Atlanta-based Hardin Construction Co. is trying to reassure clients after this summer’s partial collapse of a Midtown Atlanta parking deck on which it oversaw construction.
But the negative spotlight led the University of Georgia to drop Hardin from overseeing expansion of an athletic facility in Athens — Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall.
“Hardin has not lost any other contracts,” Brantley Barrow, chairman of Hardin, said in an e-mailed statement Friday. He said company executives are meeting with clients and associates to “stress the company’s outstanding safety record” — and the response has been favorable.
Hardin is disappointed by the loss of the UGA project, Barrow said. “We never like to lose business.” But he said the company is moving ahead with other higher education work, “including projects at Young Harris College, Kennesaw State University and the University of Houston, in addition to private development work. This work indicates great confidence in Hardin by our client base.”
Founded in 1946, Hardin Construction also has offices in Tampa, Orlando, Raleigh, N.C., and Austin, Texas. In Atlanta, Hardin is currently working on projects that include Cousins Properties’ Terminus 200 office development under construction in Buckhead. Hardin also built developer Hal Barry’s 30 Allen Plaza project in downtown Atlanta, including the W Hotel.
Following the partial collapse June 29 of four floors of the Centergy parking deck, UGA announced that it would re-inspect its parking decks after learning the same construction company that built the garage worked on some of the school’s facilities.
Metromont Corp., built the Centergy parking deck, six and a half years ago. Hardin was the lead contractor. Hardin was also the builder of an elevated walkway at the Atlanta Botanical Garden that collapsed last year, killing one worker. The walkway was under construction. Barrow said the company has been hired to rebuild the walkway.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has fined Hardin $6,300 for the Botanical Gardens walkway collapse; Hardin is appealing.
The University of Georgia Athletic Association informed Hardin on June 30 that it was reconsidering its intent to award the company an $18.6 million contract to expand its football facilities, Arthur Johnson, associate athletic director, said Friday.
Hardin was informed a week later that a decision had been made to use another contractor, Brasfield & Gorrie, Johnson said.
Publicity about the collapse of the garage “played a significant role in the decision,” Johnson said. He said the Botanical Garden incident had already been addressed with Hardin.
Rhonda Cook contributed to this report.
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