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The construction industry added 33,000 jobs in February even as the industry�s unemployment rate was 21.8%, more than twice the national average, according to an analysis of new federal employment data released by the Associated General Contractors of America. �Given what this industry has been through, figures like these are as welcome as they are long overdue,� says Ken Simonson, the association�s chief economist, in a press release. �The question now is whether these figures reflect a thaw in economic conditions for the industry, or the benefits of warmer weather and less snow in many parts of the country in

Following three days of hearings at the Washington, D.C. offices of the National Transportation Safety Board, PG&E concludes that the event did itself, its customers and the entire pipeline industry �a great service by exploring a wide range of issues, including inspection and testing methods, public awareness, emergency response and regulatory oversight.� At the conclusion of the hearings, Congresswoman Jackie Speier (D-San Francisco/San Mateo), whose district includes the city of San Bruno, the site of the Sept. 9, 2010 natural gas pipeline explosion that killed eight people and destroyed 38 homes, introduced a measure to �greatly improve natural gas pipeline

After showing positive momentum during the fourth quarter of 2010, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) slipped almost four points in January, according to the American Institute of Architects. As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate nine- to 12-month lag time between architecture billings and construction spending. The AIA reports the January ABI score was 50.0, down from a reading of 53.9 the previous month. The AIA says this score reflects stable demand for design services (any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings). The new projects inquiry index was 56.5, down sharply from

AGC of California held its first state board of directors and division meetings for 2011 last month at Disney�s Grand Californian in Anaheim. The meetings were followed by the installation of officers� banquet. AGC of California�s 2011 officers include, from left, President Gerry DiIoli, Herzog Contracting Corp., Oceanside; Senior Vice President John Nunan, Unger Construction Co., Sacramento; Vice President Randy Douglas, Tierra Contracting, Inc., Goleta; Treasurer Curt Weltz, Flatiron West, Inc., Benicia; and Immediate Past President Bob Christenson, Panattoni Construction, Inc., Sacramento. AGC�s state board covered a variety of business issues during its meeting and featured an overview of the

Bay Area Rapid Transit recently opened its Dublin/Pleasanton Station along the I-580/I-680 corridor in the East Bay. The grand opening of BART�s 44th station adds to the system 1,200 new parking spots, more racks for bicyclists and eventually a transit village. Construction on the $106-million, design-build project was led by Jones Lang LaSalle/Ampelon Development, serving as master developers; Shimmick Construction, the station and pedestrian bridge developer; and Overaa Construction, which developed the garage. Windstar Communities and Cornerstone Real Estate Advisors funded more than $21 million for the project, says BART. Alameda County Surplus, the cities of Dublin and Pleasanton and

Clark Construction Group � California last week reached substantial completion on the new $310-million, 400,000-sq-ft Tom and Billie Long Patient Care Tower at John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek. Ratcliff, Emeryville, was project architect; Ove Arup and Partners, San Francisco, was structural engineer; and Mazzetti & Associates, San Francisco, served as MEP engineer. On the owner�s side, the project was managed by John Muir Health�s Facilities Development department with assistance from Jtec HCM, Oakland. The project adds a five-story (plus basement), 242-bed medical tower, central utility plant and underground loading dock to the existing facility, according to the medical

General contractor Barnhart Balfour Beatty and the U.S. Green Building Council report that the Wounded Warrior Barracks at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton has become the first Marine Corps project to be awarded LEED platinum certification. The project was managed under the direction of Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southwest (NAVFAC SW). The sustainable elements of the project focused on reductions in energy, water and waste: energy savings is over 38%, water savings within the building is more than 37%, and water efficiency in the landscaping is over 66%, as calculated in the LEED rating system. A total of 86.5% of

Though the White House�s fiscal 2012 budget has yet to be approved by Congress, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority�s (VTA) BART Silicon Valley extension is on the books with a recommendation for a Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA), and for $130 million in Federal New Starts funding. VTA is requesting $900 million in federal funding through the Federal Transit Administration�s (FTA) New Starts Program for the Berryessa Extension, the first 10-mi phase of BART Silicon Valley. The FFGA, which is expected in late fall, is the multi-year contractual agreement between the FTA and VTA that will formally define the

For STUDIOS Architecture Principal Darryl Roberson, the $300-million California Memorial Stadium project at UC Berkeley isn�t just another �to do� item on his Blackberry. It�s a chance to preserve an important chapter of his youth. The $300-million California Memorial Stadium project at UC Berkeley will transform the 85-year-old facility into a modern, 236,460-sq-ft stadium and 142,200-sq-ft student athlete high-performance center. Image courtesy of Forell/Elsesser Engineers, Inc. The massive renovation and seismic retrofit will transform the 85-year-old facility into a modern, 236,460-sq-ft stadium and 142,200-sq-ft student athlete high-performance center. Roberson, whose firm is associate architect on the project working with project