A construction worker struck by a towboat-propelled barge on the Missouri River has died of injuries he sustained from the accident, which occurred on Wednesday. Fifty-one-year-old Rodney Stumo, an employee of St. Louis Bridge Construction Co., West Alton, Mo., was driving a johnboat involved in repairs to a train tressle in St. Charles County, Mo., when his vessel was struck and capsized.Members of the towboat, operated by W.A. Ellis Construction Co., Kansas City, pulled Stumo from the river and brought him to shore, where a St. Charles County sheriffs deputy performed CPR before he was taken to a local hospital.

Demand for design services dipped for Midwest architects in September but managed to maintain  positive growth for a third consecutive month, according to the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Architectural Billing Index (ABI). After rising to 51.7 in August, the Midwest index retreated to 51 in September. By comparison, the national index, derived from a work-on-boards survey, rose from 53.8 to 54.3 over the same period. According to AIA, any score above 50 denotes increasing demand for design work.After dipping sharply into negative territory in April, the national index has risen steadily since May. The Midwest index also dipped sharply

Downers Grove, Ill.-based Advocate Health Care has launched a $200-million program to expand and renovate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington, Ill., one of several of major projects the health-care provider has undertaken in metro Chicago in recent years. The three-year Good Shepherd project broke ground earlier this month. The project, which calls for 150,000 square feet in renovations and a 230,000-sq-ft addition, intends to make the 169-bed hospital more patient friendly and efficient while meeting growing demand for operating rooms and intensive-care facilities in the area, located west of Chicago. Project architect HOK, Chicago, and CM Mortenson Construction, Elk Grove

After having spent more than a year as agency construction manager for Ohio State University's (OSU) planned $126-million Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Chemistry Building (CBEC), Gilbane Building Co., Columbus, learned that OSU was terminating its contract. Soon after, in the summer of 2011, Gov. John Kasich signed the most sweeping reform for procurement of public construction projects in Ohio in 134 years, freeing the Columbus-based university to pursue alternative delivery methods. Shortly thereafter, OSU invited Gilbane to compete for the 235,000-sq-ft project as CM-at-risk. In March 2012, it awarded Gilbane the contract. Related Links: Digging Deeper: Indy's Deep Rock

Here's news that seemingly defies logic: Despite Detroit's economic implosion, Michigan currently is adding jobs at the same rate as the rest of the nation. Among the reasons? A resurgent auto sector and humming economies in Detroit's suburbs. Photo Courtesy of Boldt Construction Co. Construction employment is improving in Illinois, Michigan, Missouri and Wisconsin. Related Links: ENR Midwest Top Design Firms for 2012 ENR Midwest Top Contractors for 2012 After years of sitting on the sidelines, other Midwest states also are participating in the nation's economic recovery, tentative though it may be. Likewise, leading indicators ranging from employment data to

David Bals has been named national data center practice leader for the facilities business line of URS Corp.'s infrastructure and environment division. Bals, who is located in the firm's Columbus, Ohio, office, is streamlining procurement of architectural and engineering services for data center and mission-critical projects. Bals previously served as electrical engineering department manager for the Columbus office. Related Links: ENR Midwest People Showcase ENR Industry Jobs Postings Kyle Pieters has joined Neenah, Wis.-based contractor Miron Construction Co. as project manager. Pieters recently graduated from University of Wisconsin–Stout with a degree in construction and a double minor in risk control

Many reasons can explain why Indianapolis-based electrical contractor ERMCO Inc. has emerged as the go-to firm for high-wattage projects in the region, but Greg Gossett, the firm's vice president of operations, says rocket science isn't among them.

Chicago's Navy Pier, the city's No.1 tourist destination, kicked off $115 million in renovations this week, beginning with an initiative to add greenery to portions of the the historic parcel. Crews also will convert the pier's South Arcade, currently an interior walkway, into a “Chicago-themed food experience” and add a lighted water fountain and skating rink to an existing outdoor park. Work will be phased over a 20-month period in order to keep the pier operational throughout construction, with Madison Construction Co., Orland Park, Ill., and Evans Construction/Consulting, Chicago, serving as the project's joint-venture construction managers.To accommodate tourism, much of

Freight railroad network BNSF Railway Co. says it plans to invest about $145 million on maintenance and rail capacity expansion projects in Illinois this year. In addition to replacing a pair of bridges in Princeton and Wyanet and constructing a new 7,600-ft-long siding between Barstow and Hillsdale, plans call for extending three departure tracks at Galesburg Yard to lengths of 10,000 feet each. BNSF also will add track and parking to a logistics park in Chicago and nearby intermodal facilities.Maintenance plans include about 2,700 miles of track surfacing and undercutting work and replacement of 90 miles of rail and more

Chicago's Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority on Monday awarded New Haven, Conn.-based architect Pelli Clarke Pelli a design contract for a DePaul University arena to be sited near McCormick Place, the city's leading convention center. The authority, which operates McCormick, will own the multi-use arena and lease it to DePaul. Pelli Clarke Pelli also designed a new theatre school complex for DePaul that opened this fall.Five other design firms competed to design the $173-million arena, three of them based in Chicago, including John Ronan Architects, Krueck + Sexton Architects and Ross Barney Architects. The project also drew international interest, with