Alabama 3, February 7, 2024

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Construction on a $40 million project that will provide the University of Alabama with one of the premier golf complexes in the Southeastern Conference is well under way in Tuscaloosa.

By Cindy Riley CEG CORRESPONDENT

Road NE, the complex’s proximity to campus will make it accessible for student athletes and coaches. The Georgian Revival structures will feature brick veneer, limestone, metal guardrails and shingle roofs.

The work, which will allow the programs to attract and retain top student athletes, involves constructing multiple buildings, including a golf house and cart barn at the golf

Construction on a $40 million project that will provide the see GOLF page 6 University of Alabama with one of the premier golf complexes in the Southeastern Conference is well under way in Tuscaloosa.

UA’s new golf training facility for women’s and men’s programs is expected to be completed by July.

“It’s needed to maintain the university’s tradition of providing top facilities for our athletes and students,” said Jessie Green, project manager of see BEACH page 2 University of Alabama’s construction administration. “The nine-hole course is designed to be playable from multiple tee locations, allowing for nearly infinite course configurations. The practice facility includes a short game range with hitting bays. Top technology in the game of golf is throughout the practice areas for the team.”

ADCNR photo Located on more than 170 acres south of Jack Warner Parkway and along each side of Kicker Bulldozers near Gulf State Park’s Pavilion move sand pumped in from nearshore areas to bolster Alabama’s beaches.

Two Beach Renourishment Projects Work to Restore Gulf Coast

Page 2 • February 7, 2024 • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • Alabama State Supplement • Construction Equipment Guide

Beach Renourishment Projects Will Restore Gulf Coast “Prior to Ivan, we’d never done any beach renourishment, and it showed. By maintaining our beaches and doing these periodic renourishments, we are able to maintain an ‘engineered beach’ designation in the eyes of FEMA. If you maintain that, [and] if you do have a catastrophic event, FEMA will cost share with you to repair the damage.”

BEACH from page 1

For those folks planning trips to Alabama’s “All of this work on the area around beautiful Gulf Coast for spring break or summer vacation this year, expect to see beach renourish- Dauphin Island will be great for sustaining ment projects at the East End of Dauphin Island in Mobile County and in Baldwin County from west the ecological and cultural benefits that [the of Little Lagoon Pass all the way east to the island] provides for our area.”

Florida-Alabama state line.

Chris Blankenship “It is great to see our beaches being renourDauphin Island Project Outdoor Alabama ished,” said Chris Blankenship, commissioner of Likely to Finish This Spring the state’s Department of Conservation and Across the mouth of Mobile Bay to the west, “This project is absolutely amazing to witness,” he the Dauphin Island beach renourishment project will restore Natural Resources, better known as Outdoor Alabama.

“From the Florida line through Gulf State Park and Gulf explained. “It disrupted a few people on overnight stays, but approximately 1.5 mi. of beach shoreline and approximately Shores to west of Little Lagoon Pass, the beaches in Baldwin when you walk out on that east boardwalk and watch the 85 acres of beach and dune habitat on the 14-mi.-long barrier County are getting several million cubic yards of fresh, clean ship come in to pump sand onto the beaches and bulldozers island that protects a portion of the Alabama Gulf Coast. moving the sand into place, you [are watching] your natural sand.

The East End beach also protects the Audubon Bird “On Dauphin Island there is a lot of sand moving as well. habitat expand and protect everything north of the coastline. Sanctuary and other upland resources from erosion due to In 2023, new islands and marsh areas were created on the That’s what the dunes are designed for.” storms. The project is designed to protect an additional 50 Bennett also applauded the commitment made by acres of beach and dune habitat as well as a maritime forest north side of the middle of Dauphin Island in Graveline Bay. The East End renourishment project just getting under way Baldwin County, its cities, and Outdoor Alabama to ensure and a freshwater lake within the Dauphin Island East End will put more than a million cubic yards of sand on [that] the vitality of the beaches.

Bird Sanctuary.

“In watching the renourishment, it speaks to their commitbeach.”

Dauphin Island Mayor Jeff Collier told Outdoor Alabama In addition, he explained that the U.S. Army Corps of ment to the protection of this natural asset. It makes me that he expected the East End restoration to get under way Engineers (USACE) has closed the Pass Drury cut on Little proud of our commitment to sustainable environmental and before the end of January.

