Energy, Public-Sector Projects Dominate Top Starts

This year’s roster includes fewer privately funded construction projects than there were on the 2015 list

The Hummel Station Power Plant in Shamokin Dam, Pa., ranked at No. 1 on this year’s Top Starts ranking.

*IMAGE COURTESY PANDA POWER FUNDS*

The $345-million Museum of the Bible project in Washington, D.C., is the largest building project on this year’s Top Starts ranking.

*IMAGE COURTESY MUSEUM OF THE BIBLE*

James G. Davis Construction Corp. is building the $100-million John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts expansion.

*IMAGE COURTESY JFK CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS*

The total value of the 25 contracts that make up this year’s ENR MidAtlantic Top Starts list—which includes projects that got underway in 2015—is down sharply, to $5.7 billion from $10.7 billion in last year’s ranking. The mix of projects has changed dramatically, with a steep decline in the volume of private-sector projects.

Click Here to View MidAtlantic's Top 2015 Starts

Power plants and infrastructure dominate this year’s Top Starts in the region, which includes Washington, D.C., Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia. There are only three energy projects on the list, but they rank first, second and third. The largest is the $1-billion Hummel Station power plant in Shamokin Dam, Pa., which is being funded by Panda Power Funds and built by Bechtel. Next in line are two Maryland power contracts, including PSEG Inc.’s $850-million Keys Energy Center project, Brandywine, where SNC-Lavalin Constructors is leading construction. PCL Construction is building the No. 3-ranked project, Old Dominion Electric Cooperative’s $675-million Wildcat Point generation facility, in Rising Sun.

Public-sector contracts across the region form the backbone of this year’s Top Starts. The largest is DC Water’s $215-million tunnel-dewatering pump-station project, which is being built by a PC Construction-CDM joint venture. At Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland, a Walsh-Gilbane Building Co. team is constructing a $206.4-million Public Health Command laboratory for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Baltimore District. Another Corps project, the $132.5-million East Branch Dam cutoff wall in Wilcox, Pa., ranks at No. 12.

The Pennsylvania Dept. of Transportation contributed three projects to this year’s Top Starts. The largest is the $164-million CSVT River Bridge, Union City, where Trumbull Corp. of Pittsburgh is leading construction. In Philadelphia, PennDOT’s $112.2-million Interstate 95 Betsy Ross Bridge Improvements project, being built by R.E. Pierson Construction Co., got underway in February 2015. In Pittsburgh, the Joseph B. Fay Co. is performing a deck rehabilitation of the $85.4-million state Route 3069 bridge.

The largest building project on this year’s ranking is the $345-million Museum of the Bible, an eight-story, 430,000-sq-ft facility, located three blocks from the U.S. Capitol. Clark Construction Group is building the structure, which is designed by SmithGroup JJR.

The list that ENR MidAtlantic published last year noted the revival of private developer-backed projects, which accounted for $4 billion in contracts, or 37% of the Top Starts’ total $10.7 billion. By comparison, the cumulative value of privately funded projects on this year’s Top Starts ranking is down to about $1 billion.

Although there are fewer private-sector developments than a year ago, there are some large ones on the list. Ranked fifth this year is the $280-million Capital One Bank Office headquarters tower, in Fairfax, Va. It was designed by HKS Architecture. And in Philadelphia, Tutor Perini Building Corp. is building the $195.9-million W Hotel and Element project for Brooks Capital Group and Chestlen Development Co.

Much of the information included on the following Top Starts ranking was provided by Dodge Data & Analytics.

Scott Judy is Deputy Editor for Regions, and editor of ENR Southeast, one of Engineering News-Record's 10 Regional publications. His roughly 27 years as a construction journalist began with an 11-year stint covering Midwest construction projects. In 2000, Judy helped launch the publication now known as ENR Southeast. He often delves into controversial aspects of the construction industry such as bankruptcies and fatal accidents, and wishes he would never have to cover another accident but suspects that he might.