Summer 2012 Featured Projects
Spotlight on a Few of Stark’s Current Projects
I-74 Resurfacing
Stark Excavating was a subcontractor to Rowe Construction on an IDOT multi-bridge reparation project spanning a length of I-74 from Downs to Leroy. There were 4 separate locations effected by this project that were to be completed in two separate phases in order to keep road open to traffic. This resurfacing project began April 4th, 2012 and was completed the first week of August. Stark removed and replaced the approach and performed a partial depth repair on the bridge located closest in Downs on I-74. On the next bridge approximately one mile east on I-74 towards Leroy, Stark completed a wingwall extension and the last two bridge locations both received crashwall extensions. Stark also performed latex overlay on the last bridge located on I-74 in Leroy after Hydro-Technologies completed their hydroscarification process. Project Superintendents: Kevin Pribble and Matt Lehn.
C.H. 10 / Fountain Creek Box Culvert
Was an IDOT staged project of a triple barrel box culvert carrying County Highway 10 over Fountain Creek, located half mile north of Vermilion County, Illinois. Both phases of this project consisted of removing and replacing half of the structure while keeping the roadway open to traffic at all times. The C.H. 10/Fountain Creek Box Culvert project started on April 2nd, 2012 and was completed by October 10th, 2012. Project Superintendent: Kevin Pribble and Barry Claypool.
Caterpillar Loading Docks
Located in East Peoria, Caterpillar, Inc. contracted Stark to perform numerous upgrades to their East Peoria facilities including the Building BB East and Building SS Loading Docks. Project Superintendent: Mike Westart.
Pennsylvania Avenue
Stark completed the reconstruction of Pennsylvania Avenue for the City of Peoria, in Peoria, IL. The project consists of dirt work, storm sewer and concrete paving. Project Superintendent: Dave Boyer.
Carle HVI
This project, which commenced in March 2011, was located at the Carle Foundation Hospital Campus in Urbana, IL. Stark was involved with three aspects of the project including Demo and Earthwork, Manorcare Backfill and Site Concrete. The Manorcare Backfill portion of work included the backfilling of an old tunnel to the Manorcare Facility. Stark’s concrete work included a new patient parking lot, removal and replacement of Park Street and Harvey Street, the Emergency Room parking lot, sidewalks and drop-off drive for the new entrance. All of this work was part of the 13 Story Heart and Vascular Institute Expansion at Carle Foundation Hospital Urbana Campus. Project Superintendent: Todd Baker and Mark Aberle.
FedEx Ground Hub Expansion
This approximately $3 million Champaign, IL project began in April 2011 and was completed in July 2012. Stark Excavating’s portion of work included complete demolition, earth excavation, site utilities and landscaping in order to expand the existing package hub. This project was not a phased project, however Stark did have to coordinate this work around an operational facility. This created logistical challenges, but none in which Stark’s team and the facility manager could not overcome. Superintendent: Todd Bree.
Utica II Rail Load-Out Piling
Unimin Corporation, located in Utica, Illinois is one of North America’s leading producers of nonmetallic industrial minerals, according to their website www.unimin.com. Unimin produces quartz, feldspar, nepheline syenite, olivine, calcium carbonate, clay, kaolin, lime and limestone products which are the essential raw materials of many manufacturing process.
On April 13th, 2012, Stark Excavating began work in Utica, Illinois for Unimin Corporation in which our crews were contracted to drive 49 14×89# H-Piles with a total combined length of 990 linear feet. These piles were driven to complete a railroad load-out platform and conveyer foundation.
The Unimin-Utica II Rail Load-out Piling Project was completed on May 9th, 2012. Stark Excavating ultimately drove a total of 2,051 linear feet of piles which is more than double the original contract quantity, while still beating the budget.
When asked if there were any interesting project challenges, Project Manager Matt Fiorentini explained that in order for any Stark personnel to gain access to Unimin premises, each crew member had to be MSHA 24 Hour certified. Stark was on the ball and ensured that 5 additional employees earned their MSHA 24 Hour certification in order to work on this project.
Both Unimin Corporation and McCormick Construction, Inc. (client) as well as Stark Excavating hold safety in the highest regard which greatly reflects upon Stark’s mission statement.
