April 2015 CAM Magazine

APRIL 2015 Vol. 36 • No. 4 • $4.00

MASONRYDetroit and Masonry:

A City and Craft Endures

Building Antarcticaat the Detroit Zoo

CONCRETEANNUALREPORT

2014

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: The Latest in Rehabilitative Care: New Therapy Gym Opens in Shelby Township

4 CAM MAGAZINE APRIL 2015 “The Voice Of The Construction Industry”®

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SUSTAIN-ABILITY12 Take a Closer Look: ICFs Offer ‘Positive

Cash Flow’ in Energy Savings-Not Just for Foundations Anymore

BUSINESS TAXES14 Ever Thought About the “Health”

of Your Business Taxes?

16 THE 2014 CAM ANNUAL REPORT

ROUNDTABLE RECAP32 State of the Construction Industry

Roundtable Talks

MASONRY OUTLOOK36 2015 Masonry Industry Construction

MASONRY38 A City and Craft Endures

CONCRETE40 Building Antarctica - Amalio Begins

Foundations for New Polk PenguinConservation Center

45 Arisco Waterproofs New Detroit Area Gem in the Making

48 Concrete Moisture Mitigation UsingDehumidification

HIGHLIGHT50 The Cadillac of Rehabilitative Care: Shelby

Nursing Center Opens New Therapy Gym

38

455016

DEPARTMENTS

8 Industry News

10 Safety Tool Kit

54 Products

57 People in Construction / Corporate News

58 CAM Welcomes New Members

59 Construction Calendar

59 Advertisers Index

ABOUT THE COVER

The 2015 CAM Board of Directors (top to bottom, left to right):

Steve Hohenshil; Brad Leidal; Kevin Ryan; John Rieckhoff;

John Raimondo; Joe Palazzolo; Joe Fontanesi;

Donielle Wunderlich; Jennifer Panning; Preston Wallace;

Tom Broad; Kevin Koehler; Larry Brinker, Jr.

Photo by John Lacy, proshooter.com

PUBLISHER Kevin N. Koehler EDITOR Amanda M. Tackett

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Mary E. Kremposky

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Matthew J. Austermann GRAPHIC DESIGN Noelle E. Scharer DIRECTOR OF MARKETING Gregg A. Montowski ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Cathy A. Jones

DIRECTORS OFFICERS Chairman Larry S. Brinker, Jr. The Brinker Group

Vice Chairman Stephen J. Hohenshil Glasco Corporation

Vice Chairman Donielle Wunderlich George W. Auch Company

Treasurer Joe S. Palazzolo Detroit Spectrum Painters, Inc.

President Kevin N. Koehler DIRECTORS Thomas R. Broad Midwest Steel, Inc.

Joseph Fontanesi Fontanesi & Kann Company Architectural Building Components, Inc.

Brad Leidal Mason Contractors, Inc.

Jennifer T. Panning Artisan Tile, Inc.

John Raimondo Roncelli, Inc.

John W. Rieckhoff C.L. Rieckhoff Company, Inc.

Kevin F. Ryan Powerlink Facility Management Services

Preston Wallace Limbach Company, LLC

CAM MAGAZINE EDITORIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE William L. Borch, Jr. Ironworkers Local Union 25 Gary Boyajian Division 8 Solutions, Inc. Stevan Bratic Bratic Enterprises, LLC Marty Burnstein Law Office of Marty Burnstein George Dobrowitsky Walbridge Daniel Englehart Peter Basso and Associates, Inc. Chris Hippler Capital Letters Dennis King DMKING Consulting, LLC Nancy Marshall Aluminum Supply Company Rick Rys Hi Def Color Sanford (Sandy) Sulkes International Building Products, Inc. James Vargo Capac Construction Company, Inc.

CAM Magazine (ISSN08837880) is published monthly by the Construction Association of Michigan, 43636 Woodward Ave., P.O. Box 3204, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302-3204 (248) 972-1000. $24.00 of annual membership dues is allocated to a subscription to CAM Magazine. Additional subscriptions $40.00 annually. Periodical postage paid at Bloomfield Hills, MI and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER, SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO: CAM MAGAZINE, 43636 WOODWARD AVE., BLOOMFIELD HILLS, MI 48302-3204.

For editorial comment or more information: [email protected] reprints or to sell CAM Magazine: 248-972-1000

Copyright © 2015 Construction Association of Michigan. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without permission is prohibited. CAM Magazine is a registered trademark of the Construction Association of Michigan.

Visit us online at www.cammagazineonline.com CAM MAGAZINE APRIL 2015 5

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INDUSTRY NEWS

FOUR INDUCTEDINTO MICHIGANCONSTRUCTIONHALL OF FAMEDURING FERRISCEREMONY

The Michigan Construction Hall of Fame

welcomed four inductees during a formal

ceremony in November 2014 at Ferris State

University’s Granger Center for Construction and

HVACR on its Big Rapids campus. Selection for

the Michigan Construction Hall of Fame is based

on nominees’ technical, managerial and

leadership achievements within construction and

related industries, as well as service to the

profession and community. The 2014 inductees

are:

JOHN BARTOS

Bartos is president, CEO and founder of JS&B

Associates and the founder of Three Rivers

Construction Corporation, both in Midland, and

Texas Rivers Construction in Freeport, TX. Three

Rivers was chosen to build Dow Diamond

ballpark in Midland, home of the Great Lakes

Loons minor league baseball team, the Class A

affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Bartos is a

founding Board Member of multiple workforce

development initiatives throughout Michigan,

including MiTech Plus/STEM Talent, and he is a

founding member of the Associated Builders and

Contractors Saginaw Valley Chapter. He helped

start the Greater Michigan Construction Academy

to promote vocational education and training,

and is past chairman of the National Center for

Construction Education and Research Training.

In the past four decades, he has served on 26

local and state Boards, task forces and initiatives.

BENJAMIN CAPP, JR.

Capp became president of Wolverine Marble

Company in Detroit in 1972 and served in that

capacity for the next 20 years, before he handed

the reins to his own son, Ron. Capp was behind

Wolverine’s growth from residential and light

commercial work to large commercial projects

across Michigan and the Midwest. In 1980, the

company – now Wolverine Stone – added a

ceramic tile division that enabled them to

broaden their services to the construction

industry.

Capp, whose work includes the State of Illinois

Center in Chicago and the American Center in

Southfield, MI, was active in labor-management

negotiations. He is past chairman of the

Association of Marble Contractors and Finishers

of Detroit, was a trustee and chairman of the Tile,

Terrazzo and Marble Supplemental

Unemployment Benefit Fund for Local 32, and

served as director and chairman of the

Construction Association of Michigan.

PHILLIP V.FREDERICKSON

Phillip Frederickson was hired in 1967 by the

Lansing-based Christman Company and began

building the foundation for a successful 35-year

career. He was an advocate for a team-based

construction management approach as a

method of project delivery at Christman as well

as in the Michigan construction industry. He

served Christman as vice president in charge of

construction management services, executive

vice president and general manager, president,

chief executive officer and chairman of the Board

of Directors. Frederickson oversaw Christman’s

expansion into real estate development in 1991

and its effort to become a national expert in

historic preservation. That effort netted a Build

America award for historic preservation of the

Golden Dome at the University of Notre Dame in

South Bend, IN in 2000. The company also

oversaw restoration of the Michigan State Capitol

in Lansing and constructed the Breslin Student

Events Center and Wharton Center for the

Performing Arts, both at Michigan State

University.

KENNETH LAWLESS

Lawless joined Lansing-based Clark Construction

Company in 1978 and began a nearly four-

decade career, serving as a project manager,

project director, vice president, chief operating

officer and executive vice president. A strong

advocate of skilled training and personnel

development, Lawless helped Clark develop a

highly successfully training program that was

recognized with the Cornerstone Award for

Training Excellence and the Keystone Award for

Education Excellence by the AGC of Michigan.

Lawless is past chairman of the Board of

Directors of the Associated General Contractors

of Michigan, a former member of the State of

Michigan Construction Code Commission,

Michigan Energy Code Review Committee and

State Construction Management Task Force. He

is past president of the Construction

Specifications Institute and Lansing Builders

Exchange and former business manager of the

Construction Managers Association of America.

Michigan Construction Hall of Fame inductees

are selected by a committee of professionals

representing Associated Builders and


INDUSTRY NEWS

Contractors, Associated General Contractors of

Michigan, the Construction Association of

Michigan, the Michigan Association of Home

Builders, the Michigan Infrastructure and

Transportation Association, and Ferris’

Construction Technology and Management

programs.

The Michigan Construction Hall of Fame is

located in Ferris’ Granger Center and serves as

a permanent place for leaders of the Michigan

construction industry to be recognized and

appreciated for their achievements.

For more information and complete

biographies of each of the inductees, visit

http://www.ferris.edu/mchof/.

HOLLAND BPW &CITY COUNCILAPPROVE EPCCONTRACT WITHBARTON MALOWFOR ENERGY PARK

The Holland Board of Public Works (HBPW) and

Holland City Council have approved an

Engineering, Procurement and Construction

(EPC) contract with Barton Malow, Southfield, for

the design and construction of the Holland

Energy Park natural gas power plant. Barton

Malow previously was engaged in an engineering

services agreement (ESA) to begin preliminary

engineering for the plant and develop final

language on the EPC contract.

The Holland Energy Park consists of a new

125-megawatt combined cycle natural gas plant

for the city of Holland, located on a 26-acre site

at 5th St. and Fairbanks Avenue. The energy park

is designed to be a natural, park-like setting

complete with paths, a waterfall and extensive

natural greenery and wildflowers. The new plant

will replace the outdated coal-burning waterfront

James DeYoung plant.

“The level of care taken in planning Holland

Energy Park shows a commitment to the Holland

community that excites us and we are honored

to join the team,” said Joe Benvenuto, vice

president. “The Holland Energy Park is designed

be a world-class energy center that not only

meets the energy needs of Holland, but also

commits to being socially, economically and

environmentally responsible.”

With construction set to begin in early 2015, the

contract schedule calls for generation and testing

in late 2016, and substantial completion by

February 2017. Barton Malow put together a 3D

graphics projection of the full construction process

on the Holland Energy Park.

For complete information, visit

http://www.bartonmalow.com/voices/holland-

energy-park

THE DETROITCERAMIC TILECONTRACTORSASSOCIATIONANNOUNCESCHOLARSHIPWINNERS

The Detroit Ceramic Tile Contractors Association

(DCTCA) was pleased to announce the winners

of their 2015 Scholarship Program at the

association’s annual February cocktail party at

Club Venetian in Madison Heights.

The 2015 winners are: Jad Chedid of Lawrence

Technological University, a graduate student in the

School of Architecture; and Stephen Fournier of the

University of Detroit/ Mercy, who is a graduate

student in the School of Architecture. Also present

for the presentations were Dean Will Wittig, Dean of

the School of Architecture at U of D- Mercy, and

Dean Glen LeRoy, Dean of the School of Architecture

at Lawrence Technological University.

The Detroit Ceramic Tile Contractors Association (DCTCA)

is a non-profit trade association, dedicated to the promotion,

advancement, education and training of the Southeast

Michigan Unionized Residential and Commercial Ceramic

Tile Industry.

pMembers of the DCTCA, from left to right:

Robert Michielutti, Michielutti Brothers,

Inc.; Ron Capp, Wolverine Stone Co.; Phil

Bianchini, Empire Tile and Marble Co.; Jack

DiGiovani, Eldorado Tile & Marble Co.;

Mike Maiuri, Shores Tile Company, Inc.;

Jad Chedid, scholarship recipient; and

Dean Glen LeRoy, of Lawrence

Technological University.

CORRECTION: In the full-page ad for the

Mason Contractors Association (MCA) that

appeared on page 9 of the March 2015 issue,

and the IFC of the April 2015 issue of CAM

Magazine, the top photo depicting the John D.

Dingell Transit Center in Dearborn was taken

by John D’Angelo, photographer.


BY TRACEY ALFONSI

CAM DIRECTOR OF SAFETY AND EDUCATION

EPA ISSUING STEEP FINES TOCONTRACTORS

CAUGHTRED HANDED

In April 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) began enforcing a

new Lead Renovator, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule. The purpose of the RRP

Rule was to minimize exposure from lead-based paint dust during renovation, repair

or painting activities. This was a key effort to reduce the prevalence of childhood

lead poisoning, particularly lead poisoning caused by housing contaminated by

renovation activities. It also minimizes exposure to older children and adults who

are also adversely impacted by lead-based paint dust exposure.

Lead paint was used in more than 38 million homes prior to its ban for residential

use in 1978. This paint can form toxic dust when it is disturbed during normal home

repair work. In the City of Detroit, six percent of all children six years of age and

younger tested in 2004 were identified to have lead poisoning (Detroit Department

of Health and Wellness Promotion 2005a). Exposure to lead has serious

neurological and behavioral effects on children. According to the American

Academy of Pediatrics (2005), the best studied effects of lead poisoning are

cognitive impairments measured by IQ tests, but other aspects of brain or nerve

function, especially behavior, may also be affected.

The RRP Rule requires that renovators are trained in the use of lead-safe work

practices, that renovators and firms be certified, that providers of renovation training

be accredited, and that renovators follow specific work practice standards. The

rule applies to all firms and individuals who are paid to perform renovation,

repair and painting projects that disturb paint in pre-1978 housing and

child-occupied facilities, such as schools and childcare centers. This

includes home improvement contractors, maintenance workers, painters and other

specialty trades.

In December 2014, the U.S. EPA announced 61 enforcement actions ranging

from $100 to more than $100,000 in fines per company. One contractor from

Kansas City, Missouri racked up $184,000 in fines for failure to comply with the

RRP rules.

If your company obtained certification in 2010, you are set to expire in 2015. To

avoid penalty, you must attend a refresher training before your firm’s expiration date.

CAMTEC will be hosting the Lead RRP Refresher training on April 15th and again

on June 11th. If you need the initial training, register for our September 9th

course. Online registration is available at www.cam-online.com.

For more information about the Lead Renovation, Repair and

Painting (RRP) Rule, visit http://www2.epa.gov/lead/lead-renovation-repair-and-

painting-program-rules.


INDUSTRY NEWSSUSTAIN|ABILITY

BY DOUGLAS ELBINGER

ENERGY SYSTEMS ANALYST,

NEWMAN CONSULTING GROUP, LLC

[email protected]

TAKE A CLOSER LOOK:

ICFS OFFER ‘POSITIVE CASH FLOW’ IN ENERGYSAVINGS - NOT JUST FOR FOUNDATIONS ANYMORE

When I began my research for Michigan contractors using ICFs (Insulating

Concrete Form) and dove deeper into the case studies and cost-benefit

analysis, I quickly realized I would not have enough space here to reveal,

as much as I’d like to, all the financial, energy and durability benefits of

ICFs. So I’ll just start with the bottom line first: According to The Insulating

Concrete Forms Association (ICFA), in actual case studies, estimates are

that ICF homes cost three percent to five percent more than typical 2x4

frame construction. That’s about $10,000 for a $250,000 house. Financed

with a conventional 30-year loan at 6.5 percent, it will add $62.55 to the

monthly mortgage. However, actual results indicate the homeowner will be

saving at least that much on energy bills. In other words, when energy costs

are rolled into the equation, it’s actually less expensive to live in an ICF

house. All of the other benefits - like quiet interiors, less maintenance, better

indoor air quality, and disaster-proof walls - are added bonuses at no extra

cost.

One of the early adaptors and advocates for ICF is Jake Vierzen, of

Caledonia, MI, who began R-Value Homes in 2004 and has very solid

convictions about using ICFs. “I was raised in a large family on a West

Michigan dairy farm, where long hours were the norm, complaining was

taboo, and both conservation of energy and stewardship of resources was

a way of life.” After working 10 years at a Michigan-based commercial

concrete contractor starting as a laborer, he quickly moved into the position

of a poured wall foreman. As Jake tells it best, “Once I learned of Insulating

Concrete Forms, I immediately knew it was for me. Here was a building

method that embodied high-performance, energy conservation,

stewardship, durability and concrete all wrapped into one.”

WHAT IS AN ICF?

In the last 10 years energy costs have risen dramatically, forcing many

homeowners to change or reconsider their standards of living by utilizing a

modern twist on an age-old building material: Concrete.

ICF is a method of forming a structural concrete wall that leaves the foam

forms in place; they are not removed after the pour like nearly any other

poured concrete wall.

• ICFs come in many shapes and sizes. In some of the most common

ones, the form is 16” tall and 48” long. The two sides of the form are

typically 2.5” thick, Expanded Polystyrene (EPS), held together - or

apart, depending on your perspective - by polypropylene ties at 6”-8”

on center. A typical concrete core is 6”, thus the overall width of an

ICF block is 2.5” + 6” + 2.5” = 11”.

• These forms have “teeth” on the top and bottom that lock the blocks

to each other, similar to Lego™ blocks. Simply put, the ICF forms

(blocks) are stacked in the shape of the home, reinforcing steel is

added, and then filled with concrete; leaving a highly insulated

concrete wall.

• Within the foam, about ½” below the surface and on both sides of the

form, the polypropylene ties connect to 1.5” wide polypropylene

“studs” that run vertically within the forms. Like the ties, these are every

6” or 8” on center, depending on the brand of ICF chosen. Interior and

exterior finishes are attached to these studs, using coarse thread

screws.

• While Insulating Concrete Forms started out primarily for foundations,

it didn’t take long for people to realize that the comfort of an ICF wall

would be even more desirable in the main and upper levels of a home.

ICFs are now used to construct all the exterior walls of a home, starting

at the footing and going all the way up to the bottom of the trusses.

WHY USE ICFs?

Jakes listens to his clients and no two clients are alike. They all have

somewhat different concerns, and have chosen to use Insulating Concrete

Forms for different reasons. We hear almost monthly of another natural

disaster, be it a super-storm, hurricane, tornado, flood, wildfire, or even a

long power outage; leaving families unprotected at a time when they need

shelter and warmth the most.

Mold-related lawsuits have made the headlines as asthma and other

health problems plague more people. In some places, energy codes have

made homes ever tighter, leading in many cases to serious durability

concerns and air quality problems… and there also appears to be a trend

toward Net Zero homes. Volatile lumber prices and changing energy codes

squeeze out builders’ profits on one side, while the ever-changing weather

threatens to delay construction schedules on the other. Concerned

homeowners demand greater comfort, safety and lower maintenance, while

at the same time requiring that their homes leave a smaller footprint on the

environment.

HOW ICFs WORK TO CONSERVE ENERGY*

Houses built in cold climates with ICF exterior walls require an estimated

44 percent less energy to heat, and 32 percent less energy to cool than

comparable frame houses. Heating savings are highest in cold climates,

and cooling savings highest in warm climates.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF JAKE VIERZEN,

R-VALUE HOMES


• Higher R-Values: “R-Value” stands for thermal

resistance, and the higher the R-Value, the better

the wall is at stopping the flow of heat. Homes

built using traditional frame construction typically

have exterior walls rated between R-13 and R-

19. ICF walls, on the other hand, have an

insulation value of R-22 or R-26. A frame wall

would need to be a full 12 inches thick to achieve

a similar rating.

