BLAIRSVILLE, Ga – In a called online board meeting on January 28, 2020, Union County School (UCS) board chose Charles Black Construction as the construction management team for upcoming projects.

Five firms responded to the construction professional services RFP with proposals. The construction committee presented Charles Black Construction as the recommended firm. Charles Black Construction previously assisted UCS with the field house renovation.

UCS hired Charles Black with four projects in mind: CCA/CTAE building, vocational building renovation, Union County High School Cafeteria expansion, and flooring replacement. The contract lasts two years. Altogether, the projects equal around $7 million, but some numbers could fluctuate because they don’t have the designs yet.
$3.75 million in grant funds will go toward the CCA/CTAE building, and the remainder would come from ESPLOST 5.

A construction management company writes all the subcontracts from site work to the end and assists the architect with the design.

“We can do some construction management processes, and it will actually save money on the design,” Facilities Manager Mike Patton explained. “We can do some value engineering along with the architect. They keep each other in check basically.”

Facilities Director Mike Patton explained why they chose Charles Black Construction.

Charles Black would operate within a set budget and ensure the architect does too. The firm’s headquartered in Cleveland, Ga. Patton vouched for their experience and expertise in their field.

Check out the company’s portfolio here.

“They are small. They aren’t hardly as large a company as others that have submitted, but we feel like we get a lot more personal service,” Patton commented.

A site manager would always be on location. Charles Black will help UCS find the best materials for the best prices too.

As for costs, Patton added Charles Black came in on the low end of the proposals with a multiple dollar fee – a preconstruction fee, and a 2.95 percent construction fee. The company also offered a lower rate for new construction and the standard rate for renovations.

Another RFP would be necessary for the primary school renovation, but UCS will apply for more state grant money for the project.

Superintendent John Hill announced September as the hopeful groundbreaking date for the CCA building.

UCS chose the architect in November 2020. 

Feature image: courtesy of Charles Black Construction and an example of the firm’s previous work.