IMC Completes Solana Senior Living situated on a 8.5 acre site, the project includes the development of a 98 unit, 120 bed, senior living community with memory care and approximately 79,300 of total square footage. High-end finishes, custom millwork and modern furnishings give a homelike feeling for residents. The complex offers a variety of activity spaces including a wellness center, taproom, theater, art room, full service kitchen, cafe, multiple seating areas and hair salon. The site contains beautiful outdoor spaces with a courtyard, walking paths and firepit.

For a third consecutive year, IMC Construction is proud to announce that we have been awarded the Philadelphia Inquirer & Philly.com’s Top Workplace of 2015. Based solely on an employee survey, conducted by Workplace Dynamics, this award highlights the positive, empowerment-focused culture valued by the firm’s employees each day they step foot in the office or a jobsite, as well as the benefits that help cultivate a healthy quality of life. From building amenities, an employer-matched 401(k) plan to professional development opportunities and more, IMC is continually striving to find new ways of delivering exceptional employment experiences. “We are honored that our employees have voted IMC a Top Workplace,” said Robert Cottone, President and Chief Executive Officer of IMC Construction. “Our culture is one of our strongest assets; only second to our talented employees.”

Choate Construction Company’s Atlanta and Savannah offices have been selected as the recipient of the 2014 Community Spirit Award by the Georgia Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. The award will be presented at the Volunteer Appreciation Celebration in Atlanta on Thursday, April 2nd, where individuals and organizations will be honored for their commitment and contribution to the Foundation. “We are honored to present the CF Foundation’s – Georgia Chapter Community Spirit Award to Choate Construction for outstanding leadership and support in raising funds for our mission and to increase awareness in the community about cystic fibrosis (CF),” said Scot Rittenbaum, Executive Director. “Through their unwavering support and dedication to ultimately curing cystic fibrosis, Choate is a valued leader in the Foundation’s mission and is most deserving of this recognition and distinction”. During the past year alone Choate Construction, in conjunction with its employees and business partners, hosted the “Clays for a Cause” clay shoot in Savannah, “Cars & Q for the Cause” car show in Atlanta, and supported Great Strides walks in Savannah, Atlanta and throughout Georgia. In addition, Choate Construction sponsored ShamRockin’ for a Cure, CF Cycle for Life and The Peachtree Society Finest Program. Celebrating 25 years in business, Choate Construction continues its commitment to community philanthropy and takes great pride in its 25th year of partnering with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. In similar fashion, since opening its doors 15 years ago, Choate’s Savannah office has shared this passion to unite with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Georgia in creating more tomorrows. Now over two decades later, Choate Construction has raised close to $2 million for the Foundation and while their efforts have secured their spot as one of the nation’s top fundraising teams, they see tangible results in the recent progress of the Foundation’s tremendous strides in research and drug discovery. “It’s just incredible to be in the here and now,” said Emily Bridges, Marketing Director for Choate Construction. “CF was once a childhood disease and now 50 percent of those with CF are over 18 and planning out their lives. But a lifespan into your 40’s still isn’t good enough. That’s why we’re insistent on finding a cure.”

http://savannahceo.com/news/2015/03/choate-construction-selected-recipient-community-spirit-award/

The AJC reviewed Chef Ford Fry’s newest restaurant concept The El Felix, located at the Avalon mixed-use development in Alpharetta, GA. Ranking it “very good,” the “Tex-Mex” inspired restaurant comes to life in a 6,827-SF space. Alongside other high-end retail and restaurant spaces, the restaurant brings the feel of Austin, TX, to suburban Georgia with a casual and lively atmosphere. Excerpt from the article: The eating and drinking happens in a big U set around the central foyer, with the open kitchen’s sizzle and clatter off to the far side. The tables have some breathing room. You don’t shout yourself hoarse here but rather (!!!) converse. Designers have had a lot of fun with the look, applying an interior decorator’s aesthetic sense to industrial elements — stacks of patterned concrete blocks, a chain-link fence room divider, and brickwork laid with starburst gaps. She plays around with the junkyard salvage look and the tatty hacienda look, but avoids the cliches of both. Click here to read the full article.

After two years of construction and many years in the making, the $41 million, 121,000-SF Rollins Campus Center has officially opened on Young Harris College’s campus. “The Rollins Campus Center would never have come to fruition without the generosity of so many that believed in the College and what we are trying to achieve for our students,” said YHC President Cathy Cox. “We offer heartfelt thanks to the Rollins family for their generous lead support in making this facility possible.” The largest building constructed on campus to date, the Rollins Center includes a 60,000-SF multipurpose student center, 40,000-SF library honoring Zell and Shirley Miller, and 500-seat dining facility, as well as a banquet area, meeting spaces, and lounges. Taking full advantage of the mountain views, the design includes numerous expansive porches that create a relaxing space for students to socialize and study. The Rollins Campus Center is targeting LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certification. Sustainable features include the use of geothermal wells for the capture of onsite renewable energy, the sophisticated use of exterior glazing and light shelves to maximize daylight as well as views, reduced water usage both inside and out, the use of both recycled and regional materials as well as the recycling of construction waste. “Choate Construction is honored to be a part of such a major project on this prestigious and beautiful campus,” said Millard Choate, President of Choate Construction. “We recognize that constructing student-focused facilities impacts generations of future citizens and leaders, building memories for a lifetime and creating space for personal growth.” Constructed during one of the worst winters in local memory, the College Campus Center lost an incredible 192 days to weather. Despite this seemingly insurmountable challenge, the project was finished on time and even without using the officially allowed 90-day overage. The project was designed by VMDO, of Charlottesville, Va., and managed by Brailsford & Dunlavey, of Washington, D.C.

Choate Receives Two ENR National Best of the Best Project Awards Engineering News Record magazine (ENR) released its national “Best of the Best Projects” winners for 2014, designed to identify the pinnacle of design and construction achievements in the U.S. among projects completed between June 2013 and June 2014. Choate Construction Company won two of these awards. The Clemson University SCE&G Energy Innovation Center, located in North Charleston, SC, won Best of the Best in the Energy/Industrial category in the nation. The Carter’s, Inc. buildout in Atlanta, GA won for the Best Interiors/Tenant Improvement category in the nation. The initial call for entries resulted in over 700 project teams submitting their best work to the regional Best Projects competitions. In each of the 10 regions, the editors assembled panels of judges to select the regional winners in 20 categories. Once the regional winners were chosen, the top winners in each category from each region moved up to the national competition. A new set of judges from across the country examined each project in an effort to distinguish the best from the best in terms of teamwork, safety, overcoming challenges, innovation and quality. “It is an incredible honor to receive one of these awards, let alone two, and we are thoroughly pleased to see these amazing projects receive such esteemed industry recognition,” says Millard Choate, President of Choate Construction. “All team members involved on both the SCE&G Energy Innovation Center and the Carter’s, Inc. buildout should be very proud. Thank you for your dedication and commitment to excellence.”