Dauphin Island with sand dredged from the inside channel, economic stewardship. This is taking care of it and ensuring “The contractors are assembling the dredge pipeline,” he and Outdoor Alabama is funding the engineering and design it will be here for years to come for our children and grand- added, “and will be moving 1.1 million cu. yds. of sand onto for adding millions of cubic yards of sand to the West End of children.”

1.5 mi. of shoreline. It won’t make it all the way to the golf Dauphin Island in 2025. course. We will also have a restoration of the dune system Work Now Under Way to “All of this work on the area around Dauphin Island will with sea oats planting and sand fencing. The emphasis on all Replenish Orange Beach be great for sustaining the ecological and cultural benefits of this is habitat protection and creation. One of the big Crews in Baldwin County have completed the work in things is the protection of the bird sanctuary property, which that [the island] provides for our area,” Blankenship noted.

In all, the engineered beach renourishment projects Gulf Shores and Gulf State Park and are just starting to pump is under threat of being breached in storms. That whole involve pumping more than 3 million cu. yds. of sand from sand onto the shoreline of Orange Beach, an effort that will ecosystem could be changed from freshwater habitat with nearshore areas onto the Alabama beaches. Those efforts, continue until it reaches the Florida-Alabama line. saltwater intrusion.”

Phillip West, coastal resources director of the city, told which also include raising sand dune heights, planting vegeCollier said he appreciates the NFWF’s funding of the $25 tation and building sand fences, are partially funded by the Outdoor Alabama the beach renourishment is not quite as million project, expected to be complete in three to four Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA), large as the one completed in 2005 after Hurricane Ivan, months. the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), the Gulf where more than 3 million cu. yds. of sand were used to mit“We really think this is a great project for a lot of different Environmental Benefit Fund (GEBF) as well as from state igate that storm’s destruction. reasons,” he explained. “It’s going to increase the beach area “The current project will use about 650,000 cu. yds. of that the people can enjoy, and, at the same time, it’s going to and local sources.

Bill Bennett, general manager of The Lodge at Gulf State material in Orange Beach,” he said. “It’s not as huge as the increase the habitat for animals, like birds and sea turtles. It Park, said the beach renourishment project may be a slight project after Hurricane Ivan because the beaches aren’t in as covers all the bases. inconvenience as it occurs but will provide great benefits for bad a shape as they were after [that storm]. This project is to “We just ask beachgoers and boaters to be aware of the the future of the Alabama Gulf Coast. He added that the repair damage from Hurricanes Nate in 2017 and Sally in construction activity. Be mindful of that and stay out of the beaches where he has lived during his lifetime all faced the 2020 as well as repair normal erosion.” construction area. Pipelines will be in the water and on land.

It also will include fixing breaches in the sand dunes, It’s very interesting to watch, but we ask that people keep a reality of coastal erosion and required renourishment projplanting sea oats and installing sand fences, West noted. ects like the one currently under way in Alabama. safe distance away.” 

Ala. AGC Adds McCain as Workforce Development Director The Alabama Associated General Contractors announced the addition of Byron McCain as its workforce development director.

McCain retired from the Construction Education Foundation of Alabama (CEFA), bringing a wealth of experience into his new role. McCain is prepared to address the workforce needs of the construction industry’s membership represented by Alabama AGC. “Byron’s history with the construction education field is unparalleled, and we are fortunate to have him join our staff to address such a critically important area of need,”

said Billy Norrell, CEO of Alabama AGC. McCain will work with Alabama AGC to address industry needs by offering training opportunities for carpenters, plumbers, welders and other trades throughout the region.

“Construction workers with training can make substantially more than untrained trade workers,” McCain said.

“Most first-year employees will earn between $31,200 and $34,000, while skilled journeymen can make $50,000 and above, depending on ability.”

He also will maintain his efforts to support and encour-

age existing training and education initiatives such as the Riverchase Career Connection Center (RC3) in Hoover, GoBuild Alabama and the Alabama Construction Industry Craft Training Board. The latter provides grant funding to eligible companies looking to enhance the skills of their workforce.

“The industry does not have enough trained workers to replace older workers leaving the workforce,” said Mac Caddell, president of the Alabama Associated General Contractors, and CEO of Caddell Construction in Montgomery. 

