With the onset of the summer construction season in the Rocky Mountains, contractors should be mindful of some unique issues with mountain projects that can become contentious between property owners and contractors. Owners and contractors should thoroughly discuss their expectations before starting work to maximize the chances of a successful project and minimize the risks of a dispute. Those issues include: 1. Site Access. Portions of the Rockies received near-record snowfall last winter. Delays in obtaining access to the work site can hinder contractors’ and consultants’ ability to investigate soil and other conditions that may be concealed by the snow.
White Construction Group, a Colorado-based commercial general construction firm, was recently awarded the Ken Mitchell Lake Park Boardwalk & Fishing Pier project for the city of Brighton. Faced with the problem of having to install a fishing pier in a filled lake, White built a platform to hold the 125-ft crane needed to drill caissons 45 ft below the surface of the lake. A 14-piece barge was shipped in from Jackson, Miss., in six trucks. Each piece weighs 24,000 lb and took a week to assemble. When complete, the entire system, with the Anderson Drilling crane, weighs 620,000 lb. Jim
Located in southeast Colorado in Prowers County, Lamar is home to nearly 7,900 residents. Sustainability has already found its way into the county, which is home to the world�s fifth largest wind farm, converting renewable wind energy into usable electricity. Additionally, Alta Vista Charter School (AVCS) in Lamar will be the first Colorado Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CO-CHPS) project to be certified in the state when JHL Constructors Inc. completes the new addition and the historic renovation in August. AVCS will set the precedent for future green education facilities throughout Colorado. AVCS currently operates out of a small 1917
The construction industry added 5,000 jobs in April while the industry’s unemployment rate declined slightly to 17.8%, nearly twice the national average, according to an analysis of new federal employment data recently released by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said the figures continue a yearlong trend of little change in construction employment after years of steep declines and predicted the stagnation is unlikely to change soon. “The construction industry may have stopped bleeding jobs, but there is no sign that employment levels are set to bounce back,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “With declines in
Contractors were able only to partially pass on the costs of rising petroleum and metals prices in April, according to a recent analysis of producer price index figures released by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said the resulting cost squeeze—a result of sluggish demand for construction—will push more construction employees and firms out of work unless public officials act promptly to encourage public and private investment. “Contractors have been clobbered for several months by double-digit price hikes for diesel fuel, copper and steel products,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “Worse, the price squeeze is hitting
GARRIDO DOEBLER Sallie Doebler has joined Jaynes Corp.'s Las Vegas office as director of business development. Doebler previously was president of her own business development consulting firm, Business Source Nevada, serving the commercial real estate industry. She also served as the business development representative for a regional commercial general contractor for six years prior to founding her own firm. She is the current president of the Southern Nevada chapter of NAIOP, a commercial real estate development association. Jaime Garrido was named director of client services for McCarthy NM, a division of McCarthy Building Cos. based in Albuquerque, N.M. Previously, Garrido
Article toolbar Because laboratory buildings can consume up to 10 times more energy than office buildings, Arizona State University needed efficient systems to achieve its sustainability goals for the new seven-story Interdisciplinary Science and Technology Building IV on its Tempe, Ariz., campus. Photo: Sundt Construction Stout Building Nearly 18,000 cubic yards of concrete have been placed in the seven-story ISTB IV building to date. Science lab experiments will require a building with low vibration transfer. Using strategies such as variable exhaust and intelligent sensors, the structure, now under construction, is modeled to use 41% less energy than a typical research
The steady slide in revenue among the Southwest's leading design firms continued for the fourth straight year in 2010, according to figures provided by the firms participating in this year's survey. Design revenue from projects located in Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico totaled $1.24 billion in 2010, down 5% from the previous year and 29% below the peak of $1.74 billion in 2006. “The economic downturn has been a sobering experience and has reinforced our focus on being a company that provides diverse service offerings across a range of sectors,” says Tim Lines, managing vice president of the desert/mountain regions
To industry giant AECOM, one is an important number. Not only is it the company's rank on ENR's 2011 list of top U.S. design firms, it also is part of the firm's new mantra, “One AECOM,” which represents its efforts to unite employees under a single identity. photo by Patti Reznik Photography Wrapping Up Crews finish the exterior skin of the 14-story, $263-million Maricopa County Court Tower, which AECOM co-designed. Photo by Daniel Watts Dominated by an amoeba-like art piece, Civic Space packs a wide array of functions and sustainable design principles into 2.5 acres in downtown Phoenix. Related Links:
New construction starts in March came in at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $404.9 billion, essentially the same pace as February, according to McGraw-Hill Construction, a division of The McGraw-Hill Cos. While total construction was unchanged from the prior month, this steady pattern came as the result of divergent behavior by construction�s three main sectors. Nonresidential building in March increased sharply, following its subdued activity earlier this year, but declines were registered by housing and nonbuilding construction (public works and electric utilities). Through the first three months of 2011, total construction on an unadjusted basis was reported at $88
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