Liberty University Stadium Construction

Branch and Associates of Roanoke is the project contractor.

Project Manager: Heather Bowman

Supertintendents: Dale Sherburne and Pat Benton

HICAPS Inc. is provding scheduling. Tom Smithey is the scheduling engineer.

Branch and Associates is working multiple shifts, 7 days a week. Projected completion date is September '10.

The demolition of the 21-year old facility is the first step toward construction of the new five-story suite and press tower that will overlook an expanded Williams Stadium for the 2010 football season.

The following is from a press release detailing the stadium construction:

The first of a three-phase plan calls for the addition of 6,600 seats added to the west side of the stadium, plus a 34,000-square foot press box. The brick and glass encased, Jeffersonian-style four-story tower will house club-level seating for qualified Flames Club donors, 16 permanent luxury suites, a banquet room which can hold up to 500 people, a 1000-seat classroom and a state-of-the-art press area. “The expansion of Williams Stadium will have a monumental effect on Liberty University and its football program,” stated Jeff Barber, Liberty’s Director of Athletics. “Above all else, this shows a great commitment from the University, and when you have a commitment, a lot of wonderful things can happen.”

Phase One of the plan is part of a multiphase effort to boost the stadium’s seating from its current capacity of 12,000 to 30,000 over the next five years. Phases Two and Three will add a new 4,000-seat middeck for the east side of the stadium and 6,400 seats in a horseshoe-shape area surrounding the end zone in the south end of the stadium. When all three phases are complete, the stadium will have undergone an estimated $22 million in improvements. The renovated facility will also ready the stadium for the future construction of upper desks on the west and east sides of the stadium that will bring the capacity to 60,000.

NASCLA Accredited Examination Program Update

Tom Smithey, who is Vice President Building Diagnostics Division is one of the professionals working with NASCLA to draft this National Contractor's Licensing Exam which has been in the works since 2002.

NASCLA Accredited Examination Program Update:
It is one of those times in an organization’s lifetime to say, “Mission
Accomplished!” The first NASCLA Accredited Examination for
Commercial General Building Contractors was administered on
September 8, 2009 in Alabama. The Alabama Licensing Board for
General Contractors was the first NASCLA member to utilize the new
examination developed by PSI. The administration of this
examination is a milestone in NASCLA history, as NASCLA been
working at least ten years toward the goal of improving the quality of
construction examinations and enabling the mobility of contractors
across jurisdictions. NASCLA committee members, testing providers,
and consultants have participated in making this accomplishment truly a
collaborative effort.

In addition to the first examination being administered, NASCLA is also extremely pleased to include Professional Examination Service (PES) as the most recent provider of an accredited examination. NASCLA jurisdictions now have two testing providers who are NASCLA-approved and have accredited examinations.
The NASCLA Accredited Examination Program consists of an approval and an accreditation process. NASCLA spent several years developing and refining the NASCLA Examination Standards, which provide detailed criteria that must be met to ensure the highest quality examination development and administration. Testing providers who pass a business, financial and security audit based on the Standards are designated as NASCLA-approved. Testing providers who want to provide an accredited examination for commercial building contractors are required to use a national occupational analysis commissioned by NASCLA and conducted by PES as the basis for the examination content. Testing providers must also pass a psychometric audit of their examination development procedures based on the Standards. NASCLA jurisdictions are strongly encouraged to request that their testing provider become NASCLA approved in order to ensure that NASCLA standards are being met.
The NASCLA Accredited Examination Program was designed to assist contractors who need to be licensed in multiple jurisdictions. Contractors who take the accredited examination can access NASCLA’s examination database (NED) and request that their results be sent to other jurisdictions that accept the examination, thereby reducing redundant licensing requirements.
During the annual conference in Nashville, there was much interest from NASCLA members about the new examinations with a little friendly competition between member states about which would be the next state to utilize the accredited examination. In addition, many states expressed their commitment to accept the examination. NASCLA Accredited Examination Program committee members also spoke with Prometric and Prov, Inc. to encourage them to become NASCLA-approved providers.
If you have questions about the NASCLA Accredited Examination Program, you can request a program brochure or other information from the NASCLA office, and you may also request that a member of the NASCLA Submarketing Program Committee provide you with personal assistance for utilizing the program in your jurisdiction. Congratulations, NASCLA, on a great achievement!