Atlanta Farmers Market Completes Emergency Structural Stabilization

Challenge: Aging Load-Bearing Wall Threatens Safety of Atlanta Farmers Market

The Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) owns and operates nine State Farmers Markets. These markets are responsible for more than $1 billion in annual sales, support hundreds of jobs and create positive ripple effects across the state and the region. Farmers have a steady place to sell their crops. Local restaurants and grocery stores have access to fresh produce. The people of Georgia can enjoy nutritious fruits and vegetables at a reasonable price.

During a roof inspection at the Atlanta Farmers Market, a project manager from Place Services, Inc., a local construction firm, flagged failing concrete block in a critical load-bearing wall. The project manager alerted GDA officials, who promptly ordered an investigation and an engineer’s report to determine the root cause and the extent of the damage. They learned the entire south wall of the building was past its useful life. The wall’s continued deterioration risked the safety of vendors, employees and the public.

Knowing they must act quickly to avoid potential collapse, department leaders went in search of a way to repair the damage and ensure the safety of the Atlanta Farmers Market with minimal disruption to everyday operations.

Solution: Gordian’s Job Order Contracting (JOC) Enables Restoration to Start in Weeks

GDA found exactly what they were looking for in Gordian’s Job Order Contracting (JOC). A flexible construction procurement method that allows for many projects to be completed with one competitively-awarded contract, JOC is as much as 25% faster than traditional project delivery methods. Given the potential for loss of life and the downstream impacts of the farmers market’s failure across the community, JOC’s speed was of the utmost importance.

The GDA further accelerated the procurement process by accessing Gordian’s JOC through Georgia’s state program, a set construction contract shared by many entities. Free from the burdens of negotiation, GDA was able to get contractors on site in roughly six weeks.

Find out more about Gordian’s Job Order Contracting, including the advantages of using a shared program in this comprehensive video series.

Result: Collaborative Project Delivery Ensures Safety of Atlanta Farmers

Gordian collaborated with Place Services, Inc. to put temporary shoring and scaffolding in place to support the building’s roof load. These structures were left in place for the duration of the project.

Over time, the project’s scope evolved to include the restoration of cracked beams and columns, the reinforcement of concrete blocks and the securing of brick veneer. With traditional project delivery methods, these scope changes would have likely resulted in delays. But not with Gordian’s Job Order Contracting, because every task is priced out of the Construction Task Catalog© (CTC), Gordian’s researched, verified and shared collection of construction costs. Using the CTC ensures fair pricing and keeps the entire project team on the same page even when the scope changes, as there is no need for price negotiations and the hard feelings that often accompany them.

The collaboration, trust and transparency evident during the Atlanta Farmers Market project are hallmarks of Job Order Contracting. An NIGP study of public procurement officials found that JOC projects are characterized by better communication, enhanced trust and fewer opportunistic behaviors than Design-Build, Design-Bid Build, Construction Manager at Risk and other means of project delivery. Improving the dynamic between owners and contractors results in long-term partnerships and optimal outcomes for all involved.

Work at the Atlanta Farmers Market wrapped approximately four months after it began with an all-in cost around $400,000. With the wall reinforced and restored, the GDA no longer has to worry about the safety of the nearly 100 people who occupy the building every day. Given the extraordinary circumstances involved, the collaborative efforts of the team and the project’s benefits to the community, the Atlanta Farmers Market repairs won a 2022 Award of Merit in Job Order Contracting.

Click here to find out more about Gordian’s annual Job Order Contracting Awards program, including how to submit your project for this distinguished honor.