Construction defect litigation is inherently complicated. This is because construction involves a multitude of parties with separate contracts that create potentially divergent, and, at times, conflicting interests and motives. One source of complication is the accumulation of large quantities of documentation to be reviewed and analyzed, including e-mails, drawings, specifications, correspondence, meeting minutes, purchase orders, etc.Another source is the continuing evolution of design styles and construction methodologies, which has resulted in new and complex ways for projects to go wrong. New products may not perform as promised; new systems may not have all the kinks worked out, and radical
Construction employment shrank for the second straight month in November as residential, nonresidential building and heavy construction segments remained in low gear, according to an analysis of new federal employment data released recently by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said the employment drop reflects continued declines in public-sector investments. They added that construction employment could benefit from increased transportation investments and other pro-growth measures designed to boost private-sector demand.“Industry employment has remained virtually unchanged since early 2010 despite a pick-up in some private construction,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “Although the construction unemployment rate fell
Construction spending increased for the third straight month in October as private activity strengthened while public spending shrank, the Associated General Contractors of America reported in a recent analysis of new Census Bureau data. Association officials cautioned that further declines in public-sector activity may soon swamp gains in home building and private nonresidential investment. “The apparent stability in construction spending data is masking conflicting trends,” said the association’s chief economist, Ken Simonson. “On one hand, private investments in construction are slowly accelerating, while public-sector investments are declining at an even faster rate.”Simonson noted that total construction spending ticked up by
The Neenan Co., a Fort Collins-based design and construction firm, says it has introduced several new enhanced quality-control measures in response to structural errors found in one of its construction projects at Meeker Elementary School. The measures will ensure that all projects handled by Neenan meet the most-stringent standards set by the company, its clients and state regulators. “The Neenan Co. is committed to quality, responsibility and accountability throughout the design and construction process,” said Randy Myers, Neenan president. “I am disappointed in the errors we made in constructing Meeker Elementary School, and I want to assure everyone that we will
The design-build team for Denver’s Central Platte Campus project, led by Lakewood’s Pinkard Construction Co. and architecture firm RNL, Denver, recently received a Design-Build Excellence Award from the Design-Build Institute of America. Photo by Ed Lacasse The $28-million, 105,000-sq-ft campus service center provides state-of-the-art public works facilities for the City of Denver. The $28-million, 105,000-sq-ft campus service center provides state-of-the-art facilities for the City of Denver’s fleet maintenance, solid waste management, street maintenance, traffic engineering and right-of-way enforcement services. The project also includes an office/warehouse, vehicle maintenance building, covered and heated vehicle storage, fuel and wash facilities, and salt and
Editor's Note: The following story is an architect's perspective on Denver's new Clyfford Still Museum, published in Architectural Record magazine before the building opened to the public on Nov. 18. Photo by Ed Lacasse The $29-million, 28,500-sq-ft Clyfford Still Museum sits directly adjacent to Daniel Libeskinds flamboyant 2006 addition to the Denver Art Museum. Rendering by Allied Works Architecture The museum's reception lobby is long and low, with a 10-ft ceiling. Brad Cloepfil walks through the second-floor galleries of Denver’s new Clyfford Still Museum, taking it all in. It’s the first time the founding principal of Portland, Ore.-based Allied Works
The new 40,000-sq-ft Robert and Carol Berry Center for Natural History and Conservation on the campus of the University of Wyoming in Laramie recently opened. It will become an interdisciplinary focal point for both research and teaching and aims to be an important resource for both faculty and students. Courtesy of NJRA Architects The new Berry Center is intended to advance the understanding of natural history and conservation. Courtesy of NJRA Architects The type of research undertaken in the center relates specifically to the natural history and environment of the northern Rocky Mountain region. The new center is intended to
Denver architectural firms RNL and Buchanan Yonushewski Group joined forces as of November 1. BYG co-founders Brad Buchanan and John Yonushewski have been hired by RNL as principals and shareholders. Buchanan will be leading the firm’s commercial market. Yonushewski will specialize in project delivery leadership.BYG was founded in Denver in 1998. The firm’s portfolio includes a variety of project expertise in the multifamily, senior housing and mixed-use residential markets. Projects of note include One Lincoln Park, Watertower Lofts, Pinnacle Park Homes at City Park South, Silver State Lofts and 1099 Osage.“We are thrilled with this opportunity and excited about the
Construction employment rose in half the states and decreased in half in October and during the past year, closely matching the stable national employment picture, according to a recent analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of Labor Department data. The even split between gains and losses reflects the accelerating improvement in apartment and private nonresidential construction, offset by a declining public market and a stalled single-family sector. “Construction employment gains are likely to remain spotty for months to come,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “Local factors, rather than regional or industry trends, seem to dictate whether
For the past 26 years, mechanical engineering students at Colorado State University have helped small- and medium-sized manufacturing firms save an average of $50,000 a year through increased energy efficiency—a university program unlike any other in the state, CSU officials said. That work will continue for another four years because the U.S. Dept. of Energy’s Industrial Technologies Program has awarded Colorado State $1.2 million to help companies improve their energy efficiency and provide engineering students valuable experience with manufacturing processes. The DOE program is a national effort to improve U.S. manufacturing competitiveness.The university is one of only 24 around the
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