The majority Midwest of builders closed out the first quarter with better employment news than a year earlier, though key states, including Illinois and Indiana, continued to show tepid improvement, according to year-over-year data compiled by Arlington, Va.-based Associated General Contractors of America (AGC). Ohio (+7,800 jobs, 4.3%) led the region in March employment gains, followed by Michigan (+5,400 jobs, 4.1%), Missouri (3,800 job, 3.6%), Wisconsin (3,500 jobs, 3.6%) and Illinois (1,600, 0.8%). Indiana (-1,600, -1.3%) posted declines in year-over-year comparisons.In all, March construction employment increased in 38 states in year-over-year comparisons and in half of states in month-to-month comparisons,
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn on Wednesday unveiled a six-year, $14-billion plan for transportation construction he says would be bankrolled by federal, state and local funds. Quinn also indicated he plans to engage a panel of state lawmakers in developing a new capital program for the state. “We'll engage them very quickly,” Quinn told reporters.Illinois Jobs Now, a six-year $31-billion capital program funded by taxes on liquor, video gambling, candy and beauty products, is due to expire at the end of fiscal 2014. About $18 billion in funds were allocated toward transportation spending.Transportation for Illinois Coalition, whose members include several state
Detroit-based developer Olympia Development of Michigan has selected a consortium of three firms to construct a $450-million arena it plans to build for National Hockey League's (NHL) Detroit Red Wings. Detroit's Dowtown Development Authority (DDA) was expected to approve the selection Wednesday. The consortium Barton Malow-Hunt-White consists of Southfield, Mich.-based Barton Malow Co., Detroit-based White Construction and Indianapolis-based Hunt Construction Group, all veterans of sports stadium projects.White and Hunt previously collaborated on construction of Comerica Park and Ford Field, homes to Major League Baseball's Detroit Tigers and National Football League's Detroit Lions, respectively. Barton-Malow has worked on a variety of
U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Mark Kirk (R.-Ill.) have requested a meeting with oil producer BP after a newly expanded BP refinery in Whiting, Ind., spilled up to 39 barrels, or 1,638 gallons, of crude oil into Lake Michigan last week. Although the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency indicated it's unlikely the spill poses a hazard to the lake, Durbin and Kirk are seeking assurance the refinery can operate safely now that it has doubled capacity, to 405,000 barrels per day.“Any unanticipated spill is cause for concern, but given the Whiting Refinery’s recent expansion of its operations to double the
Demand for architectural design services in the Midwest rose only slightly in February, reflecting continued weakness in the region, according to the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Architectural Billings Index (ABI). Although the Midwest index rose more than a point, to 47.6, in February, a score of 50 or higher is required to denote increased demand for design work. By comparison, the national index remained flat, rising from 50.4 to 50.7 between January and February.Demand was strongest in the South (52.8), followed by the West (50.5) and Northeast (48.3).By sector, multi-family housing (52.5) performed strongest, followed by commercial/industrial (51.9), institutional
After disappointing month-to-month losses in December, construction employment rose in many Midwest states in January, despite brutal weather in many parts of the region, according to data compiled by Arlington, Va.-based Associated General Contractors of America (AGC). Only Indiana (-4,300 jobs, -3.4%) and Missouri (-3,300 jobs, -3.1%) failed to see job gains in January, while Illinois (2,900 jobs, 1.5%), Michigan (1,500 jobs, 1.1%) and Wisconsin (1,600 jobs, 1.6%) enjoyed modest upticks for the same period.By comparison, construction employment in Ohio (+8,000, 4.3%) surged for the second-consecutive month. In December, employment leaped by 4,000 jobs in Ohio.In all, construction employment increased
It's no coincidence that the two largest projects to break ground in the Midwest last year involved Illinois road work. Employment conditions are dire in Illinois, and lawmakers of every stripe agree improved roads and infrastructure will not only make the state more competitive but create thousands of construction jobs. Image Courtesy of HKS Architects. Ohio State University currently has several projects under way, including the North Residential District Transformation in Columbus. Related Links: Missouri Puts Brakes on Cost-Share Program for Roads Transportation Projects Drive Construction Employment Higher in Illinois The combined value of the two projects—the new Elgin-O'Hare Expressway
This May, eight orangutans will move into their new home at the Indianapolis Zoo, where visitors will have a rare chance to get up close and personal with Asian great apes by literally hanging out with them. Workers are busy putting the finishing touches on the zoo's $26-million International Orangutan Center, which houses three buildings and 11 surrounding towers connected by a roughly 80-ft-high aerial cableway that allows the apes to move around the 2-acre exhibit and swing high above viewers. The project also includes a 60-ft-tall suspended gondola ride spanning 1,000 ft around the perimeter of the site, where
Scott Seyer and Elias Vavaroutsos have been promoted to principal at Chicago-based architect Goettsch Partners. Both are senior project designers. Seyer has helped lead design of facilities in the U.S. and overseas. Vavaroutsos has worked on projects in the academic, health care and aviation sectors. Related Links: ENR Midwest People Showcase ENR Midwest Top 20 Under 40 Scott Orr has been promoted to vice president of Gilbane Building Co. in Cleveland. Previously district manager, he specializes in large-scale health care, higher education, hospitality and government projects. Orr is active in the ACE Mentor Program of Cleveland.Don Greenwell Jr. has been
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