• Airtight Construction: “Tested R-Values,”

however, don’t necessarily reflect real-world

performance. For instance, laboratory tests don’t

consider the level of airflow through the wall,

which is one reason why ICF walls usually

perform even better than lab tests indicate. For

the past decade or so, homebuilders have tried

to reduce air infiltration by covering exterior walls

in a layer of paper-like “homewrap,” which has

partially addressed the issue of air infiltration. ICF

walls, on the other hand, are virtually airtight

• Smaller HVAC Units: To maximize your energy

savings, it’s important to ensure the HVAC system

is right-sized for the home. In most cases, that

means buying a unit that is significantly smaller,

cutting construction costs by $500 to $2,000.

Many times a 2,000-square-foot ICF house

located in a Sun Belt state may need only one-

and-a-half tons of cooling capacity, instead of the

four tons needed for a wood-frame structure of

equal size.

• Thermal Mass: Even a modest ICF home uses

dozens of yards of concrete, and that weight

helps moderate temperature swings. The secret

is that the walls take hours to heat up - even in

the hot summer sun. And when the sunsets and

temperatures drop, the stored-up heat keeps the

interior pleasant through much of the night.

Homeowners report that once their ICF homes

reach room temperature, it takes very little energy

to keep them there.

• Conducts Ground Temperature: In most parts

of North America, the ground stays a constant

50o to 55o Fahrenheit a few feet below the

surface. Concrete actually conducts thermal

energy fairly well, and in the winter months, it

absorbs this extra heat from the earth and

transfers it into your home. During the summer, it

wicks that coolness from the ground and

transfers part of it into the structure.

For more information about ICF visit:

R-Value Homes, Jake Vierzen:

[email protected] www.rvaluehomes.com

Insulating Concrete Forms Association:

www.forms.org

Holdfast Technologies: www.holdfast.com

* Reprinted with permission from ICF BUILDER

magazine: www.icfmag.com

uJake Vierzen standing in the interior

side of a ICF radius turret. Nudura ICF

radius blocks used.

uInstalling the floor trusses. Nudura

ICF radius blocks used. Installing

brick ledge on a radius was

particularly challenging.

uFooting. Grade beam set up using

Fastfoot to reduce forming and

backfill requirements.

uA very large Pella windows installed

in Nudura ICF.


If you hear a commercial about your health that

catches your attention, you probably call your

doctor. After all, your health is very important,

right? Now think of this article as a commercial

for the “health” of your business taxes. How

much thought are you giving to that?

Whether you realize it or not, even though the

economic environment is improving, federal, state

and local governments are scrambling to find

additional tax revenue in order to minimize their

budget deficits. As such, they have stepped up

audit enforcement to try to capture more tax

revenue.

Here are some areas you should perform a

“tax physical” on to see if they are in general good

tax health.

UNCLAIMED PROPERTY

Let’s say you are getting your books and records

in order for your accounting firm to come in later

in the week to prepare your year-end financial

statements and tax returns. While gathering the

required information, you notice that you still have

a few un-cleared checks that were sent to your

vendors over three years ago. You have tried

unsuccessfully to reach out to these vendors to

inquire as why these checks have not been

cashed, but to no avail. You are wondering if you

should reverse these items or just leave them as

un-cleared checks on your bank statement.

Many business owners might be surprised to

hear that both options are incorrect. This

common situation is actually covered by state

escheat laws, commonly referred to as unclaimed

property rules. Unclaimed property is any

financial asset that someone is holding for which

the owner of that asset cannot be located. After

a certain period of time, depending on the type,

the item is deemed to be abandoned by its

rightful owner. Under state regulations and

statutes this abandoned property must be ceded

to the state. Once the property is turned over to

the state, the state will attempt to locate its

rightful owner. This is usually done through

publishing potential owner names in newspapers,

magazines, or more frequently on the state’s

unclaimed property website.

As states look for additional tax revenue, they

are stepping up their escheats reporting

enforcement. Failure to file and/or remit the

funds to the state can result in severe penalties

being assessed. For example the penalties in

Michigan range from $100 a day for not filing the

unclaimed property report, to a penalty of 25

percent of the value of the property that should

have been remitted to the state.

SALES AND USE TAX

Surprisingly the biggest tax exposure for most

companies when they are audited comes from

sales and use tax and not from income taxes. It

has become commonplace for businesses to

start buying more items via the Internet.

How often does your company go online to

purchase some office equipment/supplies from a

company whose only location is outside the state

of Michigan? Most businesses/people do this in

order to save the sales tax that they would

otherwise have to pay if they purchased the item

from a Michigan-based vendor. In order to

combat this, every state has a sales tax

companion called “use tax.” Use tax requires

that when an in-state company purchases an

item for use in-state and no sales tax was

collected by the seller, the purchasers must self-

assess the tax and remit it to the state. Most

business computer systems do not accurately

keep track of these out-of-state purchases and,

upon audit, large use tax and penalty

assessments are issued the state taxing authority.

Companies should ensure that they have policies

and procedures in place to accurately keep track

of purchases that will require self-assessments.

For companies in the construction business

that operate in multiple states, the sales and use

tax rules can become even more complex and

confusing. Each state has different rules and

regulations on how and who pays and collects

sales or use tax. In many states, the contractor

is deemed to be the ultimate consumer of the

products and materials purchased. In these

states, the contractor will pay the tax when the

materials are purchased. While in other states,

the contractor is treated as making a “retail sale”

and might have to possibly collect sales tax on

both the material and labor sold.

Many times construction companies are

surprised either during an audit or when they hire

an accounting firm to review their potential sales

tax exposure that (a) they either have not charged

sales tax on items that they should be assessing

tax on; and/or (b) have charged sales tax on

items that are not subject to sales tax. In many

cases it is even discovered that they have

misinterpreted their home state rules concerning

sales tax.

INTEREST-CHARGE DOMESTIC

INTERNATIONAL SALES

CORPORATION (IC-DISC)

In today’s global environment, it is not uncommon

for companies located in the United States to

have operations/projects in foreign countries.

Companies that export products outside the

United States could be able to reduce their

federal income tax on this foreign income by as

much as 50 percent. The U.S. tax code allows

manufacturers to set up what is called an Interest

Charge-Domestic International Sales

Corporation, or IC-DISC. The IC-DISC itself pays

no federal income tax and reduces the exporters

tax liability by converting income that would be

taxed at ordinary income tax rates that can be as

high as 40 percent to income that is taxed as

qualifying dividend income, which for the 2014

tax year is taxed at a maximum rate of 20

percent. As with many items in the U.S. tax

code, what qualifies as an export is broader than

most people think. Companies that provide

architectural or engineering services in the U.S.

where the construction project is located outside

of the U.S. qualifies as an export for IC-DISC.

For example, an architectural company located

solely in Michigan was awarded a project to

design a skyscraper in Canada. Even though all

the work for this project was done in Michigan,

the revenue earned by the architectural company

qualifies as an export sale for IC-DISC purposes.

You might be asking how all of this works.

There are a number of steps and items that must

be done first in order to properly set up an IC-

DISC, which should be addressed by a Certified

Public Accountant. In essence the exporter is

allowed to pay a tax-deductible commission to

the IC-DISC. This commission is generally the

greater of: a) of four percent of the qualified

export receipts; or b) 50 percent of your

company’s net income from qualified gross

receipts. The IC-DISC then pays a qualified

dividend back to its shareholders which are taxed

at qualified dividend rates of 20 percent. Since

the qualified dividend tax rate only applies to

individuals, the IC-DISC must be owned by

BY PAUL FINEGOLD, CPA, MST

STRATEGIC TAX SERVICES SR. MANAGER

BAKER TILLY VIRCHOW KRAUSE, LLP

BUSINESS TAXES

EVER THOUGHT ABOUT THE “HEALTH” OF

YOUR BUSINESS TAXES?


individuals or a flow-through entity owned by

individuals.

During President Obama’s 2015 State of the

Union address, he mentioned that the United

States should simplify the tax system so small

business owners can file their taxes based on

their bank statement instead of the number of

afforded accountants. It’s not really the number

of accountants that one can afford that is critical

for business owners. It’s selecting the right CPA

for your business.

Think of it as financial hygiene - just like

choosing the right doctor is critical for maintaining

your health, so is choosing the right CPA for

maintaining the “tax health” of your business.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Paul Finegold is strategic tax services senior manager

at Baker Tilly, Southfield, Michigan. He specializes in tax

consulting and compliance and is experienced in serving

privately-held companies and their owners. He has

extensive experience with multistate corporation income

and franchise taxes, sales and use taxes, and corporate

restructuring strategies. For more information, please

contact him at Baker Tilly, One Towne Square, Suite 600,

Southfield, MI, 48076 (248) 368-8828

or [email protected], website

www.bakertilly.com.

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The 129th Annual Meeting of the Construction Association of Michigan (CAM) was held at Sound Board

Theater inside MotorCity Casino Hotel in Detroit on Wednesday, February 4, 2015. The event took place

in conjunction with the Michigan Construction & Design Tradeshow in a one-day construction

extravaganza. This year’s Tradeshow attendance was 1,011 people, with 91 exhibitors taking 100 booths.

Nearly 500 people

attended the Annual

Meeting luncheon.

CAM president Kevin

Koehler called the

Meeting to order, and

introduced a beautifully

produced video narrated

by the vice president of

the Amalio Corporation

and CAM’s 2014

Chairman of the Board,

Eric Steck. The video

showcased CAM’s

accomplishments over

the past year. The Annual

Meeting Keynote speaker

was Steve Marquardt,

vice president of Olympia

Development of Michigan

(ODM). Mr. Marquardt is

leading ODM's efforts in

the $650 million catalyst

development project –

District Detroit - that will

include residential, retail and office facilities in conjunction with an events and

entertainment center that will be home to the Detroit Red Wings.

The CAM Magazine 2014 Green Product of the Year Award, the 2014 Special

Issue Awards, and the 2014 Project of the Year Award were also presented at the

Meeting. The 2014 Green Product of the Year Award honored the most innovative

and sustainable green product recently used in a project by a CAM Member firm.

This year’s winner was PLEOTINT, LLC / SUNTUITIVE® Interlayer Manufacturer,

and Thompson IG, LLC Fabricator, for use of their product at MAREC – Michigan

Alternative and Renewable Energy Center in Muskegon. The Special Issue Awards

honored each project that appeared in CAM Magazine’s Special Issue 2014, along

with the project teams of contractor and architect. The 2014 Project of the Year

was determined by online votes as well as votes from the CAM Magazine Editorial

Advisory Committee. This year’s winner was the Agro-Culture Liquid Fertilizers

Headquarters in St. Johns; Project Team: Wieland-Davco Corporation and

Hobbs+Black Architects; Owner: Agro-Culture Liquid Fertilizers.

CAM CELEBRATES 129TH ANNUAL MEETING AND TRADESHOW AT

MOTORCITY CASINO HOTELBY AMANDA TACKETT, EDITOR

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN LACY, PROSHOOTER.COM

CAM ANNUAL REPORT

uThe 2015 CAM Board of Directors (top to bottom, left to right):

Steve Hohenshil; Brad Leidal; Kevin Ryan; John Rieckhoff;

John Raimondo; Joe Palazzolo; Joe Fontanesi; Donielle

Wunderlich; Jennifer Panning; Preston Wallace; Tom Broad;

Kevin Koehler; Larry Brinker, Jr.

16 CAM MAGAZINE APRIL 2015

26 Years of Construction Excellence

L.S. Brinker Company | Brinker Team Construction

City Carpet & Flooring | Edgewood Electric LLC

Universal Glass & Metals

www.brinkergroup.com

3633 Michigan Ave | Suite 300 | Detroit, MI | 48216Phone 313.897.9130 | Fax 313.897.9133

Healthcare Industrial

Education Commercial / Historical

BRINKER GROUP specializes in Construction Management, General Contracting and Specialty Contracting including architectural trades, glass and aluminum

applications, �ooring solutions and electrical systems

Congratulations to Larry Brinker, Jr. on being elected as the Construction Association of Michigan

Chairman of the Board


Lowe Campbell Ewald HeadquartersProject Team: Turner Construction Company andNeumann/Smith ArchitectureOwner: Lowe Campbell Ewald

Belle Isle Nature ZooProject Team: KEO and Associates, Inc. and EhresmanAssociates, Inc. Owner: The City of Detroit

The Garden Theater Project Team: Construction Logistics (MonahanCompany and Means Group Joint Venture), Quinn EvansArchitects, and McIntosh Poris AssociatesOwner: Woodward SA-PK, LLC

Agro-Culture Liquid Fertilizers HeadquartersProject Team: Wieland-Davco Corporation andHobbs+Black ArchitectsOwner: Agro-Culture Liquid Fertilizers

Gateway Marketplace Project Team: Dailey-Jenkins Joint Venture and RogvoyArchitects, PCOwner: DGPOMOwner Representative: REDICO

“the Z”Project Team: Colasanti/Sachse Joint Venture andNeumann/Smith ArchitectureOwner: Bedrock Real Estate Services

Delta College Health & Wellness,

F-Wing RenovationsProject Team: Spence Brothers and Wigen TincknellAssociates ArchitectsOwner: Delta College, University Center

Detroit Public Safety Headquarters BuildingProject Team: Turner Construction Company-WhiteConstruction Company Joint Venture andSmithGroupJJR Owner: City of Detroit, Detroit Building Authority

Resource and Crisis CenterProject Team: George W. Auch Company andDiClemente Siegel Design, Inc. Owner: Oakland County Mental Health Authority

Grand Valley State University, Mary Idema

Pew Library, Learning and Information

CommonsProject Team: Pioneer Construction and SHW/Stantec Owner: Grand Valley State University

Our Lady of Victory Catholic ChurchProject Team: McCarthy & Smith, Inc. and Merritt Cieslak DesignOwner: Our Lady of Victory Church

Detroit Medical Center Harper University

Hospital Surgical Renovation Project Project Team: Roncelli MPS Joint Venture and HKSArchitects, PCOwner: Detroit Medical Center

2014 SPECIAL ISSUE AWARD WINNERS

CAM ANNUAL REPORT

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OUTSTANDINGGREEN PRODUCT OF THE YEAR:PLEOTINT, LLC / SUNTUITIVE® Interlayer

Manufacturer, and Thompson IG, LLC Fabricator,

for use of their product at MAREC – Michigan

Alternative and Renewable Energy Center in

Muskegon.

CAM MAGAZINE 2014 PROJECT OF THE YEAR:

AGRO-CULTURE LIQUIDFERTILIZERS HEADQUARTERSProject Team: Wieland-Davco Corporation and Hobbs+Black Architects

Owner: Agro-Culture Liquid Fertilizers

CAM ANNUAL REPORT

To read about this project, as well as the other award-winning construction projects featured

here, visit CAM Magazine online at www.cammagazineonline.com. Read online, print, or

download the articles from our online viewer, or link them directly to your Web page.

The association’s new officers and directors who will serve on the 2015 CAM Board of

Directors were installed at the meeting. CAM’s new Chairman of the Board is Larry Brinker,

Jr. Brinker, Jr. is president of Detroit-based L.S. Brinker Company, part of The Brinker

Group. He started his career as a project engineer, quickly advanced to project manager,

director of business development and now president. He is a graduate of the University of

Michigan where he earned a B.S.E. in Civil and Environmental Engineering. At CAM, he is

an active participant in the Boy Scouts of America Building Connections annual fundraising

event and has served on its executive committee. Larry and his wife, Erica, live in Northville

with his son and namesake, Larry III.

CAM’s newly elected Vice Chairmen are Stephen Hohenshil of Glasco Corporation;

Donielle Wunderlich of the George W. Auch Company; and new Treasurer, Joe Palazzolo

of Detroit Spectrum Painters.

Each year three directors retire from CAM’s Board, and three new directors are elected

by the CAM Membership. The 2015 newly elected directors are: Thomas R. Broad,

executive vice president, Midwest Steel,

Inc., Detroit; Joseph Fontanesi,

president, Fontanesi and Kann

Company / Architectural Building

Components, Inc., Ferndale; and

Jennifer T. Panning, president, Artisan

Tile, Inc., Brighton. Retiring after four

years of service to CAM’s Board are

Vice Chairman Todd Hill of Ventcon, Inc.

and Vice Chairman Mary Marble of

Marble Mechanical Services, LLC,

WBE, DBE, SBE; and outgoing 2014

Chairman Eric Steck of Amalio

Corporation, SBE.

The other current member of the

CAM Board of Directors are: Brad

Leidal, Leidal & Hart Mason

Contractors, Inc.; John Raimondo,

Roncelli, Inc.; John Rieckhoff, C.L.

Rieckhoff Company, Inc.; Kevin Ryan,

Powerlink Facility Management

Services; and Preston Wallace, Limbach

Company, LLC.

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CAM ANNUAL REPORT

MEET YOUR NEW

BOARD MEMBERS

THOMAS R. BROADEXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENTMIDWEST STEEL, INC.

Tom has 25 years of experience in the structural steel fabrication and erection industry. At

Midwest Steel, Detroit, Tom is charged with oversight of department leadership, strategic

sales and client cultivation. He collaborates with the company president for implementing,

updating and evaluating Midwest Steel’s strategic plan, as well as providing the vision and

mindset for growing the business. Midwest Steel has been recognized as the largest

specialty steel contractor since 2005. Tom developed and put into effect the collaborative

Design Assist process to change the culture of Midwest Steel and the industry. Design

Assist brings decision makers to the table in the conceptual stage of design and

development historically reduces costs and schedule substantially. The process also

incorporates 3D modeling and 4D animations into the request for proposal process for

more accurate bids.

Tom is a graduate of Macomb Community College with a background in Business

Management and Marketing. He also attended the Construction Industry Institute (CII) and

the University of Texas’s McCombs School of Business with emphasis on Executive

Leadership. He is active in the Construction Association of Michigan (CAM), American

Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), Construction Industry Institute (CII), and the

Engineering Society of Detroit (ESD).

Tom is a member of the Detroit Athletic Club, along with Harbor Club North and the

Clinton River Boat Club. He enjoys boating, snowmobiling, hunting, fishing, and sporting

clays shooting. He participates in church activities and fundraising. Tom resides in Harrison

Township with his wife, Debbie.

JOSEPH FONTANESI PRESIDENTFONTANESI AND KANN COMPANY /ARCHITECTURAL BUILDING COMPONENTS, INC.

Joe has 32 years of experience in the construction industry. He is President of Fontanesi

and Kann Company and Architectural Building Components, Inc., of Ferndale. Fontanesi

and Kann services the construction industry by providing HVAC equipment, building

automation control systems, and electrical contracting services. Architectural Building

Components, Inc. is a leading architectural materials supplier to the general and specialty

trades.

Joe is a graduate of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, with a BBA degree in

Finance. He also holds an MBA from the Sloan School of Management. He is a current

Trustee of CAM-COMP, CAM’s Workers’ Comp Insurance program. Joe is also involved

with ASHRAE, ASHE, UMH-Mott Foundation (Ex-Chair), and the Birmingham Brother Rice

Facility Committee. He is a member of the Birmingham Country Club and serves on their

Master Planning Committee.

In his spare time, Joe enjoys sports, traveling, reading and playing music. He is a

member of St. Regis Church. He and his wife, Sue, have been married for 32 years. They

reside in Bloomfield Village and have four children.


