ConstructionForum 🕸

From Construction Dive:  The Dodge Momentum Index, a benchmark that measures nonresidential building planning, dropped 6.5% in August due to slowdowns in both commercial and institutional projects, according to the Dodge Construction Network. August’s drop means the index, which peaked in December 2022 and typically leads actual construction spending by 12 months, has now contracted […]

From CNBC:  Electric vehicles are taking up an increasing percentage of the overall auto market share every year — rising from 4% in 2020 to 14% last year. Among the holdouts, a lack of charging infrastructure seems to be one of consumers’ most common reasons for not switching from gas to electric vehicles. But now, […]

From St. Louis Business Journal:  For pastors Beverly and Ken Jenkins, the opening of the first phase of the R&R Marketplace in Dellwood in North County is the culmination of a nearly 10-year effort to make a vision into reality. As the leaders of the nonprofit group Refuge and Restoration, the Jenkinses had to build […]

Three individuals and one firm from the built environment community were among the honorees at a luncheon held Thursday at St. Louis Union Station for the St. Louis Business Journal’s  “2023 Champions for Diversity and Inclusion Awards”. Left to right, Martain, Moeckel, Phillips, Buchek The newspaper presented awards to 14 individuals and two organizations. Winners […]

From Construction Dive:  With no corporate or personal income taxes, Nevada ranks as the most tax-friendly state for small business in 2023, according to a study from SimplifyLLC, a publication for small business owners. About 11.2% of state governments’ income on average came from state and local taxes in 2022, the highest share in decades. That’s […]

From Business Facilities:  The past two years have seen a significant acceleration in annual clean energy investment worldwide, according to the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) report World Energy Investment 2023. The report’s analysis highlights the impact of the volatile fossil fuel markets resulting from the Russian Federation’s invasion of Ukraine, which has expedited the adoption […]

by Brad Zimmerman, Attorney, Carmody MacDonald Successful small and medium-size business owners tend to focus most of their attention on managing the daily operations and growing their business’ profitability. Many owners hope to one day sell their business to a third party, pass it down to the next generation of their family or turn it […]

An increasing number of high school students are finding that paid apprenticeships in the skilled crafts or trades which support the construction industry are leading to life-long, interesting, essential and well-paid work. High school students attending a construction careers expo will have a hands-on experience in a range of activities. The Operating Engineers drew attention […]

The Rehabilitation Institute of Town & Country has made some rapid advances with IMPACT Strategies, Inc. at the helm as the construction manager. With the foresight of utilizing prefabricated exterior wall panels, the entire perimeter wall system was erected in nine working days allowing for the roof to be completed in two weeks following the […]

Logistics Park Kansas City, a major distribution hub in Edgerton, Kan., is adding another one million square foot distribution facility. Contegra Construction Co. is building Inland Port 9 for Northpoint Development at the 3,000-acre, master-planned development which was launched 10 years ago. The project will be completed in February 2024 and is the second distribution […]

From Business Facilities:  Innovation hubs play a vital role in the economic landscape of the United States today, creating hospitable climates throughout the country where startups can find their footing and established companies can take ambitious steps forward. Every innovation hub is different, but they share many key core characteristics. In particular, each innovation hub […]

From PVTECH:  US solar prices increased to US$2.9 per watt in the first half of 2023, representing a 1.8% increase from H2 2022. According to figures from EnergySage, the median quoted solar price increased for the fourth six-month period in a row, from US$2.67 per watt in the summer of 2021. Although reaching US$2.9 per […]

From St. Louis Business Journal:  One of the largest manufacturing plants available for sale in Missouri has found a buyer. The former PGP Glass USA glass bottle factory in Park Hills, about 65 miles from St. Louis, closed last year, laying off 243 workers. After a year on the market, the 515,913-square-foot facility in St. […]

From Construction Dive:  As labor issues plague the construction industry with no signs of abatement, a new survey from Associated General Contractors of America and San Francisco-based construction software firm Autodesk demonstrates the degree to which firms are struggling. Among the 1,401 respondents polled from a breadth of companies, 85% of construction firms have open positions that they […]

The Delmar Maker District, located on Delmar between Union and Kingshighway, seems to have found a recipe for success as it prepares to open Maker’s Locale, a $4M, facility with a brewery, restaurants, and event space. And the kitchen seems to be heating up. In May, restaurateur Ben Poremba opened “Deli Divine”, a Jewish deli […]

Now in its 15th year, St. Louis Community College’s 2023 State of the St. Louis Workforce report and event on Aug. 16, examined the overall view of the St. Louis metro workforce, with a spotlight on the impact of advanced manufacturing in our region. Understanding the Greater St. Louis region’s workforce is the first step […]

by Dr. John Gaal Editor’s Note: Each week, Dr. John Gaal, director of worker wellness for the Missouri Works Initiative, a non-profit workforce formed by the Missouri AFL-CIO, collects and comments on news and trends in workforce wellness and life balance. Construction Forum carries the Worker Wellness & Well-Being Blog as a regular feature. The […]

From CityScene STL:  Tower Real Estate Group’s “JCMidtown” development, on the two blocks of Locust between Leffingwell and Jefferson, could get a huge boost if a large multi-family building planned there moves forward. Cooper at JCMidtown is a 7-story mixed-use apartment building that will take up space currently occupied by the Sam Light Loans company […]

From West Newsmagazine:  A controversial residential development planned for Town Center in Wildwood was voted down by the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z). The 58 single-family attached and detached homes to be known as Latitude N38 would be rental units. They would be built at Eatherton Road and Crestview Drive by developers TB Realty […]

From St. Louis Post-Dispatch:  Amid the dust caking downtown’s vacant Chemical Building, John Campo Jr. felt inspiration spark. The unique architectural details of the 127-year-old property at Eighth and Olive streets captured Campo’s attention as a potential redevelopment. Data highlighting St. Louis as a competitive hotel market — coupled with nearby blockbuster real estate developments […]