Said Differently - A Barton Malow Podcast

With a renovation on an active NFL stadium around a season that can't pause, a fixed 2028 deadline, and a site too large for anyone to walk in a day, seeing the whole job is one of the hardest parts of building it. On this episode of Said Differently, Senior VDC Manager Doug Greenwell explains how an autonomous drone program at Jacksonville's Stadium of the Future project, home to the Jacksonville Jaguars, puts reliable, same-path site footage in front of the project team twice a day, so they spend less time chasing information and more time acting on it.

A stalled concrete pour. A schedule that couldn't wait. And a team that decided to solve the problem by hand - literally. This is the story of how five-gallon buckets and a 75-person relay at the Henry Ford Health Destination: Grand project in Detroit kept work on track and the project on schedule.

A strained grid has created a power gap that renewables alone can't close. Vice President Brian Miller and Project Director JD McNulty join the podcast to explain how thermal energy fits into a complete energy strategy and why building these facilities requires a new level of operational readiness.

In recognition of Construction Inclusion Week, we recently sat down with Supplier Diversity Specialist Denisha Greer for an episode of Said Differently – Beyond the Build. She joined the Community Engagement team in 2019 and now helps identify and recruit diverse subcontractors for Barton Malow projects throughout the country. 

Tune in as Denisha shares how she’s grown into her role supporting our initiatives to advance the industry.

In the latest episode of Said Differently, we discuss the partnership and impact between Barton Malow and Habitat for Humanity. We’re joined by Barton Malow Senior Foundation Manager Dawn Lyman, Habitat for Humanity Deputy Director of Philanthropy for Oakland County Dena Vatalaro-Pryde, and Habitat for Humanity Recipient Autumn Butler. Our guests discuss the impact both organizations have had on communities, Autumn’s story, and how to get involved.

Consisting of 6,470 cubic yards across 256,100 SF over 32.5 consecutive hours, the “MegaSlab” placement at General Motor’s Arlington, Texas, plant in 2019 as part of the M5 Productivity Improvement Program still stands as the largest continuous steel fiber pour ever done.

In the latest episode of Said Differently, we’re joined by Barton Malow team members Ethan Uhl, Brian Willard, and Tom Binkowski, all of whom played a major role in the planning and execution of the MegaSlab. Our guest panel dishes on the inside story behind the placement, why it almost didn’t happen, and the eventual triumph that came from successfully completing it. 

In a special Construction Safety Week episode, this edition of Said Differently – Beyond the Build profiles Safety Manager Keith Collett. His dedication to safety extends far beyond the workplace. A personal experience has emphasized the critical need for everyone to be well-versed in safety practices, including CPR and first aid. Keith joins us in the studio to share his compelling story, highlighting the significance of these essential safety measures.

In this episode of Said Differently, we revisit the Pontiac Silverdome project that changed both sports construction and Barton Malow. From use of the Construction Management delivery method that helped the team quickly adapt to challenges to the first-of-its-kind 12-acre inflatable fabric roof, the Silverdome was lauded as an engineering marvel of its time.

Chief Community Officer Ben Maibach III, a Vice President at the time of the Silverdome’s construction, joins the podcast to discuss the project. Also included is archival audio from then-Barton Malow President Rollie Wilkening and then-Chairman of the Board Ben Maibach Jr.

To celebrate this year’s Women in Construction Week presented by the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC), this edition of Said Differently – Beyond the Build profiles Project Manager Kim Hoffman. In this episode, Kim opens up about her transition into construction, her experience as a woman in the industry, and offers valuable advice for those considering a similar path.

There are a variety of challenges involved with building projects on undeveloped land – but uncovering historical artifacts or cultural finds might not be among the challenges that first come to mind. In this episode of Said Differently, we head out to the in-progress Scotford Solar Project in Alberta, Canada, with Project Manager Mike Jeske, where various cultural artifacts were discovered during the excavation stage of the project.

Later in the episode, we revisit the Virginia Institute of Marine Science Davis Hall project with Project Manager Jim Droski. The project location in Gloucester Pointe, Virginia, situated on the York River right across Yorktown, delivered some interesting artifacts from the Revolutionary and Civil Wars during land clearing and excavation.