JENNIFER T.PANNINGPRESIDENT ARTISAN TILE, INC.

Jennifer has been in the construction industry for

19 years, having founded her company, Artisan

Tile, Inc., in March 1995. Artisan Tile, located in

Brighton, is a WBE (Woman Business Enterprise)

commercial ceramic tile, stone and terrazzo

contractor.

Jennifer is a graduate of Hartland High School

and also Northwood University, where she

received a Bachelor of Business Administration,

Management/Marketing degree.

She is currently a member of the Women’s

Business Enterprise National Council WBENC

(WBE); National Terrazzo Mosaic Association

(NTMA) Education Committee; the Greater Detroit

Terrazzo Contractors Association; past President

of the Tile Contractors Association of North

America (TCNA); past Secretary of the Detroit

Ceramic Tile Contractors Association (DCTCA);

the International Masonry Institute; and the West

Michigan Construction Alliance. She is also a

member of Lakelands Country Club in Brighton.

In her spare time, Jennifer enjoys water rowing,

boating, sports, cooking and travel. She is

married to her husband, Scott, and they reside in

Pinckney. They attend Shalom Lutheran Church

and have two daughters, Morgen and Sloan.

CAM MAGAZINEIS ONLINE

S U B S C R I B E FREE TODAY!

www.cammagazineonline.com


CAM ANNUAL REPORT

CAM TRI-CITIES

CAM’s sales & marketing team will be focusing on growing the Saginaw

regional office, CAM Tri-Cities, throughout 2015. The CAM News Operation

will be working closely with the Saginaw location to ensure that the news

reports for the region are strong and well-rounded. Through increased

reporting efforts focused on the Tri-County region, CAM will also be bringing

the new ITB delivery system to the areas GCs and design firms.

CPIG AND PLANROOM

2014 proved to be quite a year for the CAM News Operations (CPIG). The

goal for this year was a ‘back-to-basics’ approach in the newsroom, taking

a step back to reevaluate operations and return to fundamentals.

In January 2014, several new processes were implemented into the

newsroom operating procedures to increase productivity and efficiency.

Staff members went through extensive training, both in-house and through

group training efforts with various other news organizations. CPIG has

implemented regularly scheduled discussions regarding day-to-day

operations and reporting techniques, which allow the staff to fine-tune their

skills and help support and build off of each other.

As a result of these efforts, as of October 2014 CPIG had seen great

increases in annual statistics.

While CPIG had greatly surpassed stats for 2013 for new projects and

acquiring construction documents for those projects, it still lagged behind

in privately-funded work. To that end, the news operation evaluated several

new software platforms for its news service with the express intention of

providing CAM Members with a strong and robust Invitation to Bid delivery

system. CPIG met with the Virtual Builders Exchange (VBX), San Antonio,

TX. Their planroom and news software, combined with the ITB delivery

system of Smart Bid Net, Austin, TX, create the industry’s most robust,

user-friendly, and all-encompassing software available for commercial

contractors around the country. CAM is currently in discussions with VBX

to finalize a deal that would allow utilization of this system for CAM Online

News subscribers.

CAM believes this new software will not only be the key to attracting

more privately-funded work for existing members, but it will also produce

new and lucrative revenue streams, access to more subcontractors, and

solidify CAM’s overall news operation into a one-stop-shop for of Michigan’s

Commercial Construction Industry information.

For 2015 CPIG will be focused solely on the implementation and launch

of OPUS. With extensive training programs for both staff and CAM

Members, the implementation of the marketing program and the expansion

of our reporting capabilities, 2015 should be prove to be an exciting time

for CAM’s Construction News Operation.

2014 CAMSAFETY & CAMTEC

Kicking off 2014, CAMTEC – the CAM Training and Education Center - held

six seminars at the Construction & Design Tradeshow in February. In the

Laws & Regulations Room, Patty Meyer, MIOSHA Director of Construction,

provided the MIOSHA update, discussed previous incidents and the focus

for 2014. Eric Urbain, representing MISS DIG, Michigan’s one-call

notification center for underground utility protection, hit the highlights of

new legislation that significantly changed the MISS DIG law. Attorneys

Michael Novarra and Paul Catenacci, together with Priority Health’s Director

of Sales, Lenny Brucato, held a workshop to instruct employers in

calculating their Full Time Employee (FTE) number and its significance under

the new healthcare act. In the Software Solutions Room, the topics of

Building Information Modeling (BIM), Quickbooks®, and other programs

available for project management and estimating were addressed.

Between January and the end of September 2014, CAMTEC held 40

classes attended by over 600 students, and collected more than $43,900

in tuition. Those numbers represent an increase of 200 attendees over

2013 figures. The Core Curriculum focused on Construction Management,

Construction Law, and Safety & Health. CAMTEC also held a four-day class

to provide basic training in Building Information Management (BIM)

software, a workshop on becoming certified to bid on MDOT projects, a

Residential Builders License Update Course, and a seminar on Succession

Planning for the Business Owner. 88 individuals became certified in First

Aid/CPR/AED, 65 received OSHA 10 or 30 cards, and 78 attended through

CAMTEC’s affiliation with the MIOSHA Training Institute (MTI). 2015 plans

include a five-day Project Management Bootcamp scheduled for May and

access to an online Project Management Professional Exam Prep Course.

In 2014, CAMTEC kept in touch with CAM Members through various

communication methods: the Constant Contact program; fax-blasts;

mailings; information in the CAM E-Newletter; and up-to-date information

on newly added classes or changes through CAM’s website.

CAMSAFETY continued offering free training under the MIOSHA-CET Grant.

During the fiscal year October 1, 2013 to September 30, 2014,

CAMSAFETY conducted training sessions for almost 900 individuals.

Topics included the four main causes of fatalities in the construction

industry: falls, electrocutions, being struck-by and being caught-in

something. In addition, CAMSAFETY met with 23 companies, reviewed

their existing programs, and provided solutions to their problems.

CAMSAFETY was invited to tour several high profile jobsites including The

Elmore, St. Josaphat Church and Detroit Metro Airport. 2015 funds have

been approved and the free training is available through September 30th.

In addition, through an alliance partnership with MIOSHA, CAMSAFETY

connected five CAM member companies with a MIOSHA Consultation,

Education and Training representative for a free, no-penalty jobsite

inspection.

In January 2014, Safety Committee members, Carl Granger of Woods

Construction and Aaron Munoz of Limbach Company, were featured as

“celebrity bartenders” at CAM’s annual fundraising event at Lily’s Seafood

in Royal Oak.

On May 9, 2014, CAMSAFETY provided training to enrolled participants

of Project Accelerate, a program organized and executed by the Detroit

Chapter of National Association of Women in Construction.

As part of the Safety Achievement Award program, member companies

were encouraged to tally and submit their injury & illness data for the 2013

calendar year. 28 companies provided their information. All of the entries

received combined to equal 5,466,710 hours worked. More than half of

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CAM ANNUAL REPORT

the entrants reported ZERO injuries in 2013. The winners received their

award in May, where they were treated to breakfast and an informative

presentation by Ronald Weglarz, attorney with Lacey & Jones, LLP.

Weglarz discussed workers’ compensation law and recommended

strategies for properly documenting an incident and how to speed return

to work for an injured employee.

In December 2014, CAMSAFETY presented the Safety Leadership

Conference. This all-day event featured training on Conflict Resolution,

Safety Apps, Dealing with the Media, Medical Marijuana, At-Risk Behavior

Traits, the Aging Workforce, Difficult Workers Compensation Cases,

Process Safety Management, Temporary Workers, Electrical Safe Work

Practices, and a panel discussion with well- known leaders in the workplace

safety arena.

Throughout 2014, CAMSAFETY contributed a Safety Tool Kit article in

each edition of CAM Magazine. 2014 topics included Fatigue, Complacent

Workers, Pre-Task Planning, Heat Illness, and changes to Michigan’s

Department of Transportation Medical Requirements. CAMSAFETY also

added a consultation service available to members on a contractual basis.

Three member companies currently benefit from an ongoing relationship

with the department that includes scheduled site visits, review of

subcontractor safety manuals, and assistance with pre-task planning.

CAM PUBLIC RELATIONS

CAM and the Home Builders Association of Southeastern Michigan (HBA)

hosted their fourth annual Mid-Year Economic Forecast and State of the

Industry Luncheon on June 10, 2014 at the Suburban Collection Showplace

in Novi. Switching the event from a breakfast to a luncheon did not impair

attendance, with nearly 300 attendees and 38 tabletop display booths taken.

Guest speakers were L. Brooks Patterson, Oakland County Executive,

and Mitch Bean, Former Director of the Michigan House Fiscal Agency. The

presentations were followed by an audience Q&A session. The event began

with a tour of several tabletop vendors, along with a meet & greet with the

speakers. A plated lunch was served prior to the presentations.

Look for the fourth annual Mid-Year Forecast and State of the Industry

Luncheon in June 2015.

CAM E-NEWSLETTER

In 2014, the CAM E-Newsletter continued to be

released to the membership twice monthly – on

the 15th and last day of each month. The award-

winning CAM E-Newsletter is the one-stop

news-in-brief service that CAM provides for its

members. It contains all the latest CAM events,

educational classes, legislative updates, member

news and human interest features.

CAM WEBSITE

Found at www.cam-online.com, the CAM website displays an information-

filled, user-friendly format with all the information anyone would need to

know about the association.

Among its features are: an interactive CAM Buyers Guide Online; E-

Commerce built-in for website purchases of CAM educational classes,

social events and products; calendars for CAMTEC classes and industry

events; a CAMTEC class section; YouTube integration on key pages for

news, events and demos; social media integration throughout the site;

interactive maps for CAM Newsroom coverage areas; and much more.

All CAM website maintenance continues to be in-house, and the CAM

staff remains responsible for its content, upkeep and layout.

CAM MAGAZINE

In 2014, CAM Magazine - The Voice of

the Construction Industry - continued to

grow its online presence, distribution

and readership. While still primarily

distributed in printed format, CAM

Magazine had a strong online presence

with nearly 500 electronic subscribers;

over 3,000 Twitter followers; over 400

Facebook followers; and 3,000 LinkedIn

connections (stats as of October 2014).

CAM Magazine revised its physical

layout, look and feel over the past year,

moving to a more modern, light, san-serif typeface, and a larger type size-

to-leading ratio throughout its pages. This created more visual white space

within the articles. The Industry News and Products sections evolved, with

larger photos and more emphasis on 2-column layouts, with light-colored

boxes to separate stories and sections. Headlines and sub-headings

adopted a clean, modern look that is unified throughout the publication.

The October 2014 Special Issue sported an even further evolved design

that set a new standard for CAM Magazine’s modern evolution in print. Most

notably is the larger amount of active white space with the use of smaller

supporting photos to improve readability and make a greater impression

on the reader. Feature articles now have a cleaner, sophisticated layout that

leads the reader through each article visually along with the text.

In February 2014, CAM Magazine presented its tenth annual Special

Issue Award ceremonies at the Michigan Construction & Design Tradeshow.

Plaques were presented to the architects and general contractors whose

projects appeared in the Special Issue 2013. The 2013 Project of the Year

went to the Human Health Building at Oakland University in Rochester.

The August 2014 Construction Law issue featured coverage on the CAM

Construction Industry Roundtable Sessions, a Legislative Update from

CAM’s lobbyist, Kindsvatter Dalling & Associates, and an interview with

Michigan Senator Mike Kowall. This issue was sent directly to members of

the Michigan Senate and House of Representatives, who are now regular

recipients of the publication on a monthly basis.


Contact:Tom Doyle 248.223.3402

[email protected]

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A higher return on experience.

In September 2014, CAM Magazine was

honored by the Michigan Society of Association

Executives (MSAE) with the Silver Honorable

Mention in the Best Magazine Publishing, $1

Million and Greater category. The awards

banquet was held at The Royal Park Hotel in

Rochester on Wednesday, September 17, 2014.

CAM BUYERS

GUIDE

The most widely used

construction directory in

the state, the 2014 CAM

Buyers Guide was

distributed to 8,000

contractors, architects,

buyers and users of

construction. The Buyers

Guide provides useful

information, and remains a

specialized marketing tool for CAM Members.

The 2014 Buyers Guide continued to feature a

Special Business Enterprises section, as well as

a LEED section, featuring companies who

employ LEED Accredited Professionals.

Again, for the third year in a row, the 2014

Buyers Guide allowed 4-color advertisements

from CAM Members. Distributed throughout the

book, the ads were again popular with the

membership, and complemented the Buyers

Guide’s clean and efficient appearance. The 2014

retained its plastic spiral binding, color-coded

sections, and indexed pages.

The CAM Buyers Guide continued to be

accessible online via the CAM website.

CAM LABOR RELATIONS PROGRAM

In its twelfth year, the CAM Labor Relations

Program continues to be the largest provider of

labor relations services in Michigan. Over 400

union contractors, who employ either Carpenters,

Laborers, Operating Engineers or Cement Masons

in Southeast Michigan, as well as Carpenters,

Laborers and Operating Engineers in Outstate

Michigan, are presently participating in the CAM

Labor Relations Program. All benefits of the Labor

Program are available at no additional cost to our

union contractors.

CAM’s Labor Relations Program is making

contractors more productive and competitive by

providing the best advice and information

available. Among the benefits, participating

contractors receive:

• The CAM Southeast Michigan Wage Directory with contact information for the local Labor

Organizations and Contractor Associations, updated annually;

• Informational bulletins relating to current developments in the labor relations arena;

• Advice regarding the proper interpretation of collective bargaining agreements;

• Assistance in resolving disputed issues with labor unions related to both contractual and non-

contractual matters; and

• Advice regarding proper work assignments, and assistance in resolving conflicting work claims.

During this past year, the CAM Labor Relations Program finalized language for a previously agreed upon

Hiring Hall/Employee Referral Agreement, effective June 1, 2014 with the Operating Engineers, and


CAM ANNUAL REPORT

successfully negotiated a Table Settlement with

one of the local Cement Mason Labor Unions.

Additionally, the Carpenters and Millwrights

Joint Apprenticeship and Training Funds merged

into one statewide Fund with seven separate JATC

Schools located throughout the state. By virtue of

the merger, CAM attained its first management

trustee position on the JATC Ferndale School

Board, effective September 1, 2014.

Moreover, recent changes in the law, including

the $0.75 increase in Michigan’s minimum wage

rate from $7.40 to $8.15 per hour, effective

September 1, 2014, prompted the Labor

Relations Program to update the CAM all-in-one,

plastic-laminated, 30” X 50” Jobsite Poster.

CAM’s Labor Relations Program continues to

grow as union contactors realize the quality and

extent of the assistance available. Jim Oleksinski,

M.A., J.D., LL.M., is CAM’s Director of Labor

Relations and Government Affairs. Mr. Oleksinski

is a labor attorney with over 20 years of

experience in the practice of law.

CAM GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

COMMITTEE

The CAM Government Affairs Committee is

dedicated to identifying, shaping and promoting

pro-business and pro-construction

policies and legislation on behalf of the

CAM membership and the

Michigan construction

industry.

Now in its fourth year,

the Government Affairs

Committee (GAC) remains

under the capable

leadership of its

Chairman John Raimondo, PE, Director, Roncelli,

Inc., along with the assistance of CAM’s

Lobbyists, Derek Dalling and Jason Wadaga from

the firm of Kindsvatter, Dalling and Associates,

Inc.

Also, the GAC has both an established Political

Action Committee (CAMPAC) headed by Bruce

Pregler, Esq., Facca, Richter, & Pregler, PC, as

well as an Advocacy Committee to raise funds to

impact the legislative process in Lansing.

During this past year, the GAC identified CAM’s

top 5 construction industry-related issues as

follows:

• Comprehensive Road/Transportation

Funding Reform;

• Retention between the Owners, General

Contractors and Subcontractors;

• Shortage of qualified labor in both the

current and future construction workforce

and the need for increased training

opportunities for young adults;

• Reinstating CAM’s access to the Michigan

Intergovernmental Trade Network relative to

public sector job projects; and

• Maintaining Michigan’s current Prevailing

Wage Law as is.

The GAC, through its Lobbyist Firm, monitored

several legislative bills potentially impacting the

CAM membership and the Michigan construction

industry, attended state legislative receptions

hosted by CAM’s Lobbyist Firm for both

Republican and Democratic leaders in the Senate

and House and financially supported those

Michigan Legislators supportive of Michigan’s

construction industry during the 2014 election

cycle.

Michigan State Senator Mike Kowall of the

15th District and Chair of the Senate Economic

Development Subcommittee visited the CAM

offices to be interviewed for an article that

appeared in the August edition [Construction Law

Issue] of the CAM Magazine. Also, the August

edition featured both an article written by GAC

ExCom Vice Chairman Gary Quesada concerning

Michigan’s Construction Lien/Bond and Trust

Fund Statutes and the Legislative Update Report

submitted by CAM Lobbyist Jason Wadaga.

Starting with the August edition, CAM began

mailing its monthly award winning Magazine to

the Governor’s Office and all 144 state legislators.

The first mailing included a letter of introduction

written by Mr. John Raimondo, GAC ExCom

Chair.

Senator Kowall invited CAM to provide

testimony before his Subcommittee regarding the

“Skilled Trades and the Direct Correlation to

Michigan’s Economic Resurgence.” Mr.

Oleksinski testified in front of the committee on

the subject.

Representatives of the GAC actively

participated in CAM’s Construction Industry

Breakfast Roundtables Sessions. The

Roundtables involve representatives of the

various sectors of the construction industry (i.e.,

Owners, General Contractors, Subcontractors,

Suppliers and Design Community) raising

concerns and offering solutions in an open, give-

and-take forum, in order to advance the interests

of Michigan’s construction industry as whole.

The Governmental Affairs Committee is

coordinated by Jim Oleksinski, M.A., J.D., LL.M.,

Director of Labor Relations and Government

Affairs.

CAM MEMBERSHIP

In 2014, CAM Membership

welcomed both new

companies and past

Members back to the

association. Goals for

2015 are to continue

working hard to assist our

Members with the goods and

services that we have to offer, and to continue to

bring in new Members to our association. With

numbers in membership we continue to be

strong. Our ultimate goal is Membership +1!

CAM SOCIAL EVENTS

In 2014 CAM’s dedicated staff, assisted by

strong committee support, facilitated many social

events for CAM Members. The list includes a

well-attended Men’s Bowling Doubles Classic; an

afternoon Bowling League; an evening Bowling

League; four Summer Golf Outings; two Sporting

Clays Shoots; a European Pheasant Hunt; and

several CAM Connect networking events that

included both Tigers and Lions tailgate parties.

All were complete successes and some were

even sellouts. These outings are a great

opportunity to network, socialize with friends,

clients and colleagues.

2014 was a very successful year for the CAM

Connect networking events. CAM brought

together well over 1,000 members to network in

different venues to further their businesses. These

are free or low-cost events. The first was a

scholarship fundraiser at Lily’s Seafood in Royal

Oak; the second was tailgate party for the Detroit

Tigers Opening Day in Detroit; the third was a

Tigers Baseball Game; the fourth was the

Woodward Dream Cruise; the fifth was a Detroit

Lions tailgate party. The 2015 schedule is

available on the CAM website Calendar of

Events. Get involved and join us! Check out our

website at www.cam-online.com.

