Texas construction news

New Orleans Loses Most Construction Jobs in Past Year of All Nation's Metro Areas

Wed, 26 Aug 2015 12:00:00 -0400

According to recent data from the Associated General Contractors of America, the New Orleans-Metairie metro area lost 2,700 construction jobs in the past year, more than any other city nationwide. Related Links: Louisiana AGC AGC reported 28,700 construction jobs in the area in June 2015, down 9% from June 2014. Louisiana Associated General Contractors CEO Ken Naquin says the job losses are largely attributed to the recent completion of several large projects. Two $1 billion hospital projects in New Orleans are wrapping up plus $14.5 billion in flood control work with the Corps of Engineers has ended.Naquin says New Orleans

Domain Cos. Adds 15-Story Building to South Market District Plan

Tue, 11 Aug 2015 12:00:00 -0400

Domain Cos. will construct another 15-story building in a fourth phase of development at its South Market District project in downtown New Orleans. The new building will be designed to house 89 upper-level condominiums and 24,000 sq ft of ground floor retail space. The condos, which will be known as "The Standard," will feature a mix of one, two and three-bedroom units. There will also be a resident clubhouse and bar with media lounge, a state-of-the-art fitness center. Construction will also include a 30,000-sq-ft amenity deck on the third flood with a pool, cabanas and an outdoor kitchen.The building is

Work Resumes on $24 Million Cobalt Medical Center

Wed, 05 Aug 2015 12:00:00 -0400

Construction has started on a $24 million rehabilitation center in the Mid-City neighborhood of New Orleans. When completed, the Cobalt Medical Center will be a state-of-the-art medical facility and rehabilitation hospital to treat traumatic brain injuries, concussions, Parkinson's Disease and other services. While the project officially broke ground in the summer of 2014, construction was delayed for a year and recently resumed in late July. Courtesy of Cobalt Medical Development Cobalt Medical Center will be a state-of-the-art medical facility and rehabilitation hospital. Related Links: Groundbreaking on Cobalt Medical Center's $22 Million Rehabilitation Hospital The two-story, 64,000-sq-ft facility will feature 60

Louisiana DOTD Managing $60 Million in Interstate Improvement Projects Near Slidell

Tue, 04 Aug 2015 12:00:00 -0400

New Orleans' $145 Million Prison Project Halted

Thu, 16 Jul 2015 12:00:00 -0400

New Orleans' Mayor Mitch Landrieu's administration has ordered construction to be halted at the city's new $145 million prison, saying the client, Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman, is in violation of city codes.

Stantec Acquires VI Engineering

Thu, 16 Jul 2015 12:00:00 -0400

Stantec has acquired VI Engineering, a Houston-based electrical engineering firm. The acquisition closed on July 10. VI’s existing leadership will remain intact, and the 30-person firm will remain located at its current Houston office. However, VI will eventually transition its brand and name to Stantec, says Matt McBurnett, principal at VI.VI Engineering was founded in 2004 and operates across Texas and the Gulf Coast region, as well as the Northeast. The company also has a national list of clients that includes Southern California Edison, MidAmerican Energy, Pacific Gas and Electric, Bayer and Valero Energy Corp.“The utility transmission and distribution marketplace

Houston's Ellington Airport is Site for Nation's 10th Commercial Spaceport

Tue, 30 Jun 2015 12:00:00 -0400

Houston will host to the tenth commercial spaceport in the United States, following approval announced June 30 from the Federal Aviation Administration. Courtesy of Houston Airport System The Houston Airport System has received a Launch Site License from the Federal Aviation Administration that will allow the agency to establish Ellington Airport as a launch site for reusable launch vehicles. The Houston Airport System (HAS) has received a Launch Site License from the FAA that will allow the agency to establish Ellington Airport as a launch site for Reusable Launch Vehicles (RLV).HAS will now move forward with development of infrastructure and

