A PUBLICATION OF CROSSL AND CONSTRUCTION COMPANY
Keeping it DOWN in Healthcare Construction
Going above and beyond for our clients
Workforce Development
in a declining trade environment
RISING TO THE TOP! Crossland ranks #2 in U.S. by Metal Construction News
SUMMER ISSUE 2020
THE RED IRON CORNER The innovative spirit of Americans is what defines this country. It’s what led the Wright Brothers to put the first airplane in the sky and NASA to land the first man on the moon. Also known as the land of dreams and opportunity, it’s a place where ordinary people can achieve extraordinary goals. To overcome current economic challenges, we are leaning on the same core principles that have carried America forward for centuries. We’re confident that our country – and our company – will emerge from these times even stronger than before. Our employees’ strength, reliability, and tenacity will continue to carry us through. It’s our ability to adapt
A MESSAGE FROM
and persevere that helped us grow from a small
IVAN CROSSLAND, JR.
not lose sight of how important our self-perform
CEO
construction company founded out of the family garage, to a top 100 contractor in the nation (#66 in the latest ENR ranking). Through challenges, we will capabilities are, we will continue to become the best at everything we do, and we will build quality projects that lead to life-long clients. Here’s to the American spirit and conquering the second half of 2020 - strongly and safely.
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IN THIS ISSUE 08
Keeping it DOWN in Healthcare Construction: Going Above and Beyond for Our Clients
04
Metal Construction News Ranks Crossland #2 Top Metal Builder
Contents
Development 22 Workforce in a Declining Trade
Cosmic Cowboy Studios
6
High Line Pointe Apartments
7
McKinney Fire Station
10
Stryker Sports Complex
12
Napleton Autowerks
14
Family Center for Juvenile Justice
15
Cotton County Water Treatment Plant
16
ODOT Vinita Highway 2
17
Decatur Wastewater Treatment Plant
18
Benefits of New Curb and Gutter Technology 20
Environment
3
RISING TO THE TOP! Ranked #2 in U.S. by Metal Construction News
Metal Construction News announced their 2020 rankings in May, and we’re excited to report that Crossland Construction has again been named among the Top Metal Builders, increasing our standing from previous years!
Columbus, KS – Overcoming some overall market challenges, Crossland ranked 2nd in square footage (up from 3rd in 2019) and 4th in tonnage (up from 8th in 2019). Even after a 40+ year history of metal building construction, we get excited about our ranking and feel proud of our abilities. From Ivan Crossland Jr., “The quality of a building lies in the hands of the people you trust to build it, and I believe we have the best trade teams in the industry. From the beginning, putting work in place has always been our foundation - we’re builders, and we have a passion for it.” Our passion for building is the reason we have a reputation for being hands-on builders. We adapt to the market and continuously evolve to serve the construction industry better by improving our self-perform crew’s ability to do several aspects of the construction process - earthwork, concrete, steel, carpentry, and site utilities. Our self-perform
Metal Construction News Magazine, May 2020 Issue
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capabilities keep us competitive.
Self-perform capabilities are a hot topic in construction because of the value they bring to the overall project. We can save our clients time and money while we provide quality work, meet schedules, and prioritize safety. Utilizing self-perform teams is not right for every project, but our crews having the knowledge and field experience undoubtedly adds value. Being Real Builders is not just a slogan for Crossland. It is our commitment to clients to consistently deliver results. We are always developing our workforce to grow both our vision and their future. In addition to a wide range of skilled training internships and apprenticeships, Crossland is finding more ways to invest in next-generation professionals on their path to success through our nationally-recognized education program, The Crossland Academy. [See Page 22 for more information on The Crossland Academy] 5
Fast Facts: Owner: Ben Meade Architect: David W. McKee Architect, PLLC Delivery Method: Negotiated Square Footage: 1,856
A HIGH-PERFORMANCE STUDIO WITH ENERGY EFFICIENT ROOF STRUCTURE AND COST-EFFECTIVE INSULATED PANELING Cosmic Cowboy Studios Fayetteville, AR – Cosmic Cowboy Studio, privately
architect E. Fay Jones. The exterior facade uses around
owned by musician and producer Ben Meade, is an
16,000 dark red and bronze bricks to keep the building
intimate, music recording, video, and fine art studio. The
insulated for sound. The balcony has dark steel painted
two-story audio and visual recording studio is right in
trim and cedar cladding that complete the contemporary
the heart of Fayetteville, AR - where the vibe of musical
vibe. The modern industrial feel extends to the interior
and artistic culture is thriving. Cosmic Cowboy is a place
with exposed steel and a combination of polished
where artists can tell their stories using the custom
concrete and red oak hardwood floors. The roof structure
acoustic panels, as well as the state of the art digital
uses energy-efficient and cost-effective structural
and analog recording equipment. With enthusiasm for
insulated panels (SIPs), and wood I-beams frame the
studio recording on the rise in Northwest Arkansas, our
second story floor.
