Barton Malow led the construction management services and concrete self-perform services for a new distribution center in Middletown, Connecticut, acting as the northeast’s main FedEx Ground hub. The project consisted of the construction of a new 480,000 SF distribution center, 208,000 SF of an elevated concrete mezzanine, a three-story 21,000 SF administration building with an elevated pedestrian bridge, two gatehouses, a salt shed, and a two-bay vehicle maintenance garage. The project also included 239 acres of associated site work.
Before vertical construction, extensive site improvement work was vital in supporting the facility’s footprint and future operation. This work included blasting operations to break up underground rock, the removal of existing structural foundations, the movement of approximately 2.5 million CY of earth, the construction of four parking lots, onsite roadway and utility structures, and the construction of approximately 309,000 SF of exposed block retaining wall.
The building construction for the Main Distribution Center was broken out into six main spine sections, two mezzanine equipment platforms, and four load wings. During the construction of the Main Distribution Hub and Administration Building, Barton Malow’s self-perform work expended approximately 37,000 hours worked and placed approximately 21,000 CY of concrete.
Streamlining the Construction Process
Up against a strict project schedule and a multi-prime contract, Barton Malow implemented a P6 schedule and BIM coordination to streamline the construction process. In particular, the BIM coordination was vital in reducing design conflicts in the field to allow key contractors on site to coordinate installations and resolve issues during the drawing phase, eliminating many conflicts that would have happened during the installation phase. This approach allowed for collaboration between all stakeholders and to resolve potential issues early on.
