FAA Releases Funds for Hurricane-Damaged Airports

The Federal Aviation Administration has allocated $4.5 million to 12 airports to help them rebuild from the series of four hurricanes that hit the South and other parts of the U.S. earlier this year. The aid awards, announced Dec. 3, bring FAA's total hurricane relief aid to $25 million.

Work covered by the federal funds includes repairing or replacing terminal buildings and hangars.

In October, the agency allotted $20.5 million for hurricane-related repairs to 71 airports in Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Puerto Rico.

Florida airports received the largest share of the October FAA assistance, with $18.7 million. That includes: $3.3 million to Daytona Beach International, $2.1 million to Tampa International and $2 million each to Palm Beach International and Charlotte County Airport in Punta Gorda. Source: Engineering News-Record. By Tom Ichniowski

Volvo CE Sells L.B. Smith Dealership

Volvo Construction Equipment announced the sale of portions of its L.B. Smith dealership operations, including facilities in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama and eastern Tennessee.

In Florida, Volvo sold its former L.B. Smith dealership's Tallahassee operations to Flagler Construction Equipment LLC of Maitland, Fla. Flagler became a Volvo CE dealer in 2004 with its acquisition of the L.B. Smith dealership territory of Florida that included branch facilities in Orlando, Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Fort Lauderdale and Tampa.

For the other states, Volvo appointed ASC Construction Equipment USA Inc. of Charlotte, N.C., as an authorized Volvo CE dealer. The new dealership will serve its market area from 12 branch facilities, including: Asheville, Raleigh and Charlotte, N.C.; Columbia, S.C.; Savannah, Augusta and Atlanta, Ga.; Mobile, Birmingham and Montgomery, Ala.; and Knoxville and Chattanooga, Tenn. ASC is a subsidiary of Group Auto-Sueco Coimbra, a major Volvo CE dealer in Europe for approximately 50 years.

Volvo had purchased the assets associated with L.B. Smith Inc., its distributor for a majority of the East Coast, in May 2003, and continued operations under that brand name while negotiating the sale and divestment of its territories.

Central Florida NAIOP Presents Awards of Excellence

The Central Florida Chapter of the National Association of Industrial & Office Properties in Orlando recently presented its "2004 NAIOP Awards of Excellence." Winners included:

• Developer of the Year - Flagler Development Co.;
  
• Outstanding Office Development - Lincoln Property Co.'s 250 Park Avenue Building;
  
• Outstanding Small Industrial Development - Trammell Crow Co.'s Landmark Art & Frame Building;
  
• Outstanding Large Industrial Development - Osceola County Economic Development Department's Lowe's Regional Distribution Center;
  
• Outstanding Flex Space Development - NAI Realvest Partners' Monroe CommerCenter North;
  
• Outstanding Business Park Development - Eastgroup Property Services' Sunport V Center;
  
• Office Broker of the Year - Catherine A. Reeves, Highwoods Properties;
  
• Industrial Broker of the Year - David J. Murphy, Jr., CB Richard Ellis;
  
• Associate Member of the Year - John Pleisse, Attorneys' Title Insurance Fund;
  
• Spirit of Orlando - Gary Kreisler, Clancy & Theys Construction;
  
• Lifetime Achievement Award - Nan B. McCormick, CCIM, CB Richard Ellis;
  
• President's Award - Mark Lieblich, Marriott Ownership Resorts.

Lord, Aeck & Sargent Announces Expansion

Atlanta architecture firm Lord, Aeck & Sargent announced architects Eric B. Brock and David E. Green, partners and co-founders of Brock Green Architects and Planners, have moved their practice to form a dedicated studio group within Lord, Aeck & Sargent. The move will enable the firm to pursue the housing and mixed-use development market, including college and university projects.

The new group, which will be called the Housing & Mixed-Use Development Studio, will be staffed by Brock, Green and eight other architects and interns.

Mulkey Expands to Georgia

Mulkey Engineers & Consultants of Raleigh, N.C., recently opened an office in metropolitan Atlanta. This is the firm's first office outside the Carolinas.

Neil R. Davis, former program director with EarthTech, will head the new office.

Norbert W. Young Wins AIA's Edward C. Kemper Award

The American Institute of Architects recently announced that Norbert W. Young Jr., FAIA, president of McGraw-Hill Construction, was the 2005 recipient of the Edward C. Kemper Award for outstanding service to the profession of architecture through the AIA. Named in honor of the AIA's first executive director, the award recognizes individuals who contribute significantly to the profession of architecture through service to the Institute.

Young is president of McGraw-Hill Construction, publisher of Southeast Construction and other information sources including Dodge, Sweets, Architectural Record, Engineering News-Record, Construction.com and several regional publications.

A nomination letter from AIA Vice President RK Stewart, FAIA, and several directors read: "His commitment had gone well beyond his position at McGraw-Hill. Norbert's leadership throughout his career has greatly contributed both to the design and construction industry as well as the public's appreciation of architects and the part architecture plays in the life of their communities."

In his letter of support, AIA Executive Vice President/CEO Norman L. Koonce, FAIA, stated: "His recent work includes deep and abiding commitment to embracing and leveraging the changes wrought by technological advances in modeling and design specifications. As the profession moved from pencils and paper through computer-aided design, and now to four-dimensional building models, he has been a constant and persuasive voice for understanding and using new technologies to advance the profession."

A registered architect, Young is a member of the Urban Land Institute and the International Alliance for Interoperability. He also serves as a trustee of the National Building Museum and is a regent of the American Architectural Foundation.

Kaufman Lynn Recognized for Professional, Charitable Work

Kaufman Lynn General Contractors of Boca Raton was recently recognized by the March of Dimes and the Miami Chapter of the American Association of Architects. The company was named as one of two "General Contractors of the Year" by the Miami AIA as part of its 50th annual design awards.

Earlier, company president Mike Kaufman was named one of five finalists in the commercial and residential contracting division for the March of Dimes-sponsored "2004 Building Our Community Awards." Kaufman's nomination was based on his support for several community and civic causes, such as Tri-County Humane Society, Centre for the Arts in Boca Raton, Youth Automotive Training Center and Kids Link, a non-profit for children with speech and language challenges.