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 65
June 21 2017 Vol. XXX • No. 13
231
43 84 431 331
84
84 52 31
45
Dothan
65
“The Nation’s Best Read Construction Newspaper… Founded in 1957.”
98
Mobile
10
Your Alabama Connection • Rich Olivier, Atlanta, GA • 1-800-409-1479
Crews Work to Expand Growing Hotel Brand By Cindy Riley CEG CORRESPONDENT
Work is progressing on GE Aviation’s new facilities in the Huntsville, Ala., area.
Huntsville to See 300 New Jobs at GE Aviation’s Two Facilities By Paul Ladd CEG CORRESPONDENT
Work is progressing on GE Aviation’s new facilities in the Huntsville, Ala., area. The company is investing more than $200 million to build two factories in Limestone County. Ground was broken on the construction site last year. When completed, one of the plants will produce silicon carbide, or SiC ceramic fiber on a large scale and will
be the first operation of its kind in the U.S. The second facility will use that fiber to manufacture ceramic matrix composites, or CMC, used in making jet airplanes. As many as 300 people will be employed at the two plants. “We continue to make great progress,” Huntsville site leader Jon Lyford said. “The engineering and construction teams are on track to start placing process equipment by October. The CMC prepreg facility commissioning will be complete in the summer
of 2018. The CMC fiber facility commissioning remains targeted for the spring of 2019.” The project is receiving $21.9 million from the U.S. Air Force Research Lab Title III Office. Birminghambased B.L. Harbert International is working with the Air Force and GE Aviation on the project. (This story also can be found on Construction Equipment Guide’s website at www.constructionequipmentguide.com.) CEG
Construction crews in Auburn, Ala., have begun work on what’s being described as the fastest growing newbuild hotel brand in United States history. When complete, the new four-story Tru by Hilton will feature 98 rooms, a swimming pool, exercise room and game zone with pool table and lounge area. “We designed Tru by Hilton with a variety of markets in mind, including urban areas,” said Alexandra Jaritz, global head of Tru by Hilton. “We saw the demand for a mid-scale hotel in Auburn, as both business and leisure travelers are attracted to its proximity to the university. Designed for success in a variety of markets, the prototype is designed to be easily scalable and adaptable for different location types. “Universities always draw crowds, whether for football games, alumni events, networking conferences, graduations, etc. Tru by Hilton Auburn will be a great home base for those traveling to the city and are looking for a hotel that emphasizes simplicity and value, without compromising quality or design. We’re so excited to see it come to life.” Jaritz said the brand was developed to appeal crossgenerationally and attract a broad spectrum of travelers who share a common ‘zest for life’ mindset, whether they are millennials, GenXers or Boomers. “These travelers want more than just a place to rest their heads — they want to be able to connect with other travelers and enjoy easy-going engagement in a space where they are free to be themselves and that allows them to customize their hospitality experience. “To provide this, we disrupted everything about the mid-scale segment, from the design of our work places to how guests enjoy breakfast to the amenities found in guest rooms. Our lobby is a prime example of how we provide guests the freedom to tailor their experience to their lifestyle. The 2,800 square-foot, open-space design is focused on driving more energy and activity into the area, but is also sensitive to giving guests a quiet place to see HILTON page 6