The Daily Reporter articles from May 2003

The Daily Reporter archives from May 2003

Mandatory housing inspections pushed by Wisc. legislators.
May 1, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan A bipartisan trio of state legislators backed by the Wisconsin Builders Association is pushing to make inspection of newly constructed houses mandatory before small municipalities can issue occupancy permits. "We...

Report says proposed coal-fired plants would harm air quality.
May 1, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass Even with the best available emission reduction equipment as part of the project, three new coal-fired plants proposed by Wisconsin Energy Corp. in Oak Creek will harm local air quality, according to a draft environmental...

Wisconsin Construction Briefs May 1, 2003.
May 1, 2003... Byline: Daily Reporter Staff Associated General Contractors of Wisconsin Jim Falbo has joined the Associated General Contractors of Wisconsin as the associate director of safety. He is responsible for providing to AGC members...

Wisconsin Center District Board won't hike hotel tax.
May 1, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass The Wisconsin Center District Board on Wednesday approved an alternate financing plan for the $10 million cost overruns on the Milwaukee Theater project that allowed it to drop its plans to increase the Milwaukee County...

Commentary: 'Researchers' help unions put pressure on employers.
May 1, 2003... Byline: Jim Pease Unions recognize that picketing is often of limited effectiveness in their battles against employers, particularly if all the employers on a job site are nonunion. So unions have developed other techniques to pressure...

Wisconsin's construction industry honored.
May 2, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Gov. Jim Doyle joined construction leaders Wednesday night to honor the state's best building projects, and he sounded themes of economic expansion and industry pride. "The construction industry in Wisconsin is...

SE Wisc. Regional Planning Commission panel backs 127-lane plan.
May 2, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan The Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission's Planning and Research Committee unanimously approved a plan to add lanes to 127 miles of freeway in southeastern Wisconsin. The 10-0 vote came after a public...

Milwaukee law firm considers becoming anchor tenant in new office building.
May 2, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass Foley & Lardner, a Milwaukee law firm, is strongly considering becoming the anchor tenant in a proposed new office building at the current site of the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts parking structure on North Water...

Commentary: Constructive Comments May 2, 2003.
May 2, 2003... Byline: Dick Snow A proposal to use some of Wisconsin's shorelines to achieve economic development is making waves in Madison and is so logical it is scary. We refer to a bill introduced by Rep. Steve Wieckert of Appleton-that it...

Commentary: We Energies' plans for power plants not in best interest of Oak Creek.
May 2, 2003... Byline: Daily Reporter Staff Let's make one thing perfectly clear: We believe We Energies is going to build three new coal-fired power plants in Oak Creek. There's been too much time, money and negotiating put into the projects for the...

Commentary: Rights in condemnation proceedings.
May 5, 2003... Byline: Charles Graupner Roadway improvements and community development projects have made condemnation an increasingly common issue for Wisconsin business owners. In most cases, the ability of a government condemnor to take title to...

Commentary: Oak Creek 'taken to cleaners'.
May 5, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass The city of Oak Creek "got taken to the cleaners" in its recent agreement with We Energies to drop the city's opposition to the company's three new coal-fired plants in Oak Creek, several environmental groups said this...

Milwaukee engineering firm wins prestigious award.
May 5, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell A Milwaukee engineering firm last week beat some of nation's highest-flying projects to take home the profession's most prestigious honor. For its work on the $120 million Quadracci Pavilion addition to the...

Milwaukee Econ. Development Corp. approves $3M loan for Roundy's Inc.
May 6, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan A Milwaukee Economic Development Corp. subcommittee approved Monday a $3 million low-interest loan to help Roundy's Inc. relocate 500 jobs to downtown Milwaukee. "I think it provided somewhat of an incentive," said...

Joint venture is low bid on $191 million contract.
May 6, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell It might not look like it on a map, but Washington, D.C., is quickly becoming an outpost of Plain, Wis. Plain-based Edward Kraemer & Sons Inc. teamed up with two Pennsylvania bridge builders to submit the low bid...