MICHIGAN CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN

TRADESHOW

In early 2014, CAM hosted its one-day industry-

wide event, The Michigan Construction & Design

Tradeshow. It returned to the MotorCity Casino

Hotel in Detroit on February 5th. This year, the

exhibit space reached capacity and was sold out.

Attendance for the second consecutive year in a

row was over 1,100.

Along with the tradeshow, CAM’s 128th

Annual Meeting celebrating CAM’s 129th

Anniversary as an Association occurred, along


with the CAM Magazine 2013 Special Issue

Awards; CAMTEC educational classes; and

countless opportunities for networking.

The Tradeshow provides an opportunity for

companies to market their products and services

to the Michigan construction industry. Several

new exhibitors were able to take advantage of

this opportunity, introducing their products and

services at the 2014 show.

CAM BENEFIT PROGRAM (CBP) - A

Group Health Insurance Program

Sponsored by CAM for its Members;

CAM Administrative Services, Inc.

(CAMADS), a Third Party Administrator

(TPA):

The CAM Benefit Program (CBP) is the CAM-

sponsored Group Health Benefit Program, and

for the past 50 years has provided hundreds of

employers with

comprehensive health

benefits.

The CBP program has

evolved over the past 15

months and now offers a

new Self-Funded Medical

and Prescription Drug

Option called “Employers

Advantage” (the fully-

insured Medical and

Prescription Drug

coverages are insured by Priority Health, rated A-

“excellent” by A.M. Best Company). In addition,

CBP offers Fully-Insured Medical and Prescription

Drug Coverages (the new self-funded medical

and prescription drug option includes aggregate

stop loss coverage that is provided by a carrier

rated A+ “superior” by A.M. Best Company), and

fully-insured Dental, Vision, and Group Term Life

and AD & D. Employers can package the above

coverages to meet the specific needs of their

employers.

Employers Advantage is available to employers

with five or more enrolled employees. The plan

offers design flexibility along with potential cost

savings, while maintaining an attractive option for

their employees. Employers Advantage features

level funding and aggregate stop loss coverage.

Level funding consists of a predetermined portion

of the claims along with stop loss insurance

premium and administrative costs on a monthly

basis. When eligible claims exceed the

employer’s claims funding, funds are released by

the stop loss carrier to the employer claim fund

to reimburse claims.

Employers Advantage features the Cofinity

PPO Network as the primary network and Private

Health Care Systems (PHCS) will serve as the

travel/student/out-of-state network.

CAM Administrative Services (CAMADS) will

quote, medically underwrite, provide eligibility

management, group invoicing, claims


Lawyers Specializing In Construction Litigation

Patrick A. Facca Gerald J. Richter Bruce M. Pregler

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CAM ANNUAL REPORT

adjudication, claims payments and stop loss

management for groups within the Self-Funded

program.

CAMADS would welcome the opportunity to

provide CAM members with a cost effective

quote. Please have your current agent contact

Rob Walters in our Marketing Department for

program details (248) 233-2114 or

[email protected].

CAM WORKERS’ COMP

4,000 Insured Employees - Low 6.9%

Loss Ratio - Largest Single Dividend

Return Ever.

In 2014, CAM Comp provided Workers’

Compensation Insurance to over 300 contractor

employers, providing coverage to more than

4,000 employees. Over the year, there were 34

claims reported, representing a 6.9 percent loss

ratio, a testament that SAFETY PAYS.

CAM Comp’s latest return of excess premiums

and investment income exceeded $2 million, the

largest single return to date. Since its inception,

CAM Comp has returned 47 percent of collected

premium and investment income.

A growing number of members are taking

advantage of the convenience of CAM Comp’s

new services including online payments, the

safety center, monthly E-blasts and webinars.

CAM Comp continued efforts to grow in the

cyber world with social media. Find us on Twitter,

LinkedIn and Facebook. In 2013, CAM Comp

introduced the CAM Comp Safety Award

Program. In conjunction with CAM’s Safety

Award program CAM Comp has awarded 10 top

firms with safety awards.

CONSTRUCTION FEDERAL CREDIT

UNION (CFCU)

Construction Federal Credit Union is one of the

strongest credit unions in the nation. Having

earned and maintained a 5-Star rating for 72

consecutive quarters, Construction Federal

Credit Union has earned an even more elite

designation as an “Exceptional Performance

Credit Union”.

This distinction is reserved for those institutions

that have earned 5-Stars for ten consecutive

years or longer.

“While the national economy saw modest

growth in 2013,” reflects Karen L. Dorway,

president of the rating firm, Bauer Financial,

“through its strength and commitment,

Construction Federal Credit Union has been able

to shine. The people who work at Construction

Federal Credit Union know that its well-being and

that of its membership are inextricably tied to one

another. By supporting and promoting their

members, employees of Construction Federal

Credit Union are making a positive difference for

the credit union, as well.”

Construction Federal Credit Union has been

working to earn members’ trust since 1974. Its

commitment to its membership has not faltered

in those 40 years.

Offering everything from low rate VISAs to auto

and boat loans and mortgages, Construction

Federal Credit Union (www.cfcuonline.com) is a

member of the NCUA and an Equal Housing

Lender. ”Celebrating 40 Years of “Banking Made

Better.”

THE MICHIGAN CONSTRUCTION

& DESIGN TRADESHOW 2015 RECAP

Taking place at MotorCity Casino Hotel on

Wednesday, February 4th, 2015, the Michigan

Construction & Design Tradeshow was another

sold-out success. This well-attended industry

event hosted over 1300 attendees, with 91

exhibitors taking 100 booths and four tabletop

displays, exhibiting the latest in today’s

construction products, supplies and services.

Next year’s show has been scheduled for

Wednesday, February 3rd, 2016 at MotorCity

Casino Hotel in Detroit. Boot space is already

being reserved! To secure your booth space for

next year’s show, contact Ron Riegel, manager

of expositions, at (248)972-1000. Be sure to

watch for more information on the CAM website

at www.cam-online.com.


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The conversation was indeed “constructive” as a series of three Construction

Industry Roundtables convened at the Townsend Hotel in Birmingham,

beginning in March 2014. Over 40 thought-leaders in the industry

participated in the Construction Association of Michigan’s (CAM)

groundbreaking initiative to dig deep and identify issues of concern at the first

roundtable.

“Michigan’s best and brightest thought leaders – Owners, Architects,

Engineers, Suppliers, Subcontractors and Contractors – came together to

identify those issues most important to their business success,” said Roncelli

Director, CAM Director, and Chairman of CAM’s Government Affairs

Committee John A. Raimondo, PE. “They worked together to develop real

solutions, and a direction for CAM to then take action.”

CAM surveyed all participants on their main issues of concern after the

first roundtable meeting. At the second roundtable in June 2014, industry

woes were distilled to four core issues: workforce development,

collaboration, contract language and funding. In a frank, open exchange of

ideas, stakeholders shared their perspective on these concerns to find

common ground, for what unites the interests of each stakeholder is the

mutually beneficial goal of delivering a successful project.

Straight talk is now leading to direct action. In September 2014, four

different subcommittees, focused on the four core concerns, met in break-

out sessions to generate possible solutions before presenting them to the

larger group assembled for the third roundtable in October 2014.

As a result, specific initiatives are now being launched as the baton of

leadership is passed from past CAM Chairman Eric C. Steck, the Amalio

Corp. vice president who was the driving force behind the creation of the

roundtables, to new CAM Chairman Larry S. Brinker, Jr., president of L.S.

Brinker Company, part of The Brinker Group, and the chairperson of the

Workforce Development Group.

Of the roundtables in general, Brinker says, “The creation and

establishment of the Construction Association of Michigan roundtable series

has been tremendous for our industry locally. The fact that we could bring

together major stakeholders from The University of Michigan, Oakland County,

private developers and other owners, along with all the stakeholders in the

industry, was a feat in and of itself. The fact that the discussions were so

meaningful is the key point. We really took a deep dive into hot topics from

many different angles.

“Every stakeholder has a different business model,” continued Brinker, “but

ultimately we are looking for solutions that are mutually beneficial to the whole

project, and as a result, they are beneficial to the owner, designer, contractor,

subcontractor and supplier.”

The roundtables have spawned a host of initiatives and have forged

stronger communication pathways between stakeholders. “All the feedback

from the roundtables has been positive,” said Steck. “The dialogue needs to

continue in order to create a healthy industry. I have gotten a commitment

from CAM’s President Kevin Koehler and from the new CAM Chairman Larry

Brinker to continue the roundtable discussions.”

According to Steck, a formalized CAM Roundtable Committee will be

created to address not only the four identified core issues, but also so-called

“hot topics” – issues that materialize swiftly and the industry needs to address

promptly, such as the emerging debate on Prevailing Wage laws.

REBUILDING MIchIGaN, REBUILDING thE WoRkfoRcE

Rebuilding Michigan’s depleted construction workforce is a crucial need for

meeting the rising demand for buildings in the wake of the recent recession.

“We don’t have enough construction labor, either professionally or in the

skilled trades, to meet the needs of Michigan,” said Brinker, “or even the

needs of Metro Detroit stakeholders who are looking to build in the next four

to five years.”

Brinker outlined the problem and strategies to alleviate this top industry

concern at CAM’s Annual Meeting held at MotorCity Casino Hotel’s

Soundboard in early February 2015. “Based on a 2013 report from the

Michigan Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives, we

lost over 82,000 skilled trade construction jobs, and saw employment drop

by 40 percent between 2007 and 2009. Three in four construction skilled

TALK OF THE TOWNSENDCONSTRUCTION INDUSTRYROUNDTABLES ARE TURNING TALKINTO ACTION

BY MARY E. KREMPOSKYASSOCIATE EDITOR

ROUNDTABLE RECAP


”“CAM has begun something very special, and with the right personneland determination, in due time thiscan be a game changer for theMichigan construction industry. It willbe challenging but very rewardingwhen progress is made, and to haveCAM spearheading the effort, it willfeel even better.

Giuseppe (Joe) S. Palazzolo

CAM Treasurer

Detroit Spectrum Painters

trade vacancies through 2020 will be based on the need to replace existing

workers due to retirement. These statistics do not factor in the number of

construction professionals we are losing to other states.”

What is part of the way forward? “CAM is working on a partnership with

the State of Michigan, specifically with the Michigan Talent Investment

Agency,” said Brinker. “The agency has established different incentives to

attract people back to Michigan who left during the downturn. It also has

certain incentives for employers to hire people in skilled trade apprenticeship

or pre-apprenticeship programs.”

For example, the Detroit Registered Apprenticeship Pilot Program (D-

RAPP) is designed to recruit and prepare Detroit residents with marketable

skills, allowing them to earn and learn in high-demand fields. Created in 2012,

D-RAPP offers training to assist residents in preparing to become apprentices.

Each employer agrees to register their apprenticeship program with the U.S.

Department of Labor and provide apprenticeship opportunities for low-

income Detroiters. Each participant attends a 60-hour pre-apprentice training

program. For each Detroit resident placed into a registered apprenticeship

program, the Michigan Workforce Development Agency and Detroit

Employment Solutions Corporation provide an incentive of $5,000 to the

apprenticeship program or employer, which can then be used to help provide

classroom training and/or tools.

As part of the partnership, CAM is disseminating information, not only on

these incentives, but also on job opportunities in both skilled trade labor and

in professional construction careers. CAM has established a website

exclusively dedicated to workforce development. “We plan to make the

CAM-CORE (Construction Opportunity Resources Education) website the

home portal for people who want to work in construction,” said Brinker.

The website was only recently launched, but it already contains information

on specific trades, professional opportunities and various incentive programs.

The www.cam-core.com website has links to

the following information:

• Information on specific skilled trades

and the average wage per hour

• Construction management programs at

various Michigan universities

• Scholarship programs and other

education funding sources

• Professional development for existing

construction professionals, including

links to CAM-TEC ”“I felt that the roundtables were a great first step in twoareas: narrowing down issues that affect all disciplinesin our construction industry, and establishing the goals and identifying the steps that will lead to actualresolutions. We should continue the discussion, andfinalize plans for the way forward.

Donielle Wunderlich, CAM Vice-Chairman, George W. Auch Company

”“

The concept of the ConstructionIndustry roundtable was conceived byEric Steck, past chairman of CAM andcurrent Vice President of AmalioCorp. The idea was unique in that itbrought all levels of the industrytogether in one room to voice theirconcerns. I truly believe that all whoparticipated left with greater insightinto our industry’s problems andpotential solutions. Eric Steck shouldbe commended for being the impetusin making the roundtable discussionsa reality.

Bruce M. Pregler, Facca, Richter & Pregler, P.C., CAM

PAC Chairman


“Our goal is to make this website the one people go to first for construction

jobs and careers,” said Brinker. “By partnering with the State of Michigan,

we plan to link with their websites on workforce development and their

information on job opportunities.”

This mutually beneficial partnership between CAM and the State of

Michigan will round out the information available on the CAM-CORE website,

but it will also help the State of Michigan be successful in their own

promotional campaign to attract workers and businesses to the Great Lake

State. “If they are successful, we will be successful and vice versa,” said

Brinker.

CAM Treasurer, Detroit Spectrum Painters Owner Giuseppe (Joe) S.

Palazzolo also took part in the Workforce initiative. He offers his thoughts on

how to inspire the youth of today to enter the construction workforce of

tomorrow. “Going into high schools on career days or even to colleges to

share information on trade labor wages and benefits, both short and long

term, is one avenue,” said Palazzolo. “We should inform high school and

college students that a typical four-year apprenticeship program comes

without any school loans after completion of the program, as well as great

pension and healthcare benefits.”

Billboards, social media and print news magazines and even pamphlets

are all ways to send out this important message. The actual message should

give a shout-out to the construction industry and “show how much pride one

can feel after actually building or beautifying a project,” said Palazzolo. “The

message should show how exciting the construction industry is every day.”

Overall, CAM has identified four target populations in its workforce initiative:

• The promotion of the construction industry to middle and high school

students to get them excited about construction

• The provision of meaningful skilled labor and professional opportunities

to high school graduates who may not be college bound

• Creating a focus on retaining Michigan’s college degree construction

professionals after graduation

• Incentivizing experienced construction talent to come back to Michigan

LEt’s taLk coNtRacts

Past CAM Chairman Bruce M. Pregler, partner in the law practice of Facca,

Richter & Pregler, PC, co-chaired the Contract Language Group that identified

three main challenges within this sector: flawed industry payment practices;

inefficient industry practices; and an adversarial industry culture. Pregler offers

a succinct summary of the solutions crafted by the Contract Language Group:

FLAWED INDUSTRY PAYMENT PRACTICES: Implement contract

provisions that release retention as work is completed; utilize contract

language which speeds up the change order process; and get paid for

work performed.

INEFFICIENT INDUSTRY PRACTICES: Develop a CAM Best Practices

contract agreement(s); apply LEAN principles to contracts; and utilize CAM

Government Affairs Committee to influence legislation.


ROUNDTABLE RECAP

ADVERSARIAL INDUSTRY CULTURE:

Participate in the collaborative process; utilize fair

contract boiler plate language and educate

industry participants.

“In real terms, our industry needs to erase the

adversarial culture through education and

utilization of fair contract language,” said Pregler.

“If all participants in the construction of a project

understand the process from start to finish, money

can be saved, projects completed on time, and

contractors can be promptly paid for work

performed. CAM believes that a best practices

contract with fair and comprehensive language

would go a long way in shortening contract

negotiation time, result in prompt

payment, speed up the change

order process, result in timely

completion of projects and

ultimately save owners and

developers money.

“In addition, utilization of

CAM’s Government Affairs

Committee to influence and craft

legislation would greatly improve

our industry,”Pregler continued.

“There are many existing laws

that need to be tweaked and

updated. There are also many

laws that should and need to be

introduced. CAM through its

GAC can be a leader in the

industry to ensure that proper

legislation is introduced and that outdated or

cumbersome laws are modified or repealed.”

According to Steck, the roundtable’s Contract

Language Group is currently examining prompt

pay and retainage legislation enacted in

Massachusetts and Pennsylvania. “Those states

have favorable contract language for contractors

in their legislation,” said Steck. “We are continuing

those discussions on contract language in our

committee to evaluate if the language in those

states could be applicable to Michigan, and if it

could be presented to the Michigan Legislature

through CAM’s Government Affairs Committee.”

The most recently enacted law, the

Massachusetts Retainage Law, went into effect on

Nov. 6, 2014. According to the website of Holland

& Knight, part of the law states that “retainage shall

be limited to five percent of each progress

payment and new timing requirements apply to

retainage release.”

Steck, also an integral participant in the

roundtable’s Collaboration Group, offers a great

example of obtaining favorable contract provisions

from an open, collaborative dialogue on a recent

project for a large national corporation. “The

project was a general contracting bid, so having a

fixed-dollar value, the general contractor wanted

to tighten up the numbers,” said Steck. Amalio

offered a reduced price in return for payment of

retention at the end of their work rather than at the

conclusion of the entire project. The general

contractor then offered zero retainage, and Amalio

presented a slightly more reduced price.

“Because they knew the quality of our work, they

trusted us,” said Steck. “We helped them with

their budget, and in return, I am getting paid in a

timely manner without any retention at all. This is

an example where contract language and

collaboration work together to create a win for the

general contractor and the subcontractor.”

Open dialogue is a way of getting results and

building trust, trust being the mortar holding

together the bricks of an entire building or project.

“I think in our industry there is a trust issue

between owners and contractors, contractors and

designers and contractors and subcontractors,”

said Steck. “It is something we as an industry

must work on.”

coLLaBoRatIoN foR chaNGE

Raimondo served as chairman for the

Collaboration Task Force. He is also part of the

strategy team that formulated and implemented

the roundtable series. Raimondo provides an

overview of the task force’s work on collaboration:

“Working together with some of Michigan’s best

and brightest thought leaders within our industry,

we developed two primary solutions: change the

tradition of ‘silo mentality’ pervasive within our

industry, and promote the business case for

change with owner procurement practices,” said

Raimondo.

“To address the ‘silo mentality’ issue, CAM will

take a leadership position in sponsoring best

practice activities that both define and shape the

industry’s use of collaboration,” Raimondo

continued. “CAM will develop and strengthen its

CAMTEC programs, including leadership get-

togethers to support collaboration and will educate

CAM members on collaborative protocols and

practices. In addition, the task force advocates

leveraging CAM’s legislative influence as ‘the voice

of the construction industry’ to both define and

promote collaboration within public procurement

practices and project execution.

“In promoting the business case for change in

owner procurement practices, CAM will sponsor

the development of both quantitative and

qualitative benefits necessary to inspire a targeted

group of owners. These benefits will streamline

processes to reduce unwanted cost from capital

projects and deliver improved performance to

more fully support both Owner and industry

profitability. CAM’s message will focus on the

Owner’s best interest through education, shared

knowledge and advocacy.”

foLLoW thE MoNEy

The September break-out

session on funding and the

subsequent October

roundtable focused on that

basic building block of

every project: money.

Funding is a core concern,

and to address the

concerns outlined below,

CAM will sponsor an

industry symposium on

both project and contractor

funding in late summer

2015, said CAM President

Kevin Koehler.

