Garbutt Construction Company proudly announced receipt of five coveted Build Georgia Awards presented by the Associated General Contractors of Georgia (AGC Georgia). This prestigious award recognizes excellence in safety, project management, and scheduling, use of innovative techniques, overcoming challenges, and customer service. The five projects awarded each received First Place honors in their respective divisions, a record for the company. “We have a wonderful, committed team who made each of these projects a success,” says Charlie Garbutt, Chief Executive Officer. The recognized projects, ranging from historic restoration to ground up facilities, include Historic Old Griffin City Hall Rehabilitation, Jenkins Hall Renovation and Prep School Annex, Terrell Hall Rehabilitation, University Dining Facility Upgrades, and Jones Building Exterior Rehabilitation and Stabilization. 

Garbutt Construction Company and design partner Lord Aeck Sargent were selected to complete the rehabilitation of the Historic Old City Hall in Griffin, Georgia, after it appeared on the Georgia Trust’s Places in Peril list. The building was originally constructed in 1910 and included a fire hall, city council chamber, and offices. The primary goal for this project involved restoring as much original character as possible, such as the historic limestone steps, while incorporating modern systems and all the necessary amenities required of a building today. Historic Old City Hall remains an integral part of Griffin as it houses office space for the Economic Development Authority and provides a source of revenue through the rental of the transformed event space.

With admission demands exceeding classroom capacity, Georgia Military College (GMC) Preparatory School decided to expand its elementary grades through the renovation of Jenkins Hall and the addition of the Prep School Annex. The first phase included an archeological dig of the proposed site on Historic Old Capitol Hill as well as the construction of the Prep School Annex, a 24,000 sf addition to the historic Jenkins Hall. Although the Prep School Annex is fitted with modern amenities, it blends seamlessly with the historic buildings on the hill, an important aspect to the design. The Annex serves the growing population of 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders at GMC Preparatory School. Housed within are administrative space, a reading room, computer lab, and visual arts room. The Bull Dog Café, the cafeteria for Jenkins Hall students and staff can also be found here, featuring indoor and outdoor dining. The stately Jenkins Hall stands on Historic Old Capitol Square in Milledgeville where it has served five generations of students since its construction in 1926. Work began with stabilizing the structure. Steel beams and columns were carefully incorporated for support all of which was added without removing the roof or damaging the original structure of the building. The team worked diligently to restore the historic fabric beginning with the exterior of the building where new windows were installed in the original layout, bringing more light back into the revitalized classrooms. The original windows were discarded during previous renovations and replaced with smaller window units. Upon entering Jenkins Hall, you are greeted by the original wooden storefront at all entrances as well as the beautifully restored original wood floors and beadboard ceiling spanning the corridors. Scott Fry, owner of Fry Design Group, served as the design professional for this renovation and addition.

Garbutt Construction Company and design partner Lord Aeck Sargent joined forces again to perform the rehabilitation of Terrell Hall, a structure that has held a prominent place on Georgia College’s front campus since 1908. The purpose of this project was to upgrade the quality and usability of the facility without altering the building’s historic fabric. Work began on the exterior of Terrell Hall with the addition of balustrades across the front as they were originally on the building. Accessibility improvements were highly prioritized, and entrances were modified to meet the appropriate requirements. New mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC systems, as well as an elevator, were thoughtfully incorporated into the building. Existing interior paint was removed, revealing the original finishes. The iconic cupola-topped breezeway, connecting Terrell Hall and Atkinson Hall, underwent major renovations to transform it back to its original appearance, including the rebuilding of its copper top. This iconic structure is now home to the Georgia College Mass Communication Department. The project integrated several new high-tech additions that will provide students with unmatched, hands-on learning experiences.

Garbutt Construction was selected to upgrade three dining facilities on the Georgia Southern University Armstrong Campus in Savannah, Georgia. Since the student population at Georgia Southern University is expanding every year, Garbutt Construction placed great emphasis on creating flow that would enable employees to maximize efficiency in these small facilities. Garbutt Construction began this series of projects with the Chick-fil-A Renovation, located at the former Quiznos. With the latest approved design standards, it contains all stainless-steel commercial freezers, cooking equipment, and vent hoods, all specific to Chick-fil-A. Branding is featured throughout the area and enhanced digital infrastructure was incorporated for expedited service. Garbutt Construction then began work on the Southern Cafe which stands adjacent to the newly renovated Chick-fil-A. The Southern Cafe underwent a full renovation and was redesigned to depict a low country landscape. The last of these projects was the Armstrong Galley Dish Room Renovation. This space, a part of the main kitchen, was barricaded allowing the kitchen to function as usual. Once all equipment was removed, mold remediation, a large component of its scope, began. Once the mold was removed and the air moisture levels were stabilized, the floor was leveled. Drains and resinous flooring were installed. The dishwasher was reinstalled as was a new dish accumulator. In addition to addressing moisture issues, the dish room layout was modified for increased efficiency and flow.

As one of the oldest commercial structures in downtown Canton, the Jones Building is considered a focal point of the business district by the local community where it has held a prominent place in the heart of Canton, Georgia since 1879. The building originally operated as the Jones Mercantile where goods ranging from hardware to children’s toys were sold. The Jones Building Exterior Rehabilitation and Stabilization, another Garbutt project completed alongside design partner Lord Aeck Sargent, involved the replacement of the existing roof system, repair and replacement of masonry, windows, and the addition of historically accurate commercial storefront designs. Some of the exterior brick and marble was in poor condition or damaged beyond repair and were carefully repaired or replaced in kind. All windows were removed and sensitively rehabilitated including the hardware. The revitalized windows were then reinstalled. Extensive repairs of the historic cornice were also completed. Additionally, during this first phase, a plan was developed and executed for the selective demolition of the interior non-attributing elements. 

We commend Project Managers Phil Best, Jr., Michael Brent, and Austin Zeigler, Project Superintendents Donnie Beasley, Doug Bethea, Austin Dibble, Tracy Lively, Vance Lively, and all members of the project teams. Their diligent efforts to maintain Garbutt Construction’s high standard of quality throughout the entire construction process ensured the success of these award-winning facilities. In addition to AGC’s Build Georgia award honors, each project exemplified safety excellence with no lost time accidents.