South's Construction Backlogs Surpassed 9% in 2014's Final Quarter

Wed, 18 Mar 2015 12:00:00 -0400

Average construction backlogs in the South, including Texas and Louisiana, surpassed nine months during the final quarter of 2014, a feat regional builders haven't achieved since the first quarter of the year, according to data compiled by Washington, D.C.-based Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC). Backlogs in the region rose .30 months, to 9.29 months, in quarter-to-quarter comparisons but declined .36 months, from 9.65 months, in year-over-year comparisons for the same period, data indicate. The Midwest and Eastern regions also logged increases in quarter-to-quarter comparisons, though a 21% decrease in the West, from 9.42 months to 7.42 months, contributed to a

Ground Breaks on New Orleans Low-income Housing Complex

Tue, 10 Mar 2015 12:00:00 -0400

Gibbs Construction has broken ground on a $15-million, low-income senior-housing complex in New Orleans under development by Enterprise Community Partners and Providence Community Housing, a pair of low-income housing enterprises, and New York City-based L+M Development Partners. The project is part of a third phase involving reconstruction of the Faubourg Lafitte housing complex, which sustained heavy damage from Hurricane Katrina in 2005. When completed, the entire development will include 896 apartments in addition to for-sale and rental homes on a 27-acre site. Gibbs President Rob Wooderson says the current phase will consist of a three-story, 100,000-sq-ft elevated concrete slab extending

McCarthy to Tackle $450 Million Museum of Fine Arts, Houston Campus Expansion Project

Mon, 09 Mar 2015 12:00:00 -0400

Houston’s Museum of Fine Arts (MFAH) is planning a major redevelopment of its 14-acre campus, a $450 million effort that will include a new exhibition building, an art school, parking garage, rooftop garden, tunnel connectors, a central plant and extensive site development. Related Links: The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston McCarthy Building Cos. McCarthy Building Cos. will act as construction manager at risk on the project, “providing preconstruction and construction services for the new Glassell School of Art, which includes a 290-car, two-level below grade parking structure and a three-level 86,000 sq ft school,” says Jeff Wagner, project director at

Construction Starts at 58-acre Ambassador Town Center in Lafayette

Wed, 04 Mar 2015 12:00:00 -0500

Contractors recently broke ground on a $115 million retail project at Ambassador Town Center in Lafayette, La. The shopping center will be segmented into four quadrants with more than 425,000 square feet of retail space spread out over 58 acres. The project is being constructed by a joint venture between Stirling Properties and CBL & Associates Properties, one of the country's largest developers and owners of shopping centers. Stirling Properties Senior Leasing Consultant Ryan Pecot says the center is being constructed on a 120-acre parcel of clear land at one of the city's busiest intersections. Construction is being divided into two segments,

New Orleans' RTA Breaks Ground On $41.5 Million Streetcar Line

Tue, 03 Feb 2015 12:00:00 -0500

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

Groundbreaking Held on $96.3 Million SH 71 Express Project

Tue, 03 Feb 2015 12:00:00 -0500

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

$20 Million Mixed-Use Project Starts In Baton Rouge

Wed, 28 Jan 2015 12:00:00 -0500

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

Corps Starts $200M Levee Armoring Project In New Orleans

Tue, 20 Jan 2015 12:00:00 -0500

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is preparing to start a $200 million project to reinforce more than 80 miles of earthen levees in the New Orleans area. Photo courtesy of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers To further minimize the impacts of erosion, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will reinforce earthen levees in the New Orleans area with a combination of Bermuda sod and a high performance turf reinforcement mats (HPRTMs). Related Links: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Circle Construction LLC In 2005, a tidal surge from Hurricane Katrina led to the failure of a number of earthen

New Orleans' Sewerage and Water Board to Start $350M of Construction in 2015

Tue, 06 Jan 2015 12:00:00 -0500

The New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board will start $350 million worth of construction and improvements to the city's sewer system in 2015. Work will include repairs and upgrades to drainage canals, pumping stations, pipes and outdated power supply stations. Related Links: New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board New Orleans' sewerage and water system is more than 115 years old and loses up to 40% of its drinking water through leaks and broken pipes. The system has a number of deteriorating pump stations, along with sinking lines that create potholes in streets. There are also damaged wastewater lines that have

$250 Million South Market District in New Orleans Enters Second Phase of Construction

