The U.S. Department of Energy�s conditional loan guarantees for two more California solar projects in the past week is expected to generate more than 1,300 construction jobs and help the state meet its newly approved renewable energy goal of 33% by 2020, according to Energy Secretary Steven Chu. Photo: Solar Trust of America The Blythe project will be the first concentrating solar power (CSP) parabolic trough plant to use an air-cooled condenser unit, which will decrease water use by nearly 90% compared with a water-cooled CSP facility. Chu announced the offers of $2.1 billion and $1.2 billion for the Blythe
Two projects have been given the go-ahead at The Railyards in downtown Sacramento. Photo: nc3d.com Construction at the 240-acre redevelopment site has been on hold since the previous developer, Thomas Enterprises, Newnan, Ga., defaulted on a $187 million loan, which forced the property into foreclosure late last year. The new developer, I.A. Sacramento Holdings LLC, a subsidiary of Oak Brook, Ill.-based Inland American Real Estate Trust Inc., Thomas Enterprises’ original lender, is currently renegotiating contracts with the city for future projects. Last week, Granite Construction Inc. was awarded a $41-million rail relocation project by the city, booking the project into
Healthcare continues to be a major factor in California�s construction industry, scoring five out of the top 25 Top Starts in ENR California this year. Spurred by regulations pertaining to Senate Bill 1953, requiring seismic upgrades or replacements of hospitals and medical centers, healthcare owners are scrambling to meet the first deadlines that come into play in 2013. Ray Zunino, vice president with Hunt Construction Group, Scottsdale, Ariz., which is rebuilding Sequoia Hospital in Redwood City (no. 16 on the Top Starts list), says that because of the senate bill, Hunt and other general contractors are not getting anywhere near
Article toolbar Thanks in part to a controversial fast-track approval process, a major solar thermal power project is now under way in San Bernardino County. Photo Courtesy Of Brightsource Energy Assembly Required BrightSource employees assemble heliostats during construction of a solar energy development center. The Ivanpah Electric Generating System, developed, owned and operated by BrightSource Energy Co., Oakland, and NGR Energy, Princeton, N.J., could deliver 370 MW per year of solar thermal power from the floor of the Mojave Desert as soon as 2013. Alternative-energy advocates praise the project as an example for accelerating regulatory approval for other solar power
Article toolbar Take a heath-care company whose construction projects are so massive that they often lift entire local economies. Add generous amounts of innovation and philanthropic spirit as well as an enviable record of worker safety and innovation. That’s a recipe for success, and it’s why ENR California has chosen Kaiser Permanente as its Owner of the Year for 2011. Rendering Courtesy Of Recurrent Energy Super Solar Santa Clara Project: Santa Clara Medical Center Kaiser Permanente contracted Recurrent Energy to design and build a 1-MW elevated solar installation atop two existing parking garages. The Owner of the Year selection is
Article toolbar This Year's Top Starts ranking clearly illustrates two points: California took full advantage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and other federal funds to launch many projects, and large health-care projects, which accounted for six of last year’s top 10 projects, continue to make a mark, thanks to the state’s upcoming deadline for seismic upgrades to hospitals and medical facilities. Additionally, while construction markets continue to be tough, this year’s top 25 starts total more than $8 billion in construction value, compared with $7.5 billion for 2009’s top 39. Image Courtesy Of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
On The Scene April 11, 2011 Frank Gehry’s Guests from the architecture, design and real estate world gathered on March 19 at the 76th floor penthouse of Frank Gehry�s New York by Gehry building to celebrate the architect�s 82nd birthday and the formal opening of the 870-ft, stainless steel-clad lower Manhattan tower. The event�s host, Bruce Ratner, chairman and CEO of Forest City Ratner Cos., presented Gehry with a 40-inch silver birthday cake shaped like a tower designed by the architect as guests sang “Happy Birthday.” Pictured from left: Berta Gehry, U2 frontman Bono, Frank Gehry and Bono�s wife, Ali
As city and county officials and local trade unions work out the kinks in adhering to San Francisco’s new local hire law, which went into effect March 25, a state assemblyman from a county to the south is pushing new legislation that will shut down main elements of the ordinance. Webcor Builders� San Francisco Public Utilities Commission headquarters building project. The new San Francisco law, commissioned by Supervisor John Avalos, mandates that 20% of all project hours within each trade be performed by local residents on city/county projects in excess of $400,000. That percentage rises 5% every year until reaching
Skanska USA Inc.’s civil construction business unit has signed a contract for its first transit project in Southern California – a $547 million design-build contract by the Expo Line Construction Authority to construct a seven-mile light rail extension from Culver City to Santa Monica. The owner and operator of the line is the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (METRO). Parsons Brinckerhoff will provide design services as a subcontractor to the joint venture. The Skanska-Rados Expo 2 Joint Venture will start construction in the spring with anticipated completion in mid-2015. Skanska says the contract will include $382.9 million in its
The California High-Speed Rail Authority last week officially applied for all of the high-speed rail funding recently returned to the federal government by the state of Florida. The authority’s board of directors approved the staff recommendation that California pursue the $2.43 billion recently made available and offer a 20% state match in order to make California more competitive for the funds. The resulting funds could allow the completion of the entire backbone of the statewide system – linking Merced and Bakersfield, including stations in each respective city. In addition to completing the backbone, it could also allow the authority to
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