The Daily Reporter articles from August 2003

The Daily Reporter archives from August 2003

WCD, Grunau/Hunt settle with Atty. General.
August 1, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Two of three defendants in the Milwaukee Theatre asbestos case reached settlements with the state this week, while the third is holding out for a trial and mulling a retaliatory strike.Attorney General Peg...

Gaming compacts bring opportunities for firm.
August 1, 2003... Byline: John Casper Jr. The new gaming compacts have brought with them their fair share of controversy.But they have also brought expanded opportunities for American Indian businesses, such as Native Engineering Inc., owned by Shawn Woldt...

Commentary: Marquette Interchange: Better plan in a smaller package.
August 1, 2003... Byline: Daily Reporter Staff On Monday, Gov. Jim Doyle announced that the cost of the Marquette Interchange reconstruction project would be reduced by $80 million.The much-anticipated cut was made by making relatively minor design changes...

Commentary: Constructive Comments August 1, 2003.
August 1, 2003... Byline: Dick Snow Old adage proves trueThe old adage "you get what you pay for" is certainly true of the construction of Milwaukee's Art Museum addition designed by Santiago Calatrava and built by C.G. Schmidt Inc., Duwe Metals, Super Sky...

WI regulatory agencies release environmental impact study for Oak Creek power plant expansion.
August 4, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Backers of a natural-gas alternative for the controversial coal-fired power plant expansion in Oak Creek are claiming some victory following the Friday release of the project's environmental impact statement."Nobody...

Minneapolis development firm, Wallace Enterprises, proposes $15 million shopping center project.
August 4, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass A Minneapolis development firm is moving ahead on plans to build a $15 million shopping center anchored by a 90,000-square-foot Target Department Store on South Miller Park Way in West Milwaukee.Wallace Enterprises is...

Commentary: Overview of minority-or women-owned business certification guidelines.
August 4, 2003... Byline: Godar Thomas Every year, federal, state and local governmental agencies contract with private-sector vendors for goods and services. Annually, the total dollar amount of government contracts awarded to businesses and nonprofit...

Simonson: Construction's economic health improving.
August 5, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell The commercial and public construction markets appear to be pulling out of their multiyear doldrums, according to a leading industry economist."I don't want to say definitely that this is the end of the fall, but...

Racine, Kenosha panels postpone action on We Energies' plan.
August 5, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass Opponents of We Energies' plans to build three new coal-fired units in Oak Creek have been stymied in their most recent attempts to get two counties and one municipality to pass resolutions against the plan.However,...

Wisconsin's city governments may have to choose between basic services and construction projects.
August 6, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Municipal governments statewide might be forced to choose between construction projects and basic city services if the Legislature overrides Gov. Jim Doyle's veto of the property-tax freeze."I don't think people...

Worker dies after fall from scaffolding.
August 6, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan An unnamed C.D. Smith Construction employee died in surgery late Monday night after an afternoon scaffolding accident at a water storage tank project in Racine."All I can say is that our thoughts and prayers are with the...

Stadium renovation nearly complete.
August 6, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass With an agreement in place that any cost overruns on the massive $295 million of Lambeau Field in Green Bay would go to the Green Bay Packers or its construction management team, there was tremendous pressure to keep the...

Minority- and women-owned biz goals in stadium renovation met.
August 6, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass From the beginning, construction executives overseeing the $295 million renovation of the Lambeau Field in Green Bay knew it would be difficult to meet the minority- and women-owned business goals that had been set for...

Commentary: Subcontractors assn. pushes to limit risk-transfer clauses.
August 6, 2003... Byline: Donald Croysdale On Sunday, I experienced something new-a 20-plus mile excursion into the Atlantic to observe whales. Notwithstanding the typical foggy New England weather, our captain did locate a Minke whale and a couple of...

Help available to recover stolen construction equipment.
August 6, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan The Associated General Contractors have partnered with a fledgling company that helps identify stolen construction gear, raising hopes that it will improve law enforcement's ability to return recovered equipment.Unlike...

Fans renovated Packers stadium.
August 7, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass Most of the construction workers on the Lambeau Field renovation are lifelong Green Bay Packers fans. But some of them had mixed emotions as the team battled for home-field advantage for the 2002 National Football League...

Worker in stable condition after fall from MATC roof.
August 7, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell A worker on a roofing project at Madison Area Technical College fell several floors Tuesday afternoon, but the resulting injuries aren't life-threatening, according to police.Benjamin Ganser, a 22-year-old resident...