Wed, 26 Nov 2014 12:00:00 -0500

Contractors are preparing to break ground on the second phase of the South Market District in New Orleans. When completed, it will be the largest mixed-use development in the city with 700 apartments, a boutique hotel and 200,000 sq ft of retail space including shops and restaurants. Related Links: South Market District New Orleans Industrial Development Board Construction of the $250 million project started in June 2013. The first phase, which includes The Paramount and The Park buildings, is nearing completion. The Paramount includes 21,000 sq ft of retail space and 209 apartments, The Park features 435 garage spaces and

Texas Voters Approve $5.589 Billion in Bonds

Wed, 12 Nov 2014 12:00:00 -0500

Voters turned out to Texas polls November 4 to weigh in on nearly 100 bond packages across the state. According to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts' Texas Transparency compilation of bond election results, of those bonds on the ballot last week, voters approved 84 (totaling a combined $5.589 billion), while 11 (totaling a combined $867.5 million) were defeated. Related Links: Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts' Texas Transparency A slew of education-related packages were approved last week, far outweighing those from other entities. Among the bonds that passed in the November 4 election were:A four-part bond package for Arlington, covering

Corps of Engineers $86.2 Million Drainage Project In New Orleans

Mon, 10 Nov 2014 12:00:00 -0500

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is constructing an $86.2 million drainage project in New Orleans. The 42-month contract will provide improved storm water drainage for the Uptown area of the city and reduce the risk of flood damages in a 10-year rainfall event. Related Links: SELA Drainage Projects U.S. Army Corps of Engineers New Orleans District The project is being managed by Boh Bros. Construction Co. and involves building 7,200 l-ft of concrete box culvert under the median on Louisiana Ave. The culvert will range from 8 to 16 ft wide and will run from Constance St. to South

Construction on New Orleans VA Hospital Reaches Halfway Mark

Wed, 15 Oct 2014 12:00:00 -0400

Construction of the new Veterans Administration hospital in New Orleans is roughly halfway complete.

$13.3 Million Rail Yard Project To Start At Port Of New Orleans

Tue, 16 Sep 2014 12:00:00 -0400

Hard Rock Construction of Metairie, La., is preparing to break ground on a $13.3 million intermodal terminal at the Port of New Orleans. Related Links: Hard Rock Construction Port of New Orleans The 12-acre project will feature 10,000 linear ft of rail track and five acres of heavy duty paving to accommodate the transfer of intermodal containers between ships, trucks and trains. Hard Rock Construction will also install electrical, drainage and utility systems along with new water feeds for additional fire hydrants.Port of New Orleans spokesperson Matt Gresham says the project is part of the ongoing expansion of the Napoleon

Groundbreaking on Cobalt Medical Center's $22 Million Rehabilitation Hospital

Tue, 02 Sep 2014 12:00:00 -0400

Cobalt Medical Center recently broke ground on a $22 million rehabilitation hospital in New Orleans. Construction of the 64,000-sq-ft facility is expected to take twelve months with an opening scheduled in summer 2015. Courtesy of Ascension Group Architects Cobalt Medical Center's $22 million rehabilitation hospital in New Orleans is scheduled top open in summer 2015. Related Links: Cobalt Medical Center DeAngelis Diamond Construction Peter Cacciapaglia, Cobalt vice president of design and construction, says the two-story building will feature a full service kitchen, dining area, administration offices, loading dock, emergency room department and 60 beds.The facility will consist of typical steel

Work on $93 Million Veterinary & Biomedical Education Project Underway at Texas A&M

Wed, 06 Aug 2014 12:00:00 -0400

Texas A&M University is planning a new Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences Education Complex on its main campus in College Station. Skanska has joined the team as general contractor to build the $93 million facility. Courtesy of Stantec Texas A&M University's new $93 million Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences Education Complex, a 330,000-sq-ft building, will house state-of-the-art classrooms, teaching and laboratory space and a caf with indoor and outdoor dining facilities. Related Links: Texas A&M University Skanska This 330,000-sq-ft building will house state-of-the-art classrooms, teaching and laboratory space and a café with indoor and outdoor dining facilities. Combined with the

