McCarthy Building Cos. Completes CDC Lab

McCarthy Building Cos. has completed construction of the $165 million Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratory facility. Located on the CDC's Edward R. Roybal campus in Atlanta, the building is a biosafety level-4 facility that researchers will use to study and develop responses to many of the world's most infectious diseases.

The 12-story, 400,000-sq.-ft. structure and an attached five-story facility also include level-2 and -3 labs, office areas, analytical equipment labs and molecular biology suites. More than 450 CDC researchers will work at the facility.

Georgia Contract Activity Jumps Again in September

Following on the heels of a strong August, the value of contracts for future construction in the state of Georgia increased by a significant 25 percent in September, McGraw-Hill Construction reported, as all three construction sectors again showed double-digit growth for the month. Overall, contracts for the month totaled approximately $2.3 billion, compared to the nearly $1.9 billion reported last September.

The nonbuilding construction category more than doubled in September, to total approximately $413.5 million, compared to last year's $156.9 million. Nonresidential contracts improved by 10 percent, to an approximately $575.1 million total, compared to the $523 million reported a year ago. The value of residential contracts improved by 14 percent to total nearly $1.4 billion for the month, compared to the $1.2 billion of a year ago.

To date, the value of contract activity is roughly 13 percent ahead of the pace of the first nine months of 2004, with about $20.2 billion in contracts reported. Residential, with approximately $12.4 billion in new contracts, is 10 percent ahead of the same period of 2004. The nonresidential category is now 15 percent ahead for the year-to-date, and totals roughly $5.1 billion. The nonbuilding category is 29 percent ahead of last year's pace, with roughly $2.7 billion in new contracts reported.

Skanska Awarded $52.5 Million Wastewater Treatment Plant Project

Skanska has been awarded a $52.5 million contract to construct a ready-to-operate wastewater treatment facility in Douglas County. The owner is Douglasville-Douglas County Water and Sewer Authority.

Ayres Associates to Engineer I-85 Widening

The Georgia Department of Transportation recently selected Ayres Associates of Atlanta to engineer a $22 million Interstate 85 widening and reconstruction project.

The proposed 8-mi.-long project will widen the existing four-lane mainline of I-85 to six lanes from north of State Road 53 to north of U.S. I 69/State Road 11 in southern Jackson County. The project includes reconstruction and widening of the I-85 corridor, reconstruction of major interchanges, bridges and other structures.

Expanded High Museum in Atlanta Opens

The High Museum of Art in Atlanta opened its expanded facilities in November. Three new buildings, totaling 177,000 sq. ft., centered around a public piazza more than double the museum's size to a total of roughly 312,000 sq. ft.

Skanska USA Building and H.J. Russell & Co., both of Atlanta, combined to build the Renzo Piano-designed addition. The expansion is the centerpiece of an overall upgrade of the Woodruff Arts Center, which includes the High Museum of Art, the Atlanta College of Art, the Alliance Theatre, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Young Audiences of Atlanta and the 14th Street Playhouse.

Team Selected for AIA People Mover Contract

Archer Western Contractors/Capital Contracting Co. J.V. has been selected by the City of Atlanta to construct an Automated People Mover system at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Sumitomo Corp. of America and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America will supply the systems and also will be responsible for the operation and maintenance option.

The contract, valued at $209 million, includes the design, engineering, construction, systems integration, quality control services, vehicle delivery, as well as the operations and maintenance of the new system.

Completion is currently scheduled for fall 2008.

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