Construction Equipment Guide • Alabama State Supplement • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • February 7, 2024 • Page 3

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Page 4 • February 7, 2024 • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • Alabama State Supplement • Construction Equipment Guide

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Construction Equipment Guide • Alabama State Supplement • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • February 7, 2024 • Page 5

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Page 6 • February 7, 2024 • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • Alabama State Supplement • Construction Equipment Guide

WAR Construction Leads UA’s Golf Complex Project GOLF from page 1

practice facility and a separate golf maintenance facility.

“This project takes a lot of coordination and manpower,” Green said. “While completing design for the main building, UA opted to release key site packages to ensure schedule success. These packages required design teams to ensure the continued design would still align with previous work.”

Crews broke ground on the project in April 2023. Some early packages actually began in November 2022. WAR Construction Inc. serves as the contractor.

Green noted that now is a good time to build the complex, which is touted as one of the most prestigious off-campus golf facilities in the nation.

“The programs have continued to excel, presenting a need for the facility. As commercial construction costs rise, a balancing act is required to marry up funding availabilities and project costs.”

Green said those who will benefit from the construction are eager to see the work finished.

“Coaches have been very engaged since design start through construction. They are excited for what this facility will allow their programs to do. Feedback from current and prospective student athletes have been very positive.

“It’s a one-of-a-kind facility that keeps true to UA’s traditional architecture style, while blending in top technology for the athletes. The façade of the building was crafted using handmade, approximately 100-year-old salvaged brick from Crews broke ground on the project in April 2023. Some another area of campus.”

Challenges on the project have included supply chain early packages actually began in November 2022.

WAR Construction Inc. serves as the contractor on the issues and long lead times. All of the elecproject. trical panels and mechanical units had to be procured prior to design completion to have was thought out to align with the typical them on site for construction.

Alabama weather, as it’s critical for seedAccording to Green, work will begin in ing and sod to grow in during the proper February on the comfort station. Rough time of year.” shaping on the nine-hole course with irrigaHeavy equipment being used to build tion has begun, allowing sod and grassing the complex includes a Caterpillar 325 to begin. Building dry-in is already comtrackhoe, John Deere 850 dozer, skid plete, as well as the entrance road to the steer, manlifts, forklifts and a Morooka main parking lot. track dump truck. Main materials Façade and interior fitout throughout the include steel structure for the main buildthree buildings is under way. Key tasks ing and maintenance building with a remaining include custom millwork and brick/metal panel façade. Construction finishes, as well as the crossing from the includes a stick-built cart barn and compractice facility to the course. A project was fort station with Hardie board façade. recently bid to change at-grade crossing to Crews are using millwork throughout a tunnel that will travel under both the road the interior. and railroad.

As for the most time-consuming part Regarding early site work/excavation, of the work, Green said, “This is not a power was designed to be fed to the buildtypical project for UA, and has required ing underground to maintain the charm of an increased amount of collaboration. the facility. To assist Alabama Power From programming to construction, (APCO) in completing this request, UA there has been a large learning curve for released an early package to install the Located on more than 170 acres south of Jack Warner Parkway and along each side of the entire team involved.” underground path from APCO ROW to the Kicker Road NE, the complex’s proximity to campus will make it accessible for student Despite the challenges, Green said building. This required a combination of athletes and coaches. working on a project that will take unibores and trenches for nearly 2,000 ft. versity golfing to the next level is truly Prior to the main package, UA land management issued a utility excavations or course shaping. The project has rewarding. imported 75,000 cu. yds. of fill, with the rest balanced within bid for clearing once the extent of the project was set.

“It’s great to hear each time the coaches provide the feedThe tunnel scope would require heavy site work and exca- the site. back they’ve received from their teams and prospective playTo date, the elements have not been a major concern for ers. It’s very exciting. As the building takes shape and begins vation. In order to install, the entire 150-ft. length would have to be open cut excavated to 20 ft. below grade and box crews. looking more and more like the early renderings, it makes all “Thus far, impacts have been minimal. Roof dry-in was the work worthwhile.”  CEG culvert sections set and backfilled.

Total usable land for the facility is 164 acres. Once com- completed prior to heavy rain. The recent cold weather did (All photos courtesy of WAR Construction Inc., except pleted, 100 of those acres will have been moved between prevent some work due to road navigation. The schedule where noted.)

Construction Equipment Guide • Alabama State Supplement • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • February 7, 2024 • Page 7

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Page 8 • February 7, 2024 • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • Alabama State Supplement • Construction Equipment Guide