New Project Breaks Ground at Cityline Development

Tue, 22 Jul 2014 12:00:00 -0400

KDC broke ground on a new 489,000-sq-ft office complex for Raytheon on July 21 at the Cityline development in Richardson, Texas. This is the latest project to start at the 186-acre mixed-use development, joining the 1.5 million sq-ft State Farm project already underway. Courtesy of KDC KDC breaks ground on the new Raytheon project on July 21, 2014. From left to right: Dan Johnson, City Manager, Richardson; Mayor Laura Maczka, City of Richardson; Lynn Dugle, president, Raytheon IIS; Congressman Sam Johnson, 3rd District of Texas; Steve Van Amburgh, CEO, KDC; and Toby Grove, President, KDC. Courtesy of KDC KDC broke

Chinese Firm to Build $1.85 Billion Methanol Plant in Louisiana

Tue, 22 Jul 2014 12:00:00 -0400

China-based Yuhuang Chemical Inc. announced a $1.85 billion capital investment in a world-scale methanol manufacturing plant in Vacherie, La.

KDC to Develop Toyotas North American HQ in Dallas

Thu, 10 Jul 2014 12:00:00 -0400

Dallas-based KDC Real Estate Development & Investments (KDC) will develop Toyota’s new North American headquarters campus, located in the Legacy West development in Plano, Texas, the companies announced today. Related Links: KDC Diverse Projects Fill Out Regions Top Starts of 2013 The auto giant recently finalized the purchase of its new headquarters site, with expectations to move in to the development in late 2016 or early 2017. The campus will house about 4,000 Toyota employees.“We are excited to move forward with KDC to develop our new North American headquarters,” said Doug Beebe, Corporate Manager, Administrative Services at Toyota Motor Sales

Work on ExxonMobils New Baytown Ethylene Plant Begins

Wed, 09 Jul 2014 12:00:00 -0400

ExxonMobil’s plans to build a new ethylene plant in Baytown, Texas, are now underway. The firm recently awarded Bechtel and The Linde Group a contract to design and build the facility, located at the ExxonMobil Baytown Complex. Related Links: Bechtel The Linde Group The new plant will have a capacity of 1.55 million tons of ethylene per year. Construction will start immediately, with design and procurement of key equipment already under way, according to Bechtel.Specifically, Linde will conduct engineering, procurement and services during pre-commissioning and commissioning of the new facility, while Bechtel will be responsible for construction of the facility

$8.12-Million Settlement Reached in Texas Lawsuit

Fri, 13 Jun 2014 12:00:00 -0400

A lawsuit filed two years ago by Zapata County Independent School District against Houston-based Satterfield & Pontikes Construction and several subcontractors has ended with an $8.12-million settlement paid to the district. The two elementary schools Satterfield & Pontikes built for Zapata County ISD, Zapata South Elementary School and Fidel & Andrea R. Villarreal Elementary School, opened in January 2006. Both were constructed from a $16-million bond package approved in 2003.Six years later, in spring 2012, the school district filed a lawsuit against the design and construction team, alleging poor quality work on the two schools, as well as on covered

Benteler Steel to Construct $975-Million Plant at Port of Caddo-Bossier

Fri, 13 Jun 2014 12:00:00 -0400

Austrian-headquartered Benteler Steel is in the process of constructing a $975 million steel plant in Caddo Parish, La. The two-year project has created 1,000 construction jobs and is currently one of the largest projects in the state. Related Links: Benteler Steel Walbridge Matthias Jaeger, President and CEO of Benteler Steel/Tube GmbH, says the project is being constructed in two phases on a 330-acre site. The first, which is expected to be finished in late 2015, is the construction of a hot rolling tube mill, along with several finishing lines, for the production of seamless steel tubes. The second phase, to

Milton J. Womack Breaks Ground On $49-Million High School In Baton Rouge

Fri, 13 Jun 2014 12:00:00 -0400

General contractor Milton J. Womack Inc., recently broke ground on a $49 million project to rebuild Lee High School in Baton Rouge, La. Related Links: Milton J. Womack Inc. GraceHebert Architects Womack Project Executive Dale Phillips says the owner demolished the old school facilities which were originally constructed in the 60s. Four new buildings, totaling 190,000 square feet of combined space, will be constructed on the 25-acre site. It will consists of three three-story "academy buildings" to serve up to 1,200 students along with a large common-use facility featuring a gym, cafeteria and meeting spaces.The school was designed by local