Forrester Keeps Small Businesses Building with BLocal BUILD College

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Forrester Keeps Local Small Businesses Building and Teams with BLocal BUILD College

Apply to join Forrester Construction, Hopkins Local and other industry experts at the BLocal BUILD College training sessions for small businesses.

 

 

Forrester Keeps Local Small Businesses Building

Forrester Construction has partnered with Hopkins Local’s to participate in the BLocal BUILD College, a thirteen session program that provides training for small, local, minority, woman-owned and disadvantaged Baltimore-based design and construction businesses. Participants will develop key competencies and relationships to drive future growth.

Join Forrester for a training series focused on growing small businesses.

Each session will be led by experienced professionals and industry experts, including two sessions from Forrester Team Members. Topics will include:

  • Reading drawings and specifications
  • Bonding
  • Insurance
  • Bidding
  • Legal and contract considerations
  • Project management
  • Safety and quality assurance
  • Change order administration
  • Financial planning
  • Human resources
  • Business development

The program also has a strong focus on relationship building and will include networking opportunities to connect with industry experts. Sessions will be held Wednesday evenings from 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm June 8 through September 14, 2016.

Local business partners are invited to keep building with Forrester by applying today. Click here for more information.

Forrester Receives ABC National Excellence In Construction Award

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Forrester Receives ABC National Excellence In Construction Award

JC Richards (middle) of Strategic Real Property Advisors, LLC, the owner’s representative, and Project Executive Jamie Hart (right) accept an ABC National Excellence in Construction Pyramid Award for the United Arab Emirates Chancery project.

Forrester Receives ABC National Excellence In Construction Award. Forrester Construction Company today announced that its work on the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Chancery in Washington, DC has earned the company a National Excellence in Construction (EIC) Pyramid Award from Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) in the Historical Restoration or Renovation – Over $10 million category. Forrester’s project team and the United Arab Emirates’ representative accepted the honor March 2 during ABC’s 26th annual EIC Awards celebration in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. A construction industry top honor, this EIC award is the Forrester’s 20th received since 1998.

Forrester Receives ABC National Excellence In Construction Award in the Historical Restoration or Renovation – Over $10 million category

“Forrester earned this Excellence in Construction Pyramid Award through their dedication to safety, quality craftsmanship and teamwork and Associated Builders and Contractors is pleased to honor them,” said 2016 ABC National Chair David Chapin, president of Willmar Electric Service, Lincoln, Neb. “From start to finish, Forrester’s team demonstrated a commitment to innovation and high quality construction in their work on UAE Chancery renovation and expansion, a commitment that is clearly evident in the finished product.”

The Embassy Row chancery is located on Massachusetts Avenue, NW in Washington, DC. To support the nation’s diplomatic mission in the United States, Forrester completed an 18,000 square foot, multi-story historic renovation and restoration of the UAE’s existing embassy and constructed an annex facility to provide additional space for administrative functions. The annex includes an underground parking garage, with auto lifts and a sky bridge to connect it to the original structure. Nicknamed the “ship-in-a-bottle” project, unusually tight site conditions and proximity to neighbors, including another embassy, required careful logistical coordination and sequencing of work. Construction involved significant structural modifications including installation of new structural steel and concrete systems, substantial sheeting, shoring, underpinning and micropiles and concrete foundations and slabs.

United Arab Emirates Chancery Street View. Learn more about this project.

ABC’s EIC Awards program recognizes the very best construction projects from around the nation. Projects are judged on complexity, attractiveness, technical approach, completion time, workmanship, innovation, safety and cost. A panel of industry experts served as the competition’s judges this year with representatives from the Design-Build Institute of America, Engineering News-Record, Construction Users Roundtable, the National Association of Women in Construction and among other leading organizations.