East Peoria Downtown Development
In order to formulate and implement programs to increase job opportunities for residents, expand the city’s tax base and increase the level of economic activity, the City of East Peoria initiated an East Peoria Downtown Development project. The city plans to create a vibrant new mixeduse center for East Peoria incorporating the fundamentals of New Urbanism, all in a way that brings together the three driving forces in the City’s life – Community, Commerce and Technology. It was another phase in an over 400-acre transformation that has seen the likes of Wal-Mart Supercenter, Lowe’s, a half-dozen restaurants and other businesses neighboring a John Q. Hammons Embassy Suites and adjacent Conference Center all open – and with great success. East Peoria/ Downtown itself encompasses over 86 acres includes over 500,000 sq. ft. of retail space, 190,000 sq. ft. of office space, Live/Work units and Civic buildings, making prime retail locations available for the first time in this highly visible, easily accessible dynamic trade area located in the heart of the Central Illinois market. At the center of what will become the city’s “new downtown” will be a civic plaza and the new state-of-the-art Fondulac District Library that will draw in excess of 130,000 visitors a year. Less than 1/2 mile from downtown Peoria and the Peoria Civic Center, this area has seen tremendous retail growth over the past few years. A new 150,000 sq. ft. Bass Pro, opened last fall located along the Illinois River – minutes from East Peoria/Downtown.
Stark Excavating was involved with this project since 2009 when we were contracted to deliver and place over 120,000 cubic yards of structural fill to the future site of technology boulevard. Stark then continued to take part in the East Peoria Downtown Development project when we were subcontracted by R.A. Cullinan & Son, a Division of United Contractors Midwest, to perform earth excavation, underground utility installation and erection of a pump station for the Technology Boulevard and Heritage Street Extension Project. All of this laid the ground work for the rest of the East Peoria Downtown Development project. Currently, including the structural fill and Technology Boulevard project, Stark performed over $13.2 million worth of earthwork, site utilities, concrete, etc. for several areas of this downtown development project which now includes Target for City of East Peoria (underground utilities, parking lot paving and temporary facilities), East Peoria Downtown Retail Development for Cullinan Properties (earthwork, utilities, electrical, curb & gutter, asphalt and landscaping), East Peoria Civic Complex Parking Lot for City of East Peoria (utilities, curb & gutter, and concrete), Costco Misc. Site Improvements for City of East Peoria (earthwork, site utilities and fencing), and Morton Community Bank EP – Embankment for CORE Construction (embankment work).
One challenge Stark faced while working on the Target facility projects is that there was a lot of work happening in a small area, in which Stark was working on removing existing foundations and footings while installing utilities. Another challenge for Stark was the tight schedule to work with on both the East Peoria Downtown Retail Development project and the Costco Misc. Site Improvements Project. (Information above obtained from Cullinan Properties project overview publication).
Locust Street CSO Elimination
The $9,026,548 dollar Locust Street CSO Elimination project was a multi-phase project to separate sewers leading to the CSO – Combined Sewer Overflow at Locust Street and Colton Avenue in Bloomington, Illinois. Stark Excavating was awarded this project by the City of Bloomington and hit the dirt in December 2011. The project was completed in July 2013 and included the installation of over 11,000 LF of ductile iron water main with over 150 service connections, 15,000 LF of PVC sanitary sewer and sewer services and 2,000 LF of new storm drainage piping. In addition, Stark also removed and replaced 4,000 foot section of Country Club Place and Mercer Avenue with new curb & gutter and hot mix asphalt pavement. Most of the work is taking place in the streets of Towanda, Country Club, Perrin, Jefferson, Washington and Mercer. This project was funded through the Motor Fuel Tax fund and through an IEPA – Illinois Environmental Protection Agency 20 year loan to the City of Bloomington and was paid with funds received from the Sewer, Storm Water and Water services.
Several interim schedule dates have been specified to limit construction around the Bloomington Country Club Golf Course and District 87 School Activities. In the beginning of December, project superintendent Greg Gilmore was challenged with the task of installing over 1,900 LF of 30″ PVC sewer through the Bloomington High School baseball field and the Bloomington Country Club Golf Course with complete restoration due by March 1st so that the baseball and golf season would not be affected. Rooster’s A-Team sewer crew met the challenge and a mild winter helped get the sod down to complete the restorations in February. The next challenge faced by superintendent Steve Stielow and his seasoned journeymen was to complete water main installations at the High School and Washington Street Grade School before classes started in August. After all utility work was completed on Country Club Place, Tommy Cecil completed grading & curb & gutter installations for Hot Mix Asphalt paving.
Project Manager Don Colclasure, Jr. quotes, “Whenever you’re replacing 100+ yearold infrastructure in an established neighborhood, the challenges are not daily, they are hourly. Without a doubt, Stark Excavating employs the top workers this area has to offer; the challenges in every aspect of the project are eagerly accepted and achieved at all levels of the workforce.”
