At the end of 2008, when the nation’s financial system seemed on the verge of a complete meltdown, the outlook for 2009 construction activity certainly was not a rosy picture. In the 2009 Outlook that Southeast Construction published in January, McGraw-Hill Construction economists Robert Murray and Jennifer Coskren used phrases like “clearly in retrenchment,” “this bodes particularly poorly” and “less than upbeat” to describe what awaited contractors in the then-coming year. Related Links: Tampa Report: No Recovery in the Private Market, but Public Sector Offers Hope BILL PINTO Even so, at the time, McGraw-Hill Construction predicted only a 6% decline,
The new Tampa Museum of Art and related improvements to adjoining parks and gardens is expected to breathe new life into downtown. “That is going to be a jewel,” says Frank Cardinal, senior vice president and account manager with Skanska USA Building in Tampa, which is working on the museum and related components. This rendering of the new Tampa Museum of Art shows how the architect, Stanley Saitowitz of San Francisco, raised the gallery areas and created the illusion that the building is "floating above the water." Related Links: Tampa Report: No Recovery in the Private Market, but Public Sector
Competition for projects in the four-state Southeast Construction region has been at an intense level throughout 2009, as an increasing number of building contractors find themselves chasing a declining number of new contracts, hoping to build a backlog during this historic downturn. Photo: Sam Barnes State transportation agencies across the four-state region report receiving bids that are often well below the initial engineering estimates, giving them more bang for their stimulus bucks. Related Links: 2009 Midyear Outlook: Worse Than Expected As the residential and commercial markets continue their declines, contractors operating in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina have
The board of Tampa Bay Water has approved an estimated $125-million repair program for the agency’s four-year-old, 15.5-billion-gallon C.W. “Bill” Young Regional Reservoir. The facility, which cost roughly $140 million to construct originally, has been experiencing significant cracking since late 2006. The authority is also moving ahead with a lawsuit against the three lead members of the original project team: HDR of Omaha, Neb., the designer; Barnard Construction of Bozeman, Mont., the contractor; and construction manager Construction Dynamics Group of Columbia, Md. Related Links: Tampa Report: No Recovery in the Private Market, but Public Sector Offers Hope Tampa Bay Water
The economic recession and tight financial markets have considerably slowed construction activity in Florida’s Tampa Bay region, but government entities continue to invest in roads, ports, airports and other projects. Slide Show Photo: courtesy the Beck Group The Beck Group of Tampa is building its new LEED-silver certified regional headquarters in Tampa. Related Links: Building a 'Frame for Art' Tampa Bay Water OKs Big Repair Bill for Cracking Reservoir “The private market is basically nonexistent,” says Tom Fronce, senior vice president of marketing for Creative Contractors in Clearwater. “The private market is having difficulty getting funding. We don’t see anything
Featured Products August 2009 Commercial CNG Mixer McNeilus Truck and Manufacturing, an Oshkosh Corp. company based in Minnesota, recently unveiled its fi rst commercially manufactured compressed-natural gas concrete mixer. The McNeilus CNG-powered mixer meets the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's 2010 heavy-duty engine emission standards for nitrogen oxides and particulate matter, offering clean-fuel technology to the heavy-duty truck market. When compared to their diesel engine counterparts, CNG-powered mixers offer lower fuel costs and reduced noise pollution. They are six times cleaner, making them more economical to run and more environmentally friendly than diesel-powered mixers. The company has applied for a grant with
Products: August 2009 E80 Excavator Bobcat Co. of North Dakota recently introduced the new E80 excavator, designed to enhance operator comfort, increase service intervals and add durability. The E80 offers a spacious cab with an operator seat that adjusts six ways and a heating and air conditioning system that has true automobile-style controls. These features have been designed to keep operators who spend many hours in their machines comfortable and productive. Each E80 is delivered clamp ready, and the optional pin-coupler system allows operators to quickly change attachments. Bobcat’s 442 excavator attachments can be used on the E80. Bobcat’s new
The University of Georgia Athletic Association has dropped Hardin Construction Co. as prime contractor on an $18.6-million expansion of an office and practice facility building in Athens, Ga., because of concern following the Dec. 19, 2008, collapse of a deck section that killed one worker at a Hardin project at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. “We didn’t want additional attention brought to the [new] project while that incident is being investigated,” says Arthur Johnson, associate athletic director. Atlanta-based Hardin is contesting a proposed safety fine over the accident. Although the final contract for the expansion project at Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall had
Paul Yoemans McCarthy Building Cos. added Paul Yeomans as director of hospitality and gaming. He will work with the hospitality/gaming/ entertainment industry to expand and create new business opportunities for McCarthy�s Nevada Division and looks to expand McCarthy�s hospitality successes nationally. Yeomans joins McCarthy from MGM Mirage Design Group. He brings more than two decades of development and construction experience and has managed in excess of $1.2 billion in development over the past four years for MGM Mirage. Yeomans received his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Drexel University in Philadelphia. Jennifer Facio TDIndustries promoted George Athens to vice
Featured Products July 2009 JLG G10-43A Telehandler The new JLG G10-43A Telehandler comes with standard outriggers, delivers a maximum capacity of 10,000 lb, and offers 7,000-lb capacity at the 43-ft maximum reach height. With its high capacity, the G10-43A is intended for uses such as steel erection and framing. This new telehandler retains much of the speed and maneuverability of the JLG G-Series Telehandlers. The large cab features high visibility, joystick controls on a wraparound dashboard and easy-to-read gauges. The G10-43A is compatible with the entire JLG family of telehandler attachments, including forks, lifting platforms and buckets. For more information