 5,200 sq. ft. of retail space plus a 7,842-sq.-ft. Broadway Bar restaurant. Designed by Mark Wiener Architects of Boca Raton, the project is slated for completion by the end of the year.

BRPH Breaks Ground on Corrosion Control Facility

The Orlando office of BRPH is leading a design-build effort for a new Corrosion Control Facility at the 125th Fighter Wing, Florida Air National Guard, at Jacksonville International Airport. The total value for the project is estimated to be approximately $4.2 million.

The facility, when completed, will be a 10,600 sq.-ft. fully enclosed, environmentally controlled, high-bay structure. The building will service F-15 Eagle fighter aircraft and will primarily be used for washing, surface preparation and protective service applications. The facility will also have a single high bay for storage of aircraft, abrasive blasting and hand sanding shop, prefabricated paint booth, and hazardous material storage.

The project is scheduled for completion in March.

Perry-McCall to Build FSU Center at DBCC

Jacksonville-based general contractor Perry-McCall was selected to build the FSU Center, a $3 million, 15,000 sq.-ft. classroom, office and laboratory facility at Daytona Beach Community College. The project is scheduled to start later this year.

Florida State University partnered with DBCC and Halifax Medical Center to bring a branch campus of its College of Medicine to Daytona Beach. The branch will serve 40 third- and fourth-year medical students on the DBCC campus starting in 2008.

Toll Brothers Tops Out Beach Front at Singer Island

Toll Brothers has topped out its 20-story tower at Beach Front at Singer Island. The building features 59 luxury condominium residences, including eight two-story townhomes with rooftop decks.

The residences at Beach Front at Singer Island range in size from 2,440 to over 4,000 sq. ft. of air-conditioned living space.

Robert M. Swedroe Architects/Planners of Miami Beach is the architect for both project.