U.S. Army Specialist Craig Andrade received the keys to his new 2,645-sq-ft Marion, Texas, home on Nov. 11, thanks to the Homes for Our Troops program. The Marion project was orchestrated by Hardin Construction Co. and drew on a crew of more than 100 volunteers. The project is Hardin’s second home built in 2011 under the program.

Pictured from left are Shawn Callahan, Hardin Construction project area superintendent; Craig Andrade; Andrade’s son, Christian; daughter, Isabella; wife, Danielle; and son, Donovan.

Photo Courtesy Of Hardin Construction

At the eighth-annual Topping Out Awards, held in Dallas Oct. 6, industry leaders from Dallas and Fort Worth honored excellence in development, architecture and construction. Proceeds benefited The Arc of Dallas and University of Texas at Arlington School of Architecture. Botanical Research Institute of Texas, Fort Worth, won the Top Award. Pictured are Topping Out co-chairs and representatives from H3 Hardy Collaboration Architecture, The Beck Group, Botanical Research Institute of Texas, Corgan Associates and Hart Gaugler & Assoc.

Photo Courtesy Of Topping Out 2011

The Thornton Tomasetti Foundation was in Chocos, Peru, this summer helping to support earthquake-resistant construction practices. The foundation provided $15,000 to support the rebuilding of an elementary school, which is no longer a collapse hazard during earthquakes. The three-room school is being rebuilt 7,000 ft above sea level with a more robust foundation. The adobe brick walls were bound together by high-strength plastic netting and a reinforced concrete beam was placed on top of the walls.

Photo By David Hermoza

More than 300 professionals from New York’s architectural, engineering, building management and construction trades paid tribute to the industry’s best at ORT America’s Engineering & Construction Industry Chapter 2011 Annual Tribute Luncheon held at The Union League Club in New York City on Nov. 1. From left: Milo E. Riverso, president & CEO, STV Group Inc.; Richard T. Anderson, president, New York Building Congress; Francis J. Lombardi, former chief engineer, Port Authority of New York & New Jersey; Dominick M. Servedio, executive chairman, STV Group Inc.; Lorraine Grillo, president & CEO, NYC School Construction Authority; Sharon Greenberger, CEO, Department of Education; David J. Burney, commissioner, NYC Department of Design and Construction, and Herbert Kaplan, ORT America’s senior director of development.

Photo Courtesy Of ORT America

Swing Scaffolding Inc., Long Island City, N.Y., installed and removed a scaffold system from around this year’s 75-ft by 45-ft Rockefeller Center Christmas tree on Nov. 12.

The system allowed electricians to install 30,000 lights for the tree-lighting ceremony on Nov. 30. Swing Scaffolding installed approximately 5,000 units of system scaffolding and 650 OSHA planks.

Photo By Tricia Fowley