Western Builder articles from January 2005

Western Builder archives from January 2005

Editor's Report.(Editorial)
January 6, 2005... By Barry Gantenbein It has been said that the key to happiness is diminished expectations. In other words, don't expect too much and you won't be disappointed. That just might be the case for the Wisconsin construction industry...

The Year Ahead.(Future)
January 6, 2005... Staff With some reservations, state construction association leaders forecast a strong 2005 The leaders of Wisconsin's largest construction associations were asked for their views on the state's construction industry in 2005. Guest...

Budget Tempest.(Market Research)(Wisconsin Transportation Builders Association)(Industry Overview)
January 6, 2005... By Tom Walker, Executive Director, Wisconsin Transportation Builders Association Uncertainty clouds forecast for 2005 transportation construction market An optimist could find plenty of things to be excited about in previewing the...

Looks Can Be Deceiving.(online reverse auctions)
January 6, 2005... Staff Little gain seen with online reverse auctions Saving money has always been a prime directive for successful businesses, and for many people, online reverse auctions may look like an effective e-business tool for doing just that....

First Phase.(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... Staff The 16th Street Bridge and Clybourn Street between 11th and 17th streets in Milwaukee reopened on schedule in early December as part of the Clybourn Street phase of the Marquette Interchange Project. "With the commitment of the...

In Memoriam.(People)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
January 6, 2005... Staff Daniel C. Vogel of Madison, Wis., and Lakeland, Fla., died Dec. 9, 2004, from injuries suffered in an accident on Nov. 15, 2004. He was 50 years old. Vogel was president of the Lakeland-based Florida Division of Vogel Bros....

Top Students.
January 6, 2005... Staff Mechanical Contractors Association of North Central Wisconsin Industry Fund, Inc. scholarships in the amount of $2,000 each have been awarded to two students. Receiving one of the scholarships is Jill N. Gloudemans, a student at...

Bentley Passes Away.(People)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
January 6, 2005... Staff Thomas H. Bentley Jr., fourth-generation owner of The Bentley Company, Milwaukee, died Dec. 11, 2004, in Mequon, Wis. He was 81. Bentley was the fourth-generation owner of the six-generation, 156-year-old general contracting...

New Church.(Construction)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... Staff Groundbreaking was held this fall for the new Korean Church of Milwaukee in Oak Creek, Wis. The Korean Church of Milwaukee is a non-denominational Korean church, with the congregation consisting mainly of Korean and...

Talk of the Town.(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... Staff R.A. Smith & Associates, Inc. has been retained by the town of Vernon in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, as its town engineer and town planner. Ongoing services provided include community planning, engineering, GIS, and construction...

Sosinske Passes Away.(Robert "Stan" Sosinske )(Obituary)
January 13, 2005... Staff Robert "Stan" Sosinske, founder and president of Milwaukee Tractor and Equipment, passed away unexpectedly on Dec. 12, 2004. He was 85. Sosinske founded the dealership more than 30 years ago, and was active at Milwaukee Tractor...

Working Together.(Hoffman Construction Company., honored by Department of Transportation)(Brief Article)
January 13, 2005... Staff Hoffman Construction Company, Black River Falls, Wis., has been named the 2004 Prime Contractor of the Year by the U.S. Department of Transportation for its work in promoting the growth of disadvantaged businesses in Wisconsin's...

Optimistic About 2005.
January 13, 2005... Staff Construction industry executives in five East North Central states, including Wisconsin, expressed the biggest one-year jump in optimism in the 29-year history of CIT Equipment Finance's CIT Construction Industry the Forecast. ...

MCA Scholars.(Mechanical Contractors Association donations.)(Brief Article)
January 13, 2005... Staff A pair of $1,000 Mechanical Contractors Association (MCA) of Northwest Wisconsin scholarships have been awarded. Amanda Lau, a student at the University of Wisconsin -- Oshkosh, is one of the scholarship winners. Lau is the...

Construction Under Way.(Fox River Congregational Church future sanctuary)(Brief Article)
January 13, 2005... Staff A groundbreaking ceremony was held Nov. 18 at the site of Fox River Congregational Church future sanctuary on a 30-acre wooded lot in Pewaukee, Wis. The church was elected into membership of the National Association of...

First In Show.(new potains crane at World of Concrete show)
January 13, 2005... Staff Potain self-erecting cranes being introduced at World of Concrete North American concrete professionals will get their chance to see first-hand how Potain's industry-leading self-erecting cranes can help their business at the...

Ounce of Prevention.(fire stop strategies)
January 13, 2005... By Charles Rathmann Firestop regulation drives new specialty contracting industry Send a piece of PVC pipe through a fire-rated concrete wall and that wall will no longer function as a barrier to heat, smoke and flame. That is why...

Student Services.(redevelopment of University of Wisconsin)
January 13, 2005... Staff $58-million University Square project approved by UW Board of Regents Redevelopment of the eastern gateway to the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus, one that will bring student services and activities under one roof as part...

