A mix of equipment is on site, including a number of excavators, in various sizes.
(Photo courtesy of Sterling Highlands.)
Located in what's described as a highly desirable community in Huntsville, Ala., The Landings will feature more than 260 multifamily units when it opens in early 2024. The multi-million-dollar project is being built in a growing area of the Rocket City, with a large number of houses under construction.
"It's off Winchester Road and Homer Nance," said Matthew McGough, Tynes Development director of acquisition and development. "It's next to a new Publix and retail and is part of the Friends Crossing development that's up and coming.
"It's a higher-end product, and one of the nicest in this area of Huntsville. It's a classic three-story walk-up garden apartment, with larger floor plans than what's normally being built today."
According to McGough, bringing the project to fruition didn't happen overnight, but the process did go fairly smoothly.
"We went under contract in December 2021 and closed the construction loan in May 2022. We bought all of the plans from a previous developer."
Construction is approximately 30 percent complete. McGough said the biggest challenge so far has been working in the winter with an abnormal amount of rain.
"It's been hard to keep the site dry long enough to work," he said. "Due to transformer shortages, we are having to run the whole job off of generators versus temporary power. That has and will continue to be a big hindrance for us.
"It took longer than expected to get the primary power layout completed, and we couldn't hold up the utility installation, so we are now going back and having to bore under sewer and water lines," he added. "It's not ideal, but it's something we had to work around."
Trying to grade and finish utility punch work is especially difficult during the rainy season.
"We thought we were in the clear until the supply chain disruption caught us on our main water meter and held off completing utilities. We eventually had to find a work-around, and we still don't have it installed. We also have had to replace erosion control a couple times from heavy rains. Plans called for a double row of silt fence."
Currently, workers are placing batter boards and completing the in-slab plumbing behind it. Crews should start pouring slabs fairly soon.
McGough noted that mass grading and all utilities, except primary power, have been fully completed. Vertical construction remains, along with curb/gutter and paving.
"Getting to slab forming seemed to be a major milestone," said McGough. "I always start to feel like we are making progress when wood goes up in the air."
Regarding site work," We only had one small vein of unsuitable soil that needed to be undercut and hauled off," said McGough, who added that cut to fill was a little more than 26,000 cu. yds.
"It's a fairly flat site for 17 acres," he said. "We were able to berm extra topsoil and fill material at several locations, which helped reduce haul-off costs. The berms will be landscaped."
A mix of equipment is on site, including a number of excavators, in various sizes, used for everything from digging in slab plumbing to undercutting large areas. Dozers, a sheepsfoot roller and vibratory compactors also are required to carry out the work. Materials include RCP 24-48 in. of DIP pipe.
Sterling Highlands serves as Tynes Development's in-house general contractor. The project team also includes Mullins Engineering. McGough said he's pleased to be working with experienced professionals on such a promising development.
"We're excited to continue building in Huntsville. It's a great city with a lot of exciting job announcements and growth. This is our fourth multifamily project to develop in Huntsville, and the second to be serving as the general contractor."
He added, "People in the area are excited for this part of Huntsville to get newer apartments to go along with new retail and dining." CEG
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