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Tom Durant's Classic Family of North Texas Dealerships has picked Speed Fab-Crete again for a major parts building addition to one of his facilities in Grapevine, Texas.

Speed Fab-Crete will use its structurally loadbearing, precast concrete wall panel system to add a 14,000-square-foot, two story building to the existing parts distribution center for Classic of Grapevine. The expansion will provide added inventory space, offices and a parts "will call" area. The project is at 2501 William D. Tate.

The 6-inch-thick concrete walls will be finished in rock aggregate to match the existing structure at Durant's Hummer dealership, built by Speed Fab-Crete in 2003.

Speed Fab-Crete built Durant's original six-building complex for Classic Chevrolet in Grapevine in 1992. The contractor has built a variety of other dealerships for Durant, along with storefront makeovers, in Grapevine, Arlington, Denton, and Granbury, Texas.

Speed Fab-Crete's precast concrete wall panel building system, which is produced at the company's Fort Worth manufacturing plant, is being used to help create new car dealerships for BMW and Mini of Dallas.

Hodgen Construction and Development Group, of Weston, Florida, is the project's general contractor and project manager. It awarded Speed Fab-Crete several work elements as a subcontractor.

Speed Fab-Crete's participation includes fabrication and erection of structural steel, production and erection of the firm's concrete walls to form the exterior of the expanded buildings, and other concrete work.

The project will create a new 9,000-square-foot, two story showroom for the Mini dealership and create 53 service bays as part of a 37,000-square-foot building expansion for BMW of Dallas. The businesses, owned by AutoNation, are located at 6200 Lemmon Avenue in Dallas. The site was formerly occupied by another dealership.

Speed Fab-crete's manufacturing facility is a certified plant by the Architectural Precast Association. The plant is the oldest, continually operating precast concrete products manufacturer in the Southwest.

QUESTIONS?

Russ Bloxom
Vice President, Marketing
817-478-1137
speedfabcrete.com

Tim Mertens
Project Manager
954-727-0333
hodgenconstruction.com

The President of Speed Fab-Crete Design-Build General Contractors, David Bloxom, has been elected to the national Design-Build Certification Board of the Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA).

The Institute is a national organization, which educates and promotes "design-build" as a contract delivery system for construction projects. "Design-build" is a method of single contracting by which one company performs architectural, engineering and construction services for the owner of a building.

Accredited as a Designated Design-Build Professional, Bloxom will serve three years on the Design-Build Certification Board, composed of nine directors. The panel oversees the organization's education and certification program for individuals and practitioners of design-build.

The certification program recognizes professionals in the construction industry who possess a high level of expertise in using "design-build" as the contract method for designing and building facilities. The program encompasses coursework, final examination and required continuing education.

Bloxom recently completed a two-year term as President of DBIA's Southwest Region, based in Austin. Speed Fab-Crete is the original design-builder in Texas and is completing 60 years in construction as a Fort Worth general contractor. Bloxom joined Speed Fab-Crete in 1974 after completing his Master of Arts degree at the University of Chicago. He has been President of the company since 1986.

Speed Fab-Crete General Contractors has been awarded two projects for facility improvements at Wills Point Independent School District, northeast of Dallas. Completion is scheduled next May.

The new facilities will be an 11 classroom addition, with 18,150-square-feet, to the district's primary school and a 7,100-square-foot field house for the high school.

The field house will be located adjacent to a tennis court complex. It will contain a training room, weight room, offices and a concession stand for the district's successful tennis program.

SFC Bridge Systems™, a division of Speed Fab-Crete Corporation, designs, manufactures and assists in the installation of 3-sided concrete arch bridge systems. These clear span, environmentally friendly arch structures are economical, durable and virtually maintenance free. Typical uses are roadway stream crossings, pedestrian walkways and tunnels. Stop by and see the "Strength of the Arch".

Speed Fab-Crete is now marketing a new division called SFC Bridge Systems.

Previously, Speed Fab-Crete only fabricated, poured and shipped arched-shaped concrete bridges, approved by TXDOT, for a variety of uses.

Now, we have extended our services to sell, produce and install the units as a virtual turnkey job. The arched concrete sections are available in a series of modular systems with variable heights and lengths determined by the number of units placed end-to-end.

