Steel Buildings Play a Role in First-ever Petro-Can on First Nations Land

Kelowna, BC (PRWEB) November 27, 2015

A Kelowna company that specializes in steel buildings, has designed and erected a new gas station for Anzac, Alta--the first ever Petro-Canada service station to be built on First Nations land.

The proud owner is the Fort McMurray No. 468 First Nation in Anzac, which is just a short drive south from the Northern Alberta oil hub. Steve Ivanitz--owner of Metal Structure Concepts (MSC), the pre-engineered steel building company that designed and built the gas station, which officially opened on the Labour Day weekend--is pleased with the results.

"It's a model they're trying so they can see if they want to do more of these," says Ivanitz, whose company completed its part of the project in June. "They recently had a grand opening and it looks like they're already busy and it's going good."

Measuring a modest 40-by-75 feet, it features all of the amenities of a conventional service station: convenience store, gas bar and bathrooms. Some of the more unique structural features include three-inch insulated wall panels; a single-slope, standing-seam roof with an R-value of 30; and three-foot custom overhangs complete with soffit.

MSC partnered with general contractor Rempel Builders, another Kelowna-based company, for the project. Given the project's success and quick turnaround, Ivanitz is optimistic there'll be similar opportunities in the future.

In the meantime, MSC is winding down its seasonal ground operations and is already focusing on getting ready for next spring. It might seem counterintuitive to think about steel buildings in the dead of winter, but Ivanitz says it's actually an ideal time to start the planning process. That's because it takes time to design, price and acquire development permits for projects.

"They (customers) just don't know the process," says Ivanitz, a third-generation steel building expert. "When they phone in March, April or May, they're not building until September or October."

On average, Ivanitz says it can take anywhere from four to six months from the time a customer phones MSC to request a project (anywhere from 1,000 to 15,000 square feet) to the time it's complete.

That means if someone waits until he sees the grass growing on the roadside in spring to get the ball rolling on a project, they'll likely be waiting until the fall before it's complete. This poses another problem: autumn is the busiest time of year for constructing steel buildings. As a result, crews are going flat-out and the demand for materials will be higher and will therefore likely cost more.

"Once August 1 comes, everyone wants to get their project done," says Ivanitz. "There's a full seasonal cycle, and the first is after summer holidays and the other is spring."

Ivanitz notes that while winter construction in Western Canada is certainly possible, it carries a higher risk of delays due to inclement weather. Inevitably, this results in longer average build times and higher costs.

"We don't want to be building in the winter and have those issues if we don't have to," says Ivanitz. "The guys who are phoning right now can't beat winter, but they'll be the first ones to get their shovel in the ground and get their project going in spring."

About Metal Structure Concepts (MSC)
Since its inception in 2002, MSC has been designing and erecting pre-engineered steel buildings across Western Canada and beyond. By combining a talented team of in-house designers with highly trained field workers, MSC carries out installations to rigorous standards, guaranteeing a professional product that looks, performs and lasts exactly as intended. MSC creates innovative steel building plans to suit any industry or application, including: commercial, industrial, mini-storage, retail, farm and community/multi-purpose.

For more information, please contact:

Steve Ivanitz
Owner, Metal Structure Concepts
1-877-840-4278
steve[at]mscsteel[dot]com
http://www.mscsteel.com

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/metal-structure-concepts/petro-can-steel-buildings/prweb13103866.htm

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