Federal jobs come in

The federal government -- the biggest current source of construction work right now -- is keeping several Charleston-area builders busy with jobs far from home.

The companies recently landed contracts totaling more than $50 million for projects in three Southeastern states, providing much-needed jobs and revenue for the otherwise depressed industry.

Choate Construction Co. of Mount Pleasant will handle the biggest chunk with $36.5 million for military projects in North Carolina, South Carolina and Alabama.

Complete Building Corp. of Char leston picked up a $4.4 million contract from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to construct the agency's Gulf of Mexico Disaster Response Center in Mobile, Ala.

And LW Construction of North Charleston won a $10.2 million Department of Veterans Affairs contract to develop the next phase of the Fort Jackson National Cemetery in Columbia, which opens for burials in January.

College of Charleston economist Frank Hefner called $50 million "a drop in the bucket" for the Southeast's building industry, but added he was glad to see federal dollars trickle into the economy.

"At this point, anything that keeps the companies going is better than nothing," Hefner said.

An $11.5 million job that Choate was awarded to build two dormitories at Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter came from stimulus money provided through the $800 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which is slowly seeping through the economy. The work is to be completed in early 2011.

"It's a great feeling for us because the private sector is pretty slow right now," said Matt Brewer, Choate's director of business

development. "Although federal money makes up only a portion of our annual volume, the stimulus money is helping to keep people employed and is helping us to continue to be successful."

Another $25 million in government contracts that Choate won are to build projects in Alabama and North Carolina.

In the Tarheel State, Choate will work with Ikhana LLC of Mount Pleasant on a $13.5 million job to build two child development centers at Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base, north of Wilmington.

Near Huntsville, Ala., Choate will construct the third phase of a systems software engineering annex for $11.5 million at Redstone Arsenel.

Also in Alabama, Complete Building of West Ashley will construct the regional home for NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration, the organization charged with responding to oil spills, hazardous material releases and marine debris.

Construction at the Mobile facility is scheduled to begin later this year and be completed by the spring of 2011.

The 15,000-square-foot facility will house up to 25 personnel and will be constructed to withstand a major hurricane.

"This center's support for disaster planning, response and recovery efforts in the region will provide services that will enhance the resilience of coastal communities, economies and ecosystems," John H. Dunnigan, assistant administrator for NOAA's National Ocean Service, said in a statement.

At Fort Jackson, LW Construction won the contract this summer for the manufacture, delivery and in-ground installation of 4,224 concrete vaults. The project also calls for a 2,000-niche columbarium, an administration and public information building, a maintenance complex, two committal service shelters, a public assembly area, utilities and irrigation systems.

The 74-acre development, along with a previously constructed early burial area with temporary facilities, is expected to provide an estimated 10 years of burial services. The project is scheduled for completion in late 2010 or early 2011.

Reach Warren Wise at 937-5524 or wwise@postandcourier.com.