Building & Construction Magazine
Spring 2010
By Libby John
White Construction prides itself on its ability to build quality projects, be cost-effective and maintain good relationships with clients.
“I think people are pleasantly surprised that our firm can do a really great job on so many types of construction projects.”
W Bernard White, PE., President
White Construction
- www.whitecon.com
- Revenues: $46 million
- Headquarters: Detroit
- Professional employees: 23
Although southeastern Michigan is experiencing the worst of the recession because of the decline in the automotive industry, Detroit’s White Construction has managed to keep itself busy and even participate in some high-profile projects, President W. Bernard White says. “We are focused on taking care of our existing clients and holding onto those relationships,” he reports.
The company provides general contracting, construction management and design/build services for the commercial, healthcare, education, automotive and municipal government sectors. Most of its projects are completed in the Detroit area and southeastern Michigan.
Proud Citizens
Last year, the firm completed the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Building in Detroit – a two-story, 58,ooo-square¬foot facility with an adjacent 367-space pre-cast parking deck. The project was valued at $14 million and achieved LEED gold certification. “We are very proud of that fact,” White says.
The project presented several challenges to the firm. For one, the building was located above an aquifer and water table, so White Construction installed 105 caissons to a depth of 115 feet deep, as normal spread footing foundations would not work on a site logged with water. The site also contained contaminated soil and concrete railroad pits of debris that had to be removed from an old trolley yard. “It was also a difficult project because it was in an urban area so we had to effectively manage security for stored and installed materials,” White explains. “We stored and left some of the contaminated soil on-site in a controlled berm at the back of the site in accordance with applicable regulations.”
The company had to solve all these challenges quickly, he adds, because the owners changed the originally planned 14-month schedule to 12 months as the development agreement had a performance initiative that the client wanted to take advantage of about two months into the project schedule. White credits the subcontractors and says they are a main reason the company was able to meet the expedited schedule. “There was a lot of cooperation all the way around,” he notes. “Everyone worked well together and took pride in their work. I think that comes from our experience in knowing who the quality subs are.”
White Construction also implemented value-engineering to save the client $2 million in the cost of the building. “We looked and realized there was a lot of things we could do to save money and maintain the integrity of the design,” he says. One major change involved the mechanical system. “Initially, they had an under-floor mechanical system, but we recommended that it be put above the ceiling,” he says. Other examples of the value-engineering were removal of the computer access flooring, deletion of architectural stainless steel panels throughout, deletion of the green roof, revision of doors/hardware and incorporating the existing boulders on the site into the landscaping design. The company made the changes smoothly, even though it was redesigned in the middle of the project.
White says the company has received many compliments about the project. “People have said it is extremely beautiful, modern and high-tech looking. They also say that it was built fast,” he says. “They said every time they drove by, they would notice that major work and progress had been completed. Other customers and clients have used that site as a testament to us building on time and schedule. We had no idea that they were aware of and watching the project, but it was great advertising for us by the way we performed it. We are very happy that we finished ahead of schedule and saved money from the original budget. We are extremely proud.”
East RiverWalk Project
Another project that highlights White Construction’s abilities is the $25 million East RiverWalk project in Detroit that was completed in 2007, White says. The 2.5-mile-long RiverWalk stretches from Joe Louis Arena to MacArthur (Belle Isle) Bridge and includes two plazas and pavilions, a custom-designed carousel and water features. “It is a major walkway where people can run, walk and bike along the Detroit River,” he says.
“Our value-engineering efforts saved the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy about $2 million,” he adds. “That process included the owner, architectural team and consultants. We reviewed all the elements of the design, but still maintained the integrity of the design.”
White says the company aims to implement value-engineering in all its projects for its clients. “In this market¬place, owners want to get more for their dollar,” he explains. “They really want to maximize and get the maximum bang for their buck. They really appreciate that we can get the job done and save them some money.”