Founded in 1988, Forrester Construction Company is an award-winning Engineering News Record Top 400 and Washington Business Journal Top 25 general contractor offering clients construction management, preconstruction and design build services. A locally-owned leader in the Washington DC Metropolitan market, Forrester has a proven record of construction excellence, client satisfaction and efficient project delivery. This has led to work on such landmark projects at the United States Supreme Court, Arlington National Cemetery, National Institutes of Health, Ford’s Theatre, The Kennedy Center and the Smithsonian National Zoo. Since its inception, the firm has been recognized with over 200 construction industry awards and has built many solid, ongoing relationships with its high percentage of repeat clients and long-term subcontractor partners.

Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) is a national construction industry trade association representing nearly 21,000 chapter members. Founded on the merit shop philosophy, ABC and its 70 chapters help members develop people, win work and deliver that work safely, ethically, profitably and for the betterment of the communities in which ABC and its members work. Visit at abc.org.

Forrester Wins 2015 ABC Platinum STEP Award

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It has been another outstanding year for safety at Forrester Construction Company.

The Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) National Chapter has honored the firm with it’s 11th Platinum STEP Safety Award. The award recognizes Forrester’s ongoing commitment to jobsite safety and exemplary safety performance and programs. As a Platinum level winner, Forrester is rated among the safest general contractors in the nation with a total incident rate at least 25 percent below the industry average, a very low Experience Modification Rating, zero reportable incidences and a high marks on ABC’s 20 Key Safety Components score card.

The firm attributes its ongoing outstanding performance to a “Total Safety Culture” that engages every Team Member people-based safety. Learn more about Forrester’s best-in-class program.

 

Forrester Wins Three Trade Association Awards

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Forrester Wins Three Trade Association Awards. In the past month, two area trade association groups recognized some of Forrester Construction Company’s recent work as among the best local construction projects of the year. In September, Forrester accepted two 2015 Excellence in Construction Awards from the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of Metro Washington for work on the Coastal Flats Restaurant in Gaithersburg, Maryland and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Chancery Annex in Washington, District of Columbia. Last week the UAE Chancery Annex project also received a 2015 Award of Merit from NAIOP’s DC | MD Chapter. Both associations’ awards celebrate outstanding DC Metro area construction projects, and as ABC Metro noted, “raise the level of construction standards throughout the industry by recognizing the workmanship of those who contribute and by showcasing the results of their dedication”.

Forrester Wins Three Trade Association Awards For Local Construction Projects

To win ABC Metro Washington’s Excellence in Construction Awards, Forrester’s Coastal Flats and UAE Chancery Annex projects competed against more than 130 projects across all categories to take home top prizes in the Restaurant Interiors and Historic Renovation respectively. Over 100 judges reviewed entry submittals and visited each project site judging them on attractiveness, complexity, unique challenges overcome, completion time, workmanship, innovation, cost and safety. For the UAE Chancery Annex project, taking home the prize in NAIOP DC | MD Chapter’s Award of Merit for Best Renovation / Adaptive Re-Use involved meeting similar stringent judging criteria.

To learn more about the award winners and see photos of these projects, please visit the Coastal Flats restaurant and UAE Chancery Annex renovation and expansion pages is Forrester’s web portfolio.

Established in 1988, Forrester Construction Company is an award winning general contractor offering clients preconstruction, general contracting, construction management and design build services. A Washington Business Journal top 25 local general contractor and an Engineering News Record top 400 nationwide contractor, Forrester is committed client satisfaction, construction excellence and community involvement. The firm specializes in building technically challenging projects in the commercial, public sector, healthcare, science and technology, education and cultural markets. During its 27 years in business, Forrester has been recognized with nearly 200 construction industry awards and has worked on many landmark projects including those at the United States Supreme Court, Arlington National Cemetery, Ford’s Theatre, The Kennedy Center and the Smithsonian National Zoo.

