A few public projects are keeping at least some South Florida contractors busy at a time when construction activity remains slow in an overbuilt condominium and office tower market. “There’s much more activity than there was last year at this time,” says Tom Murphy Jr., chairman and CEO of Coastal Construction Group in Miami, who adds that Florida is one of the worst states for new starts. Coastal began only one project last year, necessitating layoffs through 2009. However, the firm is now rehiring. “We’re starting back in positive territory as far as people,” Murphy says. Coastal is building a
Southeast Construction presents its third annual Top Design-Build Contractors ranking. Derived from information obtained during the Top Contractors survey conducted earlier this year, it documents the amount of revenue related to design-build activities by the contracting firms that participated in that ranking. Related Links: Top 50 Design Builders Ranking The Top Design-Build Contractors ranking is based upon 2009 regional revenue that each firm estimated came from design-build projects within the four-state region of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. The ranking also includes more information about each firm, including the location of its main regional office, phone number and
Researchers reported results of two key studies—one on using real-time technology to reduce the danger of working around construction equipment and another on the impact of project-site leadership on safety—to the Construction Industry Institute’s annual conference held Aug. 4-5 in Orlando, Fla. Photo: Courtesy Of Georgia Institute Of Technology Warning device worn by a worker (below) approaching a danger zone emits a signal picked up by a device in the equipment’s cab (above). Photo: Courtesy Of Georgia Institute Of Technology Several safety-related topics were discussed at the event, including technology-based safety, which members and academics are researching in an effort
Even as U.K.-based oil giant BP remains in the U.S. government’s crosshairs for environmental damage resulting from the Deepwater Horizon drill-rig explosion that killed 11 workers April 20, it now faces record fines and new scrutiny over another fatal accident five years ago at a land-based company facility in Texas. Photo: Courtesy of U.S. Occupational Safety And Health Administration Explosion in 2005 killed 15 contractor employees and injured 170 others at Texas City site. OSHA’s fine is the highest single penalty ever to be issued for a single event. Photo: Courtesy of U.S. Occupational Safety And Health Administration In addition
A construction worker died on August 16 while working on the Gilcrease Expressway expansion in Tulsa, Okla. Tulsa Police and Fire Departments responded at about 9:30 a.m. to find Noe Mendoza, 45, an employee of Plains Bridge Contracting of Yukon, Okla., struck and killed by a piece of heavy equipment. Bill French, spokesman for Tulsa Fire, says Mendoza was hit by a 120,000-lb road spreader, with a big diesel-driven scraper to pick up pavement, and was “graphically” dead at the scene. Tulsa Police handled the scene, as they would for a fatal traffic accident, he said. Tulsa Police Dept. public
Texas Christian University in Fort Worth announced on Aug. 16 that construction will soon start on a $105-million renovation of the west side and north end zone of the school’s Amon G. Carter Stadium. The university aims to transform the historic Fort Worth icon into a collegiate football stadium in the spirit of major league retro renovations such as that of Baltimore’s Camden Yards. Image: HKS/TCU A rendering shows the renovated stadium designed by HKS. Austin Commercial will begin work on the project after the last home game of the 2010 season. Dallas-based HKS, which recently completed work on the
Researchers reported results of two key studies—one on using real-time technology to reduce the danger of working around construction equipment and another on the impact of project-site leadership on safety—to the Construction Industry Institute’s annual conference held Aug. 4-5 in Orlando, Fla. Photo: Courtesy Of Georgia Institute Of Technology Warning device worn by a worker (below) approaching a danger zone emits a signal picked up by a device in the equipment’s cab (above). . Photo: Courtesy Of Georgia Institute Of Technology Several safety-related topics were discussed at the event, including technology-based safety, which members and academics are researching in an
Turner Construction Co., New York City, is looking to put $333 million back on its books after it won a bid protest over a new 745,000-sq-ft hospital planned for Fort Benning, Ga. Photo: Fort Benning, Ga. Army site’s hospital project was focus of contract protest. . On Aug. 5, the Savannah District of the Army Corps of Engineers reinstated the design-build contract, which had been terminated in March over charges of organizational conflicts of interest. The job re-award follows a July claims court ruling that agreed with Turner’s appeal of a decision by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) against
Schools all over Texas have inspected stadium lighting poles manufactured by Whitco Co. LLP of Fort Worth after 11 confirmed incidents occurred involving the 70-ft or taller defective steel poles. Photo: Hays ISD Photo: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission CPSC has announced a recall to repair Whitco stadium light poles. CPSC has confirmed eleven incidents in which Whitco Co. LP poles fell. In one incident last year, a pole fell through the roof of a school gymnasium in Central Texas, causing significant property damage. More than 50 people were inside the facility at the time. Local media reporting on the
Florida’s three broad categories of construction contract activity declined by double-digit percentage points in June, resulting in a 21% overall decline, according to McGraw-Hill Construction, publisher of Southeast Construction. During June, the state experienced nearly $1.8 billion in new contracts for future construction. The nonresidential market fell by 22% during June to tally approximately $716.3 million. That compared to the $919.7 million of a year ago. The value of new residential starts slipped as well, dropping by 12% for a monthly total of approximately $696.8 million. A year ago, the residential sector delivered nearly $794.1 million in new projects. Falling
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