Brasfield & Gorrie awarded UAB parking deck, Volker Hall projects

Brasfield & Gorrie LLC of Birmingham, Ala., was recently announced as the low bidder on the University of Alabama-Birmingham 12th Avenue parking deck and UAB’s Volker Hall first and second floor renovation.

The parking deck will include two additional levels to the existing four-story structure. Work on the addition will begin Oct. 1 and is expected to last seven months. Brasfield & Gorrie will work with the architect Designform, LLC on this project.

The Volker Hall renovation is a build-out of two floors for laboratory use in the existing six-story Volker Hall building. The renovation is scheduled to begin Nov. 1 and last eight months. Brasfield & Gorrie is teaming with Williams Blackstock Architects.

Brasfield & Gorrie is a general contractor and serves the Southeast from offices in Birmingham, Atlanta, Jacksonville, Nashville, Orlando and Raleigh.

NAWIC Birmingham installs 2010 Board of Directors

The National Association of Women in Construction’s Greater Birmingham Chapter held its September meeting at the office of M. J. Harris Inc. During the meeting, the 2010 Board of Directors was installed by Robbie Egan of M. J. Harris, far left.

The National Association of Women in Construction’s Greater Birmingham Chapter held its monthly meeting on Sept. 21 at the office of M. J. Harris Inc. During the meeting, the 2010 Board of Directors was installed by Robbie Egan of M. J. Harris.

New officers include Deborah Williams, M. J. Harris (president); Heather Green, Johnson Kreis (vice president); Donna Campbell, Highlands Publications (secretary); Amanda Smith, M. J. Harris, Inc. (treasurer); Ginger Thompson, Gary C. Wyatt GC, LLC (immediate past president); Carol Alford, Print Resources Inc. (director); Michele Dunn, Alabama Graphics (director); Amber Strain, J. Adkins Mechanical LLC (director); Jenny Wilson, Associated Builders & Contractors (director); Nancy Fouad, Burr & Forman LLP (director); and Christy Fisher, Highlands Publications (director).

NAWIC, an international non-profit organization, has grown to a membership of more than 5,000 women with more than 179 chapters.

Hoar Construction/The Christman Co. selected as construction manager for federal building renovation

Hoar Construction LLC and The Christman Company were recently selected by the General Services Administration (GSA) to provide construction management services for renovations to the Robert Vance Federal Building and Courthouse in Birmingham, Ala. The building, constructed in 1921, is on the National Historic Register.

The project, which includes design  phase services and construction phase services will transform the facility into a “high-performance green building.”

According to GSA, the goal for the project is “to provide a facility that will be a model workplace incorporating sustainable design principals and making a distinct architectural statement that is responsive to the existing character of the building while supporting the quality and life of the neighborhood and adjacent surroundings.”

The project is currently in the design phase.

Hoar Construction, established in 1940, has offices in Birmingham, Houston, Nashville, and Orlando. The Christman Co. is nationally recognized for its historic preservation work and for their comprehensive preconstruction and planning services.

In other news, Hoar Construction recently participated in a ground breaking ceremony for Lee County Board of Education’s new Smiths Station High School in Smiths Station, Ala.

Designed by McKee & Associates Architects, the new school will accommodate up to 1,500 students when complete. Situated on a 106-acre site, the school will consist of four buildings totaling 263,316 sq ft.

WestWind technologies celebrates grand opening of Huntsville hangar facility

In an unprecedented public/private partnership, WestWind Technologies Inc. celebrated the grand opening of its new Huntsville Aircraft Modification & Integration Center on Sept. 29.

The new 62,000-plus-sq-ft facility provides engineering, manufacturing, electronics integration and structural modifications - all on site - and can accommodate large fixed-wing and multiple rotary-wing aircraft simultaneously.

The hangar has been designed to meet growing demands in both military and commercial aviation.

Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle and Madison County Commission Chairman Mike Gillespie joined other elected officials, airport representatives, chamber of commerce leaders, project partners, Redstone Arsenal military customers, and numerous business leaders at the milestone event.

Since Redstone Arsenal is the center of aviation for the U.S. Army, WestWind designed the hangar to accommodate every type of helicopter in the Army’s inventory as well as a large number of fixed-wing aircraft with sizes up to the Air Force C-130s. The aircraft center also offers full Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) capabilities for a broad spectrum of military and commercial aircraft.

With the added benefit of extensive on-site engineering and manufacturing capabilities, WestWind provides a one-stop, seamless operation from disassembly, integration, repair, reassembly, test flight and return to service. WestWind also operates manufacturing facilities adjacent to the airport for production of aircraft parts and modification kits as well as flight simulators for Army helicopters.