Maya Angelou Learning Center wins 2015 National DBIA Award

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Forrester Wins 10th ABC Platinum STEP Safety Award

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Forrester Construction Company is proud to announce that the firm has recently received its tenth Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Platinum Level STEP Safety Award. Through these awards, ABC recognizes companies who exhibit a continued commitment to jobsite safety and whose safety performance and programs are judged to be exemplary by the ABC National Environment, Health & Safety Committee. To earn Platinum level distinction, Forrester demonstrated a total reportable incident rate at least 25% below the firm’s NAICS code industry average, maintaining a low Experience Modification Rating, having zero reportable incidences and achieving a high score on ABC’s 20 Key Safety Components rating system.

Director of Safety John Shumar attributes Forrester’s reputation for being an industry leader in site safety to the company’s Total Safety Culture and People-Based Safety programs. “At Forrester, safety isn’t the responsibility of any single person or committee. Every Team Member plays an important role, which is why receiving our tenth Platinum STEP Safety Award is so meaningful. It is recognition of a long term, sustained commitment to safety by every member of our team,” says Shumar.

Forrester Construction Earns ABC National Excellence in Construction Award

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Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) has announced that Forrester Construction Company’s work on the Smithsonian National Zoological Park Seal and Sea Lion Exhibit project in Washington, D.C. has earned the company an Eagle Award in the Other Construction – $4-100 Million category of ABC’s Excellence in Construction Awards. Forrester Construction representatives received the award Feb. 11 during the 24th annual Excellence in Construction Awards celebration at the Grand Wailea in Maui, Hawaii.

Forrester constructed a new seal and sea lion exhibit that includes six pools, ADA-compliant pathways, above- and below-ground water viewing areas, an amphitheater and a maintenance building that houses a life support system.

“I am very proud to recognize Forrester Construction for winning one of our Excellence in Construction Awards and contributing to the overall advancement of ABC and the construction industry,” said 2014 ABC National Chairman Dan Brodbeck, president and CEO of Compass Partners, LLC. “Their project was a great example of innovation, quality and commitment to safety.”

The Excellence in Construction awards program is the industry’s leading competition, developed to honor innovative and high-quality merit shop construction projects. The award honors all construction team members, including the contractor, owner, architect and engineer. The winning projects, selected from entries submitted from across the nation, were judged on complexity, attractiveness, unique challenges overcome, completion time, workmanship, innovation, safety and cost.

A panel of industry experts served as the competition’s judges. This year’s panel included representatives from the Design-Build Institute of America, Engineering News-Record, the American Institute of Architects, and the National Association of Women in Construction, and representatives from higher education, among others.

Forrester Selected for Arlington National Cemetery Project

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Forrester Selected for Arlington National Cemetery Project. Forrester Construction Company is proud to announce its recent selection as the general contractor for Arlington National Cemetery’s upcoming Millennium project. The $59 Million project will allow Arlington National Cemetery to serve future generations of American service members and their families while maintaining the national treasure’s quality, dignity and central function as a military burial ground.

Forrester Selected for Arlington National Cemetery Project

Located on the cemetery’s northwest corner adjacent to Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall and National Park Service property, the Millennium site will combine three separate parcels into a single 31-acre internment development. When completed, it will add more than 36,000 burial locations including 11,000 full-size plots, 2,600 in-ground cremation plots and 23,000 niche wall slots. Without these additional spaces, Arlington National Cemetery is projected to exhaust its interment sites by 2025.

Construction is slated to begin this winter with final completion projected by Fall 2016. Work will include the installation of columbarium niche sites, perimeter fencing, retaining walls, water features, landscaping and access ways. Jacobs / Ammann & Whitney Joint Venture led the design phase, with support from Beyer Blinder Belle Architects as the lead Designer. Sasaki is the landscape architect on the project.

The Millennium project will be Forrester’s third project at Arlington National Cemetery. It is also one of dozens Forrester has performed for the United States Army Corp of Engineers who awarded the contract. “This project is extremely meaningful , in so many ways and to so many people,” says Scott Forrester, Executive Vice President of Project Development. “Forrester is honored to have been selected as the builder for the Millennium memorial complex and to again have the opportunity to work on the grounds of one of our nation’s most important landmarks.”

