Atlantic Skanska Awarded Water Treatment Project

The city of Cumming has awarded Atlantic Skanska a $30 million contract to expand its advanced water reclamation facility from a 3 MGD capacity to 8 MGD. Though owned by the city of Cumming, its service area includes a large part of Forsyth County.

The scope of work includes new headworks; two new Orbal basins; three clarifiers; a plate settler; sand filters; new influent pump station; additional centrifuge; a two-story control building; and a biosolids reduction system.

A UV disinfection system will also be installed. The project is scheduled for a 26-month duration.

Georgia Activity Declines 13 Percent in May

Georgia construction contract activity experienced another decline in May, with collective contract value down 13 percent compared to last May, McGraw-Hill Construction reported. The value of contracts signed during May for future construction totaled nearly $2.2 billion, compared to the $2.5 billion reported a year ago.

The biggest market, residential, dropped by 12 percent compared to May 2005 and totaled slightly less than $1.5 billion. Last May's total was roughly $1.65 billion. The nonresidential category fell 13 percent to tally $527 million for the month, down from last May's $608.9 million. The value of nonbuilding contracts also fell, by 25 percent, to approximately $170.9 million, compared to last May's $229.3 million.

Despite the May downturn, for the year-to-date, Georgia contract activity remains 4 percent ahead of 2005's pace. The nonresidential category is 10 percent behind the first five months of 2005, with a roughly $2.3 billion total. The residential market, valued at nearly $7.3 billion to date, is about 10 percent ahead of the same period of a year ago. The nonbuilding sector, with its nearly $1.4 billion total, is flat compared to 2005.

Cousins Weeks to Develop First Building at Jefferson Mill

Cousins Properties of Atlanta announced its Cousins/Weeks venture will develop a 459,134-sq.-ft. cross-dock industrial building at Jefferson Mill Business Park, a 304-acre project at the northeast corner of Interstate 85 and Georgia Highway 129 in Jackson County, northeast of Atlanta.

Building A will be the first of 12 industrial buildings, which will range in size from 20,000 sq. ft. to 784,000 sq. ft. and totaling more than 3.2 million sq. ft. Construction of Building A was expected to begin in July, with completion scheduled for March 2007.

Niles Bolton Associates Designs "Mountain-Top" Luxury Condominium

Niles Bolton Associates of Atlanta announced it has completed design for One Vinings Mountain. Trammell Crow Residential is the developer for the 156-unit luxury residential property, and has already sold more than $60 million.

The 13-story building is located on top of the 1,170-ft. Mt. Wilkinson, which is also known as Vinings Mountain, in the Vinings suburb of Atlanta. The development provides views of the Atlanta skyline, the Chattahoochee River and Kennesaw Mountain.

The project is slated to be completed in early 2007.

Work Starts on Mixed-Use Project in Atlanta Historic District

Construction began recently on Grinnell Lofts, N. Highland Steel Lofts and The Shops at N. Highland Steel, a multi-building, mixed-use project located in Atlanta's Inman Park Historic District. The project consists of condominiums and apartments as well as 30,000 sq. ft. of street-level retail and restaurant space.

Perennial Properties of Atlanta is the project developer. Lord, Aeck & Sargent of Atlanta is the architect. Fortune-Johnson of Atlanta is the general contractor.

The development will include five adjoining industrial-style buildings, all but one of which is new construction. According to Perennial Properties, apartments and retail space should be available by spring 2007. The entire project is scheduled for completion by the end of 2007.

McShane Construction Starts on Senior-Housing Project

The Atlanta office of The Shelter Group has awarded a contract to McShane Construction Corp. of Auburn, Ala., to construct Park View at Coventry Station, a senior-housing project in Atlanta. McShane plans to complete the affordable senior housing community by June 2007.

The four-story apartment complex will include 66 one-bedroom units and 100 two-bedroom units. McShane Construction also will complete 25 single-car parking garages throughout the complex.

Pacer Health Purchases 15 Acres to Build Hospital in Greene Co.

Pacer Health Corp., a Miami-based owner-operator of acute care hospitals, medical treatment centers and psychiatric care facilities in the Southeast, recently purchased 15 acres of land adjacent to Interstate 20 in Greene County. The land will be used to construct a replacement facility for Minnie G. Boswell Memorial Hospital, which Pacer Health has managed and operated since 2004.

The company also announced that it has initiated the process of designing the new hospital.

Minnie G. Boswell currently is comprised of a 25-bed acute care hospital and 29-bed skilled nursing facility primarily serving the residents of Greensboro.