The $1.4-billion National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency East Campus currently under construction at Fort Belvoir’s Engineer Proving Ground near Springfield, Va., is set for completion in September 2011.

In 2009, KBS of Richmond broke ground on the $51.5-million Henrico County High School #1 in Richmond. The two-story, 255,000-sq-ft facility will complete in June.

Satterfield says that a new $89-million school planned for eastern Henrico County that would have broken ground this year has been delayed until at least 2012.

“That’s a huge job to push out that long,” he adds.

Satterfield sees opportunities in higher education but admits they will be limited.

“Places like [Virginia Commonwealth University] still have work coming online for things like student housing and parking decks,” he says. “It’s the type of projects that are absolute necessities, not facilities that require donor funding.”

Private Market Opportunities Although the private market remains limited, KBS has landed a few new developer deals during the recession. The company is building the new $14.2-million Cedar Broad Apartments in Richmond. The project, which includes 204 apartment units and 8,500-sq-ft of retail space, is financed through HUD, which Satterfield says is “practically the only place to find money for multiresidential buildings now.”

The company is also working with some big-box retailers like Wal-Mart to retrofit old stores. Satterfield says he expects some other major retailers, such as Target, to do the same as construction pricing remains at a discount.

“They know they can get the best deal for their dollar right now,” he says.

KBS and other contractors are also keeping an eye on potential private work around military bases like Fort Lee to help support the build-up of facilities and personnel under BRAC.

Steve Daves, president of R.W. Murray in Manassas and chairman of the board of ABC Virginia, says that Virginia contractors who focus in the private market are banking on future commercial, residential and hospitality demands around bases.

“We’re in the early stages of the secondary projects that will follow BRAC,” he says. “That gives people hope because we know the government jobs are moving forward so the odds of additional support projects getting started are good.”

In the meantime, companies such as R.W. Murray are buckling down working with existing clients to find projects that will keep workers busy. The company saw some base building projects break ground last year, including a $10-million 117,000-sq-ft sorting facility for Federal Express in Lorton, Va., but much of the work is smaller renovation and tenant improvement projects.

“Rather than scrambling for anything we could find, we stuck to our plan and focused on our core in the private market,” Daves said. “Last year, we managed to beat plan, keep everyone and even give a small bonus at the end of the year. Everyone had to kick butt to make it happen, but it can be done in this market.”

Daves said that many contractors who found a way to stay above water in 2009 are cautiously optimistic that better days are ahead in the private market.

“The consensus is that everyone is worried, but there appears to be a decent chunk of activity happening this year,” he says. “Things are still difficult to pencil in, but there’s more in discussions these days. That’s got people headed in a positive direction.”