For The Record.(using information management software)
January 13, 2005... Staff Proper data can save money on tires In an ideal world, a simple formula could be used to calculate tire costs and compare it to an industry-wide average. But reality isn't that simple. With the varying factors that contribute to...

Quality Guaranteed.(construction industry quality maintenance)
January 20, 2005... By Barry Gantenbein, Editor, Western Builder State Highway 11 reconstruct/resurface in Racine County carries five-year warranty Warrantees aren't made unless the product is excellent and the workmanship is solid. That's true...

Top 300.(construction contractors ranking)(Brief Article)
January 20, 2005... Staff Seven Wisconsin contractors have been ranked in the American Road & Transportation Builders Association's (ARTBA) ninth annual ranking of the Top 300 Federal Highway Contractors. The Top 300 list is based on an ARTBA analysis of...

Four AGC Awards.(Associated General Contractors of Wisconsin awarded Miron Construction Co.)(Brief Article)
January 20, 2005... Staff Miron Construction Co., Inc., Neenah, Wis., has been awarded four 2004 Build Wisconsin Awards by the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Wisconsin. Miron received the awards for the Lambeau Field Redevelopment in Green Bay,...

City Center West.(Plunkett Raysich Architects, LLP recieves award in the development of the office building)(Brief Article)
January 20, 2005... Staff Plunkett Raysich Architects, LLP has been recognized by several professional associations for design excellence for work on City Center West in Madison, Wis. Located at 525 Junction Road, City Center West was developed by T....

Volunteer of the Year.(Chris Warren)(Brief Article)
January 20, 2005... Staff The Mechanical Contractors Association (MCA) of North Central Wisconsin has awarded the Volunteer of the Year Award to Chris Warren, safety director for Tweet/Garot Mechanical, Green Bay, Wis. The award was presented to Warren...

Acquisition Announced.(Larsen Engineers)(Brief Article)
January 20, 2005... Staff Larsen Engineers, S.C., Milwaukee, has been acquired by Strand Associates, Inc. Larsen focused on transportation, environmental and general municipal engineering. Strand's engineering focus for the Milwaukee office will remain...

Builders Edge.(Brief Article)
January 20, 2005... Staff Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wisconsin has launched the BuildersEdge Health Plans, a health benefits package designed specifically for members of the Brown County Home Builders Association, Sheboygan Builders Association and the...

Hot Stuff.(Wisconsin Asphalt Pavement Association 2004 Innovation Awards)
January 20, 2005... Staff WAPA asphalt paving awards presented OMNNI Associates, in partnership with Minergy Corporation and Northeast Asphalt, Inc., has developed hot mix asphalt (HMA) mix designs using glass aggregates produced by Minergy at their...

Coal Dozer.(Dressta TD-40C to be used by We Energies plant)
January 27, 2005... By Barry Gantenbein, Editor, Western Builder Dressta TD-40C selected for use at We Energies Pleasant Prairie Plant Heating homes and businesses in the dead of a Wisconsin winter isn't easy. It's hard work providing electrical...

Rail Improvements.(Wisconsin Department of Transportation administering railroad infrastructure development contracts)
January 27, 2005... Staff State announces freight rail upgrades Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle announced in December 10 state awards totaling $11.1 million that will be used to construct freight rail-related facilities and upgrade freight railroad...

On the Move.(appointment briefs)
January 27, 2005... Staff Baraboo, Wis. -- Mike Palm , a 15-year veteran of MSA Professional Services, has been named the new real estate and development program manager. Palm oversees 40 individuals throughout the firm in his new position. During his...

Concrete Excellence.(reconstruction project got Excellence in Concrete Pavement Award from the American Concrete Pavement Association )(Brief Article)
January 27, 2005... Staff The Main Street reconstruction and streetscape improvements in Little Chute, Wis., have earned an Excellence in Concrete Pavement Award from the American Concrete Pavement Association (ACPA). The ACPA's 15th Annual Excellence in...

Product Guide.
January 27, 2005... Staff County Materials has released a new Concrete Masonry Product Guide, a comprehensive look at the standard, specialty and architectural CMUs offered by the Wisconsin-based company. The guide offers more than 50 pages of...

Quarterly Payment.(Wisconsin Department of Transportation payments towards transportation aids)(Brief Article)
January 27, 2005... Staff Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle announced that quarterly checks totaling $96.8 million for General Transportation Aids, Connecting Highway Aids and Expressway Policing Aids have been mailed or electronically transferred to Wisconsin units...

New Headquarters.(Kahler Slater Architects is designing for Voss Jorgensen Schueler Co.'s new headquarters )(Brief Article)
January 27, 2005... Staff Kahler Slater Architects is working with Voss Jorgensen Schueler Company (VJS), one of Wisconsin's largest construction and development firms, on the design of their new corporate headquarters at W233 N2847 Roundy Circle West in...