Crossland Arkansas team was excited to build this fun, unique project.
Cosmic Cowboy has a high-performance and artistic atmosphere that is sure to cultivate local and traveling
David McKee designed the Studio with an industrial look
artists’ talent.
and feel, pulling inspiration from renowned Arkansas
Project Team: Chris Schnurbusch, Division Manager; Cori Miller, Project Manager; and Curt Fletcher, Superintendent
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AWARDED LEED PLATINUM CERTIFICATION FOR SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES
Fast Facts: Owner: Delwest Capital, LLC Architect: Kephart Delivery Method: Negotiated Square Footage: 344,992
High Line Pointe Apartments Denver, CO – Crossland took over this HUD apartment
budget. We used regular progress meetings and transparent
project following the exit of the original general contractor.
communication to manage the quality of the buildings.
We quickly rose to the challenge and assembled a budget,
Despite inclement Colorado weather and working with two
fast-tracked the schedule, and conducted a full contract
county entities, we delivered one tenant building and the
scope review.
clubhouse ahead of schedule and the second building on time.
The complex consists of two seven-story, residential buildings and a clubhouse, which holds the leasing office, fitness
Multi-family buildings have unique considerations, and we
rooms, and a meeting area. Each apartment building has
learned a lot from this project in particular – from sound and
two underground parking levels and surface visitor parking.
noise compliance guidelines, fire ratings, air and cleanliness
Some fun amenities include outdoor tables and grills, a dog
tests. We can now apply this knowledge to future projects.
park and dog wash area, bike repair space, and a new canal bridge that connects to a jogging/bike path.
The High Line Pointe Apartments were awarded LEED Platinum for its sustainability initiatives, including air tests,
The apartment complex spans a county line, so we overcame
efficient windows, low energy appliances, and energy and
the challenge of working with two fire departments, different
waste saving measures. The project owner was delighted with
inspection departments, and various subcontractors.
our work and has asked us to negotiate a new project. We’re
Crossland was able to self-perform the finish carpentry,
hopeful this is the start of a great partnership!
on-site concrete, and a few final change orders for some new amenities, which helped keep the project within
Project Team: Mikey Crossland, Division Manager; Austin Blevins, Senior Project Manager; David Stevens, Project Engineer; Andrew Trudeau, Superintendent; Ean Thomas, Assistant Superintendent; and Daniel Martinez, Field Engineer
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Keeping it DOWN in Healthcare Construction GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND FOR OUR CLIENTS We’ve found that the best way to advance our company is by seeking out progressive ways to serve our clients. Our forward-thinking mindset has never been more relevant than with our healthcare clients. Understanding their needs and learning how we can best support their building programs is important to us. Tulsa, OK – Constructing healthcare facilities comes with
distribution, patterns, and determinants of health and
additional considerations for patients, healthcare employees,
disease conditions in defined populations). Bailey’s resume
and the construction teams on-site. Patient safety can never
is not necessarily typical for a Crossland employee, but we
be compromised, so construction teams must anticipate and
jumped at the opportunity to add her to our team. To say
manage all risks and take extra precautions throughout every
she’s qualified for the job is an understatement.
project phase. On any healthcare project, managing and minimizing the construction impact and debris, identifying
One of Bailey’s roles is to ensure that Crossland adheres to
hazards, and maintaining proper cleanup are essential
the ICRA permits that are issued by hospitals. She works
factors.
with our healthcare Superintendents to develop the DOWN plan before a hammer even swings. The priorities Bailey
Because we have a celebrated safety culture, our teams
establishes with this plan on the front end help ensure our
understood the critical nature of this concern and took it
site Superintendents and Project Managers protect the care
one step further. Instead of only adhering to ICRA (Infection
environment.
