 ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. (March 5, 2009) — The National Elephant Center, a new model for elephant care and conservation, today announced that Richard K. Davis Construction of Ft. Pierce, Fla., will manage construction for phase one of the 300-acre site located on land owned by Waste Management in Okeechobee and St. Lucie counties. The Center also announced agreements with several other local contractors, keeping with its pledge to support local firms.
“Our corporate collaborator, Waste Management, originally brought us to the area when they donated a beautiful parcel of land for the Center. It is important to us that we return the favor and work with local Florida businesses,” said Mark Reed, The National Elephant Center’s board chair. “As we continue planning for The Center’s construction, we want to be good neighbors and good business partners, particularly during this difficult economic time.”
A family-owned business for 49 years, Davis Construction has established strong relationships with local subcontractors, suppliers, and tradesmen in the Treasure Coast area. The firm’s knowledge of area resources and tradesmen will aid The Center’s construction process while providing additional jobs and business to the local community.
“We’re extremely excited to be working with The National Elephant Center,” said Douglas F. Davis, President of Davis Construction. “This is a great opportunity to showcase our expertise here at home while contributing to an important initiative for elephants everywhere.”
In addition to Davis Construction, the Elephant Center has retained several other Florida-based firms to assist with the phase I design and construction of several expansive savannah-like elephant habitats, support buildings, and infrastructure. Firms contracted for these services include:
- Wantman Group, Inc. of West Palm Beach, Fla., conducting extensive site surveying and mapping to aid construction. Work for the project is being performed out of the firm’s Port St. Lucie office;
- Construction Engineering Group of Melbourne, Fla., providing civil and structural engineering services;
- PBS&J of Orlando, providing mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineering, as well as ecological sciences services including wetland and wildlife survey and permitting;
- Universal Engineering Sciences, Inc. of Rockledge, Fla., conducting geotechnical engineering.
Adding to the project’s complexity is the site’s proximity to environmentally sensitive lands, requiring careful consideration and planning to ensure local wetlands and wildlife are not negatively impacted by any construction work.
“As strong advocates for wildlife, The National Elephant Center is totally committed to maintaining and enhancing this area as homes for regional wildlife. We selected firms that have expertise in and share our commitment toward maintaining the beauty and health of the region’s native habitats,” added Reed. “The finished product is going to be spectacular haven for local wildlife and elephants.”
Currently The Center is working with each firm as it continues the construction planning process. Ongoing design work is underway with a formal groundbreaking anticipated later this year.
About The National Elephant Center
The National Elephant Center is a nonprofit organization that envisions becoming the global leader in elephant population management. It is committed to ensuring the future of elephants in zoos and in the wild by advancing science in artificial insemination and breeding; promoting elephant research and conservation programs; providing specialized training for elephant caregivers; and becoming a voice for elephants nationally and internationally through advocacy and collaboration. For more information about the Center, visit www.TheNationalElephantCenter.org.
About Waste Management
Waste Management, based in Houston, Texas, is the leading provider of comprehensive waste management services in North America. Its subsidiaries provide collection, transfer, recycling and resource recovery, and disposal services. It is also a leading developer, operator and owner of waste-to-energy and landfill gas-to-energy facilities in the United States. Customers include residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers throughout North America. More information about how Waste Management Thinks Green can be found at www.thinkgreen.com.
Contractor Information
Richard K. Davis Construction www.rkdavis.com
Wantman Group www.wantmangroup.com
Construction Engineering Group www.cegengineering.com
PBS&J www.pbsj.com
Universal Engineering Services www.universalengineering.com
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