Since starting his own business three years ago, Shane Ormon of Clinton, MS, has become a contractor in high demand throughout the central part of the state.
Currently, the contractor is working on his largest project ever, a $2.5 million facility for the YMCA in Clinton.
The YMCA’s 35,000-sq.-ft. Clinton Wellness Center will be two floors and will offer an indoor track and pool, weight room and cardiovascular facility.
The building’s exterior will be made of split face block. In addition, the Clinton Wellness Center will have an abundance of glass and a recessed porch.
As a former board member, Ormon said he wanted to design and construct the wellness facility because of his interest in the YMCA. Ormon also built a pool house for the Clinton YMCA’s outdoor pool several years ago.
The project began in January and is slated for completion in November. Rain has caused a number of delays.
Ormon estimated that rain has delayed the project by two months. If all goes well though, he expects the two-story building to be completed on time.
Approximately 45 workers are working on different phases of the project. The project has about 16 subcontractors working in areas such as masonry and electrical.
Crews currently are enclosing the building.
The largest piece of heavy equipment on the job is a Grove TMS 540 provided by Jackson, MS-based Peoples Construction, Ormon’s former employer. He rents equipment whenever necessary from NES, RSC and McGraw.
Besides the rain, Ormon noted that the most challenging aspects of the job include the three pools and the foundation.
“There are three pools, an indoor lap pool and two hot tub spas. They had to be integrated with the foundation design of the building. Working around all of the plumbing, electrical and pools made things complicated,” he added.
A somewhat unique feature of the facility will be the indoor Mondo rubberized track, which Ormon will install himself. Mondo is the official provider of all tracks and equipment for the track and field competitions at the upcoming Olympics as well as the official surface provider for the volleyball competitions.
Chuck Engle, branch manager of the YMCA, said he is “elated” to be working with Ormon.
“The construction has really been impressive,” he said. “He has the ability to work through adverse conditions –– like all the rain.
“We meet once a week, but he is always in contact with me. It’s great to work with him,” said Engle.
Ormon has several other large projects currently under way. They include Trace Station, a strip shopping center in Ridgeland, MS, and Cynthia Strip Center, a Clinton shopping center.
On the Job
It isn’t unusual to see Shane Ormon at one of his job sites before 7:30 a.m. on a weekday in the summer. His white truck parked at the job site is his unofficial office. (Ormon currently is constructing a spacious office of his own in Clinton.)
“I try to get going early in the summer. I start early and stay late,” he said.
Before starting his own business, Ormon spent 18 years working for other construction companies. His expertise includes designing and building projects, which are mainly commercial. Although, he does do some light residential work for commercial customers.
He works within a 60 mile radius of Clinton including in the towns of Jackson, Ridgeland and Canton.
A native of Clinton, Ormon began taking mechanical drawing at his high school. He also worked for several homebuilders. He has spent 20 years working in construction.
He earned an architectural engineering degree from the University of Southern Mississippi and spent two years at Mississippi State University’s Architectural School. Ormon is a member of the Associated Builders and Contractors.
The first project completed by Ormon’s company was a day care facility, The Neighborhood Nanny, which cost approximately $500,000 to complete.
Ormon’s construction philosophy is “functionability with some aesthetics and low maintenance.”
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