In July, we had the honor of attending the grand opening and ribbon-cutting of our Upper Proctor Creek Capacity Relief at Rodney Cook, Sr. Park in Historic Vine City projects. So it was with pride, we watched the local community gather in Vine City in Atlanta, Georgia, to celebrate the completion of this park and recognize the significance it carries in this community.

We’re thankful to have worked with Atlanta’s Department of Watershed Management, Parks and Recreation, and The Trust for Public Land to bring this state-of-the-art park to life.

The breathtaking park stands in the middle of a neighborhood that experienced a devastating flood in 2002. The flood destroyed homes and displaced over 60 families. That same space that flooded is now transformed into a safe green space for all that is designed to alleviate and prevent future flooding by capturing and storing up to 10 million gallons of stormwater.

“The 16-acre oasis includes a playground, basketball court, pavilions, water features, and a statue honoring the legendary life of Congressman John Lewis. The park also includes a bioretention pond and eco-inspired green infrastructure such as stormwater planters that line the streetscape and capture runoff, rain gardens that saturate and filter water from stormwater pipes, and native plants and wetlands near the pond that enhance water quality. These unique attributes of the neighborhood park’s design are programmed to prevent flooding, filter stormwater and enhance overall wellbeing.” – Atlanta Department of Watershed Management

Rodney Cook, Sr. Park, also referred to as Peace Park, will provide a space for urban farming programs, sports, youth activities, and a 10,000-volume library of the late C.T. Vivian and Martin Luther King, Jr., families. Eventually, the park will also house two museums that highlight 300 years of Georgia’s history.

We could not be more proud to have been a part of this project. The most fulfilling part of what we do is making communities a better place to live. We look forward to seeing the positive impact this park will have for years to come.

Thank you for celebrating Women In Construction Week (WIC) 2021 with us! Before we wrap up the week, we want to introduce you to Kathryn Whitaker! Kathryn is an Assistant Project Manager at Astra, and she has been a part of the Astra team for 4 years! She puts 100 percent into everything she does, and she has been instrumental in ensuring that no detail is left unattended.

Kathryn first entered the industry while pursuing her second bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering. While going back to school, she reconnected with a friend who was working at Astra. Kathryn was put into contact with her now boss, and the rest was history!

Kathryn balances both on-site and office work and is usually at the job site about twice a week.

“Being on site helps to grasp what is being discussed and decided when you are able to see the project,” said Kathryn. “Getting out and speaking with all of the people on site is also extremely helpful in making sure everyone has what they need in order to make a project successful.”

When Kathryn first entered the construction industry, she had a mentor in Morgan Tuschen. “Her patience and ability to help me truly understand the ins and outs of the job inspired me to be the best I could be,” said Kathryn.

Even though Kathryn was able to work with other women early in her construction career, not everyone is able to find other women to mentor them as they enter the industry. This lack of diversity can sometimes cause hesitation for other women wanting to enter the industry.

“At first, I was a little intimidated. It does take some time (at least for me) to find the power to put behind your knowledge,” she explained. “Once you get over the initial “fear”, it becomes more natural.”

You may be surprised to learn that more and more women are entering the construction industry, and there are several resources to connect them to each other. One of which is the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC). Kathryn has taken advantage of this resource.

“I was fortunate enough to attend their [NAWIC] conference in Atlanta a couple of years back. They are such a supportive group of women who empower you to use YOUR talents to progress your career and the industry.”

Moving deeper into what her experience has been as a woman in this industry, we were curious if she thought being a woman in a male-dominated industry was difficult.

“I believe it is what you make of it. You definitely have to make your presence known as a leader and as someone in a position of authority,” said Kathryn. “You may have to speak a little louder or be a little more firm, but your ideas always deserve to be heard and will help you be the leader that everyone admires.

“It can be challenging to be taken as seriously as men on a project and in the industry. However, with patience and determination, you can easily prove your well deserved worth to the project!” she said.

As we look forward, we reflect on the past to bring to light the changes we would like to see.

            “It has nothing to do with my time at Astra, but I wish I had gotten into the industry sooner. I have really found my passion and love what I do. It just took me some time (and a whole separate degree) to get me here!

