Walton Construction lands Baton Rouge court building contract

The Louisiana 19th Judicial District Court Building Commission recently awarded the contract for its new, state-of-the-art courthouse in downtown Baton Rouge to Walton Construction Co. LLC – Southern of Harahan, La.

The low bid, including two additive alternate prices, was $89,089,000. The first alternate, which is an entire additional floor, brings the project scope up to about 325,000 sq ft over 11 stories and a basement.

The project was designed by Post Architects of Baton Rouge and associate architects KPS Group of Birmingham, Ala. In contrast to the court’s current home, the facility will provide separate and secure circulation for the judges, public and prisoners.

It includes 26 courtrooms, judges’ chambers, administration and clerk of court space. The ground floor, designed to maximize views to and from its North Boulevard location, includes a 30-ft-tall lobby space, jury assembly space for more than 300 and a full-service dining facility open to the public.

The design responds to a circulation-driven internal symmetry, but also to the building’s prominent site, which is at the opposite end of a major axis with the Louisiana State Capitol Building. 

Construction should begin in July, with an anticipated completion date of December 2009.

Contract awarded for Westwego’s Company Canal floodgate

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently awarded a $14.7 million contract for the construction of a temporary navigational floodgate to close off the Company Canal in Westwego during storm events. 

A notice to proceed was issued to Cajun Constructors of Baton Rouge. The 100-day contract calls for the construction of a floating floodgate that would tie into the existing West Bank hurricane protection system. 

The canal is a private waterway that services shrimp, fishing and swamp tour boats. The new floodgate would allow for passage of navigation but would be closed in the event of a storm. 

The Company Canal floodwall is one of the most vulnerable reaches of the existing federal protection on the West Bank and does not meet current post-Katrina criteria.  As the Corps analyzes all existing levees and floodwalls throughout the hurricane protection system, it is instituting corrective measures in areas that are of concern.

“This floodgate is not the ultimate solution, but it will eliminate a critical problem at this time,” says Al Naomi, senior project manager for the West Bank. “We are developing long range plans for the improvements of all levees and floodwalls on the West Bank and we will incorporate final measures at the Company Canal as they become available.” 

Group Industries expands headquarters

GROUP Industries LLC., a Baton Rouge-based industrial and commercial construction company, has expanded its headquarters and yard facilities to house new divisions, equipment and personnel.

GROUP has expanded its office space by 5,500 sq ft, creating a new state-of-the-art, 40- by 40-ft multi-media training room that seats up to 75 people. The renovation also includes additional office space for employees.

Yard improvements, which include fencing and limestone surfacing, were made on the 2-acre site to facilitate GROUP’s Transportation Division, as well as provide additional room for the recent equipment acquisitions in the Piling and Drilled Shaft divisions.

GROUP continues to expand its reach to serve a growing customer base. Last year the company added transportation and piling divisions to service a growing customer base throughout the Southeast.

ARTBA Foundation announces 2007 PRIDE award winners

Transportation design and construction firms and public agencies from New Mexico to Pennsylvania were recognized for “excellence in community relations and public education” during the American Road and Transportation Builders Association Transportation Development Foundation 2007 PRIDE Awards luncheon, held recently in Washington, D. C.

Winning second place in the Public-Media Relations/Education Category, Private Sector, was Louisiana TIMED Managers, Parsons Brinckerhoff, the LPA Group Inc. and GEC Inc.

Reaching Louisiana’s rural communities with information about transportation infrastructure and ongoing economic development activities is a top priority for the Louisiana Department of Transportation’s “Transportation Infrastructure Model for Economic Development” – a $4.7 billion statewide program. 

State agencies support further study for intermodal airport project

Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Michael J. Olivier and Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development Secretary Johnny B. Bradberry recently announced support for Phase II of a comprehensive study to determine the feasibility and economic potential of an intermodal airport between Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

SNC-Lavalin, a Canadian firm operating under the auspices of the Canadian government, is conducting the study. Phase I, which is being completed, shows there is private sector interest in the project. Phase II would help determine the economic potential of the facility, often referred to as the Louisiana Transportation Center (LTC).