Without special permit, Speed Fab-Crete can ship on flatbed trucks sizes up to 12 feet wide and spanning 48 feet. Aside from use on roads, streets and some highways, these products can be used as pedestrian bridges in subdivisions and gated communities, on golf courses, and around lake marinas, in almost all applications where spanning a stream, creek, pond or other body of water is needed.

• Speed Fab-Crete plant produced for faster installation
• Total set-in-place construction
• Modular systems from 12 to 48 feet
• Backfilling can begin immediately
• Easily enhanced with architectural treatments
• Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) approved

Jeff Harwell is our point man for this operation. His cell phone is 214-717-1773

Speed Fab-Crete Design-Build General Contractors have completed construction of the new multi-million-dollar Dale Keeling Field House for Everman Independent School District. A formal dedication ceremony occurred May 31, 2009 with a public tour of the facility.

The field house is one of multiple projects still being performed by Speed Fab-Crete for the school district. The 24,100-square-foot complex contains athletic facilities for the school district's 9th grade, junior varsity and varsity football teams. The building includes locker rooms, showers, equipment, film and laundry rooms, and offices for coaches.

The building is named in honor of Dale Keeling, the district's current Director of Athletics and head football coach, which he has held for 10 years. Keeling garnered two Class 3A state football championships in 2001 and 2002. In 2007, Everman was champion of its Class 4A district and played in the state's semi-finals. The district repeated the same accomplishment in 2008.

Fort Worth-based Callahan & Freeman Architects designed the angular shaped facility. The unusual shape maximized available space on the project site, which is in an end zone of the football field. Multiple windows in the coaches' offices and player weight rooms face out onto a curved track bordering the field.

The exterior of the field house was built with Speed Fab-Crete's precast concrete walls. Their finish combines limestone rock aggregate with a partial veneer of two different-colored bricks. The esthetics ensured campus continuity with existing school buildings.

This is the sixth time since 1988 that Everman ISD selected Speed Fab-Crete and a href="http://www.cfarchitects.com">Callahan & Freeman Architects to design and build facilities for the rapidly-growing district, south of Fort Worth.

Virtually total precast concrete construction is underway for a $3,313,000 classroom addition for Everman Independent School District as part of multiple projects by Speed Fab-Crete Design-Build General Contractors.

With a suspended floor design to overcome expansive soil conditions, the 19,600-square-foot addition for E. Ray Elementary School will include 14 classrooms, a library and restrooms. The school's exterior walls and interior corridors will be formed by structural, precast concrete, making it among the safest buildings in the Fort Worth area. The building's appearance, using a combination of brick and a rock aggregate, will match existing buildings.

Callahan &Freeman Architects designed the building, which will be built with Speed Fab-Crete's precast concrete wall building system. The wall sections are made in a controlled manufacturing plant process. Speed Fab-Crete's manufacturing facility is a certified plant by the Architectural Precast Association.

Speed Fab-Crete has produced the concrete wall system for almost 60 years. When the building components are joined in a total precast concrete system, construction time is reduced, the quality and durability of the structure is longer lasting.

The latest project is part of an Everman ISD building program underway since 2005 with Speed Fab-Crete as a design-builder for the rapidly growing district south of Fort Worth.

SIX & Mango Company, which specializes in sales, service and rental of construction equipment, has opened a new retail outlet (as of January 26) in Grand Prairie, Texas. Speed Fab-Crete Design-Build General Contractors, using its precast concrete wall system, built the facility.

The 17,000-square-foot building contains an equipment showroom, a product display area, parts department, sales and administrative offices, service work bays and a mezzanine for pallet storage of products.

Designed by Callahan & Freeman Architects, the facility is located at 4011 E. Interstate 30 in Grand Prairie and will replace SIX & Mango's west Dallas building. The company is a factory dealer for small to medium sized construction equipment, ranging from tractor loader-backhoes to electric tools. Brand names include Kubota, Mustang, Gehl, Ingersoll-Rand, Bosch, Stihl, Superior, MMD, JLG and Farrow Systems.

Speed Fab-Crete has produced its concrete wall building system for 60 years. The company's manufacturing facilities in Fort Worth are a certified plant by the Architectural Precast Association. This means Speed Fab-Crete produces architectural precast concrete walls of the association's highest standards while faithfully reflecting plans by the architect. While concrete wall sections are made at the plant, site preparation for the building, and its foundation, occur simultaneously. This accelerates the construction process and ensures faster occupancy.

