The project: Build a 2.4 million square-foot campus for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, the national security agency that helped locate Osama bin Laden. The project, should the AWCI member contractor Manganaro Midatlantic (based in Maryland) choose to accept it, would be the largest US Army Corps of Engineers military construction project since the Pentagon in 1943.
The mission for Manganaro Midatlantic: The drywall contract for the main office building—a 2.2 million square foot, eight-story structure. The scope of work includes nearly every specialty component found in a drywall and acoustical ceiling project, including metal and wood ceilings, acoustical and veneer plaster, exterior insulation and finish systems, and metal column covers.
This mega-project posed a huge host of challenges for Manganaro Midatlantic. Field forces on site averaged 370 workers daily. Crews managed by 25 forepersons. Seven project managers, plus project engineers and administrative personnel to keep pace with the demands of the aggressive 18-month schedule, the design/build document control and the Army Corps’ safety standards.
Technical challenges abounded. All of the office space was built on raised access flooring, requiring an additional level of construction and coordination at every stage of interior construction. With nearly 200 different contractors, constant coordination between the stakeholders was critical.
And since this building is vital to maintaining national security, there could be no breach: Perimeter blast protection requirements added significantly to the complexity of the design and construction. The building skin was designed and constructed in a fast-track manner, requiring Manganaro Midatlantic’s drywall team to stock work areas with material far in advance of the need.
It’s no secret that Manganaro Midatlantic went above and beyond to help support national security and keep this country safe—and they finished the job six months ahead of schedule, and on budget.
Mission accomplished.
Participating AWCI Members
Contractor
Manganaro Midatlantic, LLC
Manufacturers
Armstrong Ceiling Systems
BASWA Acoustic North America, LLC
Georgia-Pacific Gypsum
Grabber Construction Products
Hilti, Inc.
MarinoWARE
National Gypsum
Owens Corning
Ramset, div of ITW
Supplier
Robert A. Aird, Inc.
Capitol Building Supply
L.D. Peters & Sons
