The Atlanta office of McCarthy has marked a major construction milestone at a topping out ceremony for the Parker H. Petit Science Center at Georgia State University.
Topping out of the 10-story, 350,000 square foot research facility comes following one-year of construction. The project is on target for completion in April of 2010.
The facility, named for benefactor Parker H. Petit, will house teaching and research facilities for nearly 6,000 students pursuing various science and nursing degrees. It will include state-of-the-art dry and wet laboratories, BSL-2 and BSL-3 labs and a BSL-4 suite. The lab is part of the new University Science Park, located on a three-acre site at Piedmont Avenue and Decatur Street in downtown Atlanta.
“It’s both exciting and gratifying to reach this point in a major construction project,” said Kevin W. Kuntz, McCarthy southeast division president. “McCarthy’s expertise in complex research facilities has been critical to keeping construction of the Petit Science Center on target. At the same time, it is hugely rewarding to construct a facility that will significantly impact the learning experience for thousands of students in the years to come, and contribute to Atlanta’s downtown revitalization.”
“McCarthy was able to help overcome some surprises that had real potential to take our project off schedule,” said Robin Morris, GSU’s vice president for research & regents. “After finding some existing subterranean structures and unsuitable soil beneath what would become the building’s footprint, the team was able to undercut the area and insert new material. Solid experience helped guide the solution and keep the facility on schedule.”
CUH2A is the architect for the project.
About McCarthy
Founded in 1864, McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. is one of the nation’s oldest and largest privately held construction firms. The company provides general contracting, construction management, program management and design/build services for healthcare, education, parking, entertainment, retail, laboratory, biotechnical, microelectronic, and industrial facilities; office buildings; tenant interiors; mixed-use; and bridges and highways. McCarthy is 100 percent employee owned. More information about the company is available online at www.mccarthy.com.
