Engineering News Record

ENR’s ninth Global Edition for 2012 will focus on the world’s most innovative airport projects in design or under construction, and the challenges firms face is completing them. Other global construction news and updates will also be featured in this issue. Complementing this special electronic edition will be ENR’s Global Insider newsletter, which will be delivered to readers’ inboxes on August 30.

This annual feature ranks the Southeast's specialty firms based on their 2011 revenue from projects located in Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas. Analysis of this year's ranking, and insight and perspective from prominent specialty contractors in the region will also be included.

ENR Southeast will profile Charlotte, N.C.-based SteelFab as the region's "Specialty Contractor of the Year." The steel-fabrication contractor, a longtime mainstay near the top of ENR Southeast's annual Top Specialty Contractors ranking, reported a roughly 33% gain in Southeast revenue for 2011.

Skanska USA is racing to beat its January 2013 due date for North Carolina State University's new James B. Hunt Jr. Library. Designed by Snøhetta, the $115-million library building, with a massive curtain wall system adorning its exterior, is planned as a symbol of the school's modern campus. Though "stackless," he facility will be able to accommodate the university's more than 2 million volumes of books via a central storage location that delivers books to students and other users via a robotic system. Skanska is using the project to study the return on investment of various project technologies.

This annual feature ranks the New York region's specialty firms based on their 2011 revenue from regional projects. Analysis of this year's ranking, and insight and perspective from prominent specialty contractors in the region will also be included.

The Princeton Theological Seminary, home to the largest theological library nationwide and second worldwide behind the Vatican Library, is building a new high-tech, 96,000-sq-ft library on its historic Princeton, N.J, site. The building, which is a larger and more technologically advanced facility than the one it replaces (the Speer Library), will be connected by an enclosed atrium to the existing Luce Library. Construction began in October 2010 on this three-story structure, which is scheduled for completion in December. The building features a sophisticated, energy-efficient climate control system as well as a solar roof that can generate 75kw of power. PTS is aiming for LEED Silver certification on this project. Key players involved in the project are: Barr & Barr, construction manager; Van Note Harvey Associates, civil engineer; Einhorn Yaffee Prescott, design architect; Ewing Cole, architect of record, as well as structural, electrical & mechanical engineer; Andropogon Associates, landscape architect; and Stevens & Lee, esquire and owner’s agent.

This recurring feature in the regional sections provides a one-stop look at major construction starts in select regions using the best analytics and data in the industry and presented with compelling graphics and charts.

This annual feature ranks the Southwest's top subcontracting firms based on their 2011 revenue from projects located in Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico. Firms will be ranked overall, by state and in a variety of specialty types, from concrete to electrical to steel. Analysis of this year's ranking, and insight and perspective from prominent specialty contractors in the region will also be included.

Two stadiums are on the rise in the desert southwest, demonstrating two different construction approaches. One is a renovation of an existing facility that will remain in use by sports teams, and the other is a brand new facility built on virgin land. In Tucson, Ariz., crews are upgrading and reconfiguring the University of Arizona Stadium for the Wildcats at the north end zone, by adding new structural elements and new seating. In Albuquerque, N.M., the Westside Stadium Complex is under way to provide a 7,000-seat football stadium and adjacent track and field facilities.

This recurring feature in the regional sections provides a one-stop look at major construction starts in select regions using the best analytics and data in the industry and presented with compelling graphics and charts. This one-page edition focuses on the Reno/Sparks area with stats on construction starts and other data geared for A/E/C professionals.

ENR Midwest honors a specialty contractor in the region on the basis of overall excellence, company growth, job-site safety and community involvement, among other factors. This year's honoree, Monroe, Ohio-based Baker Concrete Construction Company, excels in all such areas.

Digging Deeper: Cleveland Medical Mart and Convention Center – When completed, the $465-million, 1-million-sq-ft Cleveland Medical Mart and Convention Center will not only stand as the nation's first medical mart, but the largest indoor facility for the medical and healthcare industry in the United States. The design challenge was to integrate a large, below-grade convention facility with an above-grade medical mart, all while redesigning the city’s signature open space, the historic “Burnham Mall.” Crews, meantime, have negotiated challenges associated with dewatering an on-site water table and demolishing an existing structure to 45 feet below street level, in preparation for foundation and concrete contractors. Architect is Seattle-based LMN. Construction Manager is Turner Construction Co. of Cleveland.

This special feature for ENR's global digital edition will rank the world's biggest land-based cranes by capacity. We will also spotlight global heavy haul, rigging and lifting contractors using these mammoth machines. As usual, the edition will provide an update on global construction news.

This annual feature ranks the state's specialty firms based on their 2011 revenue. Analysis of this year's ranking and insight and perspective from major specialty contractors will also be included.

