Ray Bell Construction receives largest contract in Tennessee history

Ray Bell Construction Company Inc. announced recently the award of a $151 million correctional facility in East Tennessee.

RBCC crews recently began construction on the 1,430-bed Morgan County Correctional Complex in Wartburg, Tenn. The project consists of 20 new buildings which total more than 500,000 sq. ft., along with the renovation of two existing buildings.

The 20 buildings will be used for a multitude of services. Buildings will include warehouse and community facilities, visitation, medical and academic/vocational facilities, food service, laundry and recreational amenities, along with nearly 900 minimum and medium security housing units. The new construction will also include an administration building.

"We are excited to be a part of this project and feel that with the teams that we have on board, along with our expertise in the correctional arena, the Morgan County Correctional Complex will be a project that other states and agencies look to as a model," said Keith Pyle, president, Ray Bell Construction Company.

Construction is scheduled to conclude in the winter of 2008. Wartburg, Tenn., is located just outside of Knoxville.

LFWK to begin renovation projects in Nashville area

LoftWerks Inc. recently announced its plans to begin two additional urban renovation projects in Nashville. The projects are a refurbishment of a single large office building into approximately 50 condo units and the renovation of several adjoining buildings into residential units.

Both of the projects will include retail and commercial space on the ground floors. The combined value of the two projects is estimated at $50 million. The projects follow the Ambrose Building renovation in Nashville, which is nearing completion.

"The impact of these three projects truly puts us in the forefront of the effort that is right now transforming downtown Nashville," said LoftWerks CEO Dennis Ammerman. "Our original idea is working as ever, and is creating a magnet for bringing life to the downtown area. We're creating a community where people truly desire to live, because of the lifestyle it offers."

This announcement comes on the heels of LoftWerks' procurement of a $20 million dollar, third-party funding arrangement for use in project development. This loan, obtained through the efforts of Consultech Construction and its Director-General Petar Vucicevich, will be used to implement various aspects of LoftWerks' overall concept of advancing the revitalized urban lifestyle.

"These three projects, and the use of private, third-party funding, are indicative of the approach we've foreseen for years. It is crucial to our task of increasing shareholder value," said Ammerman. "Despite recent market conditions, we are confidant that our approach to third-party financing will instill shareholder viability in the long run, and will allow us bring all of the segments of our overall urban lifestyle vision to the public."

Earth Tech selected to design biosolids facility in Tennessee

Earth Tech has been selected to design a new biosolids facility in Nashville, Tenn., for the Dept. of Water and Sewage Services of the Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County.

Earth Tech, a business unit of Tyco International Ltd. and a global provider of consulting, engineering and construction services, will serve as a subcontractor to Archer-Western Contractors Ltd., a division of the Walsh Group, on the $117 million project.

Earth Tech will provide engineering services during construction, prepare operations and maintenance manuals, and provide staff training, start up and commissioning services.

The scope of the project includes the design, construction, start up and commissioning of the new solids handling facility. A major part of the project is to design and build the sludge thickening, digestion, dewatering and heat drying facilities that will convert sewage sludge into biosolids for reuse as fertilizer.

"Communities like the Nashville metropolitan area face simultaneous challenges: how to efficiently dispose of sanitary system byproducts while meeting changing federal regulations," said Alan Krusi, Earth Tech president. "We are designing a technically advanced solution that addresses these issues and closes the environmental loop by producing a useful non-toxic byproduct."

The new facility, which will have a maximum capacity of 137 dry tons of sewage solids per day, will reduce odors emanated by the Central Wastewater Treatment Plant by replacing the current practice of land filling raw sludge with the new biosolids drying process.