“The initial findings indicate that the Louisiana Transportation Center concept has merit,” Olivier says. “At the same time, it is important that the state undertake all due diligence activities to make sure taxpayer dollars are invested in a facility that will spur economic development in a timely manner.”

The LTC concept has been promoted as a 25,000-acre manufacturing and intermodal transportation center largely financed with private capital, but with some public investment. The state’s policy has been that business and private investment should be lined up prior to the investment of any public funds.

“DOTD is committed to pursuing projects that facilitate economic development. By signing off on this next phase, we are working toward rationalizing the use of public funds to stimulate economic growth,” Bradberry says.

Southeast Louisiana high school students compete in ABC Pelican Craft Olympics

Associated Builders & Contractors’ Pelican Chapter hosted 22 area high schools in the annual Craft Olympics, with welding and electrical competitions.  

Fifty one welding students and 14 electrical students competed individually and in the team competition.

Results were as follows: Cory Swick of Zachary High School, first place in welding; Matthew Cornes of Baker High School, second place in welding; and Cody Davidson of Livonia High School, third place in welding. 

In the welding team competition, Livonia placed first, followed by Zachary and Baker.

In the electrical competition, first place was awarded to Caleb Blount of Denham Springs Freshman High School, second place to Joseph Henderson of Denham Springs Freshman High School and third place to Corey Dixon of Maurepas High School. The electrical team competition was won by Denham Springs Freshman High School team A, second place was Live Oak High School and third was awarded to the B team of Denham Springs Freshman High School.

Member companies who donated prizes and time included Air Gas Gulf States, Cajun Constructors, CED, Davis Electrical, DeWalt through ISC, Drago Supply, EGS through Davis Electrical, Gulf Coast Occupational Medicine Inc., Jacobs Field Services, Klein Tools through Davis Electrical, Pala Interstate, Performance Contractors, Reily Electrical Supply, The Shaw Group, Triad Electric & Controls and Turner Industries Group.

New Orleans architect assists with restoration of historic home

The Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans and Louisiana architect David Dillard will be restoring a circa 1870 double shotgun house in New Orleans’ historic Holy Cross neighborhood for the Traditional Building Exhibition and Conference, scheduled in October.

The project will demonstrate how the city’s damaged historic fabric can be preserved and brought back to life despite the ravage of Hurricane Katrina.

Over the years, alterations to the circa 1870 double shotgun house at 4804 Dauphine St. in Holy Cross, resulted in the loss of most of its historic fabric, including its wood windows and front porch columns.

Then, it was almost destroyed during hurricane Katrina when a 60-ton pecan tree split the roof in half and rested on it for a year.

Although sometimes original condition restoration can be expensive to the homeowner, Dillard and the PRC will make this house a demonstration project for Fall 2007. There will be seminars, workshops and tours of the house to discuss lessons learned from this restoration project.

The Traditional Building Exhibition and Conference takes place at the Ernest N Morial Convention Center, Oct. 17-20. There will be bus shuttles to the demonstration house throughout the conference.

David Dillard has been breaking ground with local builder Lionhart Development to design historically accurate homes for citizens who want to rebuild and utilize the benefits of new construction technology.

ABC Bayou recognized for high growth

Associated Builders and Contractors’ Bayou Chapter, comprised of more than 220 member companies in southeast Louisiana, received special recognition at the ABC national convention in Nashville.

Bayou Chapter received a national Community Service award for initiating a cooperative program with the American Red Cross to distribute cards to people in need following Hurricane Katrina. In a five-day period, the Bayou chapter successfully issued more than 12,000 cards worth more than $13,000 to needy families.

Awards won by the Bayou Chapter also included the Excellence in Safety and Health Award for the chapter’s partnership with the Louisiana Occupational Safety of Health Administration (OSHA), designed to improve workplace safety. 

The Bayou Chapter’s 2006 growth rate of 16% was more than three times the national average and was the seventh highest of ABC’s 79 chapters.