Dealing with two
hurricanes in two months doesn’t stop A & I.
Devastation greeted A & I, Incorporated when they arrived at St Regis in
North Topsail Beach, North Carolina, after Hurricane Bertha destroyed
the community in July, 1996. The homeowners association had contracted A
& I to rebuild their losses. The scope of work was to rebuild 230
condominiums, a 4,000 square foot restaurant, two conference centers,
and a variety of retail establishments.
After assessing the damage and beginning the repairs, all A&I’s work was
destroyed by Hurricane Fran which hit the community two months after
Bertha. Fran cut the island in two, and all power and water were gone.
A&I’s construction trailer was washed into the waterway, several
backhoes were totaled, and other equipment sustained heavy damage.
Armed with only a company car and a cellular phone, A&I management had
to rebuild the crew of more than 100 quality employees and a host of 50
subcontractors. The project required continual security against
vandalism and looting throughout the project. The US Marines were were
enlisted as general labor, allowing construction to continue until 11:00
PM with temporary lighting used for evening work. A&I also employed
maids from area realty offices who were out of work as a result of the
hurricanes. The served as the cleaning service as each unit was
completed.
The extra workforce and extended hours resulted in the timely completion
of the project, and eight months later the community was ready for the
tourist rental season to begin again at North Topsail Beach.
2021 National Winner
