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Associated General Contractors’ Washington, D.C. chapter awarded Clark/Smoot, a joint venture between Clark Construction Group, LLC of Bethesda, Md. and Smoot Construction of Falls Church, Va., a Washington Contractor Merit Award for the Washington Convention Center.
Opened in April 2003, the vast new convention center contains 70 loading docks, 70 meeting rooms, 71 air handlers, 68 public restrooms, 39 escalators and 32 elevators.
The most impressive aspect of the 2.3 million-square-foot building is that 40% is underground. Clark Foundations completed the largest excavation in the western hemisphere by removing 1.6 million tons of earth from the site. For more than a year, 1,000 truckloads of earth were moved each day.
In addition, the Washington Convention Center raised the bar for finishes in major convention centers, fitting for its place among the monuments and museums in the nation’s capitol. A dramatic front facade and lobby atrium on Mount Vernon Square are the major components with the 360-foot long and 60-foot high Grand Wall made of elegant Makore wood, which provides the backdrop for the space. The 450-foot wide, 100-foot high Grand Lobby is the main entrance of the facility and also contains organizational space, directing visitors to all five exhibit halls and ballroom via three monumental staircases.
Construction of the facility was a boom to the local economy. Over 48% of contract dollars were awarded to local, small and disadvantaged business enterprises (LSDBE’s). Working in partnership with the Washington Convention Center Authority, the District of Columbia government and the community, Clark/Smoot’s goal was to award at least $171 million in subcontracts to these businesses by the end of the project. This goal was exceeded. By January 2003, LSDBE’s were awarded subcontracts totaling over $249 million.
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