AppHarvest – Commercial Building Foundations

JDH Contracting installed over 10,100 drilled shafts across four large-scale greenhouse construction projects in Kentucky for AppHarvest, completing work that spanned nearly 150 acres and supported one of the most ambitious controlled-environment agriculture builds in the country. What began as targeted support for rock conditions the general contractor couldn't excavate grew into a full-scope engagement across all four sites. JDH's ability to mobilize quickly, scale resources in real time, and consistently run ahead of schedule earned additional work on every subsequent project — and allowed AppHarvest to begin crop production ahead of schedule.

• Drilled Shaft Installation — Rock Conditions
• Drilled Shaft Installation — Soil & Fill Conditions
• Rock Excavation Support
• Multi-Site Simultaneous Operations
• Drill Rig Sourcing & Fleet Expansion
• Workforce Augmentation
• Schedule Acceleration
• Safety & Quality Compliance
• Project Management
• Project Management
• Safety & Quality Compliance

JDH was originally brought in to address rock conditions the general contractor was unable to excavate on the flagship Morehead, Kentucky greenhouse — a 30+ acre facility. After JDH's performance significantly improved schedule and productivity, budget adjustments were approved to retain JDH for the full scope of work. That decision created a critical schedule buffer, enabling earlier greenhouse commissioning and accelerating the start of crop production.

As AppHarvest advanced additional sites to construction, JDH was called back to support two concurrent projects with a combined footprint of approximately 90 acres. At peak operations, JDH deployed four drill rigs across two active project locations simultaneously, sourcing rental equipment and augmenting its workforce through long-standing industry partnerships — while continuing to meet commitments on other active work. Sites supported up to 400 concurrent personnel, requiring strict coordination and unwavering safety standards throughout.

Final results by site: Morehead, KY — 928 drilled shafts (rock and dirt); Richmond, KY — 7,186 drilled shafts (rock and dirt); Berea, KY — 1,890 drilled shafts (fill and cobbles); Somerset, KY — 107 drilled shafts (solid rock).