By BOB HIGH

There’s at least $40 million in wages and salaries that will be spent during the next 20 months to construct a state prison northwest of Tabor City that will house 992 maximum-security inmates.

“I can’t give you an exact figure, but the amount of money to be spent on wages is a very significant part – at least $40 million -- of the $94 million overall cost of the project,” said John Harris, senior project manager for Centex Construction, prime contractor for the job.

“We’re hoping to find several hundred local people who want to work for us and the subcontractors, and I’m expecting at least 300 Tuesday at the job fair we’ve scheduled,” Harris added.

The job fair is from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Jellystone camping park along Richard Wright Road, east of Tabor City.

Centex will have several managers on hand, plus there will be many subcontractors looking for help.

2,000 workers

Harris said there would be between 1,800 and 2,000 people working on the entire project, with a peak of between 400 to 450 at one time.
Site preparation began in June 2005 and there has been 300,000 cubic yards of soil moved to the site along N.C. 904 two miles northwest of the Tabor City town limits. That’s 25,000 loads of soil – at 12 cubic yards a load -- and most of it was purchased from landowners within two miles of the location.

The final grade will be between 12 and 15 feet above normal ground level for the former pine plantation, with the buildings to occupy 450,000 square feet.

“There’s a lot of opportunities for local contractors and for individual workers, whether they’re skilled or just plain laborers,” Harris pointed out.

Subcontractors for installation of underground utilities, welding and metal work, all the concrete work, structural steel, roofing, drywall, security, plumbing, electrical, air conditioning and heating, staffing, safety and drug testing met last week to exchange information on their needs and expectations.

This is the sixth prototype prison facility Centex has built in North Carolina. New prisons have been constructed in Greene, Bertie, Scotland, Anson and Alexander counties, almost all the same design.

More cells possible

Harris said there has been some talk about expanding the new Columbus County prison by installing double bunks in at least three inmate housing sections, increasing the inmate count by another 576. Plans currently call for single-bunk cells for the 992 prisoners, each cell designed for maximum security.

Centex’s site contractor will be moving dirt for another six weeks, and the installation of underground utilities has begun, it was learned last week. Foundation work will begin within 10 days.

Calvin Stevens of Centex, the firm’s minority business coordinator, said work to be done by minority and small business contractors at the site had already exceeded Centex’s goals.

The prison is being constructed privately with guarantees from the state and will be “sold” to the state when the last screw is turned and the last inspection made. This method enables Centex to complete the job in much shorter time.

The prison is expected to be ready for occupancy in April 2008 – another 20 months.