Intel Picks Construction Team for $20B Megadevelopment

An aerial look at the first two Intel chip plans in New Albany, Ohio. Image courtesy of Intel

A diverse Ohio-based team led by Gilbane Building Co. will handle the early excavation work for two new Intel chip factories planned for New Albany, Ohio, which are the first phase of what will be a $20 billion investment in state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities at the nearly 1,000-acre site.

Intel announced on Jan. 21 that it had selected the massive central Ohio manufacturing campus in Licking County, where it plans to build as many as eight semi-conductor plants for up to $100 billion. Construction on the plants, known as fabs, is expected to begin this year and come online in 2025. The company chose Ohio because of its track record as a manufacturing center, talent pool and infrastructure.

The selection of Gilbane and partners McDaniel’s Construction Co., Northstar Contracting Inc. and GTSA Construction Consulting marks the first of Intel’s hiring of construction suppliers for an anticipated 7,000 construction jobs over the course of the build-out. The project will also generate tens of thousands of additional indirect and support jobs, including contracted positions, electricians and engineers, and jobs in restaurants, health care, housing, entertainment and other businesses, according to Intel.

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At least four other companies—Air Products, Applied Materials, LAM Research and Ultra Clean Technology—have already announced plans to locate in the area to be near the Intel site. Last week, a joint venture between Lincoln Property Co. and Harrison Street announced it was building a 190-acre data and industrial campus on a site adjacent to the Intel property.

Building a diverse team

Gilbane will manage the team’s work to prepare the site for the construction of Intel’s planned factories and drive economic inclusion to provide sustainable opportunities for diverse firms throughout the project, according to Intel. Local partners, including McDaniel’s, Northstar and GTSA, will provide staff augmentation and consulting services for the first phase of construction.

Building on Intel’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, Gilbane has identified significant project goals to maximize diverse participate in all project phases. The project is targeting 20 percent diverse business enterprises and 50 percent state of Ohio residency. For workforce inclusion, the project is targeting 10 percent participation for minority, female and veteran workforce and 60 percent state of Ohio residency. Gilbane, a family-owned company that has been providing construction management services in Ohio since 1957, has launched outreach programs to achieve the goals.

Calling it a transformative project for central Ohio, Gilbane President & CEO Thomas Laird, Jr., said in prepared comments construction of the mega-campus for Intel presents a tremendous opportunity for Ohio trade partners and local workforce. He said the project continues the strong partnership Gilbane already has with the city of New Albany, The New Albany Co., One Columbus and JobsOhio.

Dan Moncrief III, chairman & CEO of McDaniel’s Construction, said in prepared remarks MCCI was pleased to be selected as an integral team member for what he called a monumental project. Moncrief said since the company’s inception 37 years ago, the firm has strived to be a leader in its market sector. He said working on the Intel team should provide the company with exposure to continue its growth for the future.