A big drop in the volume of new nonresidential contracts pushed Florida’s overall June total down 18%, compared to a year ago, according to McGraw-Hill Construction, publisher of ENR Southeast. The company estimated the value of new Florida contracts at roughly $2.1 billion for the month. Photo submitted by Skanska USA Skanska USA recently broke ground on an Academic Health Center project at Florida International University in Miami. Related Links: Residential Gives Life to Florida Contracts in May So Far, So Good for Florida's Construction Recovery Florida’s nonresidential sector registered an estimated $411.9 million in new contracts in June, 59%
Georgia voters on July 31 widely rejected the state’s pitch for a penny sales tax increase that could have delivered as much as $18.7 billion in funding for transportation. The Transportation Investment Act measure did pass in three of the state’s 12 regions, however, providing roadbuilders a modest boost in funding, estimated by the Georgia Dept. of Transportation at roughly $1.8 billion over the next 10 years. Image courtesy Atlanta BeltLine The ongoing $2-billion Atlanta BeltLine project would have received more than $600 million from the transportation tax to fund additional light-rail lines. Related Links: Georgia Transportation Tax Vote Set
A debate over taxation and government spending is nearing a conclusion as Georgia voters ready for the July 31 election over a penny sales-tax increase that could boost transportation funding by an estimated $18.7 billion. Related Links: Battle Heats Up Over Georgia's Transportation Sales Tax Vote Atlanta BeltLine: Local Architect's Big Idea Reshapes Atlanta Twelve separate regional elections for a special purpose local option sales tax (SPLOST) will help decide the statewide vote over the Transportation Investment Act. If passed, the tax increase would be enacted in the regions in which voters approved the measure and remain in effect for
As hearings into Duke Energy's surprise ousting of CEO William D. "Bill" Johnson wrapped up July 20, a pending repair project at the troubled Crystal River nuclear powerplant remained a leading suspect for the boardroom shake-up. However, it remained unclear whether the North Carolina Utilities Commission would examine the matter further. Photo from Progress Energy filing to Nuclear Regulatory Commission At recent hearings into Duke Energy's merger with Progress Energy, the impact of repair and insurance issues at the Crystal River nuclear plant remained a focus. Related Links: Bill Johnson: Duke Energy Fully Informed About Crystal River Duke's Secret Nuke
Photo from Progress Energy Plant Problems Hearings raised suspicions about the cost of fixing the Crystal River facility. Related Links: Ex-CEO Johnson: Duke Fully Informed About Crystal River Secret Study on Nuke Plant Fix May Hold Clue to Duke CEO's Ouster As the North Carolina Utilities Commission wrapped up hearings into Duke Energy's surprise ousting of CEO William D. "Bill" Johnson, a repair project at the troubled Crystal River nuclear powerplant remained at the heart of the boardroom shake-up. However, it was unclear whether state regulators would examine the matter further.In testimony on July 19, Johnson alleged that Duke tried
Gains in the building sectors pushed South Carolina’s May total for new contracts 28% higher than the same period of a year ago, according to McGraw-Hill Construction. The company estimated the state’s new contracts at $608.3 million, compared to last May’s $476.2-million tally. Photo by Shaw Group; courtesy SCANA Corp. At the V.C. Summer Nuclear Station project in Jenkinsville, S.C., the heavy lift derrick was constructed and underwent load testing while excavation began on the Unit 3 site. Related Links: North Carolina Sees All Sectors Move Up in May Nuke Project Boosts South Carolina Contracts in April The nonresidential category
As officials in North Carolina prepare to widen their probe into utility Duke Energy’s surprise ouster of its just-named CEO, officials there and in Florida are giving increased scrutiny to a problem-laden repair of the now-idled Crystal River nuclear powerplant owned by acquired utility Progress Energy as a factor in the boardroom coup. Photo courtesy Duke Energy Officials in North Carolina want to know more about the repair issues at the Crystal River nuclear powerplant project in Citrus County, Fla. Related Links: Florida, Progress Energy Reach Fix Plan for Crystal River Costly Blunders at Progress Energy's Crystal River Nuke Plant
Related Links: Battle Heats Up Over Georgia's Transportation Tax Vote Architect's 'BeltLine' Idea Reshapes Atlanta A debate over taxation and government spending is heating up in advance of a July 31 vote in Georgia over a penny sales-tax increase. The deal could boost funding for transportation projects by an estimated $18.7 billion.Twelve separate regional elections for a special-purposes local-options sales tax will help decide the statewide vote over the Transportation Investment Act. If passed, the tax increase would be enacted in the regions in which voters approved the measure and remain in effect for 10 years.According to the Georgia Dept.
Related Links: Europe's Economic Woes Could Further Dampen Economies in 2013 Obama Signs $104B Highway-Transit Bill An increase in subcontractor failures, more reliance on contractor-obtained financing and the nation's continuing economic sluggishness highlighted concerns facing members of the Construction Financial Management Association as they met at their annual convention on June 23-27 in Orlando, Fla.Contractors around the nation are increasingly finding that some specialty firms hired for their projects are unable to finish the job due to financial distress. The topic was especially relevant at CFMA's first "Large Firm CFO Roundtable," says Erika Urbani, CFMA chairwoman and chief financial officer
Photo courtesy Duke Energy Duke Energy's board initiated its own study of the problems at Crystal River prior to the closing of the merger with Progress Energy. Results from that confidential study boosted the board's concerns about Bill Johnson's leadership. Related Links: Florida, Progress Energy Reach Fix Plan for Crystal River Fla. Public Counsel Calls Botched Repair at Crystal River 'A Huge Construction Negligence Case' Progress Energy: No Way to Predict Nuke Plant Cracking As the state of North Carolina widens its probe into utility Duke Energy’s surprise ouster of its just-named CEO, officials there and in Florida are increasing