For the Southeast's construction industry, 2011 wasn't much to write home about. In fact, one could say that 2011 "wasn't" a whole lot of things. It wasn't the year that high-speed rail headed down the track in Florida. It wasn't the year of significant recovery, as some prognosticators—including McGraw-Hill Construction, publisher of ENR—predicted it would be. Though, in their defense, things started to look up in the latter half of the year. It also wasn't the year when commercial building construction started to come back to pre-bust levels. Though there were rumblings out of South Florida in the latter half

Two of Florida’s three construction categories experienced double-digit percentage gains in the volume of new contracts in October, according to McGraw-Hill Construction, publisher of Engineering News-Record. The state generated nearly $1.8 billion in new construction contracts during the month, a 21% increase over the same period of a year ago. Related Links: Georgia Contracts Soar in October N.C. Contracts Sink 18% in October South Carolina Contracts Stumble 11% The nonbuilding sector, which includes infrastructure projects, jumped 41% and recorded $551.6 million in new contracts during the month. Residential contracts tallied $733.1 million, or 24% better than last October. The volume

The volume of Georgia's October construction contract activity soared in October, as the state recorded nearly $2.6 billion in new contracts during the month, according to McGraw-Hill Construction, publisher of ENR. The surge was largely the result of the company's reporting of Southern Co.'s $1.5-billion Plant Vogtle nuclear power project. Georgia's latest monthly contracts total was well over twice that of last October’s estimate, which was $909.4 million. The impact of the Vogtle project was reflected in the nonbuilding category, which includes infrastructure and energy projects, which recorded more than $1.6 billion in new contracts. That number compared favorably to

The pace of North Carolina’s new construction contracts fell in all three categories that McGraw-Hill Construction measures, resulting in an 18% overall drop for October, the company reported. An estimated $930.7 million in new contracts moved forward during the month. Related Links: S.C. Contracts Stumble 11% in October Georgia Contracts Soar in October Residential contracts tallied $430.8 million for the month, or 2% lower than last October. The nonbuilding sector, which includes infrastructure work, fell 3% compared to the same period of a year ago for a $157.5-million total. The volume of nonresidential contracts tumbled 36%, however, registering an estimating

McGraw-Hill Construction estimated the value of South Carolina’s October construction contracts at $474.7 million, or 11% lower than the same period of a year ago. Related Links: Georgia Contracts Soar in October The nonresidential construction category experienced the steepest decline, dropping 36% compared to last October to total $122.5 million. The nonbuilding sector, which includes infrastructure work, fell 25% and totaled $72.7 million for the month. Residential contracts turned up by 14% overall, however, for a total of $279.5 million.For the year-to-date, McGraw-Hill Construction estimates South Carolina’s overall contracts total is still positive, with its total of nearly $6 billion

The value of new Florida construction contracts eked out a 1% gain in September, according to McGraw-Hill Construction, with new projects totaling roughly $1.7 billion. Related Links: Georgia's September Contracts Improve by 11% Infrastructure Work Boosts N.C. Contracts to 58% Gain in Sept. S.C. Contracts Record Solid 35% Gain in September For the month, the nonresidential category continued its downward trend, registering a 29% decline compared to the same period of a year ago, with $419.3 million in new contracts. Residential contracts outpaced last September’s total by 27%, however, with an estimated $817.5 million in new projects. The nonbuilding sector,

Across-the-board double-digit gains in all three construction categories fueled South Carolina’s September contracts to a 35% overall gain for the month, according to McGraw-Hill Construction. The company, publisher of Engineering News-Record, estimated the state’s September contracts at $479 million. The nonbuilding category, which includes infrastructure work, increased by 42% compared to last September, for a total of $89.4 million. Nonresidential contracts jumped 36% compared to a year ago for a $122.2-million monthly tally. The value of new residential contracts increased 33%, for a total of nearly $267.4 million.McGraw-Hill Construction now estimates South Carolina’s 2011 contracts at $5.3 billion overall, which

Thanks to strong activity in the residential and nonbuilding categories, the value of Georgia’s new construction contracts improved by 11% overall in September, according to McGraw-Hill Construction. The jump resulted in an estimated $941.3 million in new contracts. Related Links: Infrastructure Work Boosts N.C. Contracts to 58% Sept. Gain S.C. Contracts Record Solid 35% Gain in September The residential market showed the greatest improvement for the month. The category registered nearly $335.6 million in new contracts, or 30% better than last September. The nonbuilding category, which includes infrastructure projects, recorded an estimated $110.2 million in new contracts, a 19% improvement

A month after an invalid vote that provided “conditional approval” of a $30-million settlement with HDR Engineering over cracks in its six-year-old reservoir, on Oct. 17 the board of directors of Tampa Bay Water voted unanimously to reject the deal and proceed with its pending lawsuit in federal court.