RALEIGH, N.C. – Geo. Raper & Son, Inc. (GR&S) has been selected for construction management of the Garner Parks and Recreation Department’s White Deer Park project, including a Nature Center which will be the Town of Garner’s first building to be LEED-certified by the U.S. Green Building Council. The GR&S construction team will build environmentally sustainable features for the Nature Center and surrounding park amenities, including trails, picnic shelters, a natural learning playground, recreational play areas, wildflower meadows and an arboretum.
“As a member of the U.S. Green Building Council, we are very excited to join a team of talented design professionals and dedicated town leaders for the development of a top quality Nature Center for the Town of Garner,” said Steve Raper, vice president of GR&S. “The White Deer Park and Nature Center will be a great resource for the community for many years to come, and our hope is that it will also inspire others in the community to plan environmentally responsible buildings.”
In the construction of this LEED project, the GR&S team will carefully deconstruct a dilapidated 1930’s farmhouse, which is located on the site of the future Nature Center, and determine which materials can be salvaged and incorporated into the new building. In July 2008, volunteers worked to salvage wood from the farmhouse. GR&S will manage the remaining process and oversee the implementation of various construction elements that will contribute to the LEED certification of the White Deer Park Nature Center.
About the Project:
White Deer Park, a 96-acre nature park located on Buffaloe and Aversboro Roads in Garner, is slated for construction in the fall of 2008. In addition to the Nature Center, the park will feature 2.5 miles of paved walking trails, five picnic shelters, two new playgrounds, wildflower meadows and an arboretum. The Nature Center will also permanently house the white deer for which the park is named.
The development team for the park includes Garner Parks and Recreation Department, GR&S, Inc., OBS Landscape Architects, Cherry Huffman Architects, Design Dimension, Stewart Engineering and Consider Design.
About GR&S, Inc.
Geo Raper &Son, Inc. (GR&S) is an unlimited, unclassified contractor with specialized expertise in water utilities. GR&S provides construction and design-build services, including sustainable solutions such as rainwater harvesting systems, metal buildings, and customizable prototypes. GR&S is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council and an authorized Nucor builder. The family-owned company, which was founded in Elizabeth City in 1972, has corporate headquarters in Raleigh, NC. For more information about GR&S, please visit http://www.georaperandson.com
