A new and improved half-mile stretch of East 40th Avenue in Denver that reopened in late June features the Regional Transportation District’s East Rail Line tracks but also brings community improvements that RTD officials say will provide safety and better quality of life. Photo courtesy of RTD Denver's 40th Avenue looking east from High Street, before reconstruction. Photo courtesy of RTD Denver's 40th Avenue looking east from High Street after reconstruction and installation of the East Line commuter rail to DIA. The segment of East 40th Avenue between Blake and York streets was closed for 19 months due to construction.
John Tran has joined the Phoenix office of SmithGroupJJR as design principal and part of the leadership team for the firm's practice in Arizona and the Southwest. Before joining SmithGroupJJR, Tran was vice president and project designer at HKS Architects in Phoenix. Courtesy Smith- GroupJJR John Tran has joined the Phoenix office of Smith- GroupJJR as design principal and part of the leadership team for the firms practice in Arizona and the Southwest. Related Links: Engineering News Record Architectural Record Michael Malloy has been named Southwest regional director of transportation in the Albuquerque office of WHPacific. Malloy was recently president
McCarthy Building Cos. has had a standout year. From overcoming unique challenges in Las Vegas on the Hakkasan Nightclub and Restaurant to meeting the demands of the unique people-moving Sky Train at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport—and handling a plethora of projects in between—the firm has burnished its reputation and legacy. Related Links: Engineering News Record Architectural Record Due to these reasons and many others, McCarthy has been named ENR Southwest's 2014 Contractor of the Year.The company is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year. Timothy McCarthy began a lumber business in Ann Arbor, Mich., in 1864, and soon thereafter became a
The critical connection between a healthy building environment and patient health is often missed by the one group of professionals who may matter most—physicians—according to a new SmartMarket report by McGraw Hill Construction. The study was sponsored by the American Institute of Architects, United Technologies Corp. and other partners. “It’s becoming clear from this initial research that doctors and other health professionals must engage with architects and the design community in a major way if we are to be successful in improving public health through design,” said AIA CEO Robert Ivy. “We look forward to furthering that dialogue with physicians
At a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $513.4 billion, new construction starts in May dropped 5% from the previous month, according to McGraw Hill Construction, a division of McGraw Hill Financial. The reduced pace for total construction starts reflected a moderate loss of momentum for nonresidential building and housing, while the nonbuilding construction sector eased back slightly.The total construction decline followed two months of strengthening activity, although May’s level was still above the lackluster volume registered at the outset of 2014. For the first five months of 2014, total construction starts on an unadjusted basis were $201.5 billion, down 1%
Construction firms added jobs in 40 states and the District of Columbia over the past 12 months and in 30 states and D.C. between April and May, according to a recent analysis of Labor Dept. data by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said the employment gains help, but that construction employment remains below peak levels in every state and the District of Columbia, except North Dakota. “With demand for construction growing in most states, many firms are slowly rebuilding their depleted payrolls,” said Stephen E. Sandherr, the association’s chief executive officer. “But if overall economic growth slows,
Total construction spending edged higher for the third straight month in May, as solid increases in private nonresidential and public construction outweighed a downturn in residential projects, according to new Census Bureau data. Nonresidential construction spending rose 1.1% on a monthly basis in May and has increased 6.4% on a year-over-year basis. Spending for the month totaled $596.2 billion on a seasonally adjusted, annualized basis. Additionally, nonresidential construction spending for April was revised upward from $570.6 billion to $589.9 billion.“The May figures show that construction activity continues to expand, but with lots of variability by month and project type,” said
The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index, which had increased in May, improved again in June. The Index now stands at 85.2 (1985=100), up from 82.2 in May. The Present Situation Index increased to 85.1 from 80.3, while the Expectations Index rose to 85.2 from 83.5 in May. Consumers’ appraisal of current conditions improved in June. Those claiming business conditions are “good” increased to 23.0% from 21.1%, while those stating business conditions are “bad” decreased to 22.8% from 24.6%. Consumers’ assessment of the job market was also more favorable. Those stating jobs are “plentiful” edged up to 14.7% from 14.2%, while
Overall construction materials prices remained flat in May but are up 1.6% year over year according to the June 13 Producer Price Index release supplied by the U.S. Dept. of Labor. Nonresidential construction materials prices fell 0.2% for the month but are 1.3% higher than at the same time one year ago. “With construction spending expanding only in fits and starts and given recent evidence of disappointing global economic performance, it comes as little surprise that most construction materials prices are not rising,” said Associated Builders and Contractors Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “For the better part of two years, materials
Construction employers added 6,000 workers to payrolls in May as the industry’s unemployment rate dropped to 8.6%, its lowest May level in six years, according to an analysis of new government data by the Associated General Contractors of America. “Even with five straight months of construction employment gains, the industry remains vulnerable to sudden shifts in demand,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “Should Washington allow federal highway funding to come to a halt as predicted later this summer, the sudden loss of billions of dollars worth of demand would cost many construction workers, as well as workers from
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