COVER STORY
Trojan Fitness and Wellness Center, Troy, Ala. Class I (up to $525,000) Erector: ROPAC, Inc. Fabricator: Contractors Steel Supply, Inc. Detailer: Contractors Steel Supply, Inc. Structural Engineer: Blackburn Daniels O'Barr, Inc. Construction Manager: Whaley Construction Company, Inc. Contract Value: $510,000 Tons of Steel: 530
Ballston Quarter Pedestrian Walkway, Arlington, Va. Class II (Over $525,000 to $1 million) Erector: Williams Steel Erection Co., Inc. Fabricator: Crystal Steel Fabricators, Inc. Detailer: Crystal Steel Fabricators, Inc. Structural Engineer: Peller & Associates, Inc. Construction Manager: Clark Construction Group, LLC Contract Value: $600,000 Tons of Steel: 100
Holocaust Museum Houston, Houston, Texas Class II Honorable Mention Erector: Empire Steel Inc. Fabricator: Myrex Industries Detailer: Myrex Industries Structural Engineer: Walter P Moore Construction Manager: McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. Contract Value: $675,854 Tons of Steel: 490
By Tina Cauller
Ingenuity, Planning, and
Quality Workmanship
Erectors overcome restricted sites with coordinated logistics
A
Williams Steel Erection's project manager had never seen a bridge with so many articulations. Erecting it required the team to present an alternative plan to the contractor.
ward winning projects in Class I and II of SEAA’s annual Project of the Year competition relied on creative lift planning and transportation logistics to stay on schedule on restricted job sites. Shown here are three of the six winning entries. (Look for coverage of Class III and Class IV winners in the Fall 2020 issue.) Projects were topped out in either 2018 or 2019 and were selected by an independent panel of judges. “Erectors work closely with fabrication, engineering, and general contractors in roles that often require revisiting the drawing board to customize rigging or material handling devices, collaborate on more efficient connection methods, or devise better fall protection systems to safely keep projects on schedule and on budget. These award-winning projects are good examples of that ingenuity,” said Alan Sears, Awards Committee Chairman. “Expanding the scope of the submission criteria to a 24-month window greatly increased the number of completed project submissions we received,” said. “This provides SEAA members with an opportunity to showcase their most interesting, and often most challenging, structural steel erection work.”
■ Curves on the corner The idea for a new Trojan Fitness & Wellness Center on the Troy University campus in Troy, Ala., was initiated by students, and the $25-million Center was funded by student recreation fees. Situated on a high-profile corner of campus, the facility features multiple activity courts with complex curves, a signature design element repeated across the Troy campus. The 78,000-square-foot center has an open floor plan that gives visitors an unimpeded view into all three levels of the building, with an area that offers a stunning 360-degree view of the campus. It includes a basketball court, free and circuit weight training areas, aerobic Tina Cauller is a graphic designer and freelance writer with 30 years of experience reporting for trade and technical publications in building construction and real estate markets. She can be reached at tinacauller@ gmail.com
26 | THE STEEL ERECTORS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA
exercise rooms, a café, an outdoor swimming pool, a multi-level indoor walking track, and four offices. ROPAC, Inc., was recognized with SEAA’s Project of the Year Award for Class I for their performance in erecting the new facility, a project which posed several difficult challenges. “The combination of limited space, critical lifts, custom steel members, and weather concerns Complex curves are signature design element of the Trojan Fitness & Wellness Center.