Balfour, Concord Win $54M College Contract

FAIRFAX, VA-Concord Eastridge and Balfour Beatty Construction have landed a $53.6-million public-private contract to develop, design and build a 170,800-square-foot conference center and hotel facility on George Mason University’s campus here. The contract also calls for related campus road and entrance work.

Called the Mason Inn, the project will include a conference area of approximately 20,000 square feet, integrated with a 149-room hotel. There will also be a restaurant, lounge, ballroom, 11 meeting rooms and an 80-space parking garage. The façade will be built using metal panels, brick and precast concrete. A system of prefabricated load-bearing wall panels–made from metal studs–will make up the structure of the hotel. According to the partners, this methodology will improve both the construction schedule and construction pricing. Construction will begin this fall, with delivery scheduled for summer 2010, and aiming to achieve LEED certification.

George Mason University awarded the contract under the Public-Private Education Facilities and Infrastructure Act of 2002–legislation that allows public entities in Virginia to partner with the private sector on educational, correctional and other projects.

Concord Eastridge and Balfour Beatty worked on the Mason Inn project over the last year as the design progressed under an interim agreement with the university. Other members on the team include Gensler, JCM Associates, JE Richards, Oncore Construction, Strittmatter, Henard Metal Fabricators, Infinity Structures, Thornton Tomasetti and GHT Ltd.