On July 16, at 6:45 a.m., Florida Power & Light's 50-plus-year-old Port Everglades powerplant in Hollywood, Fla., came crashing down. The 1200-megawatt, oil-burning behemoth had become the latest chapter in one of today's biggest infrastructure stories—the nation's ongoing transition to cleaner energy sources. The occasion also cleared the way for new construction, in this case a $1-billion-plus natural gas-fired facility. Related Links: Southeast Top Specialty Contractors Ranking VIDEO: Port Everglades Powerplant Implosion (YouTube) D.H. Griffin Wrecking Co. Web Site The early-morning spectacle, positioned next to Fort Lauderdale's international airport and the cruise-ship hub Port Everglades, drew widespread attention for FPL—which
Despite some improvement in the volume of new contracts, the Southeast's construction market remains a fraction of the size it was during the pre-recession peak years. While specialty contractors working in Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas are growing more optimistic about market recovery, for many, the next wave of construction can't get here soon enough. Photo courtesy of Gate Precast Co. Educational projects such as this science graduate classroom building at Florida International University in Miami could be indicative of an increased amount of work in this sector for specialty firms. Photo courtesy of KHS&S Contractors At HealthPark Medical Center
Southeast contractors, beginning to sense genuine momentum in the region's building markets, are now looking forward to an upturn. But as data from ENR Southeast's latest Top Contractors survey shows, a broader regional construction market recovery remains mostly in the offing. Related Links: The Southeast's Top Starts Top Southeast Starts Reflect a Rejuvenated Residential Market The survey's first indicator of a regional revival is seen in the response rate. Historically, the depth of the Southeast Top Contractors ranking has ebbed and flowed with the industry's own ups and downs. For the latest list, more than 110 firms reported their 2012
By most outward appearances, much has changed for Rodgers Builders since its chairman, B.D. Rodgers, first founded the company in 1963. Now with more than 350 associates across three offices, and a diverse project portfolio, the Charlotte, N.C.-based firm's growth has mirrored its hometown's emergence as one of the Southeast's leading economic hubs. Related Links: Rodgers Builders Named 'Contractor of the Year' Builders Get Ready for Southeast Resurgence Looking deeper, though, it is apparent that Rodgers has deviated little from its origin as a conservative company, with leaders who emphasize an old-fashioned personal approach. At the same time, the company
Southeast architecture and engineering firms are seeing increased project activity by owners as well as heightened expectations regarding collaborative design processes and enhanced sustainability goals. Photo courtesy of Perkins+Will In a sign of the evolution of green design, Perkins+Will launched its Sprout Space modular, sustainable classroom design at Chattahoochee Hills Charter School, south of Atlanta. Image courtesy of Dewberry Health care projects, such as the $51-million Alamance Regional Center Expansion project in Burlington, N.C., continue to move ahead, but with a changing focus. Related Links: Reynolds, Smith and Hills Makes Big Plans to Stand Alone Engineering News Record "Owners definitely
Fueled by fresh ideas and a renewed vision, RS&H emerged from the recession with strong momentum for future growth. It's been a transformative period for the Jacksonville, Fla.-based A/E firm, marked by significant changes within its senior ranks. Last year, the firm responded by tallying near-record revenue across its 35 offices nationwide. In light of its strong results, its mix of notable regional projects and its aggressive outlook to build market share, ENR Southeast has named RS&H as its Design Firm of the Year. Related Links: P3 Delivery Drives Speed on Florida's I-595 Project Engineering News Record In the hard-hit
The Georgia Institute of Technology has turned its 400-acre campus in Atlanta into a giant living-learning laboratory for sustainable design and construction.
DPR Construction, the California-based building contractor and construction manager that has built itself into a $2-billion-a-year business on high-tech construction and a push for innovation, is making moves to expand its footprint. And the company’s first step in that direction is starting in the Southeast. Photo: NY Focus Photography DPR Construction built the Max Planck Florida Institute project, located in Jupiter, Fla. Related Links: California-based DPR is Set to Buy Hardin Construction In its first major purchase, DPR announced last month that it plans to buy Hardin Construction Co. LLC, the Atlanta-based general contractor. DPR, based in Redwood City, plans
This year's Top Specialty Contractors survey revealed that at least some firms working in Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas are starting to experience real, and significant, business growth again. But like the overall economic recovery itself, the fortunes of Southeast specialty contractors are proving to be decidedly mixed. Photo by Ben Tanner Photography; courtesy KHS and S Contractors Improving Conditions? KHS and S handled metal panel work for Marlins Park in Miami, where market conditions are showing signs of improvement. Related Links: 2012 Southeast Top Specialty Contractors Ranking SteelFab: Southeast 'Specialty Contractor of the Year' Some firms are finally finding
Steel fabricator and erector SteelFab Inc. was certainly not immune to the construction industry's dark days of late 2008. At that time, the specialty contractor found itself in much the same panic mode that gripped many others as its project backlog suddenly, and literally, shrank to nothing. Related Links: For Southeast Specialty Firms, Recovery is Proving Hit or Miss 2012 Southeast Top Specialty Contractors Ranking The Charlotte, N.C.-based steel designer, fabricator and erector saw 26 projects mothballed or canceled as the local economy spiraled down in the wake of the nation's banking crisis. Project owners were left with no choice
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