Author warns about coal plants.
May 7, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass If We Energies is allowed to move ahead with plans to build three new coal-fired plants in Oak Creek, air quality will worsen and residents will be at risk for health problems, a national coal expert and author said this...

Commentary: Signs of hope on economic horizon.
May 7, 2003... Byline: Donald Croysdale Human nature is to be optimistic when all seems to be going well and pessimistic when all news appears bad. This is one reason why the average - and sometimes the professional - investor buys at peaks and sells at...

Sen. Cowles calls for energy conservation.
May 7, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell A state legislator wants to up the ante for energy efficient design in both public and private projects. Sen. Robert Cowles, R-Green Bay, chairman of the Senate Energy and Utilities Committee, has drafted two...

Commentary: Oconomowoc removes building-permit caps.
May 8, 2003... Byline: Matt Moroney Oconomowoc officials recently changed a city policy that was causing some major headaches for builders in the city. The previous Oconomowoc administration had placed an arbitrary limit on the number of building permits...

T-3 Group ordered to pay former employees.
May 8, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan The state Department of Workforce Development ruled Monday that Milwaukee-based T-3 Group Ltd., which closed in August, owes its former employees $125,000 in unpaid wages. The contractor had to suddenly close its...

Mequon development firm proposes Glendale shopping center.
May 8, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass A Mequon development firm has proposed a $14 million shopping center for a busy intersection in Glendale that may include a $2.7 million tax incremental financing district to pay for the environmental cleanup of the...

Commentary: Building moratoriums hurt economy.
May 8, 2003... Byline: Jerry Deschane In recent weeks, we have seen one or two local government officials talking about moratoriums on new home construction. The talk was spurred by a legislative trial balloon to freeze property tax levies as part of the...

Court nears decision on Ackerville Bridge.
May 8, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan An environmental lawsuit seeking to halt construction of the $6.2 million Ackerville Bridge drew to a close in Milwaukee Wednesday, but no decision had been made as of press time. The Highway J Citizens Group filed...

New member appointed to Wisc.'s State Building Commission.
May 9, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell State Rep. Spencer Black will become the newest member of the State Building Commission following his appointment to the eight-member panel on Wednesday. The Madison Democrat replaces Jeff Plale, D-South...

Gov. Doyle signs 19 state employee contracts worth $77.2M.
May 9, 2003... Byline: Daily Reporter Staff On Wednesday, Gov. Jim Doyle signed 19 state employee contracts worth $77.2 million after months of delays in the Legislature that left state workers furious. State employees had gone at least two years...

Commentary: Constructive Comments May 9, 2003.
May 9, 2003... Byline: Dick Snow Green side certainly up The new 30,000-square-foot Schlitz Audubon Nature Center in Bayside went on public display earlier this week and is a wonder incorporating many green building materials and technologies. ...

Design firm's outgoing president describes company as 'stable'.
May 9, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell "Stable" might not be the sexiest adjective, but for design firm Berners-Schober Associates Inc., a solid business base and reliable performance have reaped big dividends. It's also possible that William Doyle,...

Wisconsin program, Focus on Energy, funding in jeopardy.
May 9, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell A state program that provides a line of defense against mold growth in school buildings is in danger of seeing its funding slashed. As a small measure to contend with the state's $3.2 billion budget deficit, Gov....

Milwaukee offer on CMC Heartland Partners' property imminent.
May 12, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass The city of Milwaukee has received the final draft appraisal for a key 140-acre parcel in the Menomonee Valley near Miller Park and is expected to make an offer to acquire the parcel in the near future, city officials...

Commentary: Supreme Court to rule on government immunity suit.
May 12, 2003... Byline: David Krutz Contractors that perform work for public entities such as municipalities, schools and other governmental bodies have a certain amount of protection from negligence claims because of the governmental immunity doctrine....

