ALABAMA STATE EDITION
231
65
72 Florence
2
Huntsville
20 Decatur
72
565 59
43
A Supplement to:
231
431
31
5
Gadsden
78 59 Anniston
20
Birmingham Bessemer
82 Tuscaloosa
65 280
20 82 Auburn
80
85
Selma
Phenix City
Montgomery
82
October 15 2014
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231
43 84 431 331
84
84 52
Vol. XXVI • No. 21
31
45
“The Nation’s Best Read Construction Newspaper… Founded in 1957.”
Dothan
65 98
Mobile
10
Your Alabama Connection • Rich Olivier, Atlanta, GA • 1-800-409-1479
UAB Invests in $32M Student Activity Center By Cindy Riley
In Tuscaloosa, construction crews at the University of Alabama are nearing completion on the $32 million Student Activity Center at Presidential Village. The building, which recently opened as work continues, features a climbing rock, two wood floor courts and a multi-use court with dasher boards, two group exercise studios, a personal training studio, cardiovascular equipment, strength training equipment and locker rooms. George Brown, executive director of university recreation, said the idea for a new recreation center surfaced several years ago as the school was experiencing a dramatic increase in student population. “This facility addresses the rapidly growing number of students living in recently built residence halls on the northern portion of campus,” said Brown. “With immediate access and convenience, the recreation amenities provide additional health and wellness enhancing opportunities for students, faculty and staff. The location of this facility is a welcomed and vital part of The University of Alabama’s continuing commitment to the well-being of the greater university community.” The Student Activity Center is situated on the north end of campus overlooking the Black Warrior River, and includes more than 10,000 sq. ft. (929 sq m) of weight/fitness space. In addition, the building features a 25,000 sq. ft. (2,322.6 sq m) below ground storm shelter, which can hold more than 3,000 people during severe weather conditions. Brown believes construction of the new structure could not have been better timed. “The enrollment growth and high interest in fitness was and continues to impact the usage of the Student Recreation Center. With crowded facilities and ever-growing demand, the opening of the Student Activity Center has both reduced the issue of peak usage and re-balanced with new usage drawn from the largely freshman population in the Presidential Village area.” The 85,000 sq. ft. (7,896.8 sq m) of recreation and fitness space is located in the largest portion of the 135,000 sq. ft. (12,541.9 sq m) Student Activity Center. Unique features of
CEG CORRESPONDENT
University of Alabama photo
Equipment used on the project included Cat D6 bulldozers, 400 track hoes, 120-foot scissor lifts, skid steers, excavators, backhoes, sheepsfoot rollers, smooth drums, fork lifts, tower cranes and wheel cranes.
University of Alabama photo
The frame of the Student Activity Center is concrete and rebar.
see UAB page 2
Page 2 • October 15, 2014 • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • Alabama State Supplement • Construction Equipment Guide
North Campus Storm Shelter to Accommodate 3,200 People UAB from page 1
the recreation area include a 42 ft. (12.8 m) climbing rock and large amount of bouldering for a variety of interests. “The climbing rock and walls can accommodate 20 to 25 climbers at a time,” Brown said. “The dramatic views from the cardio and weight and fitness areas on multiple levels create an incredibly scenic environment for all exercise enthusiasts. Additionally, the built-in multi activity center provides dedicated play space for indoor soccer, dodgeball and a newly added intramural sport, floor hockey.” The north campus storm shelter is a vital part of the Student Activity Center, given Tuscaloosa’s history of violent weather over the past few years. In April 2011, the area was slammed by a devastating EF4 multiple-vortex tornado that claimed lives and did significant damage in the area. It was the third twister to strike the city of Tuscaloosa in the past decade. “With over 20,000 square feet of space, it can accommodate 3,200 individuals,” said Brown. “With electrical outlets in a raceway configuration, students can be assured they will be able to communicate safety information to families. With the reinforced concrete design, the facility provides an increased level of security for residents in this area. In the event of a campus emergency, the shelter will be mobilized and will quickly be available for students, faculty and staff of The University of Alabama.” Joe Cobb, senior field coordinator, UA Construction Administration pointed out that while the storm shelter seems pretty basic on the surface, it actually is not. “The ceiling is 20 ½ in. thick in concrete with three mats of #11 bars within it. This is not easy to pour, and took weeks of prep work before it was ready. Some of the state requirements included ballast walls to protect the lower level mechanical rooms from projectile debris during a storm. The emergency generator is enclosed in a storm shelter as well, and everything within the storm shelter is tied into the emergency generator. “One big challenge came with the addition of the food services, which sits on top of the storm shelter,” Cobb said. “We had to core drill through the 20 in. thick slab to install floor drains and plumbing piping.” “Part of the work going on within the Student Activity Center is for the Presidential Pavilion,” said Cobb. “This is a new food service component of the building that was approved back in April. It will have a deli shop, a coffee shop, smoothie store and also feature a ‘grab and go’ concept. “One of the biggest challenges was the laydown area. Because of the proximity to the Presidential I building, as well as the simultaneous construction of the Presidential
II building, it was very challenging getting materials delivered to the site and getting them in the buildings. Because of this, the general contractor used three tower cranes for the project to maximize laydown space and speed of construction. “Another challenge was installation of the precast columns around the perimeter of the building. Because of the proximity to the city’s right-of-way off Jack Warner Parkway, there was limited access to the north side of the building, which required support cranes, in addition to the tower cranes to set these massive columns.” Preparing the site required plenty of thought, as crews got ready to tear down Rose Towers, a 13-story dormitory. The building stood for more than 40 years prior to the start of construction. Clearing and grubbing also took place, to ready the area. The site was basically balanced once finish grading started. “We imploded Rose Towers on July 4, 2012, to make way for the student center and Presidential II,” said Cobb. “In addition, we had to blast and remove approximately
University of Alabama photo
The biggest hurdle regarding the Student Activity Center was that it was originally over budget.