Ground broken on Aldrich Chemical plant.
August 7, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan More than two years of negotiations between Aldrich Chemical and state and Milwaukee officials turned into smiling partnerships at the groundbreaking for the company's $65 million relocation project."We have been working...

Green Bay stadium project is 'dream come true' for Zadra.
August 7, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass Stuart Zadra grew up in West Bend as a Green Bay Packers fan. Little did he know that one day he would be overseeing the $295 million renovation project that would restore the historic Lambeau Field and strengthen the...

Commentary: Changes to public works projects in the works.
August 7, 2003... Byline: John Mielke There are a number of significant changes being considered with regards to public works projects. In this article, I'll review some of those proposals, give you a tip on how to be more competitive on prevailing-wage...

Wis. lawmakers, local officials and governor feud over property-tax freeze.
August 8, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell The debate over whether a property-tax freeze would harm local economic development projects turned into a free-for-all this week as the Legislature geared up for an override vote.Local officials, state lawmakers and...

Associated General Contractors partner with Nat. Equipment Register to find stolen equipment.
August 8, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan The Associated General Contractors have partnered with a fledgling company that helps identify stolen construction gear, raising hopes that it will improve law enforcement's ability to return recovered equipment.Unlike...

Maine puts shredded tires to use in civil engineering projects.
August 8, 2003... Byline: Dick Snow Maine, with an awesome Atlantic coastline and its stein song, is not necessarily renowned for innovation, but that all may change soon.A new Maine Turnpike Interchange being built in Sabattus is taking shape atop the...

Gov. Doyle denounces call for override vote.
August 8, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell With an override vote looming, Gov. Jim Doyle denounced legislative attempts to reinstate a statewide property-tax limit proposal as a "freeze on economic development."State Senate Majority Leader Mary Panzer, R-West...

Union breaks ground on new training center.
August 8, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell When the state Laborers union decided to build a new training and office center, the group turned to an old real estate adage: location, location, location.The ground the Wisconsin Laborers' District Council...

Commentary: Proposed legislation could make employment lawsuits more costly for employers.
August 8, 2003... Byline: John Finerty It seems that every year construction industry employers encounter new laws, regulations or industry standards. With every new rule comes training, compliance efforts or new policies and procedures; the costs those...

Gov. Doyle denounces call for override vote.
August 11, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell With an override vote looming, Gov. Jim Doyle denounced legislative attempts to reinstate a statewide property-tax limit proposal as a "freeze on economic development."State Senate Majority Leader Mary Panzer, R-West...

Union breaks ground on new training center.
August 11, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell When the state Laborers union decided to build a new training and office center, the group turned to an old real estate adage: location, location, location.The ground the Wisconsin Laborers' District Council...

Commentary: Proposed legislation could make employment lawsuits more costly for employers.
August 11, 2003... Byline: John Finerty It seems that every year construction industry employers encounter new laws, regulations or industry standards. With every new rule comes training, compliance efforts or new policies and procedures; the costs those...

County boards decide not to decide on power plant project.
August 12, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan County supervisors sponsoring resolutions on We Energies' proposed Oak Creek power plant are questioning the trustworthiness of the utility and a coalition formed in opposition to the project.They are also wondering if...

Sen. George wants minority-business participation goal set in interchange project.
August 12, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass State Sen. Gary George has sharply criticized Gov. Jim Doyle and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation for failing to set a goal for minority-business participation in the $810 million reconstruction of the Marquette...

North Shore Fire Department to build new fire station.
August 13, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass The North Shore Fire Department will begin construction of a new $1.7 million fire station in Bayside in late August as it attempts to lower emergency response times in several northern Milwaukee County suburbs.The board...

Rock Road wins largest WisDOT award.
August 13, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell The state Department of Transportation on Tuesday turned its attention to the slower fall season as it opened bids on a small number of projects scheduled to start later this year.After several months of letting...

Biz alliance president: Power plant could be boon to area.
August 14, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass Recent claims that the proposed We Energies' coal-fired plant expansion in Oak Creek would harm economic development are wrong, a Kenosha business leader said.That's evident by the commercial and residential growth that...

Commentary: 58th Annual Parade of Homes kicks off this weekend.
August 14, 2003... Byline: Mark Moroney The 58th Annual Parade of Homes, which runs from Aug. 16 through Sept. 7, promises "Something for Everyone." This year's parade features 30 fully decorated and landscaped homes built by 26 builders, located in three...

