As of mid-February exterior wall panels for the new cooler have arrived onsite. The pre-engineered metal building (PEMB) roof is complete and sprinkler piping is now 50% roughed in inside the new cooler. Refrigeration equipment is currently being installed and is on target, along with the HVAC system, for equipment startup at the end of this month. Interior finishes and MEP rough ins continue in the build-out portion of the building. Ceiling grid and paint in the office areas and future retail spaces are all complete. Overhead doors have arrived and are currently being installed. The bollards and structural “goal post” will be installed later this month. On the building exterior, painting has started, the irrigation system is about 90% complete, and all sidewalks are complete. A slight delay to the sanitary sewer system was experienced when an existing 42” concrete storm line was encountered that was not indicated in the original site drawings. Our design-build team reacted quickly, designing a conflict manhole currently in for permitting, with no delay to the project anticipated.

This project is being designed and built around an existing distribution facility previously owned by a milk company. Harvill’s Produce selected the site not only because of the space, but also because of the existing building’s aesthetic homage to the farming industry which the company firmly supports. The building included a silo and had cement board siding, giving the facility a “barn” look. Harvill’s Produce has further enhanced this aesthetic by selecting a red wall with white trim color scheme on the cement board siding. Not only was the color selection successful in amplifying the barn appearance, but the building is now the most prominent structure in a mostly industrial area. Passers-by can’t help but look their way when they drive by and the color selection has turned out to be a great unforeseen marketing tool.

Click the link below for an interesting article about H. J. High’s recently completed Indian River State College Brown Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship featured in Indian River Magazine’s January/February 2012 Edition.

Indian River Magazine_BCIE Article

The joint venture team of Batson-Cook and H. J. High has completed construction of Bay 4 which is the latest addition to the project. With bays 1-4 and the office building at the front of the project complete we have constructed approximately 325,000 sf. This includes bays for refurbishing parts of the compressors and bays for assembling entire gas turbines. Bay 4 is unique in that we installed (2) 250T bridge cranes that contain (2) auxiliary 50T cranes. These will allow the user to make tandem picks in excess of 400T. All the foundations, building steel and crane runways were sized for this loading. The bay also has (2) 30T cranes for general use.

A large portion of the floor has 2” steel plates installed with concrete in filled around them. This area will be covered with scaffold that will allow the user to vertically align the turbines to very minute tolerances. The 200 plates have to be set dead level.

The balance bunker is proceeding as well. The steel chamber is now outlined with vertical steel and will soon have the roof steel in place. Once this is complete we will weld steel plating inside the chamber on the walls and ceiling. All welds are inspected for leakage as this room will be drawn down in a vacuum. The last act will be welding the same steel plates outside the chamber and then filling the inside void with concrete. When finished it will provide a 7’ thick steel and concrete wall. Needless to say, what is in the room is going to stay in the room.

The Gulf Coast State College Advanced Technology Center is well underway as pile caps and grade beams continue to be formed, reinforced and placed. Underground sub-slab rough in work is continuing as well and is complete on the west third of the building. GAC/H. J. High anticipates placing the west portion of the post-tensioned slab on grade in mid-February. The first shipment of structural steel is scheduled to be delivered on February 20^th with steel erection to follow shortly behind delivery.

Building 6:
On the exterior of the building the architectural metal roofing is beginning and brick masonry is approximately 50% complete. The interior has the mechanical and electrical utility rough-ins nearing completion as the masonry wall painting has begun. 

The upcoming month will include completion of the metal panel roofing and brick masonry as well as the installation of the windows. On the interior all of the utility rough-ins including the fire suppression system will be completed and the gypsum partitions will be hung. Finish coats of painting will continue as the project moves towards the finishes stage of construction.

Building 3:
The first floor utility rough-ins are complete and the metal framing for the smoke partition walls and ceilings are nearing completion. The roof trusses are nearing completion and the roof deck is following. Architectural metal roofing will begin soon. Roofing dry-in and metal panel installation will start in mid-January which will free up the second floor for the utility installations. The exterior brick masonry has started.

The upcoming month will include the beginning of the finishes stage for the first floor as the walls will begin to take color. The exterior brick masonry will make significant progress, and the second floor utility rough-ins will begin in full force.

The pre-engineered metal building (PEMB) has been delivered and erected. The insulated wall panels have arrived on the jobsite today for the PEMB and installation will commence immediately. All interior insulated metal panel walls are installed. The ripening room equipment has been installed. Final tie ins to the various systems will occur at the end of the job. Low- Temp’s refrigeration equipment is arriving on the job weekly. The balance of their equipment will arrive at the end of January, 2012. All the office framing and drywall is complete. These walls have been taped, finished and primed with the ceiling grid starting this week. The curtain wall installation has started this week as well. The remaining exterior sanitary system work is on hold until the new sanitary structure is delivered at the end of the month. MEP rough in continues on the inside of the existing building. Temporary permanent power should be achieved by next week.