New journeyman-to-apprentice ratios enforced.
May 13, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Union and nonunion electricians are divided over a newly enforced state government policy dictating the number of apprentices working on job sites. Reaching back to a directive drafted in mid-1990s, the state...

WisDOT takes bids on various construction projects.
May 14, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell It's not often the state Department of Transportation finds itself in the home-building business, but it came pretty close this month. The agency received bids Tuesday for a welcome center in Belmont, and...

Citizens group launches media campaign against power plant building plan.
May 14, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass The citizens group opposing We Energies' plans to build three coal-fired plants in Oak Creek launched an aggressive media campaign Tuesday, aimed at recruiting people to its group and spreading its message that the plan...

Commentary: Bill on retainage reduction moving forward.
May 14, 2003... Byline: Donald Croysdale On Monday, State Rep. Daniel Vrakas, R-Hartland, began soliciting co-sponsors for his legislation to reduce retainage on public construction contracts. This is good news for the construction industry, which has...

Milwaukee mayor asks governor to explain cost increases.
May 15, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Milwaukee Mayor John Norquist has renewed his call for an independent review of the $947 million Marquette Interchange reconstruction project in Milwaukee. Late last month, Norquist sent a letter to Gov. Jim...

Commentary: Union salting: A Catch-22 for employers.
May 15, 2003... Byline: Edward Rispone It seems to fly in the face of reason to suggest that a company owner would be required to hire and keep on the payroll someone who doesn't have the company's interests at heart or who may be openly intent on causing...

Wisconsin Construction Briefs May 16, 2003.
May 16, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell State government leaders opened their ears Thursday to a chorus of business owners and industry groups seeking regulatory reform. One after the next, representatives from the construction, paper and manufacturing...

Oliver Construction Co. proud to 'give back'.
May 16, 2003... Byline: Candy Doyle Oliver Construction Co. has undergone a metamorphosis since it was founded in 1945 by Oliver Wierdsma. Back then, the company was family owned and operated, and Robb Wierdsma, Oliver's grandson, remains one of the...

Commentary: Constructive Comments May 16, 2003.
May 16, 2003... Byline: Dick Snow Hope does, indeed, spring eternal. Recently, Milwaukee County committed a good deed. County officials, Boy Scouts that they can be, waived a construction-funding formula for Franklin and saved the city's...

GE Medical eyeing sites for new office building.
May 16, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass GE Medical Systems Information Technologies is nearing a highly anticipated decision on a location for a $50 million, 300,000-square-foot office building, with real estate observers saying two suburban Milwaukee sites are...

Commentary: Sen. Cowles correct in rejecting Gov. Doyle's budget cuts.
May 16, 2003... Byline: Daily Reporter Staff We didn't mince words in March when we criticized state Sen. Robert Cowles for voting down dozens of projects that came before the State Building Commission, on which the Green Bay Republican serves. At...

Commentary: Dealing with disabled employees.
May 19, 2003... Byline: Stacie Andritsch Employers should be mindful of their obligations when it comes to disabled employees. Often, the difficult task is determining who is disabled and what accommodations need to be offered. Protections are afforded to...

Construction fatalities rise.
May 19, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan Both local and federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration agents are drafting new programs to target construction fatalities, which in Wisconsin increased from 12 in 2000 to 17 in 2001. A Bureau of Labor...

Citizens' group opposing We Energies' plans adds six members.
May 19, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass The citizens' group opposed to We Energies' plans to build three new coal-fired plants in Oak Creek has added six new groups to its ranks, including two from Door County, with concerns about how the new plants would...

Wisconsin Joint Finance Committee unveils transportation plan.
May 19, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell The Legislature's budget-writing committee on Friday made sweeping changes to Gov. Jim Doyle's transportation plan, and it also trimmed funding for the state building program. Republicans on the Joint Finance...

Lawsuit filed against Wisconsin