Dept. of Transportation secretary defends Marquette Interchange plan.
August 15, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Department of Transportation Secretary Frank Busalacchi on Thursday defended his agency's $810 million plan to rebuild the Marquette Interchange in Milwaukee.Members of the Assembly Transportation Committee peppered...

Wisc. official urges legislature to consider public-private partnership to fund construction.
August 15, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell The massive overhaul of southeastern Wisconsin's freeways will likely require tolls or some alternative form of funding, the state transportation secretary said Thursday.Frank Busalacchi, secretary of the state...

Commentary: Neither side is winner in property tax freeze debate.
August 15, 2003... Byline: Dick Snow This week's "West Side Story" in Madison is certainly a work in progress. No side, except taxpayers, has really won the issue of "to freeze or not to freeze" property taxes.Either way, the truth is that public...

Blackout in Northeast puts focus on Milwaukee-based We Energies' Power the Future expansion plan.
August 18, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass Thursday's crippling power system failure could have a "trickle down" effect on southeastern Wisconsin as We Energies pushes ahead with its aggressive power expansion plan.Most of the northeastern United States and parts...

When may nonunion employees walk off the job?
August 18, 2003... Byline: John Finerty Strikes are something that most employers associate with union shops. Nonunion employees, however, may also walk off the job. Not all strikes are protected by the National Labor Relations Act, so in some cases...

West Bend Savings Bank plans office building.
August 19, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass West Bend Savings Bank has announced plans for a $2.5 million, 23,000-square-foot administrative office building to be located in downtown West Bend, another project in the recent surge of development in the central...

Milwaukee County exec. meets with builders to discuss budget challenges.
August 20, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker spent Tuesday morning meeting with builders to discuss challenges in the 2004 budget, which is facing a $52 million shortfall."It's almost like Yogi Berra's old statement that it's...

City of West Allis considers four developments.
August 20, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass City of West Allis officials are reviewing four development proposals, with costs as high as $60 million, for a commercial and residential development near South 66th Street and West National Avenue.The four proposals...

Commentary: Blackouts, bad air days and NYMBYs.
August 20, 2003... Byline: Donald Croysdale Last week's pictures of New York must have been the ultimate rush for the opponents to electrical generation expansion, interchange reconstruction and freeway expansion. The inability of cars to move anywhere had...

New mayor needs to unite city, panel says.
August 20, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan Community leaders around Milwaukee Tuesday stressed that the city needs to elect a strong new mayor who will unite the city's array of economic and ethnic groups and collaborate with neighboring governments."The new mayor...

Consultant continues to tout tolls as highway funding option.
August 21, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Despite denunciation from the state's highest office, consultant Kevin Soucie continued his plea Wednesday for legislators to consider toll roads as a funding option for highways."You can ignore it. You can dismiss...

Commentary: Training paramount to meeting goals.
August 21, 2003... Byline: Wayne Belanger According to a recent poll by the Fails Management Institute, here are the top 10 areas of concern for construction company owners:1. Getting more work2. Profit margins3. Personnel problems4. Competition5....

Dept. of Workforce Development officials outline budget plans.
August 21, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan Department of Workforce Development officials visited Milwaukee Wednesday to outline their plans to overhaul prevailing-wage enforcement and increase safety on its scant budget. "I would argue that the department has not...

Construction exec. to run for U.S. Senate seat.
August 21, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Construction executive Tim Michels ended rumors Tuesday and announced a formal step toward making an official run for Russ Feingold's U.S. Senate seat.Michels, a vice president of Michels Corp., Brownsville, has for...

Panel OKs home-inspection bill.
August 21, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass A state Senate committee passed a bill that would require the inspection of all new one- and two-family homes built in the state regardless of the size of the community.The Senate Economic Development, Job Creation and...

Commentary: Constructive Comments, August 22, 2003.
August 22, 2003... Byline: Dick Snow All work and no play makes for a dull day, particularly during the dog days of August.So in some respects, it is justifiable for the construction industry to have one-day golf outings during August. It is even more...

Medical College of Wisconsin does not endorse We Energies' Power the Future plan.
August 22, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass The Medical College of Wisconsin has not endorsed We Energies Corp.'s Power the Future plan despite announcements by project supporters that the college had joined the effort.Alliance for Power and Jobs, a group formed by...

Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District proposes to use design/build methods for some projects.
August 22, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Industry opposition is mounting to a Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District proposal to use the design/ build delivery method for some projects.In the next week, Sen. Alberta Darling, R-River Hills, plans to seek...