We are entering the final months of construction at Bay Street Baptist Church. All site work and paving has been completed with the installation of the septic field finishing up. The cross was raised just before Christmas on the exterior and is easily visible from the road. Inside we have finished all framing and drywall installation allowing the painter to work on the walls and ceiling. All ductwork and lighting has been installed. The church has authorized the installation of finishes that will commence at the end of January. Bay Street Baptist will utilize a crew of volunteers to install the irrigation and landscaping beginning the first week of February. 

Excitement from the congregation and community is growing as the project nears completion.

While our economy has been grounded, H. J. High Chairman, Steve High has been flying high for those in need for more than 20 years. Steve has been an integral part of Angel Flight Southeast, a 501(c)(3) organization of volunteer pilots who utilize their own aircraft, fuel and time to provide free air transportation to medical facilities for families that are financially distressed or otherwise unable to travel on public transportation. 

This journey with Angel Flight began after Steve’s own medical scare in the early 1990’s. While recovering from surgery, Steve found an article that mentioned air ambulance operations and Angel Flight Southeast. As a pilot for over 40 years, he realized he could help the organization. “I feel that God has given me the ability to own an airplane and have a company that supports my flying. He was gracious enough to allow me to live, so I feel I ought to do something in return.” As soon as Steve was fully recovered he signed up for his first flight and the rest is history.

There have been hundreds of missions over the years and each one holds a special significance. In Steve’s own words, “There have been many memorable flights. The ones I remember most are flown with young children. Seeing them in a helpless state, depending on medical miracles to keep them alive and the trials they have to endure is pretty rough. Thank God for all those who participate in Angel Flight.” 

Steve now flies an average of 25 Angel Flight missions a year and in 2010 was ranked 3^rd in the Southeast for the most legs flown with 28. This selfless giving helped to inspire H. J. High’s charity initiative that was started in 2008.

To learn more about Angel Flight Southeast or to donate to this worthy cause, please visit their website as www.angelflightse.org

Construction will remain a challenging environment for 2012 much like a desert. Under the scorching sun and arid sands the desert environment may appear to be devoid of life. Surprisingly a large number of animals not only survive in the desert, but actually thrive. What can the construction industry learn from animals that survive in the desert? Analysts say the sector will eventually rebound, but for now that prospect seems like a desert mirage in the distance.

“The long-suffering construction sector still has another five quarters of job losses before it too joins in the labor market’s recovery,” University of Central Florida economists predict. “Job growth will not return to the construction sector until the second quarter of 2013.” 

So what survival techniques can we learn from desert dwellers until the rains return? Desert animals such as rabbits and prairie dogs make use of water holes and plants and conserve it for long periods of time. Snakes and lizards control their body temperature by gaining or losing heat from their surroundings which requires less food. The construction industry has for the last three years adapted to its environment by incorporating more efficient operating structures, utilizing new technologies like Building Information Modeling (BIM) and becoming more in tune with our environment through sustainable “green” building materials and techniques.

“We think the overall economy will grow a little bit more rapidly in 2012,” said Mark Vitner, a senior economist with Wells Fargo. “But it’s not going to be typical of what we were accustomed to in Florida.” Here is a glimpse at what to expect in 2012:

Education construction put in place was down 13% in 2010, so a reduction of only 2% for 2011 and a forecast of 4% growth for 2012 is welcome. 2012 trends include:

• Greener schools or renovating existing schools for improved energy use.
• Increased use of prefabricated/modular school construction.
• Rise in distance learning or online courses.

Manufacturing sector has been one of the hardest-hit in the recession with a 33% drop in 2010 and another 6% expected in 2011 compounded with a 2% loss in 2012 to just $35.8 billion. U.S. manufacturing has lost more than five million jobs, nearly 33%, in the last decade. 2012 Manufacturing trends will include:

• Capacity utilization is on the rise, but still only 75.5%.
• Automotive industry in slow recovery, but expects to increase capital projects in 2012.
• Incentives to “repatriate” manufacturing in the U.S. from offshore

Religious construction lost another 4% in 2011 and will continue to be weak in 2012 with $4.25 billion expected in CPIP. Religious construction trends include:

• Lending environment continues to be a challenge for many congregations.
• Improved space utilization and additions are taking the forefront, as new construction is increasingly not an option.
• Churches are becoming smarter about attracting parishioners who are drawn in by facilities and the church building itself.
• Energy efficiency, green sustainability and long-lasting quality are becoming top features many congregations want in worship houses.

All finishes are now in place and landscaping is in.  The Owner has installed their furniture and furnishings.  Faculty and students have moved into the buildings with classes started on January 5, 2012.  Minor punch list items are currently being addressed by H. J. High and our subcontractors.  Late changes by the Owner, such as Solar Fields, Wind Turbines and Charging Stations are currently under construction and/or are on order.  H. J. High is currently working with the mechanical contractor and the commissioning agent who was hired by IRSC to work through the commissioning requirements that is required by LEED.  Currently all submissions for the LEED portion of the project are being assembled and prepared for submission to LEED.  This project will attempt the LEED Silver designation.  The project closeout process has started, Owner training is underway and final turnover manuals/as-built drawings are being compiled.  Per IRSC, the dedication ceremony will be held in Spring 2012.