Control Risk Assessment) Standards, Crossland created the DOWN program to ensure patient safety and well-being at every stage of construction. DOWN stands for Dust, Odor, Water, and Noise -- the four primary elements of construction that can affect patients. Pun intended, we keep it DOWN. It just so happened that as we were implementing the DOWN program, Bailey Vinsant came to us with a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Public Health with an emphasis on epidemiology (the study and analysis of the 8
Matthew Gleeson, Director of Healthcare for Crossland, had this to say about Bailey, “She sets us apart from our competition. The work she is doing is valuable to us as a company, and she also passes that knowledge to our Project Managers, Superintendents, and everyone involved in the process.”
Another one of her essential duties is
The recent pandemic has made Bailey an
heading up the team regarding infection
even more valuable asset. She ensures our
control. Bailey understands what Infectious
team complies with all new policies and
Control Nurses at healthcare facilities need
procedures set forth on the nine current
from Crossland during projects, especially
healthcare sites we are constructing.
when building multiple structures across
Bailey said, “I am also attending numerous
their campus. With Bailey working as
webinars on COVID-19 and passing on
a liaison, she can quickly mitigate any
that education to our Superintendents. I’m
challenges that may arise.
happy to support the infection control staff at healthcare facilities so I can help meet
And for Crossland, having that knowledge on the front end establishes client trust and allows us to start projects quickly and efficiently.
The DOWN program is a substantial win-
their needs during this crisis. It says a lot
win for everyone involved. Having one
that they trust Crossland to follow all of the
point of contact enables Infectious Control
new procedures.”
Nurses to focus on their most important responsibilities. And, for Crossland,
We’re immensely proud of the forward-
having that knowledge on the front end
thinking success of the DOWN program.
establishes client trust and allows us
It’s an excellent example of how Crossland
to start projects quickly and efficiently.
finds innovative ways to adapt to our
From Bailey’s perspective, she knows that
client’s needs and incorporates them as our
understanding how to keep both patients
own to support their building programs.
and Crossland teams safe goes a long way towards earning a client’s trust. “I feel that my educational background allows me to understand their concerns and why they may be asking us to take additional precautions when working on a site.”
pictured above (l to r): Bailey Vinsant, DOWN Coordinator, Infectious Control Liason, Crossland; and Matthew Gleeson Director of Healthcare, Crossland
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“HERO – An ordinary person facing extraordinary circumstances and acting with Courage, Honor, and SelfSacrifice.” We feel honored to be part of this vital community project.
McKinney Fire Station #10 McKinney, TX – Two thousand acres of beautiful homes make up Trinity Falls, a three-year-old community located six miles from McKinney, TX. As McKinney and the surrounding areas experience population growths, the need for additional fire protection also increases. The City of McKinney chose Crossland to build McKinney Fire Station No. 10, a modern, 16,000 SF facility that sits on three acres and accommodates up to ten firefighters. The station’s design is similar to Station No. 9 - built in 2018 – and included input from the firemen. Heritage and service are pillars of community fire stations. New stations will often hold open houses for the public they serve, with kids delighting at the shiny, red trucks and ladders that lift firefighters super high. But a century ago, fire stations were merely buildings that housed horse-drawn pumpers. In the decades since, fire department missions have evolved from primarily responding to fires, to a full-service public safety agency. They now dispatch to vehicle accidents, hazmat incidents, specialized rescues, and natural disasters. A lot of planning goes into optimizing the space, so firefighters have a safe and useful environment that serves as their place of
Stated on a metal placard hangs outside the McKinney Fire Station No. 10
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work, residence, and often a community center.
Fast Facts: Owner: City of McKinney, Texas Architect: Conduit Architecture + Design Delivery Method: Construction Manager at Risk Square Footage: 15,844 Project Details 3 apparatus bays Community room Living quarters for up to ten firefighters Captain’s locker rooms Outdoor patio and training yard
Project Team: Rocky Hussman, Division Manager; Kyle Roberts, Project Manager; and Robert Bass, Superintendent
Training and Safety The Pre-Construction phase of the Station No. 10 project focused on accommodating the size and scope of fire and rescue vehicles while meeting the needs of the first responders who operate out of the station.
Standard rooms and features include a GearGrid locker system for uniform storage, a temperature-controlled med storage room, and spacious firehose racks. For safety, there is a decontamination room – with hazmat shower, along with a temperature-controlled, tornado safety room.
There are three drive-through apparatus bays, so the No. 10
Quality of Life
crew is always prepared and ready to respond. The bays include
Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, you can find
vehicle exhaust removal systems, compressed air, power drop
firefighters at the station as they work in continuous 24-hour
lines, and hot/cold-water connections. We built upper and lower
shifts. A comfortable living environment is paramount. Station
mezzanine-levels and installed extended catwalk framing above
No. 10 provides each firefighter with a dorm room, including
the interior space to house the IT closet and HVAC equipment.
a bed, desk, and a locker to store personal items. A spacious
Three bright red, powder-coated overhead bay doors catch the
kitchen lets the hungry crew spread out at mealtime, and each
eye of residents as they drive by.
shift has its own, locked pantry.
The need for training has increased as firefighters expand their
Other residential areas include a laundry room, fitness room,
scope of community support. They use several areas of the
sauna, movie/TV room, and a covered, 1,800 SF outdoor patio,
station to keep the team as prepared as possible. There is a
with a grill and mounted TV.
large community room that is used for education programs and can be leased out for community events.
Fire stations are so much more than just a garage; they are vital to community safety and public trust. We are honored to have
A large crawl space/maze was added to the upper level of the
been a part of this vital community project.
station for firefighters to train in wearing their gear. In another area, sections of the floor have cutouts that simulate when a structure has collapsed. A white, cinder block “window” above the apparatus bays is used as a propel training wall. 11
“A large site with multiple General Contractors, a tight schedule, challenging structure, and abnormal wet weather patterns made for a challenging and unique project. However, the team never stopped pushing and showed amazing grit and determination in delivering a very successful project.� c. DJ McClenny, Vice President Wichita Division Crossland Construction Company, In
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Stryker Sports Complex Wichita, KS – The Stryker Sports Complex is Wichita’s premier all-turf sports complex that accommodates year-round enjoyment of youth, college, adult leagues, tournaments, and events. The complex consists of 11 all-sports turf fields, each with outdoor lighting, and a 112,000 SF indoor facility designed to attract events with all levels of competition to the Wichita and surrounding
to waste. Everyone working on the project had to stay
areas.
completely in sync every day.
The project was a unique building experience for
Using construction scheduling software, our team
Crossland. It involved several phases, and each phase
managed and communicated project schedule updates
was bid out separately and awarded to several different
to all parties. We held daily communication and safety
general contractors.
meetings. We also held weekly meetings with the Owner for full transparency throughout the project.
Crossland performed the building work for the indoor soccer facility as well as the stadium improvements. We
The weather was notoriously difficult, forcing delays in
self-performed the steel on the project. The building
the schedule that were out of our control. However, in
had a 267’ clear span, the largest span Travis, our
true Crossland form, our teams came up with a plan to
Steel Superintendent, had erected at the time. Project
combat the issue. They installed rock crane paths that
components included concessions, offices, restrooms,
allowed crews to progress through the mud. Our teams
renovation of existing bathrooms, locker rooms, ticket
worked overtime, day-in, and day-out to deliver the
booth, new stadium bleachers, and a scoreboard.
project on time for the Owner’s first event.
With several different contractors and subcontractors in play, we knew that communication would be vital to making this project successful. A tight timeline with
Fast Facts: Owner: City of Wichita Architect: DLR Group/GLMV Architecture Landscape Architecture/Engineer: MKEC
upcoming sporting events already set on the calendar
Delivery Method: Hard Bid
solidified that collaboration and communication would
Self-Performed: Steel, Pre-Engineered Metal Building
have to be on a whole new level. There was no time
Square Footage: 112,200 Indoor Soccer Field, 6,556 Stadium Improvements
Project Team: DJ McClenny, Division Manager; Estimator, Eric Nilges; Jody Wiggins, Project Manager; Jake Smith, Superintendent; and Travis Day, Steel Superintendent
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Fast Facts: Owner: Napleton Equities, LLC Architect: Butler Rosenbury & Partners Delivery Method: Hard Bid Square Footage: VW & Mitsubishi: 27,900 Porsche: 10,700
BETTER SERVING OUR CUSTOMERS SO THEY CAN SERVE THEIRS Napleton Autowerks Springfield, MO – Napleton Autowerks in Springfield,
The single-story Porsche dealership and service shop
Missouri, sells Porsche, Volkswagen, and Mitsubishi
feature a beautiful radius front, made of aluminum
vehicles. After operating out of a former Lowe’s building,
composite materials and a glass wall system. The
they wanted a new dealership in an improved location to
luxurious, boutique-like atmosphere and first-class
better serve their customers.
amenities, like a covered service drive and car wash, will impress customers.
In the Winter of 2017, Napleton hired Crossland for site improvement and the construction of two facilities, one
Two+ months of recordable weather days and an added
to house Volkswagen and Mitsubishi, and the second for
parking lot led to a few schedule adjustments. Our team
Porsche, which also has an attached car wash.
was able to minimize weather impact through effective communication and coordination with the owner and
The two-story Volkswagen and Mitsubishi structure
subcontractors. Our phased approach to the project
includes showrooms with offices for both brands, an
enabled the client to move into the VW building while the
automotive shop, and mezzanine storage areas. Modern
Porshe facility was still underway.
interior finishes, glass wall offices, and a large skylight centered above the showroom give the dealership an airy and welcoming feel. The fully equipped automotive service departments include lifts and an exhaust system. Project Team: Lance Garrett, Division Manager; Juan Trujillo, Project Manager; and Randy Gunlock, Superintendent
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Fast Facts:
Owner: Tulsa County, OK
Architect: Selser Schaefer
Delivery Method: General Contractor
Self-Performed: Site and Building Concrete, Structural Steel, Earthwork, Rough & Finish Carpentry, Storm Square Footage: 151,000
A FAMILY CENTER DESIGNED AROUND COMPASSION AND HOPE Tulsa County Family Center for Juvenile Justice Tulsa, OK – Crossland was proud to build the Tulsa County
pods. A full-size gymnasium gives teens in detention a place
Family Center for Juvenile Justice, which replaced the
to stay active. This building also houses a library, classrooms,
dilapidated Tulsa County Juvenile Bureau. The new 7-acre,
a learning lab, probation offices, and a full-service cafeteria
151,000 SF facility houses the Tulsa County Juvenile Court,
and kitchen. The east and west buildings connect via a secure
Tulsa County Juvenile Bureau, Probation and Parole and
corridor and spacious outdoor recreation area.
Community Intervention, and all support agencies on one campus.
Tulsa families and youths in crisis now have a more safe and welcoming facility to serve 6000+ youth and their families
A two-story building on the west side of the campus
annually.
houses the Juvenile Court, Juvenile Bureau, and supporting agencies, plus courtrooms, judges’ chambers, training rooms,
For our part, Crossland received a remarkable letter from
and glass-front offices.
the Director of the Tulsa County Family Center for Juvenile Justice. He expressed his appreciation for a Crossland team
The Family Center, designed around compassion and hope,
member who exceeded his traditional role by working over
has a vibrant foyer, open atrium, and children’s play area.
the weekend to help clean and prepare the facility to open
Soothing colors and spacious rooms help kids feel safe and
on time. Going above and beyond is at our core. We make
comfortable. Paintings by local artists and furniture crafted by
sure our clients are happy and satisfied. In an industry where
Oklahoma Correctional Industries inmates give it a fun and
so much of the focus is on the product, it’s rewarding to
creative feel.
find opportunities to go the extra mile – particularly those projects with significant community impact.
The detention facility is on the east side of the complex. Twenty-one beds, dayrooms, a guard station, showers, a
Project Team: Greg Smith, Division Manager; Grant Goodwin, Project Manager;
multipurpose room, and laundry area are in each of three
Brian Denney, Superintendent; Aaron Drain, Assistant Superintendent; and Dalton Thorpe, Field Engineer
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We believe that some of the most valuable work is done below the soil, and we strive to make a difference, every day, from the ground up. We bring a wide range of expertise and resources to our clients.
Fast Facts: Owner: Cotton County RWD No. 2 Engineer: Jung Engineering Delivery Method: General Contractor Self-Performed: 35%, Concrete
FIRST PLANT IN OKLAHOMA TO USE THIS SPECIALIZED TREATMENT AND FILTRATION PROCESS Cotton County Water Treatment Plant Cotton County, OK – For years, Cotton County, OK, has
This complex project required serious coordination,
struggled to consistently manage the fluoride, arsenic, and
precision, and multiple pieces of equipment. To mitigate
nitrate levels in their water. In Fall of 2018, Cotton County
long material lead times, crews had to erect the metal
hired Crossland Heavy to build a new water treatment plant,
building before installing the tanks inside. Then, we had to
a blending station, and a water well that would improve their
pass six interior tanks through an overhead door. Lastly, we
chemical distribution and water quality.
had to install building piping before the filtration media, which created a significant obstruction to the access area.
The project had multiple components, including an all-
The collaboration of all teams involved helped make this
encompassing operations building that houses a lab, a filter
project a success.
process, a chemical feed system, electrical controls, and storage. The pump station connects and combines eight
Crossland Heavy completed this multi-faceted project on
separate well sources and distribution systems into one
time and within budget. Most importantly, we delivered a
unified system with remote accessibility. The system allows
facility that will provide quality drinking water to Cotton
the County to maintain and service the station without
County residents for years to come.
cutting the water supply to any part of the community. Cotton County is the first plant in Oklahoma to use this type of treatment and filtration process. Between the new process building and the two new wells, water capacity will virtually double. 16
Project Team: Justin Lillie, Division Manager; Mitch Ralston, Project Manager; and Cody Little, Superintendent
INCREASING CITIZEN SAFETY WITH A HIGHWAY EXPANSION ODOT Vinita Highway 2 Vinita, OK – The idea of a highway expansion project for the City of Vinita, Oklahoma, was first introduced in 2008. High volumes of
Fast Facts:
traffic move along State Highway 2, which runs through the core
Owner: Oklahoma Department of Transportation
business district of this Northeast Oklahoma community. In the fall
Engineer: Benham
of 2019, the Oklahoma Department of Transportation resolved to
Delivery Method: Hard Bid
invest $10.6 million in infrastructure improvements, and Crossland
Self-Performed: 67%, Concrete, Site Utilities
Heavy got to work. Project Team: Chris Walters, Division Manager; Trace Drummond,
Following the expansion project, motorists went from a narrow two-lane road with open ditches, to a four-lane highway with proper curbs and gutters. Vinita residents are thrilled with the
Project Manager; Tim Heitkamp, Project Superintendent; James Shelton, Site Superintendent; Joel Ramirez, Concrete Superintendent; Michael Eveland, Assistant Superintendent; and JT Richardson, Field Engineer
expansion. City leaders say the new sidewalks are improving citizens’ safety. The project included widening Hwy 2 for a little over one mile, more than doubling the road capacity. It consists of 1.7 miles of RCP, .5 mile of RCB, 91 storm structures, two miles of curb addition, and 41,475 SY of 9” paving. This was the largest Department of Transportation project for Crossland Heavy to date, and as expected in a project this size, they faced and solved a few challenges. Namely, they lost just over two months of weather days, so they had to determine the best way to manage existing storm sewer conditions. Our team, led by Tim Heitkamp, was creative with the project phasing and remained focused on the path ahead, finishing up one month ahead of schedule.
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DOUBLING CAPACITY: THE CLEANEST WATER AROUND Decatur Wastewater Treatment Plant The wastewater treatment plant in Decatur, Arkansas, processes wastewater from both the local Simmons Foods plant and the neighboring town of Centerton. Rapid population growth in Centerton led the City of Decatur to pursue a project to increase its plant processing capacity from 2.2 million gallons per day (MGD) to 4.6 million MGD.
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“As a result of the collaboration fostered by the Progressive Design-Build delivery method, we achieved a fantastic result – a state of the art wastewater treatment plant and the first MBR wastewater plant in the state of Arkansas. The footprint of the plant is the same, yet we introduced a completely new way of processing wastewater which more than doubled our capacity. We at the City of Decatur are very happy with our result, and I strongly believe we would not have near the quality of our result had we chosen a different delivery method.” - Bob Tharp, City of Decatur Mayor
Decatur, AR – Decatur chose the Design-Build delivery
From design through construction, the project lasted 24
method to maximize team collaboration and develop the
months. The construction phase lasted just under a year.
most innovative processing solution in the least amount
CHC was able to self-perform 65% of the work, including
of time. Working with a Design-Build team made up of us
various sizes of ductile, PVC, fiberglass, and stainless-steel
and McClelland Consulting Engineers, they evaluated four
piping, all concrete work, equipment installation, equipment
treatment options for the plant expansion. Given Decatur’s
start-up, walkway and handrail installation, and demolition.
desire for innovative and progressive technology and cost
All partners communicated well to make sure that we met
savings, they chose to retrofit the existing sequencing batch
all of the significant milestones, and the project progressed
reactor (SBR) plant with a membrane bioreactor (MBR). MBR
smoothly. In the end, we provided the City of Decatur with a
plants are sparse in the wastewater sector but can produce
project they are proud of, and that will meet their needs for
some of the cleanest effluent water.
years to come.
This option only had minor infrastructure work, but it required keeping the existing plant operational during construction. Throughout the design process, the team ran constructability reviews and provided suggestions to keep costs low and the process seamless.
Fast Facts: Owner: City of Decatur Engineer: McClelland Consulting Engineers, Inc. Delivery Method: Progressive Design-Build Self-Performed: 65%, Piping, Concrete Work, Equipment Installation, Equipment Start-up, Walkway, and Handrail Installation, Demo
Project Team: Dan Thompson, Division Manager; Ryan Adler, Project Manager; Ashley Hays, Superintendent; Assistant Project Manager, Garrett Street; Jordan Wehmeier; and Dylan Gregory, Field Engineer
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PAVING THE WAY
Benefits of Stringless GPS Curb & Gutter Technology
Columbus, KS – When your CEO comes to you with an idea, you make it happen. When Ivan shared his vision for us to move our paving equipment from job to job quickly and with less setup time, we adopted stringless
Going faster, with greater accuracy, using a simpler
technology for our curb and gutter pavers. There was a substantial upfront investment in implementing stringless control, but our investment will pay off in the long term through increased
process.
productivity and accuracy.
These benefits sold us
we spent valuable time setting stakes and strings to guide our paving
on the decision to use
Stringless Topcon GPS
technology for curb and gutter paving.
GPS technology significantly increases our production rates. Previously, equipment by direction and elevation. Now we can download a GPS file, set the lasers and GPS, and go! Our forecasts show that this will cut our labor costs in half and take our setup time from one to two days to around one to two hours. Another notable benefit is the precision of the technology, bringing accuracy from a .1 to now a .001. Alvaro Albarran, Crossland’s Concrete Foreman who currently runs the machine, said, “We’ve used it on a couple of projects, and so far, it’s been great! It is nice not having to set and collect stakes and strings on a job. The accuracy is also a huge benefit.” 21
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
Combating a Declining Trade Environment One of the most critical challenges in our industry is the shortage of
skilled craft professionals. For a variety of reasons, fewer young people consider careers in construction as they plan their futures after high
school. The future of our industry and the entire built environment require that we cultivate a pipeline of high-potential, intelligent, hardworking professionals who pursue construction careers.
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Columbus, KS – At Crossland, we believe in the power of
to learn the construction industry through on-the-job
a passionate and well-developed workforce. More than a
mentoring. The program is NCCER recognized and offers
decade ago, we began to see a decline in skilled workers.
apprenticeships for carpentry, steel, and equipment
Our leadership took an innovative approach to support
operators. We pair apprentices with a Crossland mentor
Crossland’s future and the construction industry’s outlook. In
who provides guidance, one-on-one training, and support
2004, we hired a teacher with a background in construction
throughout the program.
and established the Crossland Academy—our in-house talent development department.
Like many other students, college was not the right path for Shae Reynolds. When weighing his options, Shae decided
Crossland Academy was formed around two critical
to jumpstart his career right out of high school and enter the
missions: offering trade-specific training and certifications
Crossland Academy. He is now 20 and already working on a
to Crossland employees and introducing students early on
job site, with benefits, while also receiving on-the-job training
to opportunities within the construction industry. Both tasks
in carpentry.
would be crucial in creating an industry pipeline of qualified tradespeople.
“If I go to college, I can end up working four years down the road, or I can start fresh out of high school and get a jumpstart on my career now.”
Today, the Crossland Academy is a nationally accredited, award-winning education and training program. We provide a wide range of professional development courses and skills training to employees who are new to Crossland or the construction industry.
Shae Reynolds, Carpentry Apprentice
Stories like Shae’s are the reward for our investment in these programs. He and others like him receive the opportunity to learn while being paid to do it. “I love seeing people come straight out of high school, run through this program, gain knowledge and experience, become a mentor, and then go Mark Robinson, Trade Instructor/Mentor teaching a class of Apprentices.
Educating our Youth
on to leadership roles as a Project Superintendent,” said Mark Robinson, Crossland Mentor.
It’s common for well-paying jobs to sit empty while high
Crossland Internship Program
school graduates attend college. There are pros and cons to
In addition to offering an apprenticeship program, Crossland
both paths, and either course can lead to a successful career
was also one of the first construction companies to embrace
in construction. Our goal was to introduce students to the
paid internships for students who extend their education
construction industry and let them know they have options.
through college. To date, we’ve provided work experience,
To achieve this, many Crossland leaders serve on education
training, transportation, and housing to over 1,000 college
advisory boards in their communities, and our employees are
interns, and awarded over $1M in tuition assistance to
active in their local schools.
returning interns. We currently average around 150 interns per year from more than 15 regional colleges and universities
Since the conception of Crossland Academy, we have
and go onto hire an average of 35 interns yearly after
conducted over 200 field trips, 1,000 career fairs, and
graduation.
sponsored 500+ high school and post-secondary trade programs. These crucial initiatives give students a two- to three-year jumpstart and help our communities build a stable industry workforce.
Crossland Apprenticeship Program
Tomorrow’s Leaders Innovation has always been at our core - if there isn’t a way, we’ll make one. Having a strategic focus on education leads to long-term success for our employees and communities. We believe that creating this pipeline for the construction
Some people don’t thrive in a classroom environment.
community is worth the investment. It’s a collaborative effort
Instead, they learn better through hands-on experiences.
that results in valuable knowledge transfer from current
The Crossland Apprenticeship Program empowers people
construction leaders to tomorrow’s workforce.
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Crossland Construction Company, Inc. PO Box 45 833 S East Avenue Columbus, KS 66725
FOUR COMPANIES.
ONE FAMILY. Our Story
Over forty years ago, one man’s pursuit of The American Dream propelled our small family operation to huge success. Started in 1977 out of the family garage, Crossland has now grown to over 1,500 employees and ranks as one of the largest construction firms in the nation. Ivan, Sr. built the company on his optimism, integrity, work ethic, and grit. We continue to serve under the belief that if you dream big, remain humble, and work hard, great things are possible. We are very proud to be a part of building the communities where we live, work, and play.
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