Article toolbar The building teams of the largest 25 project starts in 2010 moved forward during the height of one of the worst recessions to hit the U.S. The Southwest was especially hard hit, as the total value of the largest starts makes clear. The value of projects on the list in 2008 was $14.8 billion; in 2010 it was only $2.9 billion. Photo Courtesy Of Visions In Photography Public Work Publicly funded projects dominate the Top Starts list, from the $84.7-million Santan Freeway design-build project in Chandler and Gilbert. Is there a light at the end of the tunnel?
Salt River Project has provided water and power to the Sonoran Desert for more than 100 years and is continuing to lay the foundation for a bright future despite formidable hurdles from the recession and increasing demands to reduce carbon emissions.
Work has resumed on the Steve Herrera Judicial Complex in downtown Santa Fe, N.M., after a plume of free-phase hydrocarbons, leaked from 1930s-era leaded-gasoline tanks, led to a two-year delay. In 2009, demolition of the site’s existing structures had been completed and excavation for the 103,000-sq-ft, three-story building had begun when the owner, Santa Fe County, and the New Mexico Environment Dept. dug test wells that revealed the extent of the contamination. Rendering: NCA Architects Work on a $38.5-million courthouse in Santa Fe finally progresses after extensive soil remediation. To date, 27,000 tons of contaminated soil and 15,000 gallons of
In an attempt to prevent a Las Vegas-style resort/casino from being built near Glendale, Ariz., Gov. Jan Brewer (R) signed a bill into law allowing Glendale to annex the 54-acre site. Casinos can be built only on tribal land, according to the state�s Indian Gaming Compact. However, as the law takes effect in 90 days, the window is open for legal maneuverings by the project�s developer, the Tohono O�odham Nation. Photo courtesy of Hnedak Bobo Group Despite a scaled-back design, West Valley Resort still faces opposition. The bill, HB 2534, was pushed through the Republican-controlled Legislature last month but failed
Construction began on a new shade structure at Chase Field that will generate 75 KW of solar power upon completion in May, just in time to provide Arizona Diamondbacks fans with some much-needed shade for Phoenix�s hot summer months. Image courtesy of HKS Inc. Chase Field�s new shade structure will generate 75 KW of power. Through a partnership between the Diamondbacks, Maricopa County Stadium District and Phoenix-based utility APS, the structure will cover 17,280 sq ft of the plaza near the ballpark�s western entrances and ticket booths. The Phoenix office of Dallas-based HKS Inc. is the architect for the project.
In an attempt to prevent a Las Vegas-style resort/casino from being built near Glendale, Ariz., Gov. Jan Brewer (R) signed a bill into law allowing Glendale to annex the 54-acre site. Casinos can be built only on tribal land, according to the state’s Indian Gaming Compact. However, as the law takes effect in 90 days, the window is open for legal maneuverings by the project’s developer, the Tohono O’odham Nation. Despite a scaled-back design, West Valley Resort still faces opposition. The bill, HB 2534, was pushed through the Republican-controlled Legislature last month but failed to reach a two-thirds majority that
Bernalillo County voters approved a $70-million bond issue which will allow Central New Mexico Community College (CNM) to perform upgrades and renovations to multiple buildings among the school�s five locations. Unofficial results show 65% approval for the bond, which supporters said would not raise any existing taxes (though property taxes would have fallen slightly had the measure failed.) The largest allotment�$16 million�will help fund renovations of Jeanette Stromberg Hall on CNM�s main campus in Albuquerque to add facilities for the nursing and allied health programs. High-tech labs and simulated hospital environments will help prepare CNM students for the demands of
Union Pacific Railroad, the largest rail network in the U.S., is expected to break ground later this year on a new transportation hub that will expand its existing operations in the Southwest. The $400-million project will be constructed in Santa Teresa, N.M., not far from the Omaha-based rail company�s existing El Paso, Texas, facility. Photo courtesy Union Pacific The new hub is located along the historic �Sunset Route� between El Paso and Los Angeles. Image courtesy Union Pacific The $400-million hub is located in Santa Teresa, N.M., near Union Pacific�s existing operations in El Paso, Texas. Originally proposed in 2006,
Union Pacific Railroad, the largest rail network in the U.S., is expected to break ground later this year on a new transportation hub that will expand its existing operations in the Southwest. The $400-million project will be constructed in Santa Teresa, N.M., not far from the Omaha-based rail company’s existing El Paso, Texas, facility. Originally proposed in 2006, the project has been on hold in part because the railroad was waiting for the New Mexico Legislature to pass a locomotive fuel tax exemption. At a press conference in Santa Teresa on Jan. 8, newly elected Gov. Susana Martinez (R) said
Every year in the construction industry, some firms achieve new milestones in contracts or find success where others faltered. As the new year gets under way amid what may be the twinklings of an economic recovery, ENR Southwest looks at six diverse companies whose work could make a difference in the coming year, and help to shape and refine the future of the region's construction industry. Kovach Inc. Metal panel subcontractor uses design-assist to add panache to key projects Specializing in the fabrication and installation of high-quality metals, aluminum composite material and stone veneers for complex exterior designs, Kovach also
