EVENT DETAIL

COST: With Lunch: $20 for Members $25 for Non-Members; Without Lunch: $7 for Members $12 for Non-Members

TOPIC: Building a New Campus – Project Green

MetroConnects recently completed Project Green, a $32 million campus developed to accommodate rapid growth following the consolidation of seven wastewater systems in 2021 and 2022. The consolidation more than doubled the utility’s workforce, quickly exceeding the capacity of its 3.8-acre campus built in 2000. After an extensive site-selection and due-diligence process, MetroConnects acquired more than 28 acres along Conestee and Mauldin Road, including a challenging site with more than 120 feet of elevation change and a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-regulated waterway. To accelerate delivery, MetroConnects selected Alternative Delivery – Progressive Design-Build (ADP), allowing the owner, designer, and contractor to collaborate throughout design, procurement, construction planning, and value engineering. Site work began in October 2024 and required moving more than 150,000 cubic yards of soil and 30,000 cubic yards of rock. Vertical construction began in March 2025, and the campus achieved a certificate of occupancy on April 1, 2026—approximately 18 months after earthwork began. The phased approach allowed site construction to advance while design and permitting continued, helping maintain schedule and cost control. Project Green demonstrates how strategic planning, innovative project delivery, and collaboration can help public utilities respond to rapid growth while creating a campus designed for the future.