Construction Equipment Guide
470 Maryland Drive
Fort Washington, PA 19034
800-523-2200
Mon May 06, 2002 - Southeast Edition
Carbone Properties in Cleveland, OH, is the company overseeing the renovation of the Gulf Mobile & Ohio Railroad Building in Mobile, AL.
This passenger station, one of Mobile’s most elegant edifices, was built in 1907. It was a hub of activity for train service into and out of that city up until the late 1950s.
Up until a few months ago it had stood vacant — the subject of speculation. But due to a winning combination of funding sources, experts in reconstruction and skilled workers, the estimated $16-million renovation project, is expected to be finished in the fall of 2002.
When completed, the three-story building of 60,000 sq. ft. will be available for office rentals with Carbone Properties leasing the building for 50 years. Subleasing of space, for which inquiries have already been made, is being handled by Saad Realty Group of Mobile.
To finance this project, the city of Mobile obtained an $11-million grant from Congress and put up $2.2 million in matching funds and Carbone Inc. is providing the balance. According to James Haas, development director of Carbone in Ohio, a local subsidiary, Carbone Properties of Mobile LLC, has been established in Mobile to supervise the renovation work. Bob Noland is site supervisor of the Mobile project.
Haas noted that his firm bid for and won the contract which was issued by the city of Mobile.
“We have 50 to 80 workers on the site every day and so far, we’ve encountered no special problems,” he said.
Constructed in an era when interiors were finished with marble columns, terrazzo floors, wood mouldings and so forth, the restoration operation must be as close to the building’s original state as possible. This is required to qualify for the historic tax credits which helped to make the project a reality.
Thus when Carbone crews remove bricks, columns and other materials which will be used in the refurbishing, they are cleaned, repaired if necessary and placed in piles to be reused once new wiring and insulation have been completed and two new elevators installed.
The roof has been redone; new windows are now being installed and the building’s exterior is being freshened up with a cement wash. The developers must work with the Alabama Historic Preservation office in Montgomery to ascertain that certain standards are maintained.
The Carbone Company has been in existence almost as long as the GM&O Building. It was founded in 1926 as a general construction firm. In the 1970s, it went into construction management.
When completed, the 60,000-sq.-ft., three-story building will have 55,000 sq. ft. of office space. It also will have a restaurant and a deli. In the first-floor lobby, restored to its original grandeur, space has been planned for art shows or other exhibits.
Construction equipment needed for the restoration has been rented from local firms. According to Bob Nolan, site supervisor, these include Cowin Rental Fleet; Falconite Inc.; RAM Tool and Supply Company; C.M. Construction Materials; W. E. Davis Construction Co.; and Master Millworks Inc.