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| December 10, 2008 |
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Budget woes put California public-works projects at risk
Budget problems could force California to halt or delay $5 billion in public works projects and lead to thousands of job cuts. Construction of a carpool lane on Highway 101 in Sonoma County and the planned fourth bore in the Caldecott Tunnel are among the projects in jeopardy. "Without a budget solution, state financing of infrastructure projects will stop," said Bill Lockyer, state treasurer. "It's as simple, and dire, as that." San Francisco Chronicle (12/9)
North Carolina mixed-use tower seeks LEED certification
The Raleigh, N.C., CAPTRUST Tower project is seeking LEED Silver certification. When it is completed, it will be the first mixed-use tower in the city's North Hills section. "After breaking ground in March 2008, construction on the CAPTRUST Tower is well under way," Duke Construction Vice President Drew Fredrick said. "The foundation concrete has been poured, and crews are working on the building superstructure. As of mid-October 2008, the fifth and sixth levels of the parking structure are under way. The building is scheduled to open in fall 2009 and will be the tallest building on the I-440 beltline." Associated Construction Publications (12/8)
Erie Canal lock repair project starts this week
Blasting began this week on the Erie Canal's Lock 6 as part of a $14.9 million project to rebuild the canal's walls, officials said. The New York State Canal Corp. is also installing a coffer dam to isolate the water as the work is completed. Other locks need repair, but officials said the Canal Corp. can only rehabilitate two locks per year. Daily Gazette (Schenectady, N.Y.) (12/10)
Weak economy spurs contractors' interest in military projects
Looking for ways to increase their business in tight economic times, contractors in North Carolina attended a seminar at Fort Bragg on landing government contracts. Army and Marine facility growth in the state is expected to create up to $7 billion in military construction projects, and the seminar offered some tips in how to land contracts. The Fayetteville Observer (N.C.) (12/9)
HUD starts construction on New Orleans housing development
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development this week started construction on a $190 million mixed-income community in New Orleans. The project is on one of four housing sites flooded by Hurricane Katrina that HUD says it will redevelop. Officials say structures should go up on the other sites in 2009 as financing is secured. The Times-Picayune (New Orleans)/The Associated Press (12/9)
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Construction costs will decline through January, observers say
Declining construction costs are chiefly due to a decrease in the price of commodities used to make building materials. The deflation is not expected to last more than another month or so, although project cost inflation will remain low throughout much of next year. Recessions in several countries that led to credit freezes has caused deflation in the construction industry, experts say. Reed/ACP Construction Data (12/9)
Downturn prompts first oil-demand contraction since the 1980s
The U.S. Energy Information Administration on Tuesday predicted that global demand for oil will drop by 50,000 barrels per day in 2008 and 450,000 barrels per day next year, marking the first demand drops since the early 1980s. "The current global economic slowdown is now projected to be more severe and longer ... leading to further reductions of global energy demand and additional declines in crude oil and other energy prices," the report said. NYTimes.com/Reuters (12/9)
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Column: New York hotel an architectural success
The 21-story all-glass Cooper Square Hotel opens this week in New York's East Village, writes Bloomberg architecture critic James Russell. He notes that the building swells outward as it rises. "Facets along the side wiggle in and out, changing from glass to hole-punched metal panels. These surfaces look stretched taut, as if under enormous internal pressure," Russell notes. Bloomberg (12/8)
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ConsensusDOCS offers best practice bond forms
ConsensusDOCS offers a catalog of performance, payment, bid and warranty bond forms. Recent case law in Maryland, Virginia and Florida has made signing certain unmodified bond forms very problematic. The ConsensusDOCS bond forms were written by top industry professionals to avoid such problems, yet do not micromanage the process of making or responding to a claim. For more information on ConsensusDOCS, visit www.ConsensusDOCS.org or call 866-925-DOCS(3627).
Construction Planning & Scheduling Manual (2nd Ed.)
This edition was written to offer guidance to contractors in the effective use of modern project management techniques. The primary objective of the new book is to provide an educational tool for teaching the concepts of construction planning and scheduling. The content of the book is written for all project personnel, from the working foreman to the project executive. 341 pages. 2004. To purchase copies, visit www.agc.org/bookstore, item #3502.
Dam project reveals remnants of California ghost town
Water levels of California's Lexington Reservoir have been lowered so construction crews can finish rebuilding a dam outlet system. As a result, remnants of two ghost towns, including a concrete bridge built in 1926, are now visible along the western edges of the lake. The project is expected to be finished next September. San Jose Mercury News (Calif.) (free registration) (12/6)
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