           “I hope to see it become more commonplace for women to be seen on the project and in a leadership position. We are gaining in numbers, and the confident women that I know and have met through my time so far are making our presence known!”

If you are in the construction industry or hire tradespeople including laborers, field staff, operators, foremen and superintendents, then this is especially for you!

CEFGA, the Construction Education Foundation of Georgia, represents 18 construction trade organizations, 3,000+ employers and more than 200,000 skilled trade employees. It is a thriving statewide organization; a powerful and effective voice for construction workforce development in Georgia.

BUT CEFGA CANNOT DO THIS WORK WITHOUT US!

We’re asking you to join our alliance of construction companies dedicated to building a talent pipeline for Georgia. Click here to learn more and secure a sponsorship opportunity for 2020!

Carter Madden, one of our project engineers, and his wife, Ashley, are currently in Ireland on a working holiday visa. They have been exploring the world since this past May, and they have been sharing some incredible footage with us that we want to share with you!

We interviewed Carter to get a better sense of what this adventure has been like for him and Ashley. Check out the interview below!

Q: What made you decide to get a working holiday visa? Why did you choose to go to Ireland?

A: “Ashley and I wanted to travel after college, and a working holiday visa is available during the first year after graduation. It was the best time to go before we had a house and other responsibilities. Ireland is one of the few countries to offer a working holiday visa so we could still work while traveling.”

Q: What are your top 3 favorite sites you have seen on your trip?

A: “Edinburgh Scotland: Aran Island, Ireland: Lagos Cliffs, Portugal”

Q: What is something about the culture there that you enjoy?

A: “Health and walkability. We can easily get anywhere we need to by a walking path or a short bus/train ride.”

Q: What is the community you live in like?

A: “We move around a lot, usually in a place for 2 – 4 weeks. So, I guess our community is the changes with the host we stay with. We have stayed with young families with children, an older grandma who had her extended family visit regularly, we worked/ stayed for room and board on the Aran Islands for a few weeks, and currently, we are staying in a small town with a retired math teacher.”

Q: What is your favorite part about currently living there?

A: “Learning and exchanging culture with the people we meet. Being able to take day trips exotic places is a bonus as well.”

Q: Is there anything else you think is worth mentioning about your experience?

A: “This has been the most amazing / toughest experience we have ever taken on and has taught us what things are important and what we can live without.”

We recently celebrated our 25th Anniversary on May 9th at New Realm Brewing — right off of the Astra-built Eastside Trail on the Atlanta Beltline! The venue provided an excellent rooftop setting with gorgeous views of the City. The DJ set us off with some fantastic music, while the brewery catered delicious spread of food and an open bar with their large selection of spring brews. What more could we ask for!

Each guest got the opportunity to participate in a raffle where we handed out prizes that included two giveaways of an insulated wine bag with complimentary wine, a waterproof GoPro camera, and a couple of Bluetooth speakers. As a parting gift, we gave each guest a custom pilsner glass with Astra’s 25th anniversary logo etched on it.

Andrew and Ian Lindsay (our president and chairman of the board) gave a heartfelt speech about their appreciation for all of their customers, employees, vendors, subs, and friends. Astra is a family run business, and as a result, the employees have created bonds beyond the scope of being coworkers. We have become good friends and our own little family, and this celebration was a beautiful representation of that. As we all laughed together and celebrated an incredible 25 years in business, we continued to build that company bond that makes Astra such an exceptional company.

Cory Reeves, a Project Engineer at Astra, did a wonderful job summing up how the employees felt about the event when he said:

“The birthday party for Astra Group, Inc., was memorable for several reasons. Still, one especially remarkable thing that stood out for me was the choice of venue which unbeknownst to me at the time had some symbolism behind it. Concerning the venue of choice [New Realm Brewery], I later found out that the recent development was effectively “anchored” in-part based on our contributions to the Atlanta Beltline! For Astra to have such an integral role in this form of community development definitely stood out to me; effectively letting me know once again that choosing this internship was a great idea!”

[WOODSTOCK, GA, December 19, 2018—] Astra Grading & Pipe, LLC, completed construction of the very first Engineered Materials Arrestor System (EMAS) at DeKalb Peachtree Airport (PDK) in Atlanta this week.

