Texas Contractor articles from September 2008

Texas Contractor archives from September 2008

TxDOT Planning $3.8 billion in Central Texas Rail Improvements.
September 1, 2008... Staff The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has released two studies containing a visionary plan to reroute Union Pacific (UP) non-local freight trains in the Austin-San Antonio corridor. The studies identify potential rail and...

Opus West Begins Project in Missouri City.
September 1, 2008... Staff In a joint venture with Scottsdale, AZ-based RED Group, LLC and Seattle, WA-based Leisure Care, Opus West Corporation has broken ground on 24.7 acres in the Houston suburb of Missouri City for the mixed-use Colonial Lakes Village...

Mast Climbing Work Platform Guidelines Available.(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... Staff Prepared by the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) and Kevin O'Shea of Mastclimbers LLC for use in the United States of America only, this 28-page document provides guidance and recommendations to insure that mast...

Educating Home Builders in Storm Water Regs.
September 1, 2008... Staff The Texas Association of Builders (TAB), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) signed a historic agreement on July 31, under which the organizations will work together to further...

Team Awarded By Asphalt Emulsion Manufacturers Association.
September 1, 2008... Staff On behalf of the Asphalt Emulsion Manufacturers Association, Myles McKemie recently honored the construction team that performed the widening and full depth restoration of FM 3240 in Bandera County with the Past President Award for...

TCA.(Tilt-Up Concrete Association)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... Staff The Tilt-Up Concrete Association (TCA) is inviting project submissions to be considered for a new Top 10 list highlighting the "Most Recycled Concrete Content" on a project. The list, which already has one entry, was initiated in...

Focus on Crane Safety.
September 1, 2008... By Greg Pantaleo, Beck Group Pre-planning with a scale drawing identifies potential issues. Moving materials on the job site in an efficient and safe manner is often the prime driver of the project schedule. The selection and placement...

Duke Realty Builds for Caterpillar.
September 1, 2008... Staff Caterpillar's new Waco parts distribution center goes for LEED. Caterpillar Logistics Services, Inc. (Cat Logistics), a wholly owned subsidiary of Caterpillar Inc., has chosen the Dallas office of Duke Realty to develop its new...

BakerCorp Opens New Branch Near San Antonio.(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... Staff BakerCorp, an industry leader in containment, pumping, filtration and trench shoring solutions, has opened its newest branch location in the San Antonio area to better serve Central Texas customers. The 15-acre lot facility located...

Gilbane to Build Houston Discovery Tower.
September 1, 2008... Staff Gilbane Building Company has been chosen to construct the 871,000-square-foot Discovery Tower in downtown Houston at an estimated cost of $156 million. Trammell Crow is the developer, and CBRE is the real estate broker, with...

Confessions of an Ex-Software Salesman.
September 1, 2008... Staff A newly available e-book dishes the dirt on software salespeople to help construction business owners make smarter software decisions. The book, "Confessions of an Ex-Enterprise Salesperson: What I Really Meant When I Said: ____," is...

McCarthy Builders Defy Gravity.(McCarthy Building Cos.)
September 1, 2008... By Liz Moucka The surprising thing about the Dee and Charles Wyly Theater for the Performing Arts in Dallas is that it is standing on its cantilevered columns. The Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre - one of the world's most innovative...

Texas Firm Hires Liesl Logan.(Shannon, Gracey, Ratliff and Miller L.L.P.)(Brief article)
September 15, 2008... Staff Shannon, Gracey, Ratliff & Miller, LLP, one of Texas' oldest and most respected law firms, has hired Liesl Gray Logan in the newly created position of communications coordinator. Logan will oversee communications activities for the...

SHW Group Hires Michael Martinez.(Brief article)
September 15, 2008... Staff Michael Martinez, AIA, recently joined the SHW Group, a market-leading educational design architecture firm, as a senior project manager for the San Antonio office. With 24 years of full-service architectural experience, Martinez...

Alan Dash Joins Syska Hennesy Group.
September 15, 2008... Staff Alan Dash has been named associate partner at Syska Hennessy Group, a national leader in consulting, engineering, technology, and construction. Dash will provide information technology consulting services to Syska Hennessy's...

Jordan Construction Welcomes Baer.
September 15, 2008... Staff The San Antonio office of Texas-based Jordan Construction announced that Dave Baer has been promoted to executive vice president of the San Antonio office. Baer has been with Jordan since 2003. In the construction industry for...

Walton Construction Hires Five.
September 15, 2008... Staff David Pinson, president of the Dallas Division of Walton Construction Company, LLC, leader in pre-construction, general contracting, design-build, and construction management services, announces five new hires. Brent Ellis has...

Editor's Report.
September 15, 2008... By Liz Moucka Texas Highway Contractors Tightening Their Belts The highway construction industry hasn't experienced this much pain since the late 1980s. We have entered an era of negative growth. After two healthy years of contract...

Atlas Copco HB10000 Debuts in U.S.(HB 10000 hydraulic breaker)
September 15, 2008... By Liz Moucka Work site demonstration of the largest hydraulic breaker showcases productivity for site prep and quarry applications. Atlas Copco conducted a live demonstration in late July of their new HB 10000 hydraulic breaker, built...

Weathering the Texas Economic Storm.
September 15, 2008... By Liz Moucka, Photos by Jim Buzard, Astec Mobile Screens LS Sand and Gravel and Astec Screen dealer TBC, Inc. roll with the punches that the economy is throwing. Over the past several months, state highway contracts in Texas have...