Dallas-based Centex Construction Opens Area Office

"The first big opportunity for us is the $3-billion bond package that passed in November for higher education facilities in North Carolina over the next five years," Robert B. Hambright, new president and CEO of the Charlotte office, tells GlobeSt.com.

He says another target market will be three new prisons with a price tag of $200 million. Contractors are still to be named for both that project and the college construction. But Hambright adds Centex is not ignoring the commercial market, either.

"Of course, with all the banks in Charlotte, we see a lot of corporate work. In Raleigh, there's technologically-driven projects and pharmaceuticals," he says. In Atlanta, he expects the company to be involved in corporate centers and expansions.

He tells GlobeSt.com the company's decision in favor of a Charlotte Group office expansion was undeterred by the slowing market. "The market US-wise, and even world-wise, may be slowing down a little, but we think the demographics of the entire southeast is going to continue to be strong in the commercial and industrial market," he says.

Centex's Charlotte office joins five other group company offices in Fairfax, VA, Dallas, Plantation, FL, Nashville and Dyersburg, TN. Hambright is the former president of J. A. Jones Construction Co. He has had more than 30 years of experience in the construction industry.

Centex has completed various projects in the Carolinas, including the Fort Bragg Hospital, two Bass Pro Shops Outdoor Worlds, and projects at Duke University, among others.

Centex Construction Co. is a subsidiary of Dallas-based Centex Corp., a Fortune 500 company. The company's home building revenue topped $201 million in North Carolina and $128 in South Carolina last year.

In addition, Centex has subsidiary operations in financial services and has operations in investment real estate. Centex Corp. will post $6 billion in revenue for fiscal 2000 that will end Mar. 31.