SUNNY ISLES, FL — Projects in Sunny Isles, Florida, and Nashville, Tennessee, have been named a recipient in the annual Project of the Year awards by the Steel Erectors Association of America (SEAA). One winner was selected in each of four categories based on the dollar amount of the erection contract. Honorable Mention awards were also given out. Categories are Class I up to $500,000; Class II $500,000 to $1 million; Class III $1-2.5 million; and Class IV over $2.5 million.

Chosen by an independent panel of judges, the winning companies received their awards for projects that were topped out in either 2019 or 2020.

“Erectors often work in close collaboration with other teams and trades, and sometimes the customer. Challenges frequently deal with logistics, crane selection and rigging methods, and execution of complicated connection plans,” said Alan Sears, SEAA Awards Committee Chairman. “We congratulate these companies for excellent delivery of these unique structural steel construction projects.”

The 2021 Project of the Year winner in the Dixie Contractor area was: Hodges Erectors Inc., for Turnberry Ocean Club condo entrance in Sunny Isles, Florida (Class I for erection contracts up to $500,000).

This oceanfront condominium tower was built to provide a luxury lifestyle for residents, which starts with a grand entrance composed of a free spanning structure. The frame of plate girder and tube steel spans 150 feet from the building façade to a waterfall feature. Because the curved beams are under compression at both ends, the structure was able to be erected without intermediate support columns. One of the main challenges was the number of mobilizations required due to sequencing. Hodges Erectors used a tower crane for unloading and erection for about half of the project, but had to bring in a 450-ton mobile crane, properly shored, to set up on a parking garage to complete the job.

One project in the Dixie Contractor area received Honorable Mention: Cooper Steel for Belmont University Performing Arts Center in Nashville, Tennessee (Class IV).

A multi-purpose theater, designed to house two event spaces, features a dome ceiling and arch entryways. Cooper Steel served as the fabricator and managed the erection on the project, which was performed by fellow SEAA member Sentry Steel Service. In all, 14 trusses were erected. They weighed up to 21.5 tons and measured 91 feet. With minimal laydown area available, the trusses were erected directly off the trailer and delivery times had to be carefully coordinated. To speed up the process, Cooper Steel pre-fabricated large pieces of steel off site. In addition, the dome — consisting of 400 individual pieces with an accuracy tolerance of ½ an inch — required specific angles, sizing, and erection sequences.