For Penn-Ohio, staying on top of a large-scale project like the Austintown Meijer has taken a lot of strategy and electrical expertise.
Jeremy Morrow, the foreman for Penn-Ohio, has already smoothed out quite a few complexities since the job began in May.
Prints, piping and punctuality
“When we started here, it was just dirt,” he said. “From day one, I was looking at prints, mapping out everything. It’s like piecing together a puzzle where the pieces change as you go.”
Morrow stressed he has to know the architectural prints as well as the electrical ones.
“You’ve got to know where walls will be and what space you’re working with. Missing something small, like a cubby space, could throw everything off.”
This isn’t his first experience with a Meijer store. He also lead the charge for the electrical work at the Alliance location.
“These jobs are big, but they’re manageable if you break them down. You have to look at it as a bunch of small jobs, not one overwhelming task.”
From underground wiring to overhead pipe runs, every step required careful planning.
“There are detailed maps for my team. Every pipe, every turn is marked out,” Morrow said. “It saves time and ensures we stay productive and on time.”
Handling changes and challenges
It’s typical for major construction projects like the Austintown Meijer to come with unique challenges. For Morrow, it was mostly the ever-changing plans.
“Every month, there’s a new bulletin. They either add circuits, remove them, or move things entirely. You’re constantly adjusting, rerouting pipes and figuring out how to make things work.”
Then, there’s the added pressure of timing.
“We have about a month to complete the overhead work on the sales floor,” Morrow said. “After that, the painters and concrete crews move in. There’s no room for error.”
He’s also relatively new to working at Penn-Ohio, so being with a new team was an adjustment.
“I had to learn everyone’s capabilities, but as the job progressed, we built trust and came together.”
Quality work at Austintown Meijer means opportunity
IBEW Local 64 President/Organizer Kenny Lucas notes that securing a project of this magnitude is significant.
“It’s good to have Local 64 working with Penn-Ohio, which is doing quality work in the area. This shows what we can accomplish and helps us to secure future opportunities,” he said.
Morrow added that collaboration ensures the work is efficient and meets the highest standards.
“This isn’t just about me. It’s about the team. If someone has an idea or sees a better way, I want to hear it. You can’t be afraid to ask for help or make quick decisions when problems arise.”
The scale of the project is staggering. The team installed over 100,000 feet of electrical metallic tubing (EMT), 20,000 feet of PVC piping and 78 miles of wire.
“When you step back and see what we’ve accomplished, it’s incredible,” Morrow said. “It’s been a privilege to work on something this big and see it all coming together.”
The Austintown Meijer is expected to open before summer. However, an exact opening date hasn’t been announced.
Penn-Ohio is a member contractor of NECA-IBEW Electricians, an association consisting of IBEW Local 64 in Youngstown, IBEW Local 573 in Warren and signatory electrical contractors throughout the Mahoning Valley.