The Digging Deeper feature this issue is the new Exploratorium @ Pier 15 in San Francisco. The museum is moving from the Marina district of the city to the Embarcadero. The new facility will open next summer. Besides constructing the new museum, the general contractor (Nibbi Bros.) is doing extensive pier reconstruction due to the age of both Piers 15 and 17. The project's developer is Wilson Meany Sullivan, architect is EHDD and project manager is KPM Consulting.

New Jersey

St. Peter’s College in Jersey City is getting a two-pronged facelift by building a new $35-million student center, largely using recycled and renewable materials, as well as a $4-million energy hub that includes a cogen facility and four separate solar rooftop arrays. The project, which began June 2011, is progressing and targeted for completion in first quarter 2013. Located on the southeast corner of the campus, the center is being built while the campus is in use and has taken safety precautions, such as added fencing, to protect the many student and faculty passers-by who either live or work in the buildings situated nearby. The 200 kw cogen plant and 200 kw solar arrays will be used to heat and power the student center. St. Peter’s College is the owner and Strategic Development Group is the owner’s agent for both the center and cogen facility. Torcon Inc. is the GC on the center, and Birdsall Services Group is the civil, electrical and mechanical engineer and landscape architect on the center, as well as the engineer for the cogen unit. Ener-G is the developer, owner and operator of the cogen unit and the solar arrays.

Renovation

It’s been 40 years since Long Beach High School in Lido Beach, N.Y., has undergone any significant renovation but this is about to change with construction well under way to add about 20,000-sq-ft to the three-story structure; demolish a separate pre-K building; and build new outdoor sports facilities on campus. The $17-million project, which is set for completion in 2014, is among the largest ones under way as part of the Long Beach City Schools’ $98.9-million capital improvement program. The project has many technical, engineering, financial and logistical challenges including the fact that the high school is located just 30 feet from a large body of water and requires constant dewatering. The general contractor is Stalco Construction and Savin Engineers is the CM. Other key players are the architect CS Arch; structural engineer Ryan-Biggs Associates; MEP engineer Lewis Engineering; civil engineer The Chazen Companies; and athletic facilities consultant HMH Site & Sports Design.

This recurring feature in the regional sections provides a one-stop look at major construction starts in select regions using the best analytics and data in the industry and presented with compelling graphics and charts. This one-page edition focuses on the Binghampton, NY area with stats on construction starts and other data geared for A/E/C professionals.

This annual feature ranks the largest specialty contractors in Texas & Louisiana based on 2011 revenue. Analysis of this year's ranking and insight and perspective from major specialty contractors will also be included.

The $200-million Tobin Center project strives to marry historic elements of the San Antonio Municipal Auditorium with modern performance spaces, presenting significant challenges for both designers and construction crews. The team is preserving the building's existing 1920s facade, which will connect a new 1,750-seat main performance hall and a 230-seat studio theater. The project is being developed through a mix of public and private funding.

This recurring feature in the regional sections provides a one-stop look at major construction starts in select regions using the best analytics and data in the industry and presented with compelling graphics and charts. This one-page edition focuses on the Fort Worth and Shreveport areas with stats on construction starts and other data geared for A/E/C professionals.

For more than a decade, ENR Mountain States’ Best Projects competition has recognized excellence during the entire project lifecycle, from planning to design and construction. Our panel of industry-expert judges selects the winning projects in categories as diverse as civil, retail and green, based on safety, innovation, and quality of design and construction.

Also featuring: Outlook 2013

For more than a decade, ENR Southeast's Best Projects competition has recognized excellence during the entire project lifecycle, from planning to construction. Our panel of industry-expert judges selected outstanding winning projects in categories as diverse as civil, retail and green, based on the project's innovation, quality of design and construction, as well as safety.

In Orlando, the U.S. Veterans Administration and the general contractor leading the construction of a $260-million hospital facility are trying to overcome their dispute over who's to blame for significant delays as they move forward on a new work plan to speed construction of this high-profile project. ENR Southeast will check in on how the approach to construction has changed, and how past problems are being addressed.

This recurring feature in the regional sections provides a one-stop look at major construction starts in select regions using the best analytics and data in the industry and presented with compelling graphics and charts. This one-page edition focuses on the Raleigh, NC area with stats on construction starts and other data geared for A/E/C professionals.

For more than a decade, ENR New York's Best Projects competition has recognized excellence during the entire project lifecycle, from planning to construction. Our panel of industry-expert judges selected outstanding winning projects in categories as diverse as civil, retail and green, based on the project's innovation, quality of design and construction, as well as safety.

The NYC School Construction Authority chose to have its new $62-million Intermediate/High School in Long Island City built under a CM-at-Risk contract. Skanska USA won the job and is at work building the 4-story structure in tough conditions that include working with a high water table as well as a number of unforeseen subsurface conditions. This story will address the strategy behind the CM-at-Risk contract and the challenges for the team. The structural engineer of record is Ysrael Seinuk Consulting Engineers; the mechanical engineer is Kallen & Lemelson Consulting Engineers; and the architect is FXFowle Architects. Skanska USA Civil is doing the underpinning work, and Langan Engineering is the civil engineer.

