Continued strength in the energy industry propelled design firms in Texas and Louisiana last year, but it wasn't the region's only revenue-growth catalyst. The top 75 design firms on ENR Texas & Louisiana's ranking reported combined regional revenue of $4.1 billion in 2013—up from $2.97 billion in 2012—an increase of roughly 38% and more than double the nearly 16% growth of the year before. Related Links: 2014 Top Design Firms Ranking 2014 Top Design Firms Ranking by Sector 2013 Texas and Louisiana Top Design Firm Ranking Designers Seek Stability During Slow Recovery "Upstream [oil and gas] activities are slightly declining
Not long after its opening in the late 1960s, the Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway corridor (Interstate 635) in Dallas experienced explosive growth and quickly exceeded capacity. As a result, planning for an expanded LBJ began in the late 1980s. More than 200 public meetings and three decades later, the project is under way. Related Links: LBJ Express LBJ Express Work Progresses to Excavation Phase The I-635 Managed Lanes project, also known as the LBJ Express, is a $2.7-billion, 13-mile highway reconstruction that will more than double the capacity of the corridor, which spans two municipalities in Dallas County. All of
Baird, Hampton and Brown Inc. announced several promotions. Konstantine Bakintas has been elevated to president of the firm; Bill Baird, founding principal, has been promoted to chairman; Ken Randall, previously lead for the electrical group, is now chief operations officer; and Mike McIlraith, a mechanical group leader, is now senior vice president. Also joining the firm as principals are Ian Bost and Richard Watters. Related Links: People: April 2014 People: February 2014 Woodbine Development Corp. announced several changes to its team. Jim Cihak has been promoted to chief financial officer, following the retirement of Greg Mowatt, the previous CFO. John
Construction of the new Y-Tec Keylex Mexico Automotive Parts Manufacturing Facility on Mazda's new Guanajuato automobile manufacturing campus required a multicultural approach by contractor Kajima|Alberici.
Texas has long been a land of drought. Now that more people are relocating to the state, thanks to a strong economy and the promise of jobs, counties must look for new ways to satisfy the water needs of their burgeoning populations. Related Links: San Jacinto River Authority Ground Water Reduction Program McCarthy Building Cos. Inc. HDR Engineering Inc. The San Jacinto River Authority (SJRA) is doing precisely that with its latest project, the $191-million Surface Water Facilities, being built on and adjacent to Lake Conroe in Montgomery County, just north of Houston.This project is part of the county's Ground
Work has been plentiful in Louisiana and Texas over the past year, with a slew of massive projects starting up in each state, ranging from energy, transportation and infrastructure to mixed-use and retail. ENR Texas & Louisiana's Top Starts list shows the cost of the top 25 projects that broke ground in 2013 in the region totaled $12.49 billion, a decline of $710 million compared with last year. But more energy projects are on the way in both states, as work remains strong in the Gulf Coast region. Related Links: 2013 Top Starts In Texas & Louisiana Oil and Gas
A collision near the Houston Ship Channel on March 22 involving a 585-ft bulk carrier and a barge containing 924,000 gal of bunker fuel sent oil straight into Galveston Bay, the gateway to one of the busiest ports in the U.S. Related Links: Gulf Oil Spill The Toxic Legacy of Exxon Valdez Texas City "Y" Response U.S. Coast Guard The U.S. Coast Guard has estimated that about 168,000 gal of oil were released following the collision. “Some of that has already been recuperated and they’re still working on the cleanup,” says Rosio Torres, spokesperson at the Joint Information Center, the
The Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) has accredited the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ greater New Orleans Hurricane and Storm Damage Risk Reduction System (HSDRRS). Related Links: New Orleans Hurricane and Storm Damage Risk Reduction System Major Construction to Start on New Orleans Pump Station Project Work on the HSDRRS started in 2006, and while the major projects are complete, work will continue into 2017, says HSDRRS spokesman Rene Poche.To date, the Corps has obligated $11.8 of a total $14.45 billion for work on the HSDRRS, which includes 448 construction contracts. To date, 389 contracts have been awarded, and 338
The Texas and Louisiana construction market continues to be among the healthiest in the country, thanks to a booming energy sector and ample need for the infrastructure, residential and commercial growth that goes hand in hand with a strong economy.
