Ben Houston's 60-plus-year career has been filled with many remarkable projects, accolades and achievements, but he says he's most proud of the people he's worked with during his career. Giving people credit for their effort has been one of his key tenants through his years in construction. "The people who really make the difference are the people who put the work in. Having a trusting relationship throughout the whole chain is by far the most important thing," Houston says. "The folks who put the work in place are the real heroes of our industry. So treating each other with something
With the Florida Dept. of Transportation's approval last month of the start of construction of the $2.3-billion I-4 Ultimate project in Orlando, state officials—led by Gov. Rick Scott (R)—held a ceremonial groundbreaking for the state's largest-ever public-private partnership.
After project budget constraints caused all four short-listed bidders to drop out of a design-build competition for a $520-million convention center renovation contract, the city of Miami Beach, Fla., is scrapping the approach in favor of soliciting a new round of proposals for a construction manager-at-risk firm.The Feb. 11 decision by the Miami Beach city commission came about after the last remaining bidder, Clark Construction, informed officials in early February that it also could not deliver the 1.4-million-sq-ft renovation within the city's budget without significant deviations from the program. The other three short-listed bidders—Hensel Phelps Construction, Hunt Construction Group and
Developed and built primarily as a testing and research center for wind-turbine drivetrains, Clemson University's Energy Innovation Center in North Charleston, S.C., is still ramping up operations. However, it's already producing results, says Nikolaos Rigas, the facility's director and the guiding force behind the unique test center's development. Powered by two massive test beds, with capacities of 7.5 MW and 15 MW, respectively, the center's test equipment uses unique engineering to put wind-turbine drivetrain manufacturers' latest designs through a simulation of 20 years of field conditions in just six months. Photo courtesy Clemson University Restoration Institute Nikolaos Rigas, director of
The New Orleans Regional Transit Authority broke ground in late January on a $41.5 million addition to the city's streetcar system. Courtesy of the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority The New Orleans Regional Transit Authority's $41.5 million addition to the city's streetcar system will add 3.2 miles of tracks on a 1.6-mile route. The project will add 3.2 miles of tracks on a 1.6-mile route running from the base of the Central Business District to Elysian Fields Avenue.Archer Western Construction of Chicago is the general contractor on the project and will perform 9,500 linear feet of utility relocations, asphalt and
Project teams have broken ground on the State Highway (SH) 71 Express Lanes project in Austin. Officials with McCarthy Building Cos., the Texas Dept. of Transportation (TxDOT) and the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA) marked the start of construction on January 28. Photo courtesy of McCarthy Building Cos. Local officials turn shovels of dirt at SH 71 Express Project site located at SH 71 and FM 973 near Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Austin. The $96.3 million project will incorporate the building and improvement of express toll traffic lanes on SH 71. Scope of the project includes the design and
In terms of national importance, Georgia Power's $14-billion-plus Plant Vogtle nuclear expansion project nearly stands alone. At a 2014 ceremony finalizing the project's $6.5 billion in federal loan guarantees, Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz noted as much when he said, "This energy infrastructure build-out is not only for Georgia, not only for the United States, but for the world." Photo courtesy Georgia Power The Plant Vogtle nuclear expansion project has experienced significant delays to date, and continues to face schedule challenges. Related Links: Plant Vogtle Construction: The Two Sides to the Story ENR's Top 25 Newsmakers JACOBSInitial industry hopes for
Early in the process of building Florida Polytechnic University's $60-million Innovation, Science and Technology building, architect Santiago Calatrava expressed his doubts to Skanska USA Building's project leader, Chuck Jablon, about the ability of U.S. craft workers to deliver the quality the architect envisioned. Considering that the complex, glass-sheathed, 162,000-sq-ft structure—topped by a massive, 250-ft-long operable skylight system—was also Calatrava's first guaranteed-maximum-price contract, his doubts may be understandable. Photo courtesy Skanska USA Building Santiago Calatrava, right, discusses details with Skanska's Chuck Jablon during a visit to the Florida Polytechnic University project site. Photo courtesy Skanska USA Building The Florida Polytechnic University
Milton J. Womack recently started construction on a $20 million mixed-used building conversion project in downtown Baton Rouge. Photo courtesy of Eskew+Dumez+Ripple A $20 million mixed-used building conversion project in downtown Baton Rouge that involves the conversion of 180,000 sq ft of office space to a mixed-use commercial and multifamily building with a parking garage. The project was designed by New Orleans-based architecture firm Eskew+Dumez+Ripple and involves the conversion of 180,000 square feet of office space to a mixed-use commercial and multifamily building with a parking garage. Ninety-three apartment units will be constructed on the second through eighth floors, ranging in
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