This recurring feature in the regional sections provides a one-stop look at major construction starts in select regions using the best analytics and data in the industry and presented with compelling graphics and charts. This one-page edition focuses on the Orange City, NJ area with stats on construction starts and other data geared for A/E/C professionals.

For more than a decade, ENR Southwest's Best Projects competition has recognized excellence during the entire project lifecycle, from planning to construction. Our panel of industry-expert judges selected outstanding winning projects in categories as diverse as civil, retail and green, based on the project's safety record, innovation and quality of design and construction. Visit the Southwest regional page of enr.com to find out how to submit and to see which projects won!

Tucson's $197-million modern streetcar project has been in planning for eight years, and began construction earlier this year. The electrical rail system’s complex project delivery involves a joint venture contractor and oversight from multiple stakeholders at the local, state and federal level. Special efforts have been made to foster teamwork and build strong community support through constant outreach and support for local businesses affected by the construction.

This recurring feature in the regional sections provides a one-stop look at major construction starts in select regions using the best analytics and data in the industry and presented with compelling graphics and charts. This one-page edition focuses on the Tucson area with stats on construction starts and other data geared for A/E/C professionals.

ENR Midwest honors outstanding projects in 18 categories, ranging from office, health care and cultural/worship to industrial, landscaping and transportation. Expert panels evaluate submissions on the basis of five criteria, including teamwork, safety and innovation. One of the winning projects also will be designated as the regions Best Project of the Year.

Appleton, Wis.-based Boldt Co. is serving as both construction manager and general contractor on the We Energies new Biomass-Fueled Cogeneration Facility in Rothschild, Wis., an undertaking for which team members also are deploying integrated lean project delivery. When completed in 2013, the facility is intended to serve as a model of the effectiveness of energy recycling, using cogeneration, or combined power and heat, to simultaneously generate electricity and useful heat. The plant is projected to generate enough power over a ear's time to meet the needs of 45,000 typical homes. It will burn tree tops and branches left on the forest floor after logging, as well as sawdust and shavings from paper mills and saw mills, and other woody biomass. The Poyry Group is the project architect and engineer.

ENR California's Best Projects competition has recognized excellence during the entire project lifecycle, from planning to construction. Our panel of industry expert judges selected outstanding winning projects in categories as diverse as civil, retail and green, based on the project's safety record, innovation and quality of design and construction.

An update on a design-build express lane expansion project of one of Southern California's most congested freeways, State Route 91. Last December, officials at the Orange County Transportation Authority and Riverside County Transportation Commission signed an agreement to share the costs and operation of the new lane, which will be completed in 2017. This 10-mi stretch of freeway averages 33,000 drivers per day.

This has been another tough year for industry in the tristate region and many contractors, consultants and economists forecast continued slow growth for industry next year. They also, however, predict that certain sectors—including higher education and health care—will keep firms with expertise in those areas at work. This story will explore these and other markets predicted to provide the most opportunities in the region.

For the first time, New Jersey nabbed the top spot for installing more solar capacity this year than California, the long-time industry leader. PSE&G has already supplied a hefty portion of that capacity and, by mid 2013, will have completed a four-year program to install 40 megawatts [half of the program’s total] throughout its N.J. service territory via pole-mounted solar units. The $275 million to $280 million pole-mounted program is the largest of its type worldwide. PSE&G is the owner-developer; Petra Solar, South Plainfield, N.J., is the design, engineer and manufacturer of the solar unit; and Riggs Distler & Co., Cherry Hill, N.J., is the installer.

This recurring feature in the regional sections provides a one-stop look at major construction starts in select regions using the best analytics and data in the industry and presented with compelling graphics and charts. This one-page edition focuses on the Northern NJ area with stats on construction starts and other data geared for A/E/C professionals.

For more than a decade, ENR Texas & Louisiana Best Projects competition has recognized excellence during the entire project lifecycle, from planning to construction. Our panel of industry-expert judges selected outstanding winning projects in categories as diverse as civil, retail and green, based on the project's innovation, quality of design and construction, as well as safety.

Also featuring: Outlook 2013

This recurring feature in the regional sections provides a one-stop look at major construction starts in select regions using the best analytics and data in the industry and presented with compelling graphics and charts. This one-page edition focuses on the El Paso & Lake Charles areas with stats on construction starts and other data geared for A/E/C professionals.

ENR’s twelfth Global Edition for 2012 will focus on the top safety and risk management issues facing firms that are working globally. Other global construction news and updates will also be featured in this issue. Complementing this special electronic edition will be ENR’s Global Insider newsletter, which will be delivered to readers’ inboxes on December 13.