Chaired by

Donielle Wunderlich,

George W. Auch Company,

the Funding Task Force Committee examined four

core concerns in this vital arena: Lender

Support/Project Funding; Bonding; Profitability –

Profit Margins, Cash Flow, Retention; and

Sustainable Growth.

LENDER sUppoRt/pRojEct fUNDING

Discussions examined the issue from the

perspective of different stakeholders. First, owners

need reliable budgeting to complete funding

packages. With contractors’ reliance on a credit

line because of lack of cash flow, suppliers are

hesitant to provide material to contractors,

because of this lagging cash flow. Other concerns

include the fact that fewer construction lenders

even exist today.

General advice for contractors is to ensure that

funding is in place prior to construction. As part

of a general lending assessment, the task force

offered some encouraging news: Lending is better

than in 2008, 2009 and 2010, but has not risen to

2005 levels.

As a way forward in this arena, the task force

advocated that CAM educate lenders about our

industry, that lenders who want to service our

industry be identified, and that part of lender

education is to send CAM Magazine to lenders

and bonding companies.

”“Under then CAM Chairman Eric Steck’svision, along with our sponsor DoerenMayhew, the roundtables’ primary objectivewas to identify key issues within Michigan’sconstruction industry and then developstrategies aimed at improving the industry’s performance and Michigan’s competitiveadvantage.

John A. Raimondo, PE, CAM Director, Roncelli, Inc.


AND KNOWLEDGETHRSTRENGTH D SKILL

ROUGH

.realapprentic w. ebsite: wwWe

ceship.com

James OleksinskiJohn Doan

Chad NienhuisPatrick Landry

Dan Damico.r.Art Hug J

Jack Russell, Secretary

Dave Pehrson

ROUNDTABLE RECAP

BoNDING

The rising cost of bonds, coupled with shrinking

revenues and requests for collateral and personal

guarantees, have created consternation in the

industry. But for many in the industry, the process

of obtaining a bond is fraught with some

uncertainty.

As a way forward, tackling the often confusing

bonding process itself could involve providing

educational services to CAM members on how to

best research and prepare financial statements to

obtain bonding. As another proposal, CAM could

also create an industry best practices document

in the bonding arena.

pRofItaBILIty – pRofIt

MaRGINs/cash fLoW/REtENtIoN

The task force talked about the “elephant in the

room” in the construction industry: retention. The

amount and length of time that retention is held

impacts cash flow, profitability and the ability to

secure more work. Plus, retention reflects on

financial reporting as a write-off.

The way forward? The task force advocated

addressing payment clauses on standard

contractors with auditors; encouraging owners to

incorporate payout schedules for retention to

show benefits to the owner; and to craft best

practices that will include non-punitive use of

retention dollars.

sUstaINaBLE GRoWth foR

coNtRactoRs

The Funding Task Force advocates pitching CAM

to the Michigan Economic Development

Corporation, owners, the Michigan Small Business

Owners, and others to promote the use of CAM

members. Another way forward is the

development of industry best practices.

MovING INto thE fUtURE

CAM President Kevin Koehler offered his overview

of the past roundtable discussions and a vision of

their future role. “Getting all the stakeholders in a

room at one time is no easy task, but the effort is

definitely worth the result,” said Koehler. “The

creation and continuance of the CAM Construction

Industry Roundtable Series is of paramount

importance to our organization and our industry.

The information gleaned from our discussions, as

well as open and frank dialogue and creative

thinking, will shape the direction of CAM for years

to come.

“Workforce initiatives are our major focus this

year. Education and recruiting talent to the trades

and the industry is our top priority. We are excited

about our www.CAM-CORE.com campaign; the

development of our Young Professionals

Committee; and our partnership with state and

local agencies to promote construction as a

career.

“Our Government Affairs Committee (GAC) is

researching prompt pay legislation successfully

enacted in other states, with the hope of

developing hybrid legislation for Michigan. In

addition, planning has begun for a contractor

symposium to assist contractors in securing the

best financing and surety options available.

“And, of course, we will continue to work for

industry-wide collaboration. Effective collaboration

from pre-project planning through construction is

the key to delivering a project on time and on

budget,” said Koehler.

Clearly, the CAM Roundtables are becoming a

force for change, thanks to Eric Steck and the five

members of the strategy team who made it all

happen. The five members of the strategy team

are CAM President Kevin Koehler, John Raimondo,

Eric Steck, Bruce Pregler, and Matthew J. Gurwin,

Doeren Mayhew roundtable moderator.


The main marketing messages for Michigan’s masonry construction industry

in 2015 is “Green Buildings Sell,” and the “Economics of Masonry Trumps

Other Construction Materials.” Energy conservation, interior health impacts,

and easy expandability and remodeling are the significant qualities that

construction owners and users will be looking for, and masonry envelopes

and elements fit their bill on every count. Why is all of this important?

Because in 2015 and 2016, new construction activity in Michigan, across

the board for the masonry industry, will probably be no less than the

remodeling and retrofitting of existing buildings and facilities. That is where

the action will be. This will hold true for both private and public construction.

Retail, healthcare, office, medical, educational and nursing home facilities

will all experience some degree of remodeling and restoration. On the new

construction side, Michigan will see enthusiastic growth in the apartment

building, new single-family home construction, especially in areas such as

Washington Township, Shelby Township and Macomb Township. In

Southeastern Michigan, Macomb County stands out as being the recipient

of new population and business growth and increasing demands for

services.

Now a look at some statistical information. According to the January

26, 2015 issue of Engineering News-Record (ENR), “Total new construction

starts in Michigan are up 8.1 percent from a year ago, according to Dodge

Data & Analytics’ 12-month rolling average, which stood at $9.7 billion last

November. Most of the growth came in the non-residential building

markets, which were up 23.4 percent from a year ago. Homebuilding

showed an annual gain of 6.7 percent.”

In January 2015, the Miss Dig office released statistics stating, “Based

on historical numbers for January to September, non-residential building

MASONRY OUTLOOK

2015

By Joe NeussendorferAff.M.ASCE, ESD

C o n s t r u c t i o n construction starts in dollars, Michigan should see $3,281,507,780 spent

in 2015.” Miss Dig also reported in January 2015 that, “For non-residential

building construction starts, we should see 596,409 new “tickets” placed

from January to September 2015.”

The Mason Contractors Association of America (MCAA) published the

FMI 2014 Q3 Construction Outlook Report. FMI is a leading provider of

management consulting to the engineering and construction industry. Their

forecast calls for solid, slow growth. According to the report, “Contributing

factors include relatively low energy prices, low inflation, unemployment

holding around 6.2 percent and GDP slowly growing. Additionally,

consumer confidence is rising steadily, building permits and housing starts

bounced back in July, and banks are starting to lend again; that is, if the

applicant has good credit and cash flow.” A copy of the complete FMI

report can be downloaded at no cost at www.masoncontractors.org.

Another aspect of Michigan’s masonry economy is not generally

discussed in construction outlooks, but it is just as important to material

suppliers and manufacturers. It is the non-fuel mineral production in

Michigan. These are sand, crushed stone, and Portland cement mined in

Michigan. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, in its Mineral

Commodity Summaries 2015, “In 2014, 12 states each produced more

than $2 billion in these non-fuel mineral commodities. Michigan was

included in a group that accounted for 62 percent of the total output value.”

A copy of the full report is available online at no cost at www.usgs.gov.

About the Author: Joe Neussendorfer is an Affiliate Member of the American Society

of Civil Engineers. He has been reporting on construction economics for 40 years,

He has served as a construction economy consultant to both Governor William Milliken

and Governor James Blanchard. He is a 40-year member of the Engineering Society

of Detroit. His email address is: [email protected]. He is also

the president and CEO of U.S. Construction Research. His website is:

www.constructionanswerman.org.

1916 - A GREAT YEAR FOR THE DETROITREGION’S MASONRYINDUSTRY

BY JOE NEUSSENDORFER,

AFF.M.ASCE, ESD

James Couzens, formerly general manager of

the Ford Motor Company and the president of

Highland Park State Bank, announced that he

will erect an eighteen-story office building at Fort

and Shelby Streets, which will be brick faced

with terra cotta. Work will start this spring and

the building completed by April 1, 1917.

Never in the history of Detroit have there been

so many new subdivisions put on the market as

now, and never were the architects and

contractors so busy on plans for spring and

summer. Thousands of contractors are buying

new lots, and several architects have stated

they have been instructed to build brick houses

and apartment buildings.

On February 1, 1916 the price for common

brick in Detroit advanced from $7.50 to $8.00

per thousand and on March 1, 1916 there was

another fifty cent advance, making the present

price $8.50 per thousand. This advance was

made by all of the common brick manufacturers

operating in Detroit. The $8.50 price is destined

to remain throughout the ensuing year. The

advance is not having any material effect on the

demand for common brick, which is just as

active as it has been for some months past.

According to local prophets, if the weather is

unfavorable in Detroit this spring, there will be

plenty of common brick to supply the market;

but if the weather is fine, there may be a

shortage. Such a shortage would probably only

last until June 1, as Detroit brick makers are

increasing the capacity of their plants by

65,000,000 units.

There is hardly a clay plant near the city that

is not doing something towards improving

equipment. John S. Haggerty will increase his

plant production by 20,000,000 units, George

H. Clippert and Brothers Brick Company by

15,000,00 units, William Clippert by 10,000,000

units, and Mercier-Bryan-Larkins Brick

Company by 13,000,000.

Following is a novel look back at the Detroit

masonry industry in Detroit for the year 1916.

World War I was raging in Europe, while the local

construction industry was hard at work building

on the home front. Information was obtained from

the old “Brick and Clay Record,” copies of which

are in the author’s extensive library.

Masonry Industry


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38 CAM MAGAZINE APRIL 2015 “Voice Of The Construction Industry”®

MASONRY

DETROIT &MASONRYA CITY AND CRAFT ENDURES

Grit and determination have never left Detroit. These fundamental principles

are its heart and soul, and will be the driving force that rebuilds it. This year,

we will see and hear plenty of media coverage as we witness the rebirth of

a great city, our city; and with all the new, cool, hip hangouts and exciting

places to work and play, The D will be all the buzz. Lots of members of the

design and construction community may receive well-deserved accolades,

but perhaps not much will be said about the thousands of building

tradespeople who put it all together, pouring their heart and soul into their

work.

The Metro Detroit Building Trades build our places of work, play, study

and worship, not to mention every road or bridge to get there. If you were

ever curious and asked them how they got their start, some are certain to

mention their fathers and grandfathers, and some may say they fell into the

trade or a friend referred them. Whether fallen into or carrying on the family

tradition, they may also mention that what at first looked like just a job

eventually turned into a passion and a career. Ask them how they made it

or how they honed their skills, and they will speak of the many Craftworkers

who took them under their wings and taught them everything they knew.

We call this process an apprenticeship; most take from three to five years

to complete and some, such as those in the trowel trades, take an

additional two to six years to master their respective craft.

Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers (BAC) Local #2 of Michigan is proud

to be part of a craft as ancient as mankind’s first buildings, yet as modern

as an architect’s dream. Their commitment to their craft and city has never

been stronger. For decades, the BAC has quietly built more than just

buildings. Relationships forged with outreach partners within the city have

produced career pathways for countless Detroiters and DPS graduates. A.

Philip Randolph Technical High School, for example, continues to produce

some of our finest Masons.

When it comes to opportunity for today’s youth, we are at a unique point

in time, a time like never before. The boomers are retiring, our workforce

has aged, and recruitment has been at or near idle for the better part of a

decade. There has been little to no need to replenish the rank-and-file since

the beginning of the downturn in 2008. In addition, many who began a

career in construction from 2004 - 2007 did not survive the hardship and

are no longer in the business. Our economy is finally picking up and so has

BY TOM WARD TRAINING DIRECTOR ANDAPPRENTICE COORDINATOR, INTERNATIONAL MASONRY TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOUNDATION

pyoung Detroiters work on window infills at

the abandoned Dixon school.

ustudents were eager to learn the masonry

trade and took great pride in their

accomplishments.


the average age of our existing workforce. The

opportunity for today’s youth is real and right

now. That skills gap that everyone has been

talking about is not on our heels any more - it is

in our lap, and part of our challenge now is

overcoming some stereotypes associated with

construction workers. They are not transients

roaming the county from dead-end job to job, nor

can they be temporary workers; not all cuss like

sailors or heckle women as they walk by. They

are your neighbors, friends, brothers and sisters,

living in every community across Michigan.

A high-level of skill and performance is required

to sustain the construction industry; this work

requires stable dependable workers who share

principle core values of family first, community

and a hard day’s work for a fair wage. To that

end, supporting their families and a dignified

retirement is their American Dream. This is hard

work and an honest living, deserving of our

deepest respect and admiration.

Among the most demanding are the trowel

trades. Anyone who has ever made a living in our

craft understands, and will tell you that it builds

strength, confidence and independence –

attributes any parent or counselor wishes for in

today’s youth. Masonry and its related trades are

an excellent fit for any youngster looking to build

character and a career.

A unique opportunity presented to BAC

Business Manager Mark King in early 2014 came

from DPS emergency manager Jack Martin. The

request: engage a group of young Detroiters with

meaningful work for six weeks. Active in their

communities, each were participants with SER

Metro Detroit (Service Employment

Redevelopment) or LA SED (Latin Americans for

Social and Economic Development). Thanks to

City Connect Detroit’s summer jobs campaign,

these young men and women earned extra

money while being introduced to our craft.

Our assignment was to use masonry to secure

vacant schools ravaged by scrappers. In some

cases, every doorframe and window was

missing. The previous quick and easy attempts

securing with plywood failed - scrappers carry

screwdrivers and hammers and made short work

of getting back in.

Tasked with this mission, as BAC’s Apprentice

Coordinator, I wasn’t sure what to expect, or

knew if any of the youngsters would engage

themselves completely. Safety was a huge

concern, so care was taken selecting two

schools with groundwork. Before any fieldwork

could begin, students spent the first week at

BAC’s Warren Training Center learning the

principles of masonry, masonry restoration, and

of course, safety. By the end of day one, I could

see each student light up with a sense of

accomplishment and personal pride, and by the

end of the week, hope was in their eyes. I knew

the mission would be successful. Truth is, this

was the real mission.

Masonry is demanding, and it is rewarding on

many levels. The craft has always had a special

pride associated with its work; with our hands,

our legacy is laid in brick and mortar. Knowing

someday our grandchildren will drive by one of

our buildings and say, “My grandpa or grandma

built that,” is a legacy that will always endure.

aBoUt thE aUthoRTom Ward began his career in masonry in 1991. He

worked through the ranks, eventually serving as a project

foreman for over a decade. His mission on every

assignment was safely delivering the highest quality

masonry and total customer satisfaction, while realizing a

fair profit. While serving on a prominent mason

contractor’s quality steering team, he authored and co-

authored several Best Practices. Ward is a contributing

writer for the Smart Dynamics of Masonry Magazine and

has lead several volunteer projects, giving back to the

community through his craft. Now with the same passion

and principles sharpened in the field, Ward is at the helm

of his alma mater, the International Masonry Training and

Education Foundation (formerly the International Masonry

Institute). His official title is Training Director and

Apprentice Coordinator. In addition to those roles, he is

an active OSHA and MSHA outreach trainer.

MASONRY

IMPORTANT PRINCIPLES MAY, AND MUST, BE INFLEXIBLE– ABRAHAM LINCOLN

qteam members who used masonry to secure vacant schools ravaged by scrappers.


A different kind of Polar Plunge is coming to

Metro Detroit in 2016. But stay warm and leave

the frigid swan dives to the experts ... namely the

80 penguins that will be swimming happily in the

Detroit Zoo’s new Polk Penguin Conservation

Center. Thanks to a chilled 326,000-gallon, 25-

foot-deep aquatic area, visitors will be able to

observe what is virtually impossible to see in the

wild: penguins actually deep diving underwater.

A joint venture of DeMaria Building Company,

Novi, and Wharton-Smith, Inc., Sanford, Florida

is now constructing what promises to be an

incredible 33,000-square-foot building. The

exhibit will house the Detroit Zoo’s king,

rockhopper and macaroni penguins, as well as a

new “bird on the block”: the long-tailed gentoo

penguin, the fastest-diving bird in the world and

one capable of reaching speeds of 22 miles an

hour under water, according to a Detroit Zoo

press release.

Designed by Albert Kahn Associates, Inc.,

Detroit, and Jones & Jones Architects and

Landscape Architects, Ltd., Seattle, Washington,

this structural steel-framed building, wrapped in

metal panels, will be shaped like a tabular

iceberg. As concrete contractor, Amalio Corp.,

BUILDINGANTARCTICAAMALIO BEGINS FOUNDATIONS FOR NEW POLK

PENGUIN CONSERVATION CENTER

CONCRETE

ponce complete, the exterior of the new polk penguin conservation center will resemble a tabular iceberg. photo courtesy of the Detroit Zoo

BY MARY E. KREMPOSKY PHOTOS COURTESY OF AMALIO CORP.

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Sterling Heights, has been laboring far below

what will ultimately become the tip of this future,

faux iceberg. The Sterling Heights-based

company has been working almost 35 feet below

grade to form the concrete foundations for what

is believed to be the largest penguin center in the

United States. The foundation walls will form the

sides of the deep underwater pool, and a

complex assembly of angled walls and

intersecting concrete beams will be part of the

“living room” or habitat area for these South Pole

denizens. This is Amalio’s second Detroit Zoo

project, having worked on Amphibiville, a national

conservation center for amphibians.

At the new Polk Penguin Conservation center,

visitors will be able to view the penguins at the

water’s surface, before descending a winding

ramp and emerging into underwater viewing

areas that will envelope them in the underwater

world of this hardy Antarctic bird. Penguins will

swim overhead and even underfoot via entrance

and exit acrylic glass tunnels and even a stretch

of transparent flooring.

The entry tunnel will open into a space hosting

the star attraction: a massive “radius viewing

window topped by a four-foot-thick, 50-inch-

RENDERING COURTESY OF THE DETROIT ZOO


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wide concrete beam,” said Amalio Vice President

Eric C. Steck. Amalio is tasked with marrying

the concrete to the thick acrylic viewing glass

within this remarkable facility.

fINDING thE RIGht MIX

Amalio brought their A Game and a host of value-

engineering ideas to the project. The site’s high

water table - and the basic necessity of keeping

the groundwater out and the pool water in -

called for the use of two types of waterproofing.

Arisco Contracting Group, Fraser, is placing the

external waterproofing. “The concrete itself has

a crystalline waterproofing product manufactured

by BASF called MasterLife 300D that is integral

the elimination of the use of self-consolidating

concrete (SCC) on the project. “Because self-

consolidating concrete is like liquid concrete, the

formwork has to be that much more

sophisticated,” said Steck. “It requires a heavier

duty form system, so the cost for the formwork

goes up exponentially.”

Michigan State University’s Broad Art Museum

used SCC primarily for its ability to produce a

flawless canvas of concrete, but at the Polk

Center, the concrete will be buried or covered

with Shotcrete. Although SCC is also used for

its waterproofing capabilities, the project team

accepted Amalio’s suggestion to employ the

targeted use of the crystalline admixture in its

place. McCoig Materials, Romulus, is the

concrete supplier.

