Carolinas AGC Celebrates Winners of Pinnacle Awards and Construction Excellence Awards
Carolinas AGC (CAGC) has bestowed the 2020-2021 Pinnacle Awards to twelve construction projects which enhance their communities, and the “Build with the Best” Pinnacle Award to three individuals who collaborated to educate and support the construction industry during the pandemic. Pinnacle entries are judged on unique aspects and challenges, special values, project management, budget and schedule, and safety performance. In addition, seven projects won Construction Excellence Awards, which recognize projects of distinction. These award-winning projects located in North Carolina and South Carolina and the Build with the Best individual awards advance the construction industry and better the Carolinas! Learn more about these awards and see photos!
The CAGC Pinnacle Awards competition is co-sponsored by CPA firm GreerWalker LLP and the law firm of Johnston, Allison & Hord, both based in Charlotte. The Pinnacle Awards ceremony was held at CAGC’s 101st Annual Convention in Charleston, SC in January.
BUILD WITH THE BEST
In 2020, the CAGC Foundation received a grant of $3.75 million from the North Carolina General Assembly for construction pandemic mitigation and education outreach, with $750,000 of that grant used to make subgrants to media organizations, businesses and non-profits for multilingual education, training and community outreach to construction workers, including those who lack proficiency in the English language. Individuals from three of the organizations that received grant funding– Curtis Media Group, El Centro Hispano, and the Hispanic Contractors Association of the Carolinas– met frequently to craft multi-lingual COVID health and safety messages. By partnering rather than competing, these individuals prevented duplication of effort, conflicting messaging, and most importantly maximized the amount of funding that allowed the campaign to expand its reach. Because of their important and impactful work on behalf of the construction industry, Carolinas AGC presented three Build with the Best Awards to:
- Fiorella Horna with El Centro Hispano
- Bill Whitley with Curtis Media Group
- Lissette Velez with the Hispanic Contractors Association of the Carolinas
North Carolina State University – Restoration of Memorial Belltower, Raleigh, NC
Contractor: New Atlantic Contracting, Inc.
The Memorial Belltower at North Carolina State University is a monument that honors alumni who lost their lives in World War I. The Belltower renovation included the addition of 55 bells and the disassembling and reconstruction of the Shrine Room. Get project details here.
Riverfront Park, Wilmington, NC
Contractor: Clancy & Theys Construction Company
Riverfront Park is a combination of coastal rehabilitation, event venue, and public park which includes play equipment, a splash plaza, two gardens, food and beverage facilities, a 7,200-capacity amphitheater for live music and entertainment. Get project details here.
Common Desk Wilmington
Contractor: Monteith Construction
A structure originally built in 1908 as a department store, Common Desk Wilmington now houses a flexible coworking community that strikes a balance between honoring the building’s history and celebrating the vibrant and entrepreneurial spirit of Wilmington today. Get project details here.
The Greg Poole, Jr. All Faiths Chapel, Raleigh, NC
Contractor: Barnhill Contracting Company
The Greg Poole, Jr. All Faiths Chapel was originally the site of the Dorothea Dix mental hospital, stands proudly to serve generations of Raleigh residents while honoring the building’s past and shaping its future. Get project details here.
US 421 / I-40 Business Reconstruction, Winston-Salem, NC
Contractor: Joint Venture of Flatiron Constructors, Inc., and Blythe Development
The US 421 / I-40 Business Reconstruction design-build project includes eleven bridges, storm drainage, and new retaining walls—and was completed ten months ahead of schedule! Get project details here.
Lockhart SC9 Bridges, Lockhart, SC
Contractor: Crowder Constructors Inc.
This complex project included four bridges, approaches, half a mile of roadway, mass concrete, rock wall removal, stamped and stained concrete MSE walls, drainage and utility construction and bridge demolition. Get project details here.
US17 Maysville Bypass, Maysville, NC
Contractor: Joint Venture of Balfour Beatty Infrastructure Inc. and Branch Civil
The US17 Maysville Bypass included sixteen miles of highway, twenty-six new bridge structures, four crossroad bridges and widening an existing US17 northbound bridge. Get project details here.
I-77 Over Catawba River Emergency Bridge Replacement, Rock Hill, SC
Contractor: United Infrastructure Group, Inc.
The I-77 South Bound bridge over the Catawba River included demolition and recycling millions of pounds of concrete and rebar and replacing 50,000 square feet of bridge deck in an incredibly tight schedule. Get project details here.
Toxaway Pedestrian Suspension Bridge Design Build Project, at Lake Jocassee in Gorges State Park, NC
Contractor: Crowder Constructors Inc.
Repairs of this remote suspension bridge included replacing fiberglass components while reusing existing suspension cables, foundations, and reinforced anchor blocks—which safely allowed the bridge to be operational during construction. Get project details here.
BEST UTILITY PROJECTS
Walhalla Water Treatment Plant and Raw Water Intake, Walhalla, SC
Contractor: Harper Corporation General Contractors
This facility was designed to give independence from surrounding municipalities, produce clean drinking water, be easy to operate and maintain, and fit into the high-end neighborhoods on Lake Keowee. Get project details here.
Town Creek Culvert, Greenville, NC
Contractor: Trader Construction Company
This project consisted of replacing and upgrading an existing stormwater conveyance draining approximately 250 acres and used value-engineering which saved the city $750,000. Get project details here.
Greenville Water System – Hillandale Project, Greenville, SC
Contractor: Langston Construction Company of Piedmont
The Greenville Water Hillandale Project is a 1.25-million-gallon above ground storage tank built on the slope of Paris Mountain to assist its established sister tank to better meet the needs of the growing Greenville area. Get project details here.
Construction Excellence Awards – Utility Division
Plum Island Water Pollution Control Plant – Phase 3 Improvements, Charleston, SC
Crowder Construction Company
Construction Excellence Awards – Highway Division
Greenville Southwest Bypass, Greenville, NC
Barnhill Contracting Company
US 15 Over Indian Fields Swamp Bridge Replacement, St. George, SC
United Infrastructure Group, Inc.
US 123 – Cold In-Place Recycling, Pickens County, SC
King Asphalt Inc.
Construction Excellence Awards – Building Division
Watauga County Community Recreation Center, Boone, NC
Harper Corporation General Contractors
Duke University, Wilkinson Building, Durham, NC
Skanska USA Building
Novant Health Heart Vascular Institute and Cancer Institute, Charlotte, NC
Vannoy Construction
Congratulations to our 2020-2021 Pinnacle Award winners and Construction Excellence winners! Learn more about the CAGC Pinnacle Awards here.
