Total construction spending edged higher for the third straight month in May, as solid increases in private nonresidential and public construction outweighed a downturn in residential projects, according to new Census Bureau data. Nonresidential construction spending rose 1.1% on a monthly basis in May and has increased 6.4% on a year-over-year basis. Spending for the month totaled $596.2 billion on a seasonally adjusted, annualized basis. Additionally, nonresidential construction spending for April was revised upward from $570.6 billion to $589.9 billion.“The May figures show that construction activity continues to expand, but with lots of variability by month and project type,” said
The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index, which had increased in May, improved again in June. The Index now stands at 85.2 (1985=100), up from 82.2 in May. The Present Situation Index increased to 85.1 from 80.3, while the Expectations Index rose to 85.2 from 83.5 in May. Consumers’ appraisal of current conditions improved in June. Those claiming business conditions are “good” increased to 23.0% from 21.1%, while those stating business conditions are “bad” decreased to 22.8% from 24.6%. Consumers’ assessment of the job market was also more favorable. Those stating jobs are “plentiful” edged up to 14.7% from 14.2%, while
Associated Builders and Contractors of Utah was recognized nationally for the chapter’s efforts in political and grassroots initiatives throughout the past year. The chapter earned an ABC Silver Level Grassroots Achievement Award based on performance in grassroots actions and policies that the chapter has put in place. Performance activities include grassroots volunteer leadership, chapter website grassroots content, chapter publications, Action Alerts program and implementation and chapter staff responsible for grassroots program.The Silver Level status illustrates a commitment to continued development in the grassroots arena for the Utah chapter.A leadership group from the Utah chapter accepted the award at the ABC
With more than 900 workers on site daily, the new Replacement Medical Center Facility, Eastern Colorado Health Care System for the Dept. of Veterans Affairs celebrated its topping out on June 24. The last high beam on the project was placed at the Clinic Building Center.
The Utah Transit Authority Was recently honored as the 2014 Outstanding Public Transportation System by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), the international organization representing the transit industry in the United States and Canada. Photo courtesy of UTA The Airport and Draper TRAX light rail lines were among four new lines that UTA opened in the 12-month period ending in Dec. 2013. The award is considered the most prestigious of all honors to be handed out at APTA’s national convention in October. It is bestowed on public transportation systems that have demonstrated “achievement in efficiency and effectiveness.” There are three
Overall construction materials prices remained flat in May but are up 1.6% year over year according to the June 13 Producer Price Index release supplied by the U.S. Dept. of Labor. Nonresidential construction materials prices fell 0.2% for the month but are 1.3% higher than at the same time one year ago. “With construction spending expanding only in fits and starts and given recent evidence of disappointing global economic performance, it comes as little surprise that most construction materials prices are not rising,” said Associated Builders and Contractors Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “For the better part of two years, materials
In early June, AGC Colorado honored member companies for their safety programs at the AGC/C Safety Awards Luncheon, which featured speaker Karen Curran from Pinnacol Assurance. Photo courtesy of AGC of Colorado Andy LeMay, AGC Colorado director of safety and stormwater, presents a first-place CSEA award to Daniel Milinazzo and Allan Bliesmer of Hensel Phelps Construction. The AGC Construction Safety and Excellence Awards (CSEA) is one of the industry’s elite safety excellence awards program, recognizing companies for excellence safety and loss prevention programs achieved through management commitment, employee involvement, and program innovation.Two AGC/C firms received awards for winning in each
Construction employers added 6,000 workers to payrolls in May as the industry’s unemployment rate dropped to 8.6%, its lowest May level in six years, according to an analysis of new government data by the Associated General Contractors of America. “Even with five straight months of construction employment gains, the industry remains vulnerable to sudden shifts in demand,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “Should Washington allow federal highway funding to come to a halt as predicted later this summer, the sudden loss of billions of dollars worth of demand would cost many construction workers, as well as workers from
Honnen Equipment, one of the largest construction equipment dealerships in the western United States, dedicated on June 9 its new state-of-the-art facility in Salt Lake City. Located at 1380 S. Distribution Drive, the building spans 14 acres near the corner of Bangerter Highway and California Avenue. The concrete structure is more than 60,000 sq ft and required 480 loads, or 19 million lbs, of concrete to build. Photo courtesy of Honnen Equipment Celebrating the ribbon-cutting for the new Honnen Equipment building in Salt Lake City were, from left (in hard hats): Travis Davis, project executive, Hughes General Contractors Inc.; Patrick
LVI Services Inc. and NCM Group Holdings LLC, the two leading providers of demolition and remediation services in the country, have agreed to merge, forming NorthStar Group Holdings LLC. With combined annual gross revenues approaching $600 million and nearly 50 offices nationwide, NorthStar will become the country’s largest provider of services for environmental remediation, deconstruction and demolition, nuclear decommissioning, emergency response and asset recovery management.Leading the newly formed company will be CEO Scott E. State, currently president/CEO of LVI, and president Subhas “Sage” Khara, currently president/CEO of NCM. Khara and LVI COO John Leonard will manage the day-to-day operations at
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