McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. (www.mccarthy.com), one of the nation’s leading laboratory builders, announces the completion of the new Parker H. Petit Science Center at Georgia State University (GSU) in Atlanta. The 350,000-square-foot building, totaling $119 million in construction costs, is intended to bring research, educational and economic opportunities to Atlanta.
The new science center will provide science teaching and research labs for the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Health and Human Sciences. The center will also be home to Georgia State’s research and education programs in biology, chemistry, nursing, nutrition, physical and respiratory therapies, as well as the Neuroscience Institute and the Institute of Public Health. Features inside the building include state-of-the-art dry and wet laboratories, BSL-2 and BSL-3 labs, and a BSL-4 suite.
“From preconstruction to completion, McCarthy approached every step of this project with the safety and needs of our students and staff in mind,” said Robin Morris, vice president of research at Georgia State University. “We are confident that the Parker H. Petit Science Center will stimulate opportunities on and off campus, and we thank CUH2A and McCarthy for bringing our vision to fruition.”
Constructing a state-of-the-art laboratory facility in the heart of downtown Atlanta presented an array of challenges, including navigation of road and pedestrian traffic, construction material deliveries, and maintaining a safe and secure site. The team addressed these challenges with gate access supervision, security grade perimeter fencing, 24/7 security personnel and use of a live web-cam surveillance company. These efforts, combined with communication between city, local and campus departments, enabled McCarthy to maintain a safe and injury –free site.
“Safety remained our number one priority throughout the project,” commented McCarthy Project Director Joe Jouvenal. “Through planning and partnering with GSU, we succeeded in delivering the project on-time and on budget.”
Through cost-saving strategies, McCarthy returned almost $7 million dollars in savings to Georgia State University. The facility, designed to hold up to 6,000 students and faculty, is scheduled to open during the beginning of May.
About McCarthy
Founded in 1864, McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. is one of the nation’s leading research facility builders. The company provides general contracting, construction management, program management and design/build services for science and technology, healthcare, education, parking, entertainment, retail 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.
