The project wasn’t one of Odebrecht Construction’s biggest, but the Coral Gables, Fla.-based contractor’s sense of pride couldn’t have been higher after it completed repairs at Haiti’s Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince, enabling commercial carriers to resume service to and from Haiti’s capital beginning Feb. 19. Related Links: The Southeast’s Top Contractors New South Construction Representatives of Dallas-based American Airlines and Odebrecht toured the devastated city four days after the Jan. 12 earthquake. According to Odebrecht, the contractor immediately assembled a team to repair and rebuild the airport’s commercial terminal. The contractor is currently working at Miami International Airport’s
On the other side of Interstate 4 from downtown Orlando, the new $480-million home for the Orlando Magic is quickly heading toward an October tip-off, a symbolic sign of construction life. Back across I-4, a recently completed high-rise condominium sits mostly empty. Photo: Balfour Beatty Construction Expansion of the Peabody Hotel’s existing facility near the Orange County Convention Center is one of several hospitality projects moving toward completion in the Orlando area. Related Links: Performing Arts Center Set for Fall Groundbreaking Photo: Balfour Beatty Construction Balfour Beatty’s expansion of the Orlando Peabody includes approximately 450,000 sq ft of new convention
Hundreds of Florida transportation contractors descended upon Tallahassee last week to rally against a pending $160-million raid of the State Transportation Trust Fund and to encourage Gov. Charlie Crist to use his veto power to stop it. It�s the last hope to stop the transfer of funds, says Robert G. Burleson, president of the Florida Transportation Builders Association of Tallahassee. Photo courtesy FTBA Members of the Florida Transportation Builders Association made the choice clear to state legislators poised to cut approximately $160 million from the state's transportation fund. Photo courtesy FTBA This "road sign" conveyed FTBA's stance on raiding road
The Orlando Magic weren�t able to top Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers in last year�s Finals of the National Basketball Association playoffs. Image courtesy the Orlando Magic This rendering of the new Amway Arena showcases the "entry beacon" that will serve as the building's focal point. Photo courtesy the City of Orlando A recent aerial photo of the Amway Arena project. The city-owned project is scheduled for completion by October. But when it comes to the $480-million, 875,000-sq-ft Amway Center, the Magic and their partners with the city of Orlando are pretty confident they’re going to the top
Editor’s Note: Portions of this article originally appeared on ENR.com. The warning shot came in a federal court in Louisiana, and it may signal the beginning of the end of one of the more costly aspects of the homebuilding boom of 2004-2007. Federal Judge Eldon Fallon in New Orleans ordered Taishan Gypsum Co. Ltd. to pay seven Virginia families a total of $2.6 million to remediate defective Chinese-made drywall in their homes. The case is the first of several class-action lawsuits filed against manufacturers of material that has proven to be a veritable nightmare—and source of odors—for thousands of homeowners.
Stating Florida must comply with the original 1992 consent decree to address Everglades pollution, U.S. District Judge Federico A. Moreno granted on March 31 the Miccosukee tribe�s motion to compel completion of a key reservoir. Since 2008, the work has stopped on the $700-million project in Palm Beach County; instead, state funds have been plowed into buying private sugar-growing land near Lake Okeechobee for a new restoration plan. Parties now are weighing the potential impact. Landowner U.S. Sugar Corp. says the ruling “does not preclude” the state’s continuing land purchase to meet the consent decree’s terms. Tribal officials and those
For contractors needing to renew their insurance policies, the process is going to be difficult or manageable depending on where they work. For contractors operating in such subprime swamps as Florida, Nevada, California, North Carolina or Arizona, commercial and liability insurance will likely prove harder and more expensive than in past years. In some states, however, contractors are finding it easier to renew—but not for heart-warming reasons.. So many small contractors have gone under that insurance providers suddenly have to compete for clients. In Texas, financially stable firms with decent backlogs aren’t finding it particularly difficult to renew or expand
WHITLEY Even in today’s difficult economic climate, the federal government is planning, funding and building projects. This may appeal to otherwise private commercial contractors and subcontractors seeking to fill the void left by the recession. Contracting with the federal government can be profitable, but it can also be dangerous for those new to the process. The following are just a few examples of complex federal contracting laws to consider and should be fully understood by before entering the world of federal contracting. Authority Structure The authority structure of the federal government is rigid and must be respected. Different government personnel
As many commercial contractors know, construction management-at-risk (or CM-at-risk) has become a preferred delivery method in many markets such as education and health care. CM-at-risk engages the builder early in the development process and entails a commitment by the contractor to deliver the project within a guaranteed maximum price, or GMP. In Texas, CM-at-risk has been primarily limited to commercial construction in the public sector; but in 2007, legislation changed the definition of what makes a project eligible for CM-at-risk delivery. CM-at-risk is now an option for public agencies responsible for infrastructure such as water utilities, flood control, transit and
RSS
