Corps commander Col. Aaron Reisinger details how the convention center will be transformed into an alternate care facility in a matter of days, including upgrading the Hall B mechanical system to produce negative air pressure for care of contagious patients.

As the Army Corps of Engineers planned and built alternate care facilities in Chicago's McCormick Place and Detroit's TCF Center, its public health strategy shifted to using convention centers for COVID-19 patients without severe symptoms rather than just for non-COVID-19 patients to take the strain off hospitals.

As cases increase in Illinois, the state has fast-tracked a 200-bed veterans home to be used as a hospital. McCormick Place convention center also is undergoing a $71-million rehab to become an acute-care treatment facility.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer will allow COVID-19 halted projects extra time to finish without being responsible for liquidated damages.

All of ENR Midwest's coverage of how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting the regional construction industry.

Construction in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Wisconsin is seen as essential infrastructure, so work continues on most sites in those states. Minnesota, Kentucky, Missouri and Kansas's orders broadly exempt outdoor activities. Michigan's order includes public works construction as essential.

The Mississippi River Cities and Towns Inititiative has given environmental opportunity grants to Memphis and New Orleans and lobbied congress for resilience projects.