John Michael Stroud STROUDwas promoted to president of J.B. Henderson Construction Co. in Albuquerque. He has been with the company for 24 years, first as a laborer and pipefitter, then moving up to estimator and project manager. Most recently, Stroud was the firm's Rio Rancho area manager. He holds a bachelor's degree from the University of New Mexico. He has served as project manager on key projects including UNM's Pete and Nancy Domenici Hall and buildings for Los Alamos National Laboratory. Related Links: ENR Southwest Current Issue of ENR Southwest Ray Moyers and Rick Jay have joined Johnson Carlier as
Construction employers added 17,000 jobs in October while the industry’s unemployment rate fell to 11.4%, according to an analysis of new federal data recently released by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials noted that total construction employment levels have changed little during the past year while the declines in the industry’s unemployment rate are coming as more former workers leave the industry. “Despite five consecutive months of construction employment gains, the overall employment picture is essentially unchanged from a year ago,” said Ken Simonson, the association's chief economist. “Construction employment appears stuck in a state of mild monthly
Construction spending in September climbed to a nearly three-year high at an annualized rate of $852 billion, as increased spending on houses, apartments and private nonresidential projects outweighed a continuing downturn in public construction, according to an analysis of new federal data recently released by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said they expect both the public and private trends to continue despite the disruption caused by Hurricane Sandy. “It is heartening to see the growth in total spending, but the progress remains fragile and fragmentary,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist, noting that construction spending had
The Colorado Dept. of Transportation has started the design for various improvements to the North I-25 corridor. The improvements will be comprised of smaller projects that make up Phase 1 of the record of decision for the North I-25 Environmental Impact Statement signed on December 29 by the Federal Highway Administration. The study analyzed potential transportation improvements along the I-25 corridor between Fort Collins/Wellington and downtown Denver, as well as along U.S. 85 and U.S. 287. “The design phase for the North I-25 Reconstruction project is the next step in planning for an effective multi-modal transportation system that is greatly
Editor’s Note: Past “Construction Law Briefs” have published four separate columns dealing with Colorado law on the question of whether defective construction is covered under comprehensive general liability (CGL) insurance policies carried by most contractors and subcontractors. The column has addressed previous Colorado court decisions and the Colorado statute passed in 2010 that was designed to overrule an earlier Colorado Court of Appeals decision. In the latest of those columns, coverage for defective construction was generally left unanswered. However, on October 25, the Colorado Court of Appeals rendered a decision that may answer the question—but not entirely.In the October 2012
The Center for Character and Leadership Development (CCLD), a new building on the campus of the U.S. Air Force Academy, broke ground in mid-October. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM), the CCLD is the first new building since 1981 to be erected on the terrazzo (the central square) of Air Force Academy’s campus, which was designed by SOM in 1954 and designated a National Historic Landmark District in 2004. Construction on the CCLD will be complete in early summer 2014. “The CCLD asserts itself as a 21st-Century campus icon, while also deferring to the discipline and rigor of
A highly visible campus-wide project is under way at the University of Colorado Boulder that will further the university’s reputation as a leader in sustainability and an innovator in reducing carbon emissions. Rendering by LOA Architecture The campus' new East District Energy Plant will be located near the Coors Events Center and will serve as a showcase for energy-efficient concepts. CU Boulder is upgrading the utility infrastructure that serves the entire main campus. It will also greatly improve energy efficiency and slash carbon emissions. The multi-phased project is anticipated to be fully operational by winter 2014 and is comprised of
Members of the construction industry who have been involved in litigation, either in court or arbitration, have learned the valuable lesson that attorney’s fees are a major component of their cases.
Billings at architecture firms in September increased at their fastest pace since late 2010. As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the Architecture Billings Index reflects the approximate nine- to 12-month lag time between architecture billings and construction spending. The American Institute of Architects reported the September ABI score was 51.6, up from the mark of 50.2 in August. This score reflects an increase in demand for design services (any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings). The new projects inquiry index was 57.3, compared to a mark of 57.2 the previous month. “Going back to the third quarter
There are a few bright spots on the horizon for the construction industry, though growth continues to be slow, according to the “2012 Construction Industry Report” from national insurance giant Aon Risk Solutions. The decline in the housing market has been so devastating that it will be a difficult recovery. The commercial market is a little better; however, a strong surge in spending in this area is still somewhat in the future.More spending is evident in areas such as health care, energy, infrastructure, mining and natural gas. Natural gas exploration investment depends on the price of oil, which has been
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