The Dean Baldwin Painting Facility at Middle Georgia Regional Airport in Macon, GA, is designed to paint various aircraft, from large 767s to smaller commercial jets. Spanning 160,000 square feet, the facility includes a main office, a warehouse, a water treatment building, four aircraft hangars, and administrative spaces. The project utilized a design-build delivery method and involved complex design considerations such as wing dimensions, fuel storage, fire suppression needs, and chemical storage. Compliance with NFPA 409 for aircraft hangars was crucial, leading to the necessity of an on-site water tank for fire suppression. The project required collaboration with the FAA, the local industrial authority, and code enforcement, all while navigating challenges posed by the Coronavirus pandemic.
Industrial
Design Build, New Construction, Risk Management, Mechanical Services, Pre-Construction, Millwright, Renovation
160,000 sq ft
Design-Build
16 Months
Working on an operational airport was one of the more prevalent challenges of the Dean Baldwin project. Routinely, there were discussions regarding additional requirements requested by airport management, such as safety procedures, access, housekeeping, staging of materials, etc. There was also coordination with the FAA.
Initially, FAA coordination was thought to be in compliance, but this federal organization requested some additional documentation after the project had already begun. What complicates this scenario is that the official landowner handled FAA coordination, and the official landowner was the local municipality. Grading, storm drainage, and foundation work had started when the FAA requested additional forms to be filed and indicated that vertical construction could not begin until those forms had been reviewed and approved. This requirement added some time to the overall duration. Still, we were able to organize work tasks creatively such that flat work continued ahead of schedule and continued pushing forward with design completion and submittals so that the remaining construction phase would be more efficient upon approval to proceed from the FAA.
To alleviate the challenges of working in an operational airport, our team collaborated closely with the facility’s staff and FAA representatives to ensure safety and efficiency. Partnering with the FAA necessitated some creative solutions due to differences between local and federal regulations. Nevertheless, after a few brief delays in the project, we coordinated with Dean Baldwin staff and the FAA to achieve compliance. The impact of COVID cannot be minimized, as it introduced issues related to materials, staffing, and numerous other factors. We executed protocols and procedures tailored to the circumstances, which helped uphold safety on site and instilled confidence in people to work while remaining safe.
DCC supervision provides exceptional coordination and leadership among subcontractors and clients, emphasizing safety and quality. Dean Baldwin Painting and Dublin Construction began a complex design-build project just before the pandemic hit. Despite the challenges, DCC remained on schedule and within budget through innovative supply chains and established industry relationships. The completed project is now our flagship facility among our four locations. You couldn't choose a better partner than DCC.
