By JOHN THOMPSON

Business Editor

One of the nation's largest contractors in the nation announced this week it will build a new district headquarters in Peachtree City.

Gilbert Southern Corporation will start construction this spring on a 20,000 square-feet on a headquarters building near TDK Boulevard and Dividend Drive.

The company purchased the 10-acre tract from Pathway Properties and expects to initially employ 20-30 people at the headquarters.

Gilbert is the subsidiary of Peter Kiewit Sons', Inc, which is based in Omaha, and provides heavy civil and structural construction services throughout the Southeast.

The company's 1997 revenues were $2.45 billion, which was the seventh highest in the nation for all construction companies. The company helped build the Interstate 20/75/85 Connector in Atlanta, the Olympic stadium and the NASCAR racetrack at Homestead, Fl.