Contract Activity Falls 10 Percent in November

Despite a continued increase in the residential market, major dips in the other sectors drove the overall value of Georgia contracts signed during the month of November for future construction down 10 percent, McGraw-Hill Construction reported. Overall, contracts for the month totaled nearly $1.7 billion, compared to the roughly $1.9 billion reported last November.

As was the case in October, residential was the only positive sector for the month. The 18 percent gain in that market resulted in roughly $1.2 billion worth of contracts, compared to last November's $1 billion total. The value of nonresidential contracts fell by 18 percent, to approximately $352.7 million, compared to last year's $427.5 million. The nonbuilding category dropped 77 percent to total just $90.9 million, compared to last November's $391.8 million.

Despite November's downturn, for the first eleven months of the year the overall value of contract activity is still roughly 12 percent ahead, with about $24.4 billion in contracts reported. Residential, with approximately $15.1 billion in new contracts, is 12 percent ahead of 2004's pace. The nonresidential category is 11 percent ahead for the year, and totals nearly $6.1 billion. The nonbuilding category remains 10 percent ahead of last year's pace, with nearly $3.2 billion in new contracts reported.

Georgia Tech Project Earns National Design-Build Award

Skanska USA Building of Atlanta announced that its Georgia Institute of Technology Campus Recreation Center project earned a 2005 National Design-Build Award from the Design-Build Institute of America. Hastings & Chivetta was Skanska's design-build partner on the project.

The national award - in the Design-Build Rehabilitation/Renovation/Restoration category - honored the two firms for their "advanced and innovative application of total integrated project delivery" and "for finding unique solutions for project challenges" at the CRC project.

The team expanded Georgia Tech's existing athletic center to include 273,000 sq. ft. of new construction and 210,000 sq. ft. of renovated space.

According to the DBIA, the work performed by Skanska and Hastings & Chivetta at the Georgia Tech CRC project "exemplifies the principles of interdisciplinary teamwork, innovation and problem solving that characterize design-build delivery."

Winners of this award competition were announced at DBIA's annual awards dinner during the institute's 2005 Professional Design-Build Conference in Las Vegas.

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