More than $1.1 billion worth of construction is under way on federal government buildings in the Midwest. The figure includes regularly scheduled projects as well as renovations funded by the federal Recovery Act. Photo Courtesy Of GSA Returning to its original location, a half-ton panel of granite is moved precisely into place by workers at Chicago’s Federal Plaza. Photo Courtesy Of GSA After installing a new waterproofing underlayment, workers prepare to replace 950-lb. granite pavers as part of a total restoration of Chicago’s Federal Plaza. Through July, the General Services Administration had obligated more than $981 million for 120 stimulus

It’s certainly not the “same old, same old” for Robert Peck, a two-time manager in the U.S. General Services Administration, one of the world’s biggest development databases. This time, new floodgates of revenue, labor and cheaper materials have converged to allow the massive updating and greening of an aging inventory of buildings. During the Clinton years, Peck oversaw public buildings for the GSA at a time when big government construction projects attracted little attention. High wage rates and material costs also made it tough to stretch an approximately $1-billion annual capital expenditures budget over hundreds of millions of square feet.

Weak private sector demand and diminished state and local construction budgets have shrunk construction employment in Illinois. The state’s construction jobs totaled 198,500 in June, down 19,100 or 8.8% from the June 2009 figure of 217,600. “Nationwide, we’ve seen unprecedented levels of unemployment in our industry,” says Al Leitschuh, president of the Builders Association, the Chicago-area chapter of the Associated General Contractors of America. “We’ve seen shades of improvement here and there, but the drop in employment didn’t happen in one day and it’s not going to improve that way, either. “In Illinois, in particular, they’re still building schools, hospitals

The Friendly Confines might soon be getting new neighbors. Development plans for an eight-story hotel, retail stores and apartments across the street from Wrigley Field unanimously passed the Chicago City Council June 30. Development plans for an eight-story hotel, retail stores and apartments across the street from Wrigley Field passed the Chicago City Council June 30. The $100-million Addison Park on Clark development will overlook Wrigley from the south side of Addison Street and stretch south on Clark Street about one block. �We�re extremely happy,� says Anthony (Tony) Rossi Sr., managing partner for Chicago-based M&R Development. �It took a long

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn and Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels signed legislation June 9 that will bring the two states together to build the Illiana Expressway, connecting I-55 from south of Joliet, Ill., to I-65 near Lowell, Ind. The Memorandum of Understanding calls for the two states to share the funding and responsibility of preliminary engineering, modeling and forecasting, and planning and permitting for the $1 billion project, which is expected to create nearly 14,000 jobs in Illinois. �The first step is having the two states move together to determine the most feasible way to connect the two states with 50

Chicago city officials celebrated the 90th birthday of the Michigan Avenue Bridge by recalling its engineering marvel as well as its key link to development both north and south of the Chicago River. Photo: Paula Widholm 42nd Ward Alderman Brendan Reilly, Chicago, speaks at a celebration of the 90th birthday of the Michigan Avenue Bridge. From left are Brendan Daley, director of green initiatives for the Chicago Park District; Chicago Department of Transportation Acting Commissioner Thomas Powers; and John Chikow, president and CEO of The Greater North Michigan Avenue Association. As the world�s first double-leaf, double-deck bascule trunnion bridge ever

Seven Chicago-region transportation agencies convened April 22 for a first-of-its-kind Earth Day XL Transportation Summit to improve coordination among the region�s transportation leaders. At the downtown Chicago summit, chairs of Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, Chicago Transit Authority, Illinois Tollway, Metra, Pace, RTA and Illinois Department of Transportation signed the first-ever Earth Day XL Accord. This set of guiding principles for the region�s transportation and transit agencies includes: committing to work toward a shared transportation vision for the region; supporting multi-agency information sharing and coordination; examining programs and proposals to maximize efficiency, reducing costs; and improving service; and reporting publicly

U.S. Rep. Debbie Halvorson told local lawmakers and union workers Tuesday that the Illiana Expressway must be built from I-65 to I-55, and she called it Illinois� �next No. 1 project.� Photo by Paula Widholm From left, U.S. Rep. Debbie Halvorson and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood also told the group gathered at a union training facility in Wilmington, Ill., that Chicago�s far southwest suburbs are �well-positioned for opportunity in the next transportation bill.� The Illiana Expressway originally was slated as a 25-mi highway from I-65 to I-57 but many lawmakers now seek to extend it another

Working on an historic landmark high school in Joliet, Ill., a design and construction team brought HVAC, electrical, and other systems up to date while respecting the historic architecture. The project also included building two field houses for Joliet high schools, and blending the new buildings with the schools’ existing architecture. The successful construction plan cut the project from five years to two while also cutting costs by 7% to 10%. Photo: Gilbane Building Co. Renovations to the century-old Joliet Central High School brought the school’s HVAC system into the 21st century and added a fieldhouse while preserving the building’s

As the recession grinds on, some consultants are finding an emerging outlet by updating older buildings from power hogs into green stewards. The trend is attracting a fresh round of eco-savvy tenants. Chicago is home to two large projects, examples of advancing efforts to green up existing buildings. In early December, 172 buildings nationwide were certified under the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED for Existing Buildings Rating System, a program created in 2004. More than 2,000 other buildings are seeking to obtain such certification, according to the Washington, D.C.-based group. Photo: Merchandise Mart Properties Inc. The 79-year-old Mart’s green makeover