The $5.6 million EMAS project at Runway 21L provides safety for aircraft & public. The system is comprised of specialized blocks that collapse under the weight of an aircraft, which stops by digging into the blocks without damaging the aircraft and preventing it from leaving airport property.

“Great job! The entire team has put an enormous amount of effort into making this project successful,” said Andrew Lindsay, President of Astra Grading & Pipe. “It is one you all should be very proud of.”

The project site features variable height Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) wall from zero to 30 feet high and 5,200 square yards of grooved asphalt that is designed as a warning track from the end of the runway to the blocks.

Four Astra crews worked 24/7 for 30 days tomove 50,000 cubic yards of dirt to complete the project before the Christmasholidays. As part of the overall scope, Astra also relocated an existing localizer and installed a new electrical shelter.

“Great job team!” said Theresa Rivera, Astra project manager. “We wouldn’t have gotten this done before Christmas without all the hours spent by our crews in the field (and there were definitely a lot of hours put in!)

“Special shout out to Darrin [Johnson] (site superintendent) & David [Torres] (site foreman) for sticking with it the past year and a half! We’ve definitely encountered some unique challenges on this one,” Rivera said.

Kudos to the entire project team as well as DeKalb County, Georgia Department of Transportation, Baker International, Aulick Engineering & the Federal Aviation Administration.

Astra Group, Inc., is a leader in Southeast in the delivery of general contracting and job order contracting to private, commercial, government and municipal entities. We operate from our headquarters in Woodstock with other offices in Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia, and Tampa, Florida, employing more than 160 people with revenues of more than $100 million. We are comprised of three divisions – Astra Group, Inc., Astra Grading and Pipe, LLC, and Astra Construction Services, LLC.
www.astragroupinc.com

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If you would like more information about Astra Group, Inc., please call Regina Pitts at (770) 992-9300, or email rpitts@astragroupinc.com.

Astra has been named as a finalist for the Urban Land Institute’s 24th Annual Atlanta Awards for Excellence. As part of the project team for the Atlanta BeltLine’s Westside Trail team, the project is being recognized in the “Excellence in the Public Realm” category!

As a member of the Georgia Utility Contractors Association (GUCA), Astra and its affiliated subsidiary, Astra Grading and Pipe, LLC (AGAP), were featured in the 2018 GUCA Annual Magazine for our work on various parts of the Atlanta BeltLine. The goal of article is to highlight GUCA’s members and their achievements!

Also included in the magazine is coverage from the 2018 Hard Hat Safety Award Gala in March where Astra received an award in the 200,001-500,000 Man-Hours Pipeline Contractor category.

For more information or membership inquiries about GUCA, please visit them online at http://www.guca.com. For any questions regarding the article or GUCA, please contact Michael Moon, Director of Communications & Membership, at michael@guca.com or (404) 362-9995.

Astra received its Notice to Proceed for the civil infrastructure portion of the $128 million rail expansion for the Port of Savannah’s International Multi-Modal Connector (IMMC) project at the Garden City Terminal in Garden City, Ga. This $35 million civil infrastructure project consists of providing soil improvements, earthwork, drainage and erosion control within and adjacent to the James D. Mason Intermodal Container Transfer Facility (ICTF), the realignment of a portion of Pipemakers Canal, installation of two (2) structures across the realigned canal to accommodate future rail tracks, and the installation of a bridge across the canal for maintenance. Part of the project is funded by FASTLANE, a federal grant program, that requires expedited delivery of infrastructure projects to support the growth of the economy and encourages the use of American products.

The two (2) rail bridges across Pipemakers Canal will ultimately connect the Chatham and Mason rail yards, operated by CSX and Norfolk Southern railroads. This Mega-Rail project will allow 10,000-foot trains to be loaded on a terminal with containers double-stacked. The trains will increase the capacity from 500,000 container lifts per year to 1 million when the project is finished.

We are proud to be the contractor for this important Georgia Ports Authority project as it is the first of its kind for the east coast. Once completed, the state-of-the-art expansion will reduce transit times to already in-service routes by more than 24 hours, and will also allow open service to inland markets in the Midwest, including Chicago, St. Louis and the Ohio Valley. The entire project is estimated for completion by the end of 2020.