“Going from slab to finished exterior in just five days, even with a rain delay, was incredible to witness and a testament to the effort and energy this group brought every day.”
—Brad Stolz, Program Creation Captain, JE Dunn
To recognize both its 50th anniversary and the efforts of former President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Rosalynn Carter to provide housing for people in need, Habitat of Humanity and teams of volunteers gathered in Atlanta’s Sylvan Hills neighborhood to help build 24 new homes in Langston Park in just five days.
Among those volunteering to help during the week-long effort were 40 employees of JE Dunn, which has previously participated in the home building program. Contractor personnel contributed in shifts, with different groups assigned to help build an assigned house.
Habitat for Humanity staff helped install the roof covering. “We framed it and sheathed it — the day I was there, we did a fair bit of painting, but it was mostly exterior work,” said Brad Stolz, JE Dunn’s program construction captain.
“The speed itself was impressive,” he added. “Just going from one slab to being finished on Friday with at least it dried and all the landscaping was done – to do it all in five days was crazy.”
The fifth day of home building was slowed by rain, but the JE Dunn crew persevered.
“To go from slab to finished exterior in just five days, even with a rain delay, was amazing to witness and a testament to the effort and energy this group brought every day,” Stolz said.
“These homes represent more than walls and roofs,” noted Lee Jarboe, vice president of JE Dunn. “They create the opportunity for families to thrive and for Atlanta to be part of something truly special.
“Seeing volunteers, partners and community members come together around a shared purpose is a powerful reminder of what can happen when a city invests in its people and its future,” he added.
“It’s rewarding to be able to give back to the community,” Stolz said. “Home ownership is not as easy for everyone as it has been for many of the people I work with. Being able to offer them that opportunity to own a home, especially at a time when the gap has widened to be able to do so, is important.”
Habitat for Humanity describes the Langston Park neighborhood, which will consist of a mix of single-family homes, duplexes and townhomes, as a “bold step forward in the expansion of affordable ownership, introducing modern, sustainable townhouse-style living for the first time in Atlanta Habitat’s history.”
The neighborhood will host 68 families once it is completed.
Parkhill acquires engineer Graham Associates
Civil engineering and surveying firm Graham Associates has joined multidisciplinary firm Parkhill, expanding its presence in the Dallas-Fort Worth region. The completion of the acquisition expands Parkhill’s regional team to more than 200 professionals in Arlington, Fort Worth and Frisco. Founded in 1972, Graham Associates has completed projects such as Globe Life Park, AT&T Stadium and the National Medal of Honor Museum. Operating for more than 80 years with 15 offices in Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma, Parkhill serves markets including land development, water, transportation, aviation, municipal facilities, education and healthcare.
BlackRock commits $30 million to Texas workforce
Infrastructure investment firm BlackRock has announced a $30 million investment in Texas through its Future Builders initiative, aimed at training more than 12,000 residents for construction careers in the electrical industry over three years.
The program will partner with the IBEW-NECA Electrical Training Alliance, Independent Electrical Contractors of Dallas, Texas State Technical College and Dallas College to expand pre-apprenticeship programs, travel test preparation and financial education for workers entering construction. Federal data shows that Texas accounts for the largest share of US power generation and is experiencing the fastest growth in demand.
Through the initiative, the Electrical Training Alliance will launch a statewide pre-apprenticeship boot camp; IEC Dallas will introduce an 80-hour practical and safety training program with a direct path to registered learning; Texas State Technical College to establish new Associate of Applied Science in Electrical Technology program in Waco; and Dallas College will develop a financial education course tailored to electricians.
AM King completes fourth Cheney Brothers installation
AM King has completed the design and construction of a 386,047-square-foot refrigerated distribution facility in Florence, SC, for Cheney Brothers, the fourth major project the design-build firm has delivered for the food distributor. Located in the Pee Dee Commerce City East Industrial Park, the facility includes 45 loading docks, 90,095 square feet of freezer space and the company’s first robotic forklift battery changer carousel. King also has a 78,000-square-foot USDA-certified food processing facility under construction for Cheney Brothers in Pompano Beach, Florida.
FabArc steel fabrication for Daisy brand facilities
FabArc Steel Supply, Alabama’s largest steel subcontractor, has begun fabricating more than 3,800 tons of structural steel for a 286,802-square-foot food manufacturing facility in Boone, Iowa, for Daisy Brand. The Dennis Group acts as a design and construction partner. FabArc’s scope includes 670 columns, 4,628 beams, 444 vertical braces, 691 horizontal braces and 936 joists.
RMF Engineering supports the USC Center for Brain Health
RMF Engineering provided MEP and fire protection design for the new 65,000-square-foot Brain Health Center at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, which has opened on its Health Sciences Campus. The outpatient facility includes 16 exam and treatment rooms, an eight-bay infusion room and South Carolina’s first 7-Tesla MRI scanner, more than twice as powerful as standard scanners. The center is the hub of the university’s statewide brain health network, which covers seven underserved areas of the state. Hood Construction Co. built the project, designed by Quackenbush Architects + Planners and Perkins & Will. The facility is pursuing the Two Globes rating under the Green Globes certification system.
Ross advances the $120 million Phillips Point project
Developer Related Ross has committed $1 million in upgrades to Trinity Park in West Palm Beach as part of a $120 million transformation of Phillips Point, a two-tower office complex originally completed in 1985. Designed by Roger Ferris + Partners, the project includes upgrades, infrastructure improvements and new ground-floor restaurant space. The limestone-inspired facade of the east tower is nearing completion and the remaining elements of the curtain wall will be completed by the end of May. Both towers are more than 90% leased.
AJF Roofing, Siplast Wrap Mutiny Hotel Renovation
AJF Roofing has completed a 15,300-square-foot roof renovation at the Mutiny Hotel in Miami’s Coconut Grove neighborhood, partnering with fabricator Siplast on the project. The renovation required navigating a restricted site between neighboring buildings while retaining the architectural character of the hotel’s original 1960s roofline. The project incorporated Siplast’s Paradiene SBS roof membranes, Parapro roof membrane and Parapro 123 cladding system, along with Hanover concrete pavers. The Mutiny is owned by Coastal Hotel Group and Provident Hotels & Resorts.