All of these value-engineering suggestions

reduce costs project wide. “It is a collaborative

way of working for the betterment of the entire

project and as a way for the entire project team

to save money for the owner,” said Steck.

pRojEct pENGUIN BEGINs

Amalio mobilized on site on Nov. 3, 2014. The

first task was pouring a 3-inch-thick mud mat at

the bottom of what will become Metro Detroit’s

very own version of the South Pole. This layer

rests directly on the soil and offers a buildable

surface for the external waterproofing application.

“The mud mat is a working table, if you will,”

said Steck. “It provides a substrate on which to

apply the waterproofing for the next layer: the

two- to three-foot-thick structural concrete base

mat. Without a mud mat, the soil could erode or

degrade over the course of the two weeks spent

installing the base mat’s reinforcing steel.”

The structural concrete base mat has three

different levels, the deepest being in the diving

pool. “The base mat steps up to the second

level in the habitat area, located in the south

central portion of the building, and near the west

exit of the last viewing tunnel,” said Steck. “The

third level is in the mechanical and life support

area located on the north end of the building.”

Amalio coordinated its mud and base mat with

Arisco’s waterproofing. The two firms basically

“chased” each other’s work in a synchronized

sequence of mud mat, waterproofing, re-steel

and pouring of the base mat until completing this

first phase of the concrete work in approximately

three to four weeks. “The base mat was on the

verge of completion in mid-December 2014,”

said Steck. “We had also started foundation wall

construction on portions of the project. The walls

will range in thickness from 12 to 27 inches, and

up to 25 feet in height.”

Two core challenges are schedule and the

logistics of working on a very tight site. After

forming the base mat, Amalio had to work the

schedule around exceptionally brutal winter

CONCRETE

pIt’s the perfect weather for penguins, but less than ideal for working on the habitat area walls

of the Detroit Zoo’s polk penguin conservation center. amalio is making it happen as the

concrete walls rise on the two-acre site.

to the concrete,” said Steck. “If moisture should

by any chance penetrate the waterproofing

system, the water would hit the concrete and

crystallize. Essentially, the MasterLife 300D is a

backup system capable of sealing the concrete

on contact with water.”

The product is amazing but expensive. Initially,

the crystalline waterproofing admixture was

specified for use in all of the concrete, but Amalio

identified select areas not requiring this level of

coverage. The judicious use of MasterLife 300D

reduced project costs. “Our voluntary alternate

was submitted and accepted, yielding savings of

$82,000,” said Steck.

Amalio also submitted a voluntary alternate for


temperatures, plummeting wind chills and a 13-

inch snowstorm – conditions unsuitable for

pouring concrete and probably only slightly more

balmy than Antarctica, itself.

Amalio also worked on a tight site. “It’s all

just-in-time delivery,” said Steck. “There is not

any extra room for material lay down or

stockpiling, requiring us to schedule daily re-steel

deliveries.”

Going forward, the plan calls for the use of two

crews and two cranes. One crane and crew will

be stationed on the base mat foundation to build

the perimeter walls, and the second crane and

crew will be stationed on the south side of the

site to build the complex, angled walls of the

habitat area.

The first option is possible, because an access

ramp was carved down into the excavation from

the beginning of work below grade. It came about

because of another Amalio-inspired voluntary

alternate. “Instead of using two large cranes on

the top of the excavation, we brought a smaller

crane down into the opening,” said Steck.

“DeMaria and Wharton-Smith provided an east

ramp into the excavation to accommodate us. If

the crane was placed on top of the opening, it

would need a greater reach capacity. The larger

crane with a 200-foot reach would cost $13,000

a month to rent, whereas a smaller 60-ton crane

with a 75-foot reach in the excavation rents for

approximately $6,000 a month.”

BIM GoEs to thE soUth poLE

The third core challenge is the need for close

attention to detail to construct the building’s

complex assembly of walls. The concrete placed

may tally a modest 3,750 cubic yards, but in the

habitat area few of those yards are square and

straight. “The basic foundation is a conventional

rectangle, but much of the rest of the building has

complicated angled walls,” said Steck.

Given the project’s complexities, Building

Information Modeling (BIM) is being employed to

detect clashes and ease construction in the field.

“We are using the BIM model to proactively look

at details in areas that we will work on in two or

more weeks,” said Steck. “We are using BIM to

help us avoid conflicts with other trades and

materials, and to identify clashes that might occur

in the formwork and re-steel installation.”

Using BIM, Amalio pinpointed a beam

“designed to a certain depth that was going to

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BUILDING thE BIG pIctURE

This massive concrete beam over the Polk

Center’s broad picture window highlights another

facet of this demanding project. The concrete is

the “picture frame” around a host of acrylic glass

windows, ranging from port holes to the large-

scale viewing glass. With over 300,000 gallons

of water to be placed on the other side of this

assembly, the concrete and acrylic must fit.

Calculating the massive beam’s camber is one

of the keys to a proper fit. “We have to take into

consideration the loads that will make the finished

concrete droop or settle,” said Steck. “Camber

is calculating how much settling will occur in

advance. We put a camber or curve in our

formwork of the designed amount, so when the

formwork is stripped, the concrete will end up

being perfectly level.”

Amalio launched construction in the south

habitat area and will be moving clockwise from

west to east. “As we come to the end, we will

close up our east ramp,” said Steck. Once the

foundation wall is backfilled and the structural

deck is in place, the stage is set for the launch of

structural steel and creation of the rest of this

simulated Antarctic outpost.

The Polk Penguin Conservation Center is a

difficult and demanding undertaking, but one sure

to reward the region with an amazing cultural

resource and a potent economic stimulus.

To catch a sneak preview, watch the Detroit Zoo’s

YouTube animation and see penguin center’s

exterior waterfall cascading over the roof edge

and into an area doubling as a summer splash

pond and a winter ice rink.

The interior will have 4D effects of blowing

snow, wind and waves. The long, winding ramp

down into the underwater viewing areas will

celebrate the legendary voyages of early 20th

Century Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton,

whose ship, aptly named the Endurance, was

stranded in and then crushed by the Antarctic

ice. His crew camped on an ice floe and then on

nearby Elephant Island. A carpenter on the

voyage reinforced a life boat and select people

braved over 720 miles of open sea to reach

South Georgia Island and ultimately be rescued,

along with the entire crew waiting on Elephant

Island. Through teamwork, tenacity, and

leadership, every man survived an almost

impossible ordeal.

Facing a high water table, brutal weather and

other daunting demands, the project team may

be looking to the Endurance’s teamwork and

tenacity as they bring this incredible building out

of the ground. With its value engineering

suggestions and proactive approach, Amalio

Corp. has already shown itself to be a valuable

member of the construction team on an exciting

project that joins the wonder of the natural world

to the creativity and craft of the design and

construction industry.

GGBBGBMMBMR R E RE EC EC Y CY YC YC L CL E LE ED ED C C O CO N ON C NC R CR E RE ET ET TE TE E, L L L LL C LC P

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pthe new concrete foundation walls of the

exciting new polk penguin conservation

center are creating a new foundation of

success and economic growth both for the

Detroit Zoo and the Detroit metropolitan

area.

clash with a glass viewing area,” Steck said. “We

brought it to the attention of the designer three

weeks before we were going to actually form the

beam. That shows the importance of BIM. If the

clash was discovered in the field, it would have

delayed the work.”

BIM is only part of a proactive sensibility able

to ease work in the field. Being proactive can

identify and resolve issues long before

manpower, machinery and materials are

assembled but stopped in their tracks on a

jobsite. At the penguin center, this approach

helped in the placement of the proper amount of

rebar in the 40-foot-long concrete beam that will

top the main radius viewing window in the dive

pool. “Initially, the project called for four No. 9

rebar top and bottom,” said Steck. “Being

proactive, we asked, ‘Are they four straight bars

or are you fanning them out?’ The question

prompted the engineers and designers to re-

examine the rebar, and they determined that the

beam actually needed six more bars. If a

contractor looks ahead, asks questions and

works as part of a team, these types of concerns

can be mitigated.”


In the animal kingdom, the thinnest of

membranes aids survival. The Emperor penguin

has a transparent membrane over the eye,

covering the bird’s eye while swimming and

offering protection from the cold. In the built

environment, Arisco Contracting Group, Inc. is a

master of installing the thinnest, but among the

most vital, of building systems: the waterproofing

membrane. The Fraser-based company is now

hard at work on the Detroit Zoo’s Polk Penguin

Conservation Center, a phenomenal project

making full use of Arisco’s abilities.

DeMaria Building Company, Detroit-Novi, and

Wharton-Smith, Inc., Sanford, Florida are the joint

venture contracting team for the project designed

by Albert Kahn Associates, Inc., Detroit and

Jones & Jones Architects and Landscape

Architects, Ltd., Seattle, Washington.

phasE I: savING aBoUt a QUaRtER-

MILLIoN DoLLaRs

Arisco is applying several types of waterproofing

to protect the concrete in a building now

emerging on a two-acre site near the Detroit Zoo

entrance. With four different waterproofing

phases, the Polk Penguin Conservation Center

ranks among Arisco’s largest and most complex

projects in the waterproofing arena.

Arisco arrived on site in November 2014 to

install a waterproofing layer between the mud

mat and the concrete structural floor at the

bottom of the 35-foot-deep excavation. As thin,

soft and seemingly insubstantial as a piece of felt,

approximately 12,000 square feet of this

waterproofing material is now in place between

the mud mat and the structural concrete base

mat to prevent groundwater from leaching into

the concrete.

ARISCOWATERPROOFS NEW DETROIT AREAGEM IN THE MAKINGBY MARY E. KREMPOSKYASSOCIATE EDITOR

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ARISCO CONTRACTING GROUP

CONCRETE

parisco contracting Group arrived on the site of the polk penguin conservation center in

November to install a waterproofing layer between the mud mat and the concrete structural

floor at the bottom of the 35-foot-deep excavation.


This thin but hardy material is “a sheet of

woven fabric made of a bentonite polymer alloy,”

said Arisco Operation Manager Tim Frankland.

Minute granules of natural bentonite clay are

trapped between two sheets, one side being a

geotextile material and the other the polymer with

the felt-like look and feel.

“Bentonite is usually used on jobs with a high

water table,” said Frankland. The Polk Center site

certainly fits the bill for the use of this material. “If

the bentonite becomes hydrated, it actually

swells and creates a monolithic sheet,” said

Arisco Estimator Todd Goss. “When the concrete

is poured, the warmth of the concrete in its curing

state will also make the waterproofing sheet

automatically stick to the concrete.”

For its part, the polymer alloy protects the

waterproofing from penetration. “Stones and nails

can’t make it through this waterproofing, because

the polymer protects the clay from penetration,”

Frankland added.

In addition to the use of this time-tested

product, Arisco’s own ingenuity aided the job.

After discussing it with the manufacturer, Arisco

suggested, and the project team accepted, the

installation of a single versus a double-layer of

this waterproofing membrane. “It shaved off

about a quarter-of-a- million dollars from the

project,” said Frankland.

Arisco coordinated its work in sections with

Amalio Corp., the Sterling Heights-based

concrete contractor on the project. “We had to

make sure that once they were done with placing

their area of concrete mud mat, we placed our

waterproofing as soon as possible,” said

Frankland. “This was important, because Amalio

had to instantly begin to place the re-steel for the

structural mat on top of our work.

“They usually gave us about 2,000 to 3,000

square feet of area to do at one time before they

would start placing re-steel,” Frankland

continued. “We did that amount in two or three

hours, basically placing 1,000 square feet of

waterproofing per hour.” Arisco completed the

underslab waterproofing in mid-December 2014.

The waterproofing details are crucial to keep

the groundwater out and the pool water in.

Waterproofing is a meticulous process, and even

if one small detail fails, it can have wide-scale

implications. Think of a small tear in an umbrella

wetting the entire person in a downpour. “It is

important that all of these different applications

are sequenced and installed correctly,” said

Goss.

In the mud mat phase, Arisco made sure that

each bentonite polymer alloy sheet overlapped at

the manufacturer’s marked lap line; that the sheet

was properly tacked down and fastened at each

corner; and that three-quarter inches of bentonite

gel was applied around the rebar. “The

overlapping, the fastening, and the rebar are all

potential areas of weakness if the waterproofing

is not properly installed,” said Goss.

Working in a tight site was a constant. “It is a

postage stamp,” said Frankland. “You enter the

site via a temporary gravel road off of Woodward,

pass the job trailers and the excavation is right

there. Once the foundation walls are up,

waterproofed and backfilled, the site will gain

some space.”

qarisco installed approximately 12,000 square feet of bentonite polymer alloy waterproofing

in the lower reaches of the Detroit Zoo’s emerging polk penguin conservation center.

pIn the mud mat phase, arisco made sure that each bentonite polymer alloy sheet overlapped

at the manufacturer’s marked lap line.


phasE II: cLIMBING thE WaLLs

Once the entire foundation wall is poured,

Arisco will waterproof the 18- to 30-foot-high

foundation walls in five-foot lifts or increments.

“After we waterproof five feet, that area will be

backfilled,” said Goss. “We will then go another

five feet and it will be backfilled, repeating this

process until we get to the top of the wall.”

The same woven sheet of bentonite polymer

alloy is paired with a dimpled drain board to

waterproof the exterior foundation walls.

“Moisture from the ground will go through the

dimples on the board, flow to the bottom drain

and exit the sump,” said Goss. Frankland added,

“The bentonite polymer alloy sheet is

mechanically fastened to the concrete, the

dimple board is glued to the sheet and then rigid

insulation foam is then adhered to the board.”

phasE IIl: WatERpRoofING thE

pENGUINs’ LIvING RooM

Arisco will also be waterproofing the inside of

the 25-foot-deep pool in the habitat area. “We will

first have to sand blast and prep all the walls to

get a good profile that will make our liquid-applied

coating adhere to it,” said Goss. “We will be

liquid applying the materials to cover about

17,000 square feet of both the pool floor and the

walls.” The actual liquid is a two-part epoxy

made by Tnemec.

The habitat area will be quite challenging to

waterproof. The structural frame and support

structure for the shotcrete “icebergs” will be

doweled into the wall. “We are going to have to

waterproof around hundreds, if not thousands, of

these dowels,” said Frankland. “Placed every 12

inches on center, there will be four dowels per-

square-foot. The steel dowels come out of the

wall almost two-and-a-half feet. They will be

drilling into the wall almost six inches, so we have

to make sure that the waterproofing is correct

around each one of these dowels.”

phasE Iv: MakING thE vIp RooM

WatERtIGht

The last phase calls for minor waterproofing

and shower pan installation beneath the small

pools located in the two animal management

rooms. Arisco will also waterproof the VIP

Encounter room for guest-penguins “meetings”

and will provide liquid-applied waterproofing in

the sump tanks in the life safety room, a space

containing the mechanical equipment that chills

and filters the water for the health of the

penguins. “The trickling filters actually raise and

lower the height of the water in the pool,” said

Goss.

Arisco can add this exciting new penguin

conservation center to their zoo portfolio. They

already have established zoo credentials, having

worked on the waterproofing for another aquatic

animal, namely the group of beavers now in

residence in the recently opened Jane and Frank

Warchol Beaver Habitat. This master builder of an

animal also has successful waterproofing

strategies, including a transparent membrane over

their eyes and flaps that close while swimming to

keep water out of their nose and ears. Mother

Nature has waterproofing down pat in the natural

world, and Arisco Contracting Group has

waterproofing installation in the built environment

down to a science. Thanks to their expertise in this

vital area, Arisco is among the talented members

of the design and construction industry helping to

bring this unique facility to the entire region. For

more information on Arisco Contracting Group,

please visit www.arisco.CO.

pthe polymer alloy protects the waterproofing from penetration. arisco coordinated its work

in sections with amalio corp., the concrete contractor that installed the structural mat’s re-

steel after placement of the mud mat waterproofing sheets.


Residual moisture in concrete slabs hasbecome an increasing problem in recent years.New formulations for flooring adhesives havebeen necessary to meet air pollution controllaws that limit the use of solvents andcompounds containing volatile organiccompounds, or VOC. These formulas are lessresistant to high pH in the presence ofmoisture, resulting in early flooring failures. Theuse of desiccant dehumidification to lower thehumidity can successfully mitigate moistureproblems in concrete slabs.

WatER aND coNcREtE

Concrete is made up of cement, aggregate andwater. Moisture is necessary for the hydrationof the cement in the concrete. To allow flow,placement and proper finishing of the concreteslab, additional water must be added. After thecement has consumed the water needed for

proper hydration or “cure,” the remaining waterslowly exits the slab. Assuming there is a functioning andcontinuous vapor retarder under the concrete,the excess water will migrate to the top andescape into the atmosphere above. The rate atwhich this migration and evaporation occurs isa function of the density of the concrete, thevapor pressure of the air above the surface andthe temperature of the slab. Tightly trowelledfinishes, curing compounds and wind velocityalso impact the speed at which slabs dry.

MoIstURE’s IMpact oN fLooRING

faILURE

As the water migrates to the surface, it bringswith it various compounds that raise the pH atthe surface. The flooring system can create abarrier, trapping the moisture. This moisture,combined with the high pH, creates a very

aggressive condition for the adhesive. In thepast, the solvent-containing formulations werecapable of withstanding this environment. Thenew VOC compliant adhesives are lessresistant to this high pH and re-emulsify in thepresence of moisture. The result is adhesives oozing out betweenVCT tiles, blisters in sheet flooring and dis-bonded carpeting. Seamless floors and highperformance gym floors are particularlysusceptible to moisture problems as they forma continuous barrier, effectively holding thewater under the flooring material.

DEssIcaNt DEhUMIDIfIcatIoN as a

MItIGatIoN soLUtIoN

For over a decade, desiccant dehumidificationhas been used to effectively remove unwantedmoisture from slabs. This approach uses thedrying equipment to lower the vapor pressure

CONCRETE

CONCRETE MOISTUREMITIGATION USINGDEHUMIDIFICATIONBY DON SCHNELL, POLYGON U.S.


in the air above the slab, causing the moistureto find its way out of the slab into the dry air.Vapor pressure acts much like air pressure andseeks equilibrium with its surroundingenvironment. Wet concrete has a high vaporpressure. By lowering the vapor pressureabove the slab, the water wants to escape intothat space and reach equilibrium. Best Practices have been developed thatinclude measures to ensure that the rightconditions are maintained. This includesmaking sure there are no other sources ofventilation or significant infiltration that wouldinterfere with the drying effort and raise thevapor pressure in the space. Any openings inthe building envelope allow moisture to rush inand active HVAC systems or other temporaryclimate control equipment must be configuredto avoid introduction of outside or ‘makeup’ air.It is important to note that raising the airtemperature in the space does not reducevapor pressure; therefore, heaters alone will notsignificantly improve drying rates. Experienced drying experts can predict theapproximate time required to dry a particularslab. However, the building is usually not underthe control of the dehumidification supplier andthere are various details that can be difficult to

verify or control. Some of the obstacles toaccelerated drying include: • Ability to keep doors and otheropenings closed as the various tradesaccomplish their work

• Controlling other sources of ventilation • Other sources of moisture such asroof leaks, driving rain or poor vaporretarders under the slab

• Equipment operating continuouslyThere are remote monitoring systemsavailable to monitor and recordconditions in the space. These systemswill alert the supplier when conditionsstray out of acceptable range or if thedrying equipment fails or is turned off.This monitoring equipment helps assurethat good drying conditions aremaintained to achieve timely results.Conditions are also recorded on lineallowing good documentation.

soME sUccEssfUL

appLIcatIoNs

1. A 400,000-square-foot library inBolingbrook, IL was struggling to

achieve 75 percent RH on their new slab.60 days later, those levels were met withdesiccant dehumidification.