RESET fears impact of Wisconsin governor's directive to streamline approval process.
August 22, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass The groups opposing We Energies Corp.'s plans for three new coal-fired plants in Oak Creek have appealed to Gov. Jim Doyle to push the Milwaukee utility to upgrade infrastructure without hurting the environment. On the...

Project-labor agreement proposed on Univ. of Wisconsin state construction project.
August 25, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell State building officials are seeking a project-labor agreement for a $134 million medical sciences facility on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus.On Friday, the Division of State Facilities collected requests...

Wisc. Dept. of Transportation declares DBE goal for Marquette Interchange impossible to meet.
August 25, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass State Sen. Gary George's recommendation that state transportation officials set a 50 percent goal for minority business participation on the $810 million reconstruction of the Marquette Interchange would violate federal...

Commentary: Maintaining a safe workplace is employer's responsibility.
August 25, 2003... Byline: J. Kevin Hennessy Not long ago, the families of two men killed when a fired worker went on a shooting rampage won a $7.9 million verdict from a jury that found the company negligent in protecting them. The jury awarded $3.9 million...

Wisc. Public Service Commission begins technical hearings.
August 26, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell State utility regulators and interested groups on Monday probed Wisconsin Energy Corp.'s construction proposal for new coal-fired power units in Oak Creek.The state Public Service Commission of Wisconsin began...

OSHA seeks workers' comp records.
August 26, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan Local Occupational Safety and Health Administration offices are trying to gain access to the state's workers' compensation records, but it's unlikely to happen this year."I was hopeful with the new administration with...

Cardinal Stritch Univ. project to begin soon.
August 27, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass Cardinal Stritch University will break ground in September on a $14 million expansion of one of its main buildings on its campus in Glendale, aimed at meeting a space crunch need for the growing college.The...

Commentary: Supply, demand and prices.
August 27, 2003... Byline: Donald Croysdale One economic truism goes like this: If you decrease the price, you get more; if you increase the price, you get less. The relationships between supply, demand and prices is quite simple in a relatively free market....

Wisconsin's transmission network inadequate, Senate panel told.
August 27, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell The state's electrical transmission network faces serious capacity problems that could jeopardize reliability at a time when more power plants are coming on line, according to industry leaders."Wisconsin has a...

School projects' future uncertain.
August 27, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan Builders and school administrators are unsure how the governor's 27-member Education Excellence Task Force's review of the state education funding formula could impact school construction projects."It's really an...

Metropolitan Builders Association challenges 'confusing' housing ordinance.
August 27, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan The Metropolitan Builders Association has legally challenged a Mukwonago ordinance that seeks to hold up new development with yearly housing development quotas. "The town of Mukwonago has put in place an elaborate and...

Bristol imposes building ban.
August 28, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan Bristol this week enacted a 16-month building moratorium within town limits to revise its land-use plans and consider increasing and creating new impact fees on developments."We needed to provide ourselves with some...

Golf outing to benefit social service organization.
August 28, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Golf outings are typically thought of as diversions, as not much more than breaks from the daily grind and chances to swing a club with friends in the sunshine.But for one upcoming excursion, members of the...

Commentary: Housing and development can solve fiscal problems.
August 28, 2003... Byline: Mark Moroney By now you have read the news. The Senate failed to override Gov. Jim Doyle's veto of the budget bill, which contained the property-tax freeze. The Assembly immediately passed another version of the freeze bill, this...

Commentary: Constructive Comments August 29, 2003.
August 29, 2003... Byline: Dick Snow While visions of the Super Bowl and, we hope, the Rose Bowl dance in our heads, the news (bad) is that Wisconsin still maintains it nation-leading construction unemployment data.As it had for two previous months, the...

Milwaukee seeks proposals for downtown parking lot.
August 29, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass The Milwaukee Department of City Development has issued a request for proposals for a parking lot it owns in downtown Milwaukee seeking a residential and commercial development.The DCD issued the request in mid-August,...

Wisc. home-builders assn. backs inspection bill.
August 29, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell The state home-builders association moved closer Thursday to legislative approval of a bill requiring inspections of all homes built in Wisconsin."Here's a twist for you: We're asking for more government regulation,"...

HSR Associates hits 50-year mark.
August 29, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass HSR Associates has been able to survive the rough-and-tumble architectural industry for 50 years by being versatile and open to change."Over the years, we've really tried to adapt to what our clients need," said Jack...