Georgia Contract Activity Up 5 Percent in August

After improving by 30 percent in June and 29 percent in July, the value of contracts for future construction in the state of Georgia increased by a more modest 5 percent in August, compared to the same period of a year ago, McGraw-Hill Construction reported. Even so, the latest numbers contributed to a year-to-date improvement of 22 percent compared to the first eight months of 2003.

Overall, contracts for the month totaled approximately $1.8 billion, or about $80 million ahead of last August's pace. In August, the nonbuilding and residential categories led the way, offsetting a 30-percent drop in the nonresidential sector.

The nonbuilding category was the greatest percentage gainer, improving by 60 percent over last August to end up at roughly $236 million. Residential moved up by 16 percent to total approximately $1.2 billion for the month. Nonresidential declined 30 percent from a year ago to total $405.1 million.

For the year-to-date, Georgia activity is 22 percent ahead of 2003's pace, with about $15.9 billion in contracts and all categories showing double-digit gains so far. Residential is 27 percent ahead of the first eight months of 2003, with approximately $10 billion reported. The second-largest market, nonresidential, is 11 percent ahead of a year ago, with roughly $3.9 billion in contracts reported to date. Also, the nonbuilding category is 24 percent ahead year-to-date, with a $1.9 billion total.

Batson-Cook Awarded Contract for Cloister Hotel

Batson-Cook of Atlanta recently began construction of the new main hotel at The Cloister on Sea Island, Ga. The 245,484-sq.-ft. hotel will be built for The Sea Island Company and will consist of 33 luxury suites, a meeting/ballroom and a prefunction room. Several restaurants, a culinary facility and a solarium will also be included in this five-star hotel.

The general contractor, who also completed the hotel's $7 million foundations package, will work with designer Peter Capone & Associates of New York to maintain the Spanish/European style consistent with the existing hotel.

Jacobs-HNTB Team Wins Contract for Toll-Road Projects

The Georgia State Road and Tollway Authority has awarded three- to five-year contracts to the team of Jacobs-HNTB Corp. to serve as its general technical consultants for toll-road projects. The tollway authority contract calls for HNTB to lead the planning and engineering on projects such as the development of a statewide toll-system master plan, studies and/or design of HOV and truck-only toll facilities and improvements to the existing tollway.

The Georgia Department of Transportation's contract calls for the review of a new toll road from Atlanta to Athens, including technical approach, financial viability, environmental sensitivity, legal structure and compliance with statutory requirements. Source: Engineering News-Record.

ASCE Georgia Section Presents Annual Awards

The Georgia Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers recently presented its 2004 awards and scholarships during its recent annual meeting. The group recognized Raymond J. Wilke as its "Civil Engineer of the Year" and Robert I. Morris as the "Younger Civil Engineer of the Year."

Wilke recently served as chief engineer for development for Fulton County, Ga., and as principal consultant for Trammel Crow's Constructed Wetlands project, which recently won Fulton County's "2003 Best Development Project."

Morris has been working at Contech Construction Products since graduating from The Georgia Institute of Technology in 1998. As manager of bridge solutions, Morris currently oversees market development, planning and technical assistance for sales engineers in the states east of the Mississippi River. He serves as director of the Georgia Section's Younger Members Group and is chairman of the awards committee.

The association also presented its Milan E. Degyansky Memorial Scholarship for Civil Engineering Technology to Margaret Mbugua, a senior at Southern Polytechnic State University in Marietta, Ga. Mbugua has been a student member of ASCE for three years.

The Georgia Section of ASCE also presented its Civil Engineering Scholarship to Charles Kennan Crane, who is presently pursuing a master's degree in civil engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta.