PROJECT TEAM

Excellence in overall project management (client service, relations with all stakeholders, etc.)

Over the years, Frank L. Blum Construction Company has engaged in many restoration projects. Renovations and repairs to historic buildings on areas like slate roofing, masonry, flashing, stucco, not to mention incorporating new elements into the existing features, require dedication and commitment. The team of FPC Greensboro, Blum, CJMW Architects, Harbinson Architects, and SKA Consulting Engineers met weekly to refine the design while keeping a close eye on the budget. The project had many challenges, including a historic, landmark building located downtown in a historic district, tight site and building interior, and many unknown conditions. The team’s vision consisted of planning for the future and being good stewards of a space that will be a part of the community for generations to come. Ultimately, the church gained a more energy efficient building, which over the years will save hundreds of thousands of dollars in operating expenses. As with any project of this scale and complexity, the planning effort during the preconstruction phase was absolutely critical. The project team met weekly for nearly a year to understand the intricacies of what the congregation was expecting out of this project, the functional goals of the building systems that would be replaced as part of the project, the areas that would be preserved versus restored, the desired interior and exterior aesthetics, and how all of these elements could be achieved without affecting an active campus and preschool. Mark Dunnagan, Blum’s vice president of project development, recalls, “Great projects are most often the result of a great team of people working together to achieve a common goal.” From the very first preconstruction meeting, it was evident that this was going to be the case at FPC Greensboro. From the church clergy and staff to the designers to the multiple committees that were involved in different aspects of the project, everyone had one goal … to honor those who had built this church and ensure that it would be a vibrant place to worship for generations to come. There were healthy discussions about expectations versus budgets, functionality, and life cycle costs. Elements were removed from the project, and others were incorporated. At the end of the process, the team produced a plan that the church was very happy with and met their budget expectations.

This project resulted in an enormous sense of pride throughout the entire Blum organization Those that were involved feel that they were part of something much larger than just a construction project. A landmark has been restored for the Greensboro community, and that landmark can be enjoyed for generations to come. Senior Project Manager Ricky Touchstone notes, “We have the opportunity to work on many iconic projects at Blum. Each of these iconic projects has its own set of challenges that their project teams must work through. This project was no different in that it had challenges that the team needed to overcome, but no other project that I have worked on in my career has been as rewarding or as much fun as the renovation of FPC Greensboro.” The entire Blum Construction organization wants to congratulate First Presbyterian Church Greensboro for committing to and flawlessly executing this very special project. We are proud to have played a small part in helping you realize your dream.

Budget/schedule considerations (including preconstruction efforts, value engineering, etc.)

For nearly a century Frank L Blum Construction has been the first choice for the construction and renovation of religious facilities. We are proud to have successfully delivered some of the most complicated projects, on some of the tightest schedules, to some of the most exacting owners in the Triad. We pride ourselves on our ability to work with building committees and designers to provide proactive solutions throughout the preconstruction and construction phases of a project to ensure that all expectations are met, and that projects are delivered on time, under budget, and with a level of quality that is the hallmark of a Blum project. The possibility of working with First Presbyterian Church Greensboro on this project was of particular interest to us because many elements of the project aligned very closely with our past experiences.

Blum has constructed or renovated more ecclesiastical spaces in the Triad than any other contractor. We have worked in all forms of worship spaces, from sanctuaries to chapels to family life centers. What we have found is that each of these spaces is unique to that particular religious institution, and the key to successfully delivering these spaces is to understand the needs and desires of the congregants who will use them. This is done by listening carefully during preconstruction and comm unicating what was heard to insure that all parties are of like mind prior to starting construction.

The same personnel - Ricky Touchstone, Senior Project Manager and Mark Gill, Senior Superintendent – were committed to providing effective pre-construction services and would then roll seamlessly into the construction phase. Mark Dunnagan, the VP of Pre -construction Services, would supplement the efforts during preconstruction and assist in implementing our MAPSM Preconstruction Process.

Safety performance, including for all stakeholders: OSHA recordable or lost time incident statistics; including explanations for any disabling injuries or fatalities.

Blum employees worked a collective total of 20,781.5 hours, and there were no accidents reported on the First Presbyterian Church Greensboro Project. Prior to starting the renovation, temporary routing was created to allow for the safe evacuation of the children and staff from the adjacent buildings without going through the construction area. Several mock fire drills were held and were proven to be very successful.

“For the magnitude of the project and the scope of work I think we did extremely well! We were exposed to a wide variety of hazards from asbestos abatement to numerous fall hazards (scaffolds inside and out), silica exposure and a wide variety of other safety hazards. We were constantly working from ladders and using numerous types of equipment. I personally think the team did really well to hold things to a bare minimum.”

John Gardner, Safety Manager