Underground Restoration Project Completed; ``New'' Greenfield Village Opens
OKEMOS, Mich.--June 10, 2003--Competitors in the southeastern Michigan heavy construction industry have completed a $25 million renovation of Greenfield Village's underground infrastructure at cost without profit, a massive project that has caught the eye of the U. S. Department of Interior.The department is reviewing the project as a prototype for other renovations of historic landmarks across the country, said Mike Nystrom, assistant executive director of AUC - Michigan's Heavy Construction Association. All of the companies involved in this unusual underground project are members of AUC, which represents the interests of over 500 heavy construction companies across the state.
"There has never been a collaborative effort before like this one where competitors, who usually go head to head with each other, came together under such extremely difficult conditions to take on different facets of a project," Nystrom said. "The conditions included a compressed time schedule, difficult weather and record levels of frost, all the while doing the work at cost."
The 22 underground construction companies and suppliers have worked together since fall 2002 when the historic Village, located in Dearborn, Mich., closed. The condensed time schedule has meant that all of the companies have been under constant pressure to complete their work by June 2003, the 100-year anniversary of the Ford Motor Company.
"With a tight schedule, each company involved in this project has worked on a time and material basis with no profit or home office overhead being charged to the project," Nystrom said. "Other cost savings have been passed on to the Village as well."
Bob Patzer, AUC's executive director, noted that AUC and its members were honored to help tackle the massive renovation.
"We are proud of our members for selflessly uniting to accomplish this major project and for recognizing its importance," Patzer said. "We are glad to be a part of the preservation effort to save one of Michigan's historical landmarks."
Initially the cost of the project was estimated at $29 million. AUC and its members contributed time and expertise in working with the Village and its design team to identify cost savings. The total project cost is now approximately $20 million.
The endeavor has been under the leadership of Wade-Trim, an engineering firm located in Taylor, Mich. Wade-Trim functioned not only as a representative and agent of Greenfield Village, but as a close working partner with the contractor and designers. The company coordinated the work of AUC members, interpreted the construction documents, obtained clarifications from the design professionals and kept Greenfield Village up-to-date on the project status.
"This was a unique role for an engineering firm in that we worked arm-in-arm as partners with the large group of contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers who were all trying to work in very close quarters," said Frank Manning, Wade-Trim construction group manager.
All AUC member companies and 500 employees involved in the project will have their names permanently etched in stone at the Village entrance in recognition of their services. This is just one way the Village is thanking AUC and its members for their involvement in the restoration project, according to Steve Hamp, president of The Henry Ford, which includes Greenfield Village, Henry Ford Museum and other attractions.
"The scope of this project was unprecedented for us," Hamp said. "Everyone involved really pulled out the stops to ensure that we open on time and preserve the integrity of Greenfield Village, both above ground and below ground, for at least the next hundred years. Every worker should be proud of their contribution."
AUC- Michigan's Heavy Construction Association represents the interests of over 500 companies statewide. When AUC (Associated Underground Contractors) was founded in 1946, the majority of its members were underground contractors. Since then, the organization has expanded to include many other areas of Michigan's construction industry and thus became AUC - Michigan's Heavy Construction Association. For more information, click on www.aucmi.org.
Greenfield Village is part of The Henry Ford, located in Dearborn, Mich., and was founded in 1929 by automotive pioneer Henry Ford. This history destination also includes Henry Ford Museum, The Henry Ford IMAX Theatre, The Benson Ford Research Center and The Ford Rouge Factory tour (opening in spring 2004). The Henry Ford, America's Greatest History Attraction, is the history destination that brings the American Experience to life. For more information, visit www.thehenryford.org.
AUC Greenfield Village Infrastructure Restoration Project 2003
Media Backgrounder
The 81-acre, $25 million Greenfield Village Infrastructure Restoration Project began in 2000 with an initial engineering study, which AUC - Michigan's Heavy Construction Association helped coordinate and fund. An invitation to become involved in the project was extended to AUC members by Greenfield Village President Steve Hamp and monthly constructability meetings began in November of 2001 in order to keep all members of the project up-to-date and on task.
The series of meetings between Greenfield Village and AUC members ultimately resulted in an unprecedented collaboration that reduced the cost of the project by $10 million. Due to the efforts of AUC, association members came together to donate time, effort, equipment, materials and value engineering, which used the most innovative methods, practices and materials available to complete the restoration at the reduced cost.
Problems addressed through the Greenfield Village underground restoration included major power outages, storm water flooding and the development of sinkholes in the village that had jeopardized historic sites and the visiting experience. AUC members replaced almost all of the existing sanitary sewers, water mains, storm sewers, irrigation piping and natural gas piping. All electric and communications were upgraded and expanded in new underground ductbanks and conduits. Parking was created and roads within the Village were completely reconstructed with new concrete and asphalt as well as new sidewalks.
In addition, a new mill pond was created and a bridge erected at the new crafts and trades area. All totaled, three miles of gas, sewer and water lines were replaced, 5,000 miles of electrical and fiber optic line was installed, along with the replacement of seven miles of roads and three miles of sidewalk.
The following AUC members have been involved in the project:
| -- | Ajax Paving Industries, Inc., Madison Heights, asphalt paving |
| -- | Alfonsi Railroad Construction Company, Wyandotte, railroad realignment |
| -- | Armond Cassil Railroad Construction, Inc., Warren, railroad reconstruction |
| -- | John Carlo, Inc., Clinton Township, concrete paving |
| -- | Dan's Excavating, Inc., Shelby Township, demolition, excavation, grading and restoration |
| -- | Motor City Electric Co./Detroit Excavating, Inc., Detroit, trench excavation, encasement and backfill for ductbank, installation of conduit, grounding and light pole bases |
| -- | Eagle Excavation, Inc., Flint, trench excavation, concrete encasement and backfill for ductbank, irrigation piping |
| -- | East Jordan Iron Works, Inc., Oak Park, manhole covers |
| -- | Hanson Engineering, P.C., Canton, steelpipe and foundation design |
| -- | Infrasource Underground Construction, LLC, Ypsilanti, trench excavation, concrete encasement and backfill for ductbank, irrigation and natural gas piping |
| -- | Lanzo Construction Company, Inc., Roseville, water main installation |
| -- | Edw. C. Levy Co., Detroit, sand, aggregate, concrete and trucking |
| -- | Lowe Construction Company, Inc., Horton, jack and bore casing |
| -- | Merriman Construction Company, Inc., Romulus, sheet piling, recirculation pumps and miscellaneous concrete structures |
| -- | Michigan CAT, Wixom, equipment |
| -- | National Waterworks, Shelby Township, water, wastewater and storm sewer materials |
| -- | NTH Consultants, Ltd., Farmington Hills, material testing |
| -- | Ric-Man Construction, Inc., Sterling Heights, water main installation |
| -- | Site Development, Inc. Madison Heights, sanitary sewer installation |
| -- | Simone Contracting Corporation, Sterling Heights, concrete sidewalk |
| -- | Sunset Excavating, Inc., Livonia, storm sewer installation |
| -- | Wade-Trim, Taylor, construction coordinator |
Legal assistance on this project was provided by Butzel Long of Detroit.