2. This same process was used to lower theslab moisture in a large retail store beingbuilt in Andover, MA. The moisture in theconcrete was lowered to under 90 percentRH in 21days.

3. In Atlanta, GA a 90,000-square-footmedical office building also faced aproblem with high moisture content in theslabs, even after six months. Relativehumidity was in the high 80s and low 90percent range at the beginning of thedrying process. All areas were dried tobelow 75 percent RH within five weeksusing desiccant dehumidifiers.

4. Dozens of new drug store slabs havebeen dried using desiccant dehumidifiers.The target moisture for most of these hasbeen 80 percent RH, or three pounds per1,000 square feet per 24 hours, using thecalcium chloride measurement method.

sERvIcEs fRoM poLyGoN

Polygon is a nation-wide supplier of temporaryclimate control equipment and waterdamage restoration services. Typesof equipment supplied to theconstruction industry includedesiccant dehumidifiers,refrigeration type dehumidifiers,cooling and heating equipment andhumidifiers for hardwoodstabilization in winter months.Portable generators are alsoavailable to power the equipment ifnecessary. Michigan contact is EricBlaylock:[email protected],(800) 422-6379, Mobile 567-377-3172, Web www.polygongroup.com.

aBoUt thE aUthoR

Donald J. Schnell is the ConstructionServices Business Development Managerfor the Eastern Region at Polygon U.S.With more than 25 years in thecommercial building and industrialarenas, he has helped pioneer much ofthe dehumidification technology usedtoday in construction drying applications,and is the author of several publishedtechnical papers on the subject. In his roleat Polygon, Schnell oversees sales to thecommercial construction market. Hedirects and supports the marketing effortsof salespeople in 12 offices in the easternU.S. Schnell has been involved with thedehumidification and temporary climatecontrol business since 1990.

CONCRETE


THE CADILLAC OF REHABILITATIVE CARE: SHELBY NURSING CENTER OPENS NEW THERAPY GYM

BY MARY E. KREMPOSKYASSOCIATE EDITOR PHOTOS BY CHRISTOPHER LARK, INC.


Over four times the size of the average

rehabilitation space, Shelby Nursing Center’s new

facility is the “Cadillac” of rehabilitative care therapy

gyms. In fact, this light-filled addition in Shelby

Township actually houses a Cadillac to assist

patients in properly entering and exiting a vehicle

after an injury or surgery. Restoring mobility is the

name of the game in this 9,225-square-foot facility,

stocked with recumbent cross-trainers, WiiU

stations, and an indoor walking track equipped

with a patient lift.

Welcome to the largest rehabilitative care

therapy gym in Michigan, according to Beaumont

Health System’s website. As a Beaumont affiliate

and a Premier Health Care Management facility,

Shelby Nursing Center opened the doors to its

new healing space in January 2015.

Fusco, Shaffer & Pappas, Inc. (FSP), Ferndale,

designed and T.H. Marsh Construction Co., Royal

Oak, built this rehab addition that is almost as large

as a modest office building. The rehabilitative care

therapy gym not only accommodates 100

residents and therapists at a time, but it also offers

a wide range of treatment options. “This new

space enables us to have a larger variety of

equipment,” said the Center’s Senior PT, Clinical

Team Leader Craig Miller. “This variety allows us

to treat patients across the entire spectrum of

care, ranging from those who function at a very

low level to patients who function at a very high

level.”

The $4.5 million addition offers a full menu of

services, including a dedicated speech therapy

room, six mat tables and three patient lifts in an

extensive private room, and an outdoor courtyard

to strengthen walking abilities on varied surfaces,

ranging from concrete, gravel and brick pavers to

a wood deck. The addition also houses a full-scale

kitchen, bedroom and bathroom in its Activities of

Daily Living (ADL) area. “The ADL spaces help

people learn how to function in daily environments

given the restrictions of their injury or surgery,” said

FSP President James T. Pappas, AIA.

Add style to the addition’s noteworthy size and

services, for what could have been a sterile, clinical

space is as inviting as a spa. The interior doesn’t

have a dull ceiling, floor or wall: Colorful soffits

create a playful layering of ceiling levels; light

fixtures of different shapes and sizes add their own

unique stamp; textured carpeting and simulated

wood bring the floor to life; and generous floor-to-

ceiling windows invite in the light. “Introducing

color, windows and natural light gives the space

warmth and a more contemporary vibe,” said FSP

Project Designer Linda L. Couch-Verdura.

A NEW IMAGE

AND FOCUS

In essence, FSP is

rehabilitating the

image of a rehab

facility. “We are trying

to achieve the feel of

a health care resort,

not only in the

rehabilitation space,

but in creating hotel-

like residential

rooms,” said Pappas.

“Our goal in all of our

skilled care nursing

projects is to create

an environment that

doesn’t feel like the

image people have of

a nursing home.”

FSP has clearly achieved its design goal in the

new Shelby addition as shown in a before and

after “snapshot” of the former and the new rehab

space. Before: A virtually windowless, 800-

square-foot space with eight-foot-high ceilings.

After: Generous windows, attractive finishes, and

a large volume space with 10- to 12-foot ceilings.

Shelby’s Director of Facilities and Maintenance

Scott Baker says it all: “It’s a remarkable

transformation.”

Premier Health Care has clearly reached its

marketing goal of creating a leading short-term

rehabilitative care center. Originally, the addition

was slated for the back of the building next to the

now former rehab area. “The thinking became, if

you wanted to market yourself as the premier

therapy space in Michigan, then why not place it

up front and make it visible,” said FSP Project

Manager Kevin Koets.

FSP and T.H. Marsh worked collaboratively to

build this addition in the front southwest half of the

95,000-square-foot nursing center. As

construction manager, T.H. Marsh’s Keith

McKenzie brought his cost-estimating skills and

logistical talents to the table, delivering this new

therapeutic space under budget and on time. “We

set the schedule a year in advance, and we

finished one day ahead of schedule,” said T.H.

Marsh Superintendent Jeff Cherny.

T.H. Marsh’s savvy management saved money,

manpower and materials on the Phase I addition

and 5,000-square-foot renovation. “We actually

did Phase I and Phase II of this five-phase project

together using just a superintendent, an assistant

superintendent and manpower,” said T.H. Marsh

Vice President and Senior Project Manager Keith

McKenzie. “In Phase II (a conversion of semi-

private rooms into 22 private ones in the Heather

Manor wing), we were even able to save some of

the existing materials, such as the carpeting and

the conversion of existing wardrobes and dressers

into built-ins, crown molding, window treatments

and light fixtures.”

The project team’s efforts have produced an

enviable result. “Now that the word is out, the

resident census in the facility has increased,” said

McKenzie. “People want to come here.”

CONTINUITY OF CARE

The addition’s success is rooted in the long-

standing relationship between Premier, FSP and

T.H. Marsh. The project team delivered the

construction version of what is considered the gold

standard in medicine: Continuity of care, defined

as coordinated health care offered without

disruption to a patient.

McKenzie even constructed the original Shelby

Nursing Center in 1991, and McKenzie and Koets

have been working together on the building for

almost two decades. Both FSP and T.H. Marsh

have worked on Premier’s other facilities, including

Evergreen Health & Living Center, ShorePointe

Nursing Center and Woodward Hills Nursing

Center.

HIGHLIGHT

t TOP

The addition houses a full-scale kitchen and

bedroom in its Activities of Daily Living area

to help patients learn how to function in

daily environments given the restrictions of

their injury or surgery. A full-scale bathroom

is also provided in a private area of the

facility.

t LEFT

In this radius space, floor-to-ceiling windows, textured carpeting and a colorfulswirl of ceiling soffits with varied lightingfixtures create a therapy gym with the lookof a healthcare resort.

t RIGHT

As the largest short-term rehabilitative care

therapy gym in Michigan, the facility even

has an actual Cadillac available to assist

staff in teaching patients how to properly

enter and exit a motor vehicle after an injury

or surgery.

pExisting spaces within Shelby Nursing Center have been transformed

into an inviting waiting room for the new rehabilitative care addition.


HIGHLIGHT

Because both firms know “the patient” well, they are proactive in

strategically planning renovations, additions, and infrastructure improvements

to Premier facilities. “As part of Premier’s team, we are constantly examining

and forecasting the future for many of their buildings,” said McKenzie.

At Shelby, the project team’s “continuity of care” set in motion installation

of a new million BTU boiler to service current and future additions, as well as

a new nurse call system set in place even before the beginning of Phase I.

“The team’s cohesion helped us to meet our needs going forward,” said

Baker.

FSP and T.H. Marsh will be at work for the next year-and-a-half on the five-

phase project that will redevelop Shelby’s entire 15-acre site and will renovate

virtually every residential wing. “Phase III will renovate 32 beds of the Meadow

View Manor wing from semi private to private,” said Koets. “Phase IV calls

for construction of a 22,000-square-foot skilled nursing addition, and Phase

V will involve expansion of an existing parking lot.”

A THERAPEUTIC DESIGN

The trust, knowledge and teamwork built up over the course of several

decades were vital to the addition’s success. Under the owner’s vision, the

project grew in the design phase from 2,500 square feet to 5,000, and then

ballooned to 7,000 until culminating in the almost 10,000-square-foot

addition. “The Center’s operations staff pushed for new programs,” said

Pappas. “Their programming justified the expansion of the design.”

The project team attended over 60 different meetings to design this ever-

expanding facility. “We were pricing as the architect was designing and

working to meet the owner’s needs,” said McKenzie. T.H. Marsh’s value-

engineering ideas reduced costs but satisfied the design vision.

In the final design, the brick-clad addition “steps, jogs and shifts,” virtually

breaking into a series of distinct subsections, said Koets. Added Couch-

Verdura, “When you look at the outside form, you can ‘read’ what is going

on within the different areas of the building.” Behind those brick rectangles

are the walking track and the Cadillac. A radius arc of tinted floor-to-ceiling

windows, topped by a band of Beaumont burgundy metal panels, showcases

the heart of the building: the actual exercise equipment zone or main gym.

Brick gives way to burgundy metal panels at the entrance to the facility’s

administrative area, as well.

On the interior, the radius windows, a swirl of colorful soffits and textured

carpeting draw attention to the gym. The Cadillac zone and walking track

peel away to the north, and to the east, the broad curving sweep of faux

wood flooring and ceiling soffits form the border between the exercise area

and the ADL kitchen and bedroom – two spaces nestled in their own enclave.

“It is not designed like a big, open warehouse,” said Couch-Verdura. “Each

of these spaces is an addition to the gym. This series of components work

together, but each has their own look to give it interest.” In FSP’s design,

ADL bathrooms, the mat table room and administrative and charting offices

are segregated into more secluded, private zones.

WINTER AEROBICS

In the Phase 1 renovation, FSP redesigned a nursing station and carved out

an inviting waiting room and 10-foot-wide corridor leading into the new

rehabilitative care addition. For T.H. Marsh, the toughest logistics involved

renovating the nursing station area and charting room located at the nexus

of several residential hallways. T.H. Marsh used an arsenal of strategies to

work in an occupied nursing center, including constructing temporary walls

and employing air handlers, HEPA filters and other dust control measures.

T.H. Marsh sliced this core space into quadrants, working corner by corner

and in four different phases to maintain resident services. As part of phasing,

T.H. Marsh also sealed off the charting room for renovation and temporarily

moved the nursing station into an adjoining dining room, added Cherny.

T.H. Marsh and FSP transformed the nursing station itself with new

countertops and artfully deceptive plastic laminate that simulated wood in

one area and stainless steel in another. To speed the schedule, T.H. Marsh

built the area’s new ceiling soffits in the shop out of medium-density fiberboard

(MDF) versus drywall. “If you build MDF soffits in the shop, you can hang it

in half-a-day as compared to building those radius soffits out of drywall in the

field,” said McKenzie.

Work was underway concurrently on the new addition. The addition is a

“slab on grade, structural steel frame building with structural metal studs at

the exterior walls with infill metal studs for the interior walls,” said Koets. “The

addition has all low E, one-inch insulated glass for the glazing of exterior walls,

complete with sun shades to combat glare.”

But before going full throttle into construction, T.H. Marsh first had to build

new replacement parking in the back of the site and relocate a water main

that ran through the addition’s footprint. T.H. Marsh actually poured concrete

footings in January 2014, working in some of the most brutal winter weather

to ever hit Southeast Michigan. “We had to be ready for the steel in

February,” said McKenzie. “We weren’t wasting money; we were controlling

the money in terms of spending on winter conditions. Typically, when you do

winter construction on this type of building, you will spend $50,000 to

$75,000; we spent $10,000.”

T.H. Marsh timed the renovation and addition perfectly. “While the addition

footings were being done, we were renovating the existing interior,” said

McKenzie. The addition steel rose, the building was enclosed, and finishing

work could proceed. “We timed it so when the nursing station was ready to

go as the last piece in the renovation, we were also in the final stages of the

finishing work in the addition,” said McKenzie. “We then tied both spaces

together.” The entire project was completed on December 5th, just in time

to avoid another round in the ring with Old Man Winter.

POWERING UP

Keeping the facility in operation while tying the addition into the existing

building systems demanded close coordination. “The water, power, fire safety

and other systems cannot go down, because we have lives to support,” said

Baker “At one point, we did use generator power. We made sure that the

building was supported with the appropriate power when the power was

being transferred or tied into the new addition.” T.H. Marsh not only

coordinated the tie-in, they also doubled the power source to the entire

building to take into account the skilled nursing addition, said McKenzie.

The newly installed building systems benefit the entire facility. “Our lighting

pRather than a large, open warehouse, each care area is an addition

to the gym, but has its own space and tone. Shown above, the ADL

kitchen is nestled in its own enclave, but works in harmony with the

actual exercise space. Private zones, such as the mat table room

whose entrance is shown in the background, are grouped in a more

segregated area.


HIGHLIGHT

controls in the whole building are now all Internet-based,” said Baker “Using this

energy management system, I can set time schedules for controls and conserve

the building’s energy usage.”

The new addition boasts other sustainable systems, including “an Energy Star

Durolast white roof,” said Koets. “The rooftop mechanical units are energy

recovery units that reuse waste heat, leading to a reduction in energy usage for

heating and cooling the building.” Energy-efficient LED lighting brightens the

interior except for a few fluorescent fixtures. Material-wise, FSP used low VOC

adhesives, sealants, carpeting and paint throughout the project.

WORKING TO THE HIGHEST LEVEL

This well-designed and constructed facility passes the ultimate test. “The

addition allows our physical and occupational therapists to do their job to the

highest level,” said Baker.

Just ask some of the 90-person staff of this rehabilitative care facility in

operation seven days a weeks, 365 days a year. Three lifts, or patient handling

devices, run on a shared track over the mat tables, “enabling us to safely transfer

a patient from a wheelchair to the mat table and vice versa,” said Miller. “The

patient lift over the walking track helps us place people in a better standing

position, and helps us to do it more safely. This lift can also stabilize people who

may lose their balance during activities.”

The 50 x 20-foot walking track is designed to exact dimensions to assist staff

in measuring a patient’s progress. The track has a cushioned surface, as well

as perimeter and central handrails, added Koets.

The ADL area offers patients the ability to practice daily living skills tailored to

their own home environment. “Since we have more space,” said Miller, “they

were able to design both a walk-in shower and a tub/shower combination with

both fixed and removable shower heads. We also have a regular bed as

opposed to a hospital bed. The added space gave us the ability to offer many

options in order to simulate as much of a patient’s potential home environment

as possible.”

FSP and T.H. Marsh are still on the job working their magic. The former

rehabilitation space is now being converted into a future recreational and

entertainment space for residents. Thanks to Premier, FSP and T.H. Marsh, the

Detroit metropolitan area has this state-of-the-art rehabilitative care therapy gym.

Like a hip or knee replacement itself, this wonderful facility replaces the worn-

out rehabilitation space, enhancing the delivery of therapy and boosting the

quality of life for patients, all in comfort, style and natural light.

The following subcontractors contributed to the project:

• Site work - Site Development, Madison Heights

• Asphalt Paving - Nagle Paving Company, Novi

• Landscape - Landscape Services, Inc., Clinton Township

• Concrete Foundations - Moretti Foundation Co., Inc., Woodhaven

• Site and Flatwork Concrete - Albanelli Cement Contractors, Inc., Livonia

• Masonry - Zimmerman Masonry, Howell

• Structural Steel - B & A Structural Steel LLC, Chesterfield

• Carpentry - BJ Construction Services, Clinton Township

• Roofing - Schena Roofing & Sheet Metal, Chesterfield

• Sealants - Service Always Complete, Brighton

• Frames, Doors, and Hardware - Architectural Hardware & Supply Co., Livonia

• Accordion Fire Door - Won-Door, Salt Lake City, Utah

• Storefront - Crystal Glass Inc., Wixom

• Acoustical Ceiling – Acoustech Ceiling, Garden City

• Flooring - SCI Floor Covering, Inc., Southfield

• Painting - Technical Specialties & Applications Inc., Pontiac

• Wall protection – WM. H. Scarlet, Southfield

• Specialties - Rayhaven Group, Southfield

• Plumbing - Patrick's Plumbing, South Lyon

• Fire Protection - Progressive Mechanical, Inc., Ferndale

• HVAC - Rene Vanasssche & Sons Co., Warren

• Controls - Controlled Temperature, Inc., Walled Lake

• Nurse Call & Security – Vanguard Fire & Security Systems, Inc., Wixom

• Electric - O'Donnell Electric LLC, Whitmore Lake


PRODUCTS

Ergodyne Announces Gel KneePad Updates and Additions

Ergodyne has announced a major refresh of their

ProFlex® Gel Knee Pad Series, as well as the addition

of two new models: the ProFlex® 344 Broad Cap

Injected Gel Knee Pad with Articulating Straps and the

ProFlex® 349 Broad Cap Lightweight Gel Knee Pad.

"Our new enhancements and additions make a

great knee pad line even better," said Andy Olson,

senior product manager. "Workers who ‘stand’ on their

knees all day will no doubt dig the benefits of our

sturdier, more supportive designs."

Ideal for any and all kneeling workers, especially

those who move around frequently on their knees,

select models are available at all authorized Ergodyne

distributors. For more information, visit

www.ergodyne.com or call (800) 225-8238 or (651)

642-9889.

The new Hilti HDI, HDI-L and HDV Drop-In Anchors are taking productivity to the next level. These

FM and UL approved drop-in anchors (3/8” and 1/2”) provide outstanding performance for

applications such as anchoring sprinkler, HVAC, plumbing, electrical elements and suspended

interior finishing elements.

The HDI and HDI-L anchors have been redesigned with a new stepped plug, which requires

less impact energy to fully set the anchor. This reduction allows these anchors to be installed

with Hilti Cordless rotary hammers and an automatic setting tool with integrated stop bit. This

eliminates the need for hand-setting tools and overhead hammering, giving the anchors best-in-

class productivity with reliable setting behavior. When using these anchors, fewer tools and less

steps are needed for installation which means saving up to 50 percent of the time it takes using

traditional methods.

