Covering the Industry’s News
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P.O. Box 791290 San Antonio, Texas 78279-1290
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Austin
CONSTRUCTION
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The Industry’s Newspaper Downtown Austin
www.constructionnews.net
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(210) 308-5800
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Volume 15
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Number 2
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FEBRUARY 2015
Wheels keep on turning
Check our new website!
L-R: Kim Wheeler and Gordon Jones
Plenty of fun features and expanded access await viewers to the new constructionnews.net.
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ack Wheeler started Wheeler Companies as Wheeler Coatings in 1982. Oldcastle Materials acquired Wheeler as well as Ironhorse Asphalt and Texas Concrete in 2009. With the new owners came the new name, APAC Texas Wheeler Companies. Gordon Jones joined the company as a truck driver in 1998 and Kim Wheeler came on board in 1996. Today, they are both construction parking lot and subdivision sign and striping estimators. “In the early days, the company had two haul trucks, 12 dump trucks and two seal coating rigs,” Jones said. “Now there are hundreds of trucks of all types. “We have three striping crews and a sign/pressure washing crew. Most of us
have been here several years. While we were bought by a large corporation, we still have that family feel in the maintenance division.“ According to Jones, the company had a banner year in all phases of the business in 2014. “We are also getting ready to move the Round Rock offices later this year,” Jones said. “More important is the continued focus on the safety of all the employees. Without all of our people going home safely, none of the success is worth it.” Jones says he enjoys the challenge of learning new ways to serve his customers. continued on Page 17
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onstruction News is pleased to announce the launch of its new, redesigned website. Welcome to constructionnnews.net, a site where you will find instant access and expanded capabilities to enhance our five printed publications in San Antonio, Houston, Austin, Dallas/Ft. Worth and South Texas. Our new website has been crafted to reflect what our readers need and want to know. Additionally, the redesigned site builds upon technology capable of addressing future needs. Upon visiting our site, you will immediately notice streamlined menus, simple navigation and access to the information you want. It’s all there for the viewing!
What’s different? New features run the gamut from easy access to all of our stories – or, if you prefer – stories broken out into the city newspaper they originated in. We now offer classified ads and at present, they are free! So, help us kick it off by taking advantage of this section. Do you need a reprint of your story to add to your walls? It is now easy to order one or more online. Did your secretary keep your copy of the latest Construction News? No problem! Use our easy to find rack location maps to find the closest location to pick up a copy in most areas of the state. Additionally, you can find a full PDF continued on Page 17
Pooling together
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artholomew Municipal Pool, the only swimming pool within the City of Austin that is considered a waterpark, is now complete. The parks and recreation department of the City of Austin is the owner. Chasco Constructors was the GC for the full renovation project. Leslie Heine was the project manager, Mark Lee was the superintendent and the architect was Abby Lawson, Carter Design Associates. Heine says the original facility had an “L” shaped lap pool with a single open bathhouse. Bartholomew Municipal Pool now has three bathhouses, a separate mechanical building and pump house, an “L” shaped lap pool with a diving well, a mid depth recreation pool, a zero entry activity pool and two slides. The interior walls of the bathhouses are a cast in place concrete, individually formed to look like wood veneer.
“Due to the height of the walls and large amount of infrastructure in the walls, the mix design and proper placement of the concrete was crucial to avoid separation of aggregate and slurry in the concrete causing ‘bug holes’ in the wall,” Heine said. “All piping was also run inside the walls, making the placement even more challenging. “All other materials placed in the bathhouses were chosen to not only be visually appealing, but to withstand the outside elements and being in a pool environment.” According to Heine, construction started with demolition of the existing pool shell and soon came to a halt when the demo subcontractor discovered asbestos pipe lining the entire interior of the pool shell. “This hurdle came in spite of due diligence during preconstruction when An aerial view of the Bartholomew Municipal Pool
continued on Page 17