University of Alabama photo
Unique features of the recreation area include a 42 ft. (12.8 m) climbing rock.
100,000 cubic yards of rock to get to the bottom elevations of the building. All of this was done while the Presidential I building was coming on line.” The frame of the Student Activity Center is concrete and rebar. Workers used curtain walls, brick, precast and GFRC for the skin of the building. The roofs are flat roofs and there is a massive skylight assembly in the center of the building. The court flooring is a soft floor that has two layers of plywood with foam in between, topped with maple wood. This creates the soft feel of the floor. The MAC court offers some flexibility for sports that are typically played outside. “There are three main levels, as well as a mezzanine level,” Cobb said. “The first level is the storm shelter. The main level houses REC, the new food service area, housing and residential communities main offices, as well as parent programming and First Year Experience’s main offices. The upper level has REC space, including basketball/MAC courts, as well as the women’s rowing area. This includes bathrooms, showers, locker rooms, the team lounge, the team training room/team meeting room, the coaches’ conference room and offices, and the coaches’ locker room. The mezzanine level has space for REC, as well as rowing training areas.” Equipment used on the project included Cat D6 bulldozers, 400 track hoes, 120-foot scissor lifts, skid steers, excavators, backsee UAB page 6
Construction Equipment Guide • Alabama State Supplement • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • October 15, 2014 • Page 3
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Page 4 • October 15, 2014 • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • Alabama State Supplement • Construction Equipment Guide
Construction Equipment Guide • Alabama State Supplement • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • October 15, 2014 • Page 5
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Construction Equipment Guide • Alabama State Supplement • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • October 15, 2014 • Page 5
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Budget Represents Greatest Hurdle for Student Center UAB from page 2
hoes, sheepsfoot rollers, smooth drums, fork lifts, tower cranes and wheel cranes. Approximately 12,000 cu. yds. (9,174.6 cu m) of concrete was required to build the new facility.Installing the climbing wall was an interesting aspect of the project. Cobb said it proved to be a relatively easy task. “We had a tremendous subcontractor out of Colorado that built the wall for us. They submitted 3D shop drawings, allowing our end users to make whatever adjustments they wanted to create different levels of difficulty for the climbing trails. Once the shops were approved, they cut individual pieces of plywood to match the shops and then attached them to the steel frame of the wall/tower. “Once installed, they applied a stucco finish to the wall with texture to create the ‘rock’ appearance. One of the biggest hurdles was how fast this subcontractor moved in relation to how long it took to build the skylight. We literally tarped the area over the climbing tower because they were finished before the skylight could be completed.” The biggest hurdle regarding the Student Activity Center was that it was originally over budget. “We had to value engineer some items out of the project to get it within funding to start,” Cobb said. “This cost us a little time on the front end of the schedule.” The reaction from those who have already checked out the structure has been positive. “The response for all users, particularly students, has been fantastic,” said Brown. “Utilization has been between 750 to 1, 200 visits per day. Patrons love the new equipment, the incredible views of the river, the modern and exciting climbing area and the ultra-convenient location. As the food venues open, the demand and excitement of the Student Activity Center at Presidential Village will certainly increase.” (This story also can be found on Construction Equipment Guide’s Web site at www.constructionequipmentguide.com.) CEG
University of Alabama photo
In Tuscaloosa, construction crews at the University of Alabama are nearing completion on the $32 million Student Activity Center at Presidential Village.
Blueline Rental Announces Acquisition of JustRuss Rental BlueLine Rental, a provider of small to medium-sized construction rental equipment, recently announced the acquisition of JustRuss Rental Inc., a full-service equipment rental company with three locations in Alabama. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. “JustRuss is a great strategic fit for BlueLine and will expand our reach into an important part of the
country,” said BlueLine Rental CEO Phil Hobson. “JustRuss has a well-earned reputation for quality service, and we look forward to continuing to deliver on the high standards the company’s customers have come to expect.” BlueLine Rental, previously Volvo Rents, was acquired in January 2014 by Platinum Equity. The BlueLine Rental brand identity was launched in February fol-
lowing the transition to new ownership. “We are delivering on our pledge to help BlueLine execute its growth strategy and maximize its potential,” said Louis Samson, the partner at Platinum Equity. “We will continue exploring ways to expand the company’s footprint in key markets and grow both organically and through additional addon activity.”
BlueLine Rental serves a diverse customer base across multiple industries, including construction, oil and gas, industrial manufacturing, infrastructure, power, and metals and minerals. In addition to a full range of backhoe loaders, compact wheel loaders, compact excavators and compaction equipment, BlueLine rental centers carry a comprehensive line of essential equipment
and tools for the construction, commercial, industrial and homeowner markets. The company focuses on daily, weekly and monthly rentals. For more information, call 888/899-8658 or visit www.bluelinerental.com. (This story also can be found on Construction Equipment Guide’s Web site at www.constructionequipmentguide.com.)
Construction Equipment Guide • Alabama State Supplement • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • October 15, 2014 • Page 7
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Page 8 • October 15, 2014 • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • Alabama State Supplement • Construction Equipment Guide
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