When volume is a factor, the HDV Drop-In Anchor delivers outstanding performance with

conventional installation. The HDV is designed to be used with the standard Hilti Hand Setting

Tool and hammer and delivers Hilti quality at a value price.

Download the Hilti Anchor Selector App (in the U.S.www.us.hilti.com/apps, or in Canada

www.hilti.ca/apps) to easily select the correct Hilti anchor typically used for your application.

For more information on the Hilti HDI, HDI-L or HDV Drop-In Anchors, please contact Hilti

Customer Service. From the U.S. call Hilti, Inc., at (800) 879-8000 or visit www.us.hilti.com; from

Canada call Hilti Canada Corporation at (800) 461-3028 or visit www.ca.hilti.com.

Larson Electronics Releases a 200 Watt Portable LED Work Light on an Adjustable Aluminum Frame

Hilti HDI, HDI-L and HDV Drop-In AnchorsDrill. Drive. Done.

Longtime leader in commercial and industrial grade lighting equipment,

Larson Electronics, has announced the release of a 200 watt

portable LED work light mounted to an adjustable

aluminum frame. This portable LED unit produces 21,000

lumens of light while drawing only 200 watts of

power.

The WAL-TFM-200W-LED-100 from Larson

Electronics is a versatile LED work light that

produces 21,000 lumens of light while drawing only 200

watts. This portable work light provides 9,500 square feet

of work area coverage with 21,000 lumens of light output. The

LED light head on this unit produces a brilliant flood pattern of

light that is ideal for illuminating enclosed areas such as

warehouses or construction sites where a

portable, reliable light source is

needed. As this light head only

carries an IP65 rating, it is not

recommended for use in wet or damp

environments. The aluminum body and the LED luminaires give the unit

excellent durability and resistance to vibration and impacts. The housing is

specially designed to dissipate heat which increases the efficiency and

lifespan of the luminaire. An acrylic lens protects the LED light assembly

and the aluminum alloy body reduces weight compared to larger metal

halide and high pressure sodium fixtures.

The portable LED work light is comprised of a 16-inch light head that is

mounted on a tubular frame pedestal fabricated from lightweight

aluminum with a convenient carrying handle built into the top of the

frame. The lamp can be easily adjusted 360° for precise beam

positioning and locked in to place by loosening two hand

screws located on either side of the light head and

retightening them once the desired angle is found. This

unit is an excellent energy efficient upgrade option for

bulky and high maintenance cost fixtures. Included with

this light is 100’ of SOOW cable terminated in an optional

5-15 straight blade plug, L5-15 twist lock plug, or an

international schuko plug.

Larson Electronics carries an extensive line of

explosion proof lights, hazardous location lights, intrinsically safe lights, oil

rig lights and explosion proof tank lights. You can view Larson Electronics’

entire line of explosion proof lighting at larsonelectronics.com. Larson

Electronics can be reached directly by calling (800) 369-6671 or (214) 616-

6180 for international inquiries.


PRODUCTS

Toro Introduces New RidingTrencher

RT1200 Delivers PowerfulDigging Performance andIncreased ProductivityThe Toro Company is pleased to launch the

RT1200, an all-new riding trencher designed with

versatility and productivity in mind. The unit is

now available through Toro’s experienced

underground dealer network.

The Toro® RT1200 offers a number of unique

features to meet the needs of utility contractors.

Built on a tool carrier chassis, its design is

extremely versatile to allow contractors to select

from tracks or tires and a variety of attachments

– including a backhoe, 6-way backfill blade,

rocksaw, vibratory plow, reel carrier and the Toro-

exclusive Heavy-Duty (HD) trencher drive.

The Toro HD trencher drive consists of three

major components – a flywheel, torsion shaft,

and planetary gearset. The flywheel stores inertial

energy, ensures efficient hydraulic system

operation and keeps the chain consistently

running in tough digging conditions, the torsion

shaft absorbs shock loads, and the planetary

gearset multiplies the hydrostatic motor torque

for added digging power. Added up, the HD

trencher drive technology ensures consistent,

powerful trenching performance in the most

demanding digging conditions.

Trenching is not the only tough task where the

RT1200 excels. When it comes to plowing, the

RT1200’s P105 Vibratory Plow features plow-

blade attitude adjustment, as well as plow steer

and swing of up to 30 degrees to maintain

plowing accuracy and provide enhanced

maneuverability.

Additionally, its Cummins 4.5 liter, 121 hp

engine and 48 gallon (182 L) fuel tank provide

high output with minimal downtime. A standard

tilt frame allows the operator to tilt the machine

at variable degrees in order to maintain trench

angle, while optional load control allows the

operator to set the percentage of engine output

dedicated to the ground drive to ensure the

performance of the digging implement is

maintained.

For more information on Toro’s full line of

trenchers, horizontal directional drills, vibratory

plows, compact utility loaders, trench rollers and

other products visit www.toro.com/underground.

To find your closest authorized Toro Underground

Utility Equipment dealer, visit

www.toro.com/locator.

Metabo Introduces a New Line of Heavy Duty, Dustless Concrete GrindersThe Safest, Most Powerful and Durable Grinders in Their Class

Metabo Corporation, a leading international manufacturer of professional grade hand-held power tools and accessories, is pleased to introduce its

new line of heavy duty, dustless concrete/renovation grinders. These new grinders feature a high torque gear ratio and a unique new dustless shroud

system designed specifically for tough concrete applications.

The RF14-115 (4.5”) hand-held concrete scarifier’s powerful 12.2 Amp motor drives a unique cutter head that contains 15 replaceable carbide star

cutters designed for heavy duty renovation work such as plaster milling, old paint removal or roughing for final finishing. Additionally, its triple gear

reduction results in a variable speed motor range of 800-2800 RPM, allowing for superior control of the tool and material removal rate.

The RS14-125 (5”) concrete grinder features a 12.2 Amp motor and a variable speed motor range of 2000-7000 RPM. While its counterpart, the

RS17-125 (5”), features an extremely powerful high torque 14.2 Amp motor that produces the industry’s highest removal

rates. These hand-held grinders are designed for leveling uneven concrete, removing

parting lines or removal of old coatings.

Both the RS14 and RS17 incorporate an all new aluminum die-cast shroud that uses

a patented airflow system to optimize dust extraction and features a spring hinge-mounted

front flap for finishing flush to a wall. Additionally the shroud uses a long-lasting, replaceable

floating brush skirt that enables the brush to better conform to the terrain of the working surface.

Combined with the ergonomically-designed, five-position D-Handle, the shroud also provides

a perfect counterbalance to the tools for exceptional handling.

For more information, visit Metabo’s website at http://www.metabo.us/ or contact Jere Geib

at Metabo (800) 638-2264 or [email protected].


PRODUCTS

With over 40 years as a leader in the industrial and commercial lighting industry, Larson Electronics

continues its commitment to providing high-grade lighting equipment to specialty markets with the

release of a 240 watt work area light tower.

The WAL-4XWP60E-MCE released by Larson Electronics is a 240 watt portable LED light tower that

produces 21,600 lumens of bright light with a lifespan of 50,000 hours. This portable work light draws

two amps and operates on 120-277 volts AC. This rugged light tower is rated for outdoors and is

applicable for industrial manufacturing, machine visioning, boating, and similar applications requiring

bright and portable illumination. This portable work tower is built for demanding outdoor conditions

requiring wide flood LED light illumination.

This tower is equipped with four of our LEDWP-600E light heads, with each light assembly consisting

of forty-five LEDs paired with angled boards

and precision reflectors to produce a wide

light distribution over powering that of a 500

watt quartz flood light. These lights are

constructed of three angled boards that

help provide a wider spread. Instead of the

light shining forward, the center board is

concentrated to go straight out while the

boards on the sides are 45° offset. The LED

lamp assembly is protected by a

shatterproof polycarbonate lens which is

secured to the housing with a waterproof

seal. Each light can be rotated and tilted

independently of one another allowing operators

to maximize beam coverage.

The cart that these high powered lights are mounted to is

fabricated from aluminum with stainless steel fasteners and

features two caster wheels for easy transportation. The cart

and the lamp assembly are attached to the mounting bar

with adjustable trunnion brackets which allow adjustment

of the lamp stem both vertically and horizontally through a

full range of positions. The light tower can operate on any

voltage ranging from 120V to 277V without any

modifications. The ability to sense and adjust input current

provides protection against voltage spikes and drops that

can occur in electrical systems which would otherwise

result in burning up or premature LED failure. This 240

watt area work light unit includes 50’ of SOOW cord

terminated in a 5-15 weatherproof straight blade plug,

L5-15 twist-lock plug, L6-15 twist-lock plug, or a 2

prong schuko plug.

Larson Electronics

carries an extensive line of explosion

proof LED lights, LED work lights,

light towers, intrinsically safe LED

lights, portable work lights and

industrial grade LED area lights.

You can view Larson Electronics’

entire line of industrial grade

lighting by visiting them on the

Web at

Larsonelectronics.com. You

can also call (800) 369-

6671 to learn more about

all of Larson Electronics’

lighting products, or call

(214) 616-6180 for

international inquiries.

Larson Electronics releases a New 240 Watt LED PortableWork Area Light Tower

MCP Supply offers a paver project repair solution

for shifting pavers and believes installers will

appreciate customer satisfaction in the “doing it

right the first time” approach with this innovative

10-inch paver edging spike.

Here is a precision-engineered product that

gives customers both a great repair solution for

shifting pavers. Most paver installers try to

minimize costly future repairs on any project to

avoid those dreaded customer call-backs. This

product is innovatively designed to lock paver

edging tight against the pavers.

This EdgeTite™ 10-inch spike is a great way

to offer customers the most effective solution

against the natural forces of frost heaving and

changing temperatures in this industry. MCP

Supply is a successful technology and sourcing

company that focuses on innovative products

that make a difference by improving the

construction industry wherever possible.

Located in south central PA, MCP Supply

currently has distribution hubs located in South

Carolina, Illinois and at its headquarters in

Lewisberry, PA. Contact MCP Supply or visit their

website at www.mcpsupply.com. You can also

contact Michael Pastal at (717) 440-1680 or at

[email protected]

MCP Supply AnnouncesRepair Solution forLandscape / HardscapePaver and BrickMigration


PEOPLE/CORPORATE NEWS

After 37 years working at Clark Construction

Company, Lansing, Ken Lawless, executive vice

president, has announced his retirement in February

2015. In his time at Clark Construction, Lawless had a

very distinguished and productive career. In 1978,

Lawless joined the company as an on-site project

manager, working in the field. As Lawless climbed the

professional ladder, a number of projects under his

direction won State and National awards for exceptional

management. Among the many highlights of his career, Lawless received

the Michigan Construction Hall of Fame Distinguished Constructor Award

in November 2014. The Distinguished Constructor Award was established

in 2003 to formally recognize the significant achievements made by those

who have dedicated their talents to the construction industry with integrity

and professionalism.

Hubbell, Roth & Clark,

Inc. (HRC), Bloomfield

Hills, announced the

promotions of Thomas

LaCross, PE, and

Robert DeFrain, PE, to

senior associates; and

Bradley Shepler, PE,

CCCA, LEED AP

BD+C, Karyn Stickel, PE, CFM, and

Colleen Hill-Stramsak, PE, PTOE, to

associates.

As senior associate, LaCross will

manage HRC’s Special Projects and

Industrial Facilities Design Departments,

where he will continue to lead design

and construction administration for

major infrastructure improvement

projects and industrial facilities. As senior associate, DeFrain will continue

to serve as HRC’s Construction Department Head, where he oversees

significant Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and municipal

projects. As associate, Shepler will continue to provide a wide array of civil

engineering services to municipal clients and governmental agencies,

including hydraulic modeling, innovative stormwater solutions, and

management and design of road and infrastructure improvement projects

with an emphasis on sustainable design. In her role as associate, Stickel

will head HRC’s new Asset Management Department designed to assist

clients in managing their infrastructure as well as to meet the needs of the

Stormwater, Asset Management, and Wastewater (SAW) Grant Program.

As associate, Hill-Stramsak will continue to manage HRC’s Traffic

Engineering Department and oversee municipal and private sector traffic

engineering and Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) services.

White Construction, a construction

management/general contracting firm

based in Detroit, is proud to announce

that Ronald McClelland, senior project

manager, and Darryl Young, project

manager, have re-joined the firm.

McClelland re-joins White Construction

with over 30 years of construction

industry experience. Young’s career in

the construction industry spans over 22

years. White Construction was founded in 1989 by W. Bernard White.

Lawless

Hill-StramsakStickel

SheplerDeFrainLaCross

YoungMcClelland

Grand Rapids-based

Triangle Associates

has recently hired six

new associated and

promoted one. The firm

has appointed Gary

Gozmanian as senior

project manager; Mike

Nichols, Mike Snow

and Donald (Skip)

Baker as construction

superintendents; Kyle

Harrison as estimator;

and Kim Mudrak as

project administrator.

Rick Van Til was

promoted to

marketing/client

relations manager. Also, Triangle Associates recently

announced the reorganization of the company structure

to better position the firm for significant growth and

create better avenues for personal and professional

growth for its team members. Triangle’s senior

management team has been divided into Market

Segment Leaders and Group Managers. Market

Segment Leaders and their responsibilities are: James

Connor, vice president – Education, Municipal/Civic, Business

Development; Brent Gibson, LEED AP, vice president – Commercial,

Retail, Multi-Family; Paul Lemley, senior vice president – National

Accounts; and Jeff Scott, senior vice president – Industrial, Infrastructure,

Construction Strategies and Logistics. New Group Managers and their

areas of supervision are: Dustin Hemmes, LEED AP - field operations

manager; and John Brondsema – national accounts general

superintendent.

CORPORATE NEWS

The Michigan Nursery and Landscape Association (MNLA) has awarded

Luke Landscape Company the 2014 “Grand Award” in Top Commercial

Landscape Project for their work on Clark Construction’s Dart Container

expansion. This award was presented during the 2015 Great Lakes Trade

Exposition. Surrounding the new Dart Container corporate headquarters

in Mason, the winning landscape includes a serene garden and pond for

employees to enjoy on breaks or during special occasions. This is part of

the $60 million Dart Container expansion project, which consists of a

144,000-square-foot corporate headquarters and a 500,000-square-foot

warehouse. The prestigious MNLA Industry Awards Program recognizes

companies who have shown outstanding landscape designs, installations,

and management efforts. The program is intended to boost quality

landscape awareness throughout Michigan.

G2 Consulting, Troy, a nationally recognized leader in geotechnical,

environmental and construction engineering services, recently reported that

the company completed a record 2,700 projects in 2014 leading the firm

to its third consecutive record year of revenue growth. Revenues for the

company grew by 50 percent in 2014 following growth of 31 percent in

2012 and 20 percent in 2013. G2 has completed projects in infrastructure,

healthcare, telecommunications, alternative energy, waste water and

educational facilities. The company is currently involved with or has recently

concluded projects for the M1-Rail; I-96 reconstruction in Wayne County;

the I-94 / Sargent Road interchange in Jackson County, MI; reconstruction

of the I-75 & University Drive interchange; First Solar projects in Texas and

Colorado; and major healthcare projects in Rochester, MI and Seattle, WA.

SnowNicholsGozmanian

MudrakHarrisonBaker

Van Til

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DBA PAINTCREW.COM

AUBURN HILLS

DINSMOORES TILE

OTISVILLE

DLECTRON

BLOOMFIELD HILLS

ELLSWORTH INDUSTRIES INC

PLYMOUTH

GAV & ASSOCIATES INC

FARMINGTON

MAZZELLA LIFTING TECHNOLOGIES

MADISON HTS

NEW DIMENSIONS

TROY

ROBERT-THOMAS LANDSCAPE

ENVIRONMENTS

OXFORD

SANTOS CEMENT

LINCOLN PARK

SONY/EAGLE EYE VUE

NEW ALBANY, OH

STEVENS INC

GRAND RAPIDS

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SOLUTIONS

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CALENDAR/AD INDEX

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ARC/Dunn Blue ....................................................................15

Ace Cutting Equipment.........................................................15

Aluminum Supply Company/Marshall Sales...........................53

Amalio Corporation...............................................................41

Arisco ..................................................................................47

Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Union Local #2 .................6

Brinker Group.......................................................................17

Building Point Midwest .........................................................11

CAM Comp ..........................................................................23

CAM Newsroom...................................................................19

C.F.C.U ..................................................................................3

Connelly Crane Rental Corp. ..................................................9

Detroit Carpentry JATC.........................................................35

Detroit Dismantling ...............................................................25

A P R I L C O N S T R U C T I O N C A L E N D A R

April 15-17MGP Conference 2015Providence Biltmore Hotel, Providence, Rhode

Island

A gathering of experts on former Manufactured

Gas Plant (MGP) sites, this conference provides

a forum for MGP site owners, consultants and

contractors to share experiences and ideas. It is

designed to stimulate knowledge exchange with

strong technical presentations and experienced

technical panels who will explore the key issues

of MGP site management based on lessons

learned. The conference schedule will consist of

a day of workshops and two-and-a-half days of

exhibits, poster presentations, and engaging

technical sessions. Please visit:

http://www.mgpconference.com

During the months of April and May, CAMTEC - the training and Education Center of CAM - will be

offering the following courses at our Bloomfield Hills location. For more information, or to register online,

go to www.cam-online.com and click the Safety & Education tab, then CAMTEC Classes; or view

Calendar of Events for class information, as well.

AD INDEXDoeren Mayhew ...................................................................21

Executive Vehicle Sales, Inc. .................................................21

Facca, Richter & Pregler, P.C. ...............................................30

G2 Consulting ......................................................................21

GBM Recycled Concrete ......................................................44

GRS Stohler ...........................................................................5

Jackson Associates..............................................................37

Jeffers Crane Service, Inc. ......................................................6

J.J. Curran Crane .................................................................58

Kem-Tec ..............................................................................29

Mason Contractors Association...........................................IFC

MasonPro, Inc. .....................................................................29

McCoig Materials..................................................................31

Michielutti Brothers...............................................................58

Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters (MRCC) ................BC

North American Dismantling .................................................15

Oakland Insurance ...............................................................25

Oakland Metal Sales, Inc. .....................................................10

Plante Moran .......................................................................27

Ronald B. Rich .....................................................................21

SMRCA................................................................................41

Sani-Vac ..............................................................................31

Scaffolding, Inc.....................................................................37

Spartan Specialties...............................................................43

Sullivan, Ward, Asher & Patton, P.C. .....................................37

Valenti, Trobec, Chandler, Inc./ Griffin, Smalley & Wilkerson.....7

Woods Construction, Inc. .....................................................37

Zervos Group .......................................................................31

May 5The Engineering Society of DetroitConference – Energy EfficiencySuburban Collection Showcase, Novi

In its 18th year, this conference – the only one

of its kind in Michigan – is designed to educate

small-to-large commercial and industrial

businesses on energy technology, products and

services that will assist them in successful energy

management. The event draws close to 800

people every year. For more information, contact

Leslie Smith, CMP, at 248-353-0735, ext. 152 or

[email protected].

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April 2015 CAM Magazine

Documents

Transcript of April 2015 CAM Magazine