I was amazed to see the progress taking place at Denver Union Station during a tour hosted by Society of Marketing Professionals last Wednesday. Is the construction happening at a frenetic pace or had I just not ridden the mall bus past Tattered Cover or looked behind Union Station for a while? The new transfer station for the mall bus and light rail opened a few weeks ago and the structures with skylights serving the new underground bus facility are emerging into the nearby plaza (along with the large, slightly eerie intake and exhaust shafts that were incorporated into the
The amount contractors pay for a range of key construction materials edged down 0.3% in May and climbed by only 2.3% from a year earlier, according to an analysis of producer price index figures released last week by the Associated General Contractors of America. Meanwhile, the amount contractors charge to construct projects remained largely flat for the month and is up only between 3.1% and 4.3% for the year. “The slowdown in construction input price increases is a rare and possibly short-lived event,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist, noting that the last time prices rose so slowly from
Following the first negative reading in five months during April, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) had a significant drop in May. As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate nine- to 12-month lag time between architecture billings and construction spending. The American Institute of Architects reported the May ABI score was 45.8, following a mark of 48.4 in April. This score reflects a sharp decrease in demand for design services (any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings). The new projects inquiry index was 54.0, down slightly from mark of 54.4 the previous month. “For
For those who prepare their own mechanic’s liens or those who have unwanted mechanic’s liens filed against their projects or their properties, here’s a hint: A June 4, 2012, Colorado Supreme Court case may make a difference. That case, in responding to a question submitted by the bankruptcy court, answered that a deed of trust (mortgage) that described the property only by its address would not be adequate. In that case, the deed of trust referred to a legal description that was an attached exhibit, but it was recorded in the office of the county clerk and recorder as required—without
It will come as no surprise that the poor economy, which has resulted in massive layoffs and terminations, has caused increases in employment-related claims and lawsuits in general. Wage-and-hour litigation seems to be increasing the fastest; the Department of Labor estimates that wage and hour complaints increased 15% from 2009 to 2010. That is not surprising when you consider the complexity of the laws applying to who is exempt and who isn’t, and how to calculate overtime for those employees who are non-exempt. Even the most diligent employer has difficulty sorting through the morass of rules and regulations, let alone
More states lost construction jobs in May than at any point since June 2011 as 30 states experienced annual job losses and 27 states and Washington, D.C. lost jobs during the past month, according to a recent analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of Labor Department data. The weak state construction employment figures come as public investments in construction decline and the federal transportation program is at risk of shutting down June 30. “As the public sector continues to restrain growth in construction demand, we will continue to see weak reports like this,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s
Children’s Hospital Colorado broke ground May 23 on its future $100-million Children’s Hospital Colorado South Campus in Highlands Ranch. Slated to open at the end of 2013, the South Campus will offer a wide range of pediatric services, including urgent care, outpatient specialty, inpatient and surgery care along with state-of-the-art imaging and diagnostic services. Rendering courtesy of Davis Partnership/FKP Architects The 175,000-sq-ft Childrens Hospital Colorado South Campus to be built in Highlands Ranch, Colo., expects to treat nearly 80,000 patients per year. Children’s Colorado expects to host nearly 80,000 patient visits at the South Campus during its first year. The
The University of Colorado Boulder’s new volleyball and basketball practice facility has received a LEED-Platinum rating from the U.S. Green Building Council. It is the first sustainable athletic facility on the CU-Boulder campus and one of only two Platinum-rated athletic facilities in the Pac-12. The 43,000-sq-ft facility, built adjacent to the Coors Events Center, opened in August and houses two NCAA-regulation-size basketball courts. They are shared by the men’s and women’s basketball programs, as well as the women’s volleyball program.Other spaces in the building include a ticket booth, lobby, locker rooms and offices.“This facility promotes the success of our student
The stately red-brick Emerson School, originally built in 1885 in Denver’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, was recently upgraded to incorporate state-of-the-art green building features and remodeled as the new home for eight nonprofits, including several organizations dedicated to historic preservation. Photo courtesy of the National Trust for Historic Preservation National Trust for Historic Preservation President Stephanie Meeks, center, holds the ceremonial ribbon-cutting scissors, to celebrate the grand opening with other nonprofit leaders whose organizations will be part of the new preservation and conservation hub at the former Emerson School in Denver. Built in 1885, the school was designed by Colorado’s first
he Colorado Dept. of Transportation has several projects completed, others already under way in southwest Colorado, and others getting started throughout the summer. A few of the projects are being continued from last season, and others include a final phase next season. “Altogether, we will have more than 110 miles of highway, bridges and intersections under construction, totaling nearly $80 million in project contracts—some spanning two seasons,” CDOT Region 5 Director Kerrie Neet said. “We have several projects that will improve or replace poor bridges and a few long-anticipated projects that will resurface vital stretches of highway.” Here is a list
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