With a strong economy and the continued strength of the oil-and-gas sector, Texas and Louisiana contractors are seeing strong gains in regional revenues. Related Links: Top Contractors Ranking Top Contractors by Market Sector Ample Bookings Prepare Contractors for a Strong 2014 Combined revenue of the Top 10 firms in the ENR Texas & Louisiana annual Top Contractors survey hit $12.5 billion in 2013, marking a post-recession high. That is up from $9.8 billion in 2012, $8.3 billion in 2011 and $9.4 billion in 2009.All 128 responding firms reported a combined regional revenue of $32 billion in 2013, up from $25.9
Ranked as one of the top zoological parks in the country, New Orleans' Audubon Zoo is home to some critically acclaimed exhibits that have set a standard for other zoos around the world. Audubon's latest project is the construction of a new orangutan exhibit, an elephant exhibit and a river water ride for guests. Spread across three acres, the new attractions have visually appealing designs to immerse visitors in the natural world. Related Links: Audubon Nature Institute Gibbs Construction But project architects and contractors say working in a zoo comes with its own set of issues involving wildlife. Atypical construction
Continued strength in the energy industry propelled design firms in Texas and Louisiana last year, but it wasn't the region's only revenue-growth catalyst. The top 75 design firms on ENR Texas & Louisiana's ranking reported combined regional revenue of $4.1 billion in 2013—up from $2.97 billion in 2012—an increase of roughly 38% and more than double the nearly 16% growth of the year before. Related Links: 2014 Top Design Firms Ranking 2014 Top Design Firms Ranking by Sector 2013 Texas and Louisiana Top Design Firm Ranking Designers Seek Stability During Slow Recovery "Upstream [oil and gas] activities are slightly declining
Not long after its opening in the late 1960s, the Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway corridor (Interstate 635) in Dallas experienced explosive growth and quickly exceeded capacity. As a result, planning for an expanded LBJ began in the late 1980s. More than 200 public meetings and three decades later, the project is under way. Related Links: LBJ Express LBJ Express Work Progresses to Excavation Phase The I-635 Managed Lanes project, also known as the LBJ Express, is a $2.7-billion, 13-mile highway reconstruction that will more than double the capacity of the corridor, which spans two municipalities in Dallas County. All of
Texas has long been a land of drought. Now that more people are relocating to the state, thanks to a strong economy and the promise of jobs, counties must look for new ways to satisfy the water needs of their burgeoning populations. Related Links: San Jacinto River Authority Ground Water Reduction Program McCarthy Building Cos. Inc. HDR Engineering Inc. The San Jacinto River Authority (SJRA) is doing precisely that with its latest project, the $191-million Surface Water Facilities, being built on and adjacent to Lake Conroe in Montgomery County, just north of Houston.This project is part of the county's Ground
Work has been plentiful in Louisiana and Texas over the past year, with a slew of massive projects starting up in each state, ranging from energy, transportation and infrastructure to mixed-use and retail. ENR Texas & Louisiana's Top Starts list shows the cost of the top 25 projects that broke ground in 2013 in the region totaled $12.49 billion, a decline of $710 million compared with last year. But more energy projects are on the way in both states, as work remains strong in the Gulf Coast region. Related Links: 2013 Top Starts In Texas & Louisiana Oil and Gas
Vancouver, British Columbia-based methanol producer Methanex has fast-tracked the relocation of a major chemical plant across continents to capitalize on natural gas prices from Louisiana's shale plays. It's a massive undertaking involving thousands of skilled workers and a seven-month sea voyage—but it's still cheaper than building a new plant. Related Links: Idle Methanol Plant Moves From Chile To Louisiana Methanex Nearly 1,000 workers are on site each day at the Geismar, La., site, with a wide selection of contractors and subs. Jacobs Engineering, Pasadena, Calif., is the engineering and procurement contractor (EPC); Cajun Industries Inc., Baton Rouge, has handled site
Lemoine Co. is constructing a new 178,000-sq-ft student union at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. The $36 million project is roughly halfway through construction and completion is expected in December of 2014. Courtesy of The Lemoine Co. Lemoine Co. is constructing a new 178,000-sq-ft student union at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Related Links: University of Louisiana at Lafayette The new student union is being built on the location of the old one and will feature a cafeteria, dining area, bookstore, ballroom and theater. The facility spans nearly an entire city block and sits on the edge of
Eight years after being flooded and damaged by Hurricane Katrina, the Audubon Nature Institute is embarking on an $8.5 million project to reconstruct facilities at the Nature Center. Courtesy of the Audubon Nature Institute The Audubon Nature Institute's new facility will span approximately 13,000 sq-ft in three adjacent and connected buildings. Related Links: Audubon Nature Institute Steve Dorand, senior vice president of design for the Audubon Nature Institute, says the new facility will span approximately 13,000 sq-ft in three adjacent and connected buildings. It will include classrooms, a planetarium and an 8,500-sq-ft exhibit pavilion.Audubon is working with local architect Billes
Midway between Austin and San Antonio sits the scenic town of New Braunfels, home to just one hospital and a growing population. Residents will have a new option come April, when the $110-million Resolute Health Hospital reaches completion. Brasfield & Gorrie is leading construction on the five-story, 364,615-sq-ft building, which sits on a 58-acre greenfield site. Related Links: 2012 Top Project Starts Brasfield & Gorrie "New Braunfels was selected as kind of an innovation site for the company. It's a growing area—not just New Braunfels but kind of a mini tri-city area consisting of New Braunfels, San Marcos and Seguin—so
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