School starts again in a month or so across the nation and thousands of middle school and high school students will be asked to think about “what they want to be when they grow up” and to examine the careers available to them and to decide which path they will pursue.Just in time for the start of the school year, Trilogy Publications LLC has released the third book in their “Those Amazing…” series called Those Amazing Builders. The goal of this new publication is to get the word out to students about the opportunities in the construction industry. This 34-page, full color look at construction industry jobs and the impact that builders and designers have on the world is a great overview for students considering a possible career in construction.The project was underwritten by sponsors which included Skanska USA at the highest Diamond level, Ingersoll Rand at the Platinum level, RailWorks and Willis Group at the Gold level, and the General Contractors Association of New York, HOK, and the New York Building Congress all at the Silver level.I recently spoke with Rose Reichman, principal at Reichman Frankle, Inc., an award winning professional firm providing marketing, communications and public relations services for the Engineering and Construction Industry, about this publication.
Reshaping the Construction Industry
"...You have to find them one at a time." Thanks to Ross Perot for that quote.Hi there. The Chamberlin Man here.We aim to soar at Chamberlin, and that's a culture that begins with...
July 30, 2013
Starts dip, MHC says; AIA, NABE find positive outlook; hotel construction is revivingEditor’s note: Construction Citizen is proud to partner with AGC America to bring you AGC Chief Economist Ken Simonson's Data DIGest. Check back each week to get Ken's expert analysis of what's happening in our industry.The value of new construction starts in June edged down 1% from May at a seasonally adjusted annual rate, McGraw Hill Construction (MHC) reported on Monday. “Nonresidential building lost momentum in June after strengthening during the previous two months, and housing experienced a pause from its recent upward trend. Meanwhile, nonbuilding construction advanced in June, lifted by the start of several very large bridge projects. For the first six months of 2013, total construction starts on an unadjusted basis were… down 2% from the same period a year ago. The 2013 year-to-date decline for total construction was due primarily to a sharp reduction for electric utilities compared to a robust first half of 2012. If electric utilities are excluded, total construction starts for the first six months of 2013 would be up 9% from last year, led by substantial growth [28%] for housing,” which offset year-to-date declines of 9% for nonresidential building and 24% for nonbuilding construction.
July 29, 2013
Laws Fight Questionable Practices that Misclassify Workers or Seek to Avoid Paying State Employment Taxes or PremiumsThe Illinois Governor’s Office reported on Tuesday that Governor Pat Quinn signed new laws that day that will help protect Illinois workers’ pay by fighting questionable business practices, particularly in the construction industry. The laws deal with the misclassification of workers and the attempts of employers to avoid paying state employment taxes and premiums. This week’s action is part of Governor Quinn’s commitment to ensuring that all Illinois workers are treated fairly and receive the compensation they deserve.“Workers shouldn’t have to worry about whether their employers are following the rules and paying everything they owe,” Governor Quinn said. “These new laws will also help the state collect the money it’s owed and help those out of work find employment.”House Bill 2649, sponsored by State Representative Luis Arroyo (D-Chicago) and State Senator Bill Cunningham (D-Chicago), addresses a common construction industry practice of misclassifying workers as independent contractors.
July 26, 2013
We won’t say that the energy industry is “high on the success” of the recent development of the oil fields of West Texas, but they might be getting mighty close when real estate developers announce a monumental high rise to be built in the Permian Basin.That exact thing happened recently when Energy Related Properties partners Wendall “Scooter” Brown and Bill Meyer announced a 58-story mixed-use spec building in downtown Midland called Energy Tower at City Center designed to show that Midland is truly the “Oil Capital of America.”The Midland City Council bought the old County Courthouse site for $2.2 million to make way for this proposed building that, according to the brochure, will contain 564,000 square feet of Class A office space, a 198 room luxury hotel, 230,000 square feet of luxury residences, 53,500 square feet of retail, an entertainment center, and five levels of underground parking and infrastructure. You can watch a 4-minute video below which highlights the features of the project which is scheduled to be completed in 2016.The building designed by Edmonds International will rise out of Centennial Park in the heart of downtown Midland, and will be the tallest building in Midland by a factor of over two. Currently the Bank of America Building which opened in 1978 is the tallest, standing 24-stories high.
July 25, 2013
Despite concerns from some council members about a “cleaner process” for going after employers who cheat workers out of their pay, the chairman of the Houston City Council’s Public Safety Committee on Tuesday pledged an “aggressive” timetable to enacting a tough wage theft ordinance.Committee Chairman Ed Gonzalez held a public hearing on the proposal that included testimony from workers who have been cheated and a construction executive who says he’s “ashamed” that the practice of stealing wages often happens in his industry. Gonzalez said the concerns “are not falling on deaf ears”. He said his office has worked with the city attorney to craft something that is workable and will make headway, even if the proposal might need some changes before it can be adopted. “It’s not good enough to say you can’t stop everyone so you should do nothing,” Gonzalez said. “We have to address this.”
July 24, 2013
Most states add jobs in past year; nonres, multifamily starts tumble, say Reed, CensusEditor’s note: Construction Citizen is proud to partner with AGC America to bring you AGC Chief Economist Ken Simonson's Data DIGest. Check back each week to get Ken's expert analysis of what's happening in our industry.View the state employment data by rank, by state and by change from peak. In June, seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll employment increased from a year earlier in 37 states, decreased in 12 states and the District of Columbia and was unchanged in Arkansas, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported on Thursday. Seasonally adjusted construction employment climbed in 36 states and fell in 14 states and D.C., an AGC analysis showed. The largest one-year percentage gains in construction jobs occurred in Wyoming (10.4%, 2,200 jobs), Louisiana (9.7%, 12,200) and Arizona (9.7%, 11,100). California added the most new construction jobs over the past 12 months (32,200, 5.5%), followed by Texas (31,400, 5.4%), Florida (12,200, 3.6%) and Louisiana.
July 23, 2013
We've been telling you about the problem of wage theft for years and it sounds now like the Houston City Council is getting serious about it. Tomorrow, the council's public safety committee will take testimony on the proposal to go after those unscrupulous employers who steal the labor of their workers. Laura Perez-Boston, Director of the Fe y Justicia Worker Center in Houston, is trying to rally support for the city cracking down on this problem. “We have a very narrow window of time to get this ordinance passed and your voice is crucial,” she said in a note to supporters.
July 22, 2013
The following was originally published in DTown Delivers, a bi-monthly publication produced by the Corpus Christi (Texas) Downtown Management District and published by the Caller Times.Pardon Our Dust: Chaparral Street Project UpdatePhoto By Mglsndst1993By Etta LuizThere’s an old saying that “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” That certainly rings true for what’s happening on Chaparral Street these days. I spend a lot of time on the street, ready to lend an ear to anyone who thinks I need to listen, so I definitely hear some trash talk, but I also get positive feedback that I treasure.For some people, the biggest surprise in the Chaparral Street Project is the simple fact that it’s actually happening. After fighting over it and getting snagged politically for years, progress is finally being made. There were those who said it would NEVER happen. Then one day about two months ago, the equipment arrived. That got some attention!It started shortly after the first of the year. The intersection of Chaparral and Schatzell Streets was
July 19, 2013
During the battle over a crackdown on worker misclassification in the Texas Legislature this year, I was struck by some of the testimony from business owners who had never been previously politically involved. As the process played out, one thing that was clearly happening was the emergence of new leaders in the fight against what many have called a "scourge" in the industry.One of those who stood out in particular was Michael Beeter, CEO of BRI Roofing & Sheet Metal in Fort Worth.
July 18, 2013