When building components are joined in Speed Fab-Crete's total precast concrete system, construction time is reduced, the quality and durability of the structure are improved and there is long-term value, including less fire and storm insurance costs.

SIX & Mango selected a design-build contract for the building's completion. Design-build is a method of contracting by which architectural, engineering and construction services are performed by one firm under a single contract with the owner.

Another Frank Kent Motor Company dealership has opened in Fort Worth,Texas built again with Speed Fab-Crete's precast concrete walls.

Performing as design-builder, Speed Fab-Crete used its plant-made concrete wall panel building system in construction of the Frank Kent Buick-Pontiac-GMC dealership at 3535 W. Loop 820 South. The store opened in late December.

The 15,452-square-foot facility incorporates the latest Buick, Pontiac and GMC "national branding" by architectural design and use of the automakers' logo themes. Designed by Callahan & Freeman Architects, the building contains a spacious 3,600-square-foot showroom, a drive-thru, three-work bay service department, sales offices and a customer lounge with children's play area.

Speed Fab-Crete has produced its concrete wall building system for 60 years. The company's manufacturing facilities in Fort Worth are a certified plant by the Architectural Precast Association. This means Speed Fab-Crete produces architectural precast concrete walls of the association's highest standards while faithfully reflecting plans by the architect. While concrete wall sections are made at the plant, site preparation for the building, and its foundation, occur simultaneously. This accelerates the construction process and ensures faster occupancy.

When building components are joined in Speed Fab-Crete's total precast concrete system, construction time is reduced, the quality and durability of the structure are improved and there is long-term value, including less fire and storm insurance costs.

Design-build has become an increasingly popular method by which architectural, engineering and construction services are performed under a single contract with the owner.

The new dealership is adjacent to the Frank Kent Hummer showroom, which Speed Fab-Crete built in 2004, also under a design-build contract.

The century old First United Methodist Church in Glen Rose, Texas opened its newly renovated sanctuary by Speed Fab-Crete General Contractors. The historical church began in1885 and the existing sanctuary was erected in 1916.

The major remodeling and expansion project also involved converting another existing building into classrooms and restrooms to create a fellowship hall adjacent to the sanctuary. The sanctuary's seating capacity was increased to 317 worshippers.

Callahan & Freeman Architects, also based in Fort Worth, directed the renovations and additions for the church. During recent construction, special measures were taken to protect and repair numerous stain glass windows of the sanctuary, which depict, in Gothic design, events in the life of Christ. Ten new stain glass windows also were added.

Other building improvements included: replacement of the air conditioning and heating system; replacement of the roof; enhancement of the audio-visual capabilities; upgrading of the lighting system and adding insulation and gypboard to the current 93-year-old interior stone walls.

The old exterior walls of both buildings are native stone of 24-inch thickness. A second floor was removed to create a more spacious ambience in the sanctuary.

During the project, workmen uncovered three chimneys, one which served a fireplace. The other chimneys were smaller and presumably carried smoke from pot belly stoves, used to warm the sanctuary.

The City of Rockwall, Texas has selected Speed Fab-Crete as design builder of two new fire stations costing $4,686,933. It is the first time in Rockwall's history that the city council has accepted a design-build contract for construction of new facilities.

Design-Build is a contractual method by which architectural, engineering and construction services are performed under a single contract with the owner. This method has become increasingly popular with governmental entities since Texas first authorized use of design-build for school projects in 1997.

Because all professional entities are on board at the beginning of the project's planning, design-build is considered to be faster and less costly. Design-build allows early involvement of subcontractors for realistic discussions about cost estimating and accuracy in the project's scheduling.

The Rockwall contract provides for using the same 11,000-square-foot floor plan for construction of both buildings. However, one station will have an additional 1,100-square-feet for living quarters, leased by a private emergency medical contractor for its ambulance attendants.

A formal groundbreaking is scheduled for 5pm, November 10 at one of the station's new locations, 2916 S. Goliad in Rockwall.

Designed by Callahan & Freeman Architects of Fort Worth, the fire stations will be located at opposite ends of the Rockwall city limits in the north and southeast areas of the expanding city. The designs will feature Speed Fab-Crete's precast concrete wall building system. Completion is planned for summer, 2009.

Each station will have six equipment bays, male-female sleeping quarters, weight, dining and dayrooms, kitchen, a shop and equipment storage room.