Arlington National Cemetery, which opened in 1864 and spans more than 624 acres, is the final resting place for more than 400,000 active duty service members, veterans and their families and is visited by more than 3 million people each year.

 

Forrester Completes $18M Renovation of the National Museum of Natural History.

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June 26, 2013 – Forrester Construction Company is pleased to announce that it has just completed a major renovation of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History. Located at 10th Street and Constitution Avenue on the National Mall, the 100-year-old museum was one of the first Smithsonian buildings constructed exclusively to hold national collections and research facilities. It is dedicated to inspiring curiosity, discovery and learning.

This $18M project, awarded to Forrester by the Smithsonian Institution, is part of a comprehensive multi-phase restoration of the museum’s aging infrastructure and was a major historic preservation effort. Among the preservation activities was the construction of a Paleobiology Lab. As part of this endeavor Forrester kept in place, and worked around, a 310-million-year-old tree fossil – one of the oldest and largest plant fossils ever collected.

The 30-month, 36,000 square feet renovation has won numerous Washington Building Congress craftsmanship awards. Construction included new exhibit spaces and renovation of the education, library, office, lab and childcare areas. Micropile foundations were put in place for a new mezzanine and structural modifications were made to support specialized artifact storage systems. Improved efficiencies involved a major overhaul of the mechanical systems and installation of blast resistant, historic replacement windows.

Areas of focus were the northeast and northwest quadrants of the building. The northeast quadrant houses the Smithsonian Library collections, Paleobiology lab and facility support areas. Among the new amenities in the northwest quadrant are telescopic theater seating, a glass-enclosed focused investigation area, modern collection-storage systems and millwork window seating.

“Forrester is proud to be part of the restoration of such a historic museum that brings discovery and education to the nation’s capital,” says Scott Forrester, Forrester’s Executive Vice President. “The renovations to the main building, including the addition of new exhibit space as well as historic preservation efforts, make this a special project for the entire Forrester team.”

Forrester Completes Columbarium Court No. 9 at Arlington National Cemetery.

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May 20, 2013 – Forrester Construction Company is pleased to announce that it has just completed the construction of the recently opened Columbarium Court No. 9. Located within Arlington National Cemetery, a National Historic Landmark District, the new two-acre Columbarium Court is based at the corner of Patton and York drives, adjacent to Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall.

This project, awarded to Forrester by the US Army Corps of Engineers, required near perfect quality and pristine finishes ensuring longevity and suitability in the greenscape of Arlington National Cemetery. The third project Forrester has built for this historic cemetery, work involved significant grading, landscaping, environmental management and installation of decorative and commemorative stonework, including flagstone walkways.

Columbarium Court No. 9 is nearly the length of two football fields at 116-feet wide, 11-feet tall and 540-feet long. The foundation of the structure is auger cast piles ranging in depth from 15 to 25 feet. More than 6,000 cubic yards of poured-in-place concrete clad with limestone and granite was used to build the structure. The project features interior and exterior landscaping with a central water fountain, new irrigation and underground electrical systems and storm water management.

Arlington National Cemetery, which opened in 1864 and spans more than 624 acres, is the final resting place for more than 400,000 active duty service members, veterans and their families and is visited by more than 3 million people each year, including a visit this month by Britain’s Prince Harry paying tribute to America’s military. Part of the cemetery’s long-term expansion plan, Columbarium Court No. 9 provides more than 20,000 niches that can hold three to four urns each.

“The Forrester team is proud to have constructed such an important project that provides a final resting place for the nation’s active duty military, veterans and their families,” says Rick Forrester, Forrester’s Executive Vice President of Operations. “We are also pleased to have delivered the Columbarium ahead of schedule and under budget.”

The Columbarium Court No. 9 dedication ceremony this month included a full-honors committal service for the remains of six unclaimed veterans from all branches of the military who served in the Civil War, Vietnam and World Wars I and II.