U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
12/02/2021 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 12/02/2021 11:59
On the Move
The Bradshaw Town Hall in McDowell County, WV, is on the move. The structure was elevated approximately 4 feet over a four-day period in November (wrapping up on Nov. 17) as part of the floodproofing program on the Nonstructural Flood Control Project, Section 202 Program.
The two-story main structure measures 70 feet by 62 feet, which is 8,680 square feet. The contractor estimated it to weigh 917 tons. That makes it the largest structure elevated in the Section 202 Program in the Huntington District.
Prior to lifting the structure, the contractor demolished the annex, which housed the Police Department and the community room. They also removed the concrete porches, steps, ramps, stoops, rear exit stairs, and associated roofs and railings.
The structure is a two-story, concrete, concrete masonry unit (CMU), and brick structure constructed in 1929 as the Bradshaw Graded School, which was converted into the Bradshaw Town Hall. The first floor was below the April 1977 flood elevation and was susceptible to flooding. The second floor of the main structure is above the April 1977 flood elevation.
The structure is being floodproofed by elevating the original school building structure and replacing the annex additions with a single-story addition. When completed, all floor elevations will be above the referenced flood elevation.
The Corps entered into a $4.5 million Relocations Contract / Floodproofing Agreement with the Town of Bradshaw to elevate the structure one foot above the 1977 flood elevation. It was funded with Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (BBA-2018) funding on the McDowell County, WV Nonstructural, Section 202 project.
The Town contracted with Cochran Masonry, Inc. of Grundy, VA, for construction. Cochran has floodproofed several other residential structures in the Section 202 Program. Cochran subcontracted with Expert House Movers of Maryland, working with Layman Construction and House Moving (Parrottsville, Tenn.). Expert House Movers of Maryland performed the lift. Cochran Masonry demolished the annex and is rebuilding the foundation and annex.
The former Bradshaw Graded School building is now owned by the Bradshaw Town Hall and houses the Town Hall, Police Station, and McDowell County Branch Library.
The project received $20 million from BBA 2018, which is 100% Federally funded, to complete the current phase of floodproofing and acquisition in McDowell County.
The Town Hall, Police Station, and Library are currently in temporary office space in a structure acquired as part of the Acquisition Program, which is owned by McDowell County. Once the town moves back into the Town Hall, that structure will be demolished.
Construction is scheduled to be completed during the summer of 2022.