Project Overview

This design/build project consisted of site work for a new production plant in Middletown, DE. Scope included:

  • Stripping and stockpiling topsoil across the 15 acre site
  • Performing cuts and fills to grade
  • Stripping overburden and importing select fill for structural areas as needed
  • 104k CY of total earthwork
  • Performing well-pointing and installation of underground utilities including:
    • 550’ of sanitary sewer at up to 10’ depths
    • 3300’ of stormwater piping
    • 1000’ of waterline and a large underground meter pit
  • Installing 5,000’ of curb and 12,000 SF of sidewalk
  • 3,000 tons of asphalt pavement

Key Challenges

Corrado worked with Civil Engineering Associates and Wohslen Construction during the early stages of this design/build project to help reduce costs through design tweaks. Some key changes that helped reduce cost were:

  • Adjusting building pad elevation to optimize cuts/fills
  • Incorporating berms into the site design for excess topsoil, thereby reducing export costs

In addition to design tweaks, another opportunity to reduce costs came from working the onsite soils to help reduce the impact of some existing unsuitable soils. This reduced the amount of select material needed and decreased project costs.

Testimonials

Mike Lano, Superintendent

Corrado Construction was asked to participate on a fast-paced job with liquidated damages. You performed amazingly. The building pad was completed two weeks ahead of schedule, which let us start our site utilities early. The utilities were deep and dangerous but your team handled them like true professionals. Site water and fire systems were installed into one of the deepest meter pits within the Town’s limits. Excess materials were shaped into huge stockpiles on-site, which made access tough but was no problem for your crew. Datwyler’s sewer and process water was sent through a 10,000-gallon concrete holding facility, which was not something we do every day but you handled it. The area needed dewatering and shoring – pretty complex work. Again, no issues. Thanks for the opportunity to work with your team.

Mike Lano, Superintendent, Wohlsen Construction
Dave Vandegrift, Vice President of Preconstruction & Estimating

Please accept this note as my appreciation for all the work you and your firm, Corrado Construction, did on the Datwyler project. Specifically, I want to emphasize the preconstruction phase of the project. As you are aware, the initial competitive design/build proposal was made even more challenging based on very schematic documents prepared by a European design firm. Working successfully with you through that phase, we began the design/build process. However again we were met with another challenge of the sitework being completed by the Owner’s civil engineering firm. Although the process was difficult at times, we worked closely to maintain the project’s pricing and schedule commitments. This included multiple design changes and value engineering options, while work had already begun on the site. Although my involvement with the project ended once the project was fully under construction, I know that your firm played a key role in its successful completion. Looking forward to working with Corrado on future projects.

Dave Vandegrift, Vice President of Preconstruction & Estimating, Wohlsen Construction

Project Details

Project:Datwyler Pharmaceutical

Client:Wohlsen Construction Company

Design Professional:Civil Engineering Associated

LocationMiddletown, DE

Classification:Commercial

Job Size:$1 - $3 Million

Duration:18 months

Date of Completion:August 2018

PORTFOLIO