Georgia Contract Activity Down 24% in September

The overall value of new Georgia contracts signed in September for future construction fell 24%, compared to the same period of a year ago, according to McGraw-Hill Construction, publisher of Southeast Construction. The total value of new contracts was nearly $1.7 billion, compared to last September’s $2.2 billion.

In September, the only positive sector was nonresidential, which improved by 28% to tally $849.7 million for the month. Meanwhile, the value of residential contracts fell 34%, compared to last September, to total roughly $511.9 million. The nonbuilding segment – which includes infrastructure projects – declined 61% for a $293.6 million total.

For the year-to-date, the value of new Georgia contracts is now 33% behind 2007’s pace, with roughly $14.2 billion in new project starts. The residential market is 48% behind ’07 so far, with roughly $5.2 billion in new contracts. The nonresidential market is 13% behind last year, with $6.3 billion in new project starts. The nonbuilding sector is now 29% behind ’07, with about $2.7 billion in new starts.

Heery, Brasfield & Gorrie Team Up Again for Aquarium

According to McGraw-Hill Construction, Brasfield & Gorrie of Kennesaw, Ga., will serve as the general contractor for the Dolphin Exhibit Expansion project at the Georgia Aquarium, in Atlanta.

Heery International of Atlanta is serving as the construction manager. Both companies worked on the original Georgia Aquarium project.

McGraw-Hill Construction estimates the value of the project as $110 million. Demolition and other site work was set to have started this past October.

Georgia Tech’s New Softball Facility to Open in February

The 2009 Georgia Tech Women’s softball team will have a new 750-plus-seat softball complex in February. Atlanta-based Rosser International designed and engineered the Georgia Institute of Technology Women’s Softball Complex to attain LEED Silver certification.

Rosser included satellite, communications and broadcast capabilities throughout the facility. The firm also designed and managed the completion of the team’s batting tunnel and practice facility.

Long Engineering, the project’s civil engineering consultant, designed a storm water management system that includes includes two underground corrugated metal pipe cisterns, oversized field drainage pipes and additional site drainage to collect and store storm water, so the field can be irrigated completely by captured rainwater, site runoff and field drainage. Barton Malow was the construction manager.

The project’s sustainable design also includes waterless urinals and low-flow fixtures and faucets.

Batson-Cook Completes Pair of Projects

Batson-Cook Co. of West Point, Ga., completed the $30.6 million Northside Forsyth Women’s Center in Cumming. The new Women’s Center stands three stories, provides a 108,000-sq-ft addition to the main facility and is linked to the main building by a pedestrian bridge. This facility includes 12 labor and delivery rooms, 16 post-partum rooms and two newborn nurseries.

The contractor also completed a 101,800-sq-ft manufacturing facility for Cessna Aircraft Company in Columbus. The $9.6 million plant will assemble parts for approximately six of Cessna’s aircraft lines.

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