Construction Panorama Innovative construction practices, noteworthy design, current dilemmas and trends: articles of interest highlighting the construction industry. Enjoy!
In October 2010, Chamberlin Roofing & Waterproofing embarked on a project that would mark a time of change for the City of Dallas and its residents. Woodall Rodgers Freeway is a major highway that runs just north of Downtown Dallas directly through the city. It is a connector freeway between two other large highways. When Wodall Rodgers Freeway was constructed in 1962, highways were the most popular mode of transportation. City officials and wealthy landowners were building homes and purchasing land outside of Dallas city limits, thus making highways extremely appealing. Read more » about Klyde Warren Park: Five Acres of Waterproofing [VIDEO]
Last Friday marked a momentous occasion for our country, as a group of craft professionals bolted the spire for the new World Trade Center into place 1,776 feet above the ground in New York City. This incredibly emotional moment meant a great deal to many Americans, and provided an opportunity to remember those who were lost in the tragic events of September 11, 2001.
Last Friday morning, the final pieces of the spire atop New York City’s One World Trade Center were bolted in place. This made it the tallest structure in the Western Hemisphere and the third tallest in the world. The building was built over the course of seven years and replaces the original tower destroyed by terrorists on September 11, 2001.
At 1,776 feet tall with the addition of the last pieces of the spire, the tower pays tribute to the year the United States declared its freedom.
Seven Regional Qualifying Rodeos Scheduled for 2013
Crane Institute Certification (CIC) announced last month that it has renewed its partnership for the third year in a row with Maximum Capacity Media (MCM) to offer the industry the MCM-CIC Crane Operator Rodeo. The event provides operators in North America an opportunity to showcase their skills, and is intended to increase awareness of the 2014 OSHA requirements for crane operators to be certified by type and capacity. Debbie Dickinson, Executive Director of CIC, offered the following comments:
“This is the only crane operator recognition program of this scale in North America. Working with Regional Qualifier Hosts in cities from coast to coast, we are able to introduce young people to crane operation as a profession, and educate local governments and businesses about the role training, experience, and certification plays in safe crane operation.”Read more » about Crane Operator Rodeo Competition 2013-2014
In an emotional and technically challenging effort, the American-flag-draped spire that will sit atop New York’s One World Trade Center was lifted up the side of the building. One World Trade Center was built near the site of the original World Trade Center buildings that were destroyed by terrorists on September 11, 2001.
The spire, an antenna tower for the area, helps make the building the tallest in the United States at 1,776 feet. Hardened steelworkers in brown hard hats waited on the 104th floor for the crane operator to lift the spire so that it could be fitted onto its collar on top of the building. On the ground, construction workers, New Yorkers and the press watched the spire move slowly up the side of the building. The spire was built in Montreal and shipped 1,500-miles by barge. Read more » about One World Trade Center Spire Travels to the Top [Video]
I was honored to moderate this panel of major developers and to ask them questions about their current and planned projects as well as the current market conditions in the other cities where they have projects underway.
In December, Elizabeth McPherson toured the build-out of a new bank and office space in Williams Tower, located in the Uptown District of Houston, Texas right behind the Houston Galleria, and interviewed the owner’s representative.
As a follow-up to that posting, I interviewed the design team to see how they approached this project and to gather some tips that complete the story of how this project came together successfully.
The American Subcontractors Association’s National Business Forum and Convention was held two weeks ago in Las Vegas and, by any measure, it was a resounding success.
Part of what made it so successful was a shift in how time at the convention was scheduled. Usually when you go to these events, you have to hit the ground running. You’re attending classes and panel discussions all day long, then you head for the very structured evening events. Those are great and they were still part of this convention, but the big difference was the amount of time that was built in to allow for what you might call “organic networking.” Read more » about A Meeting of Construction Minds
If you could ask four of the top developers in the United States any question about their business, what would you ask? That is what I get to do on Tuesday, April 2, 2013.
According to the UK digital magazine Dezeen, Chinese contractors tried to cut costs in Shenzen, and that cost shaving has put 15 or so buildings, including the tallest building in China, in danger of collapse.
According to the article, Contractors used sea sand, instead of river or lake sand, to make the concrete used in those buildings. The salts and chlorides found in the sea sand will corrode the rebar in the building, which could cause it to collapse. The corrosive sea sand is half the price of the less corrosive lake and river sand, which is in very short supply due to the high volume of construction in the country.
In October 2010, 
Last Friday marked a momentous occasion for our country, as a group of craft professionals bolted the spire for the new World Trade Center into place 1,776 feet above the ground in New York City. This incredibly emotional moment meant a great deal to many Americans, and provided an opportunity to remember those who were lost in the tragic events of September 11, 2001.
Last Friday morning
In December, Elizabeth McPherson toured the build-out of a new bank and office space in Williams Tower, located in the Uptown District of Houston, Texas right behind the Houston Galleria, and 
The 
If you could ask four of the top developers in the United States any question about their business, what would you ask? That is what I get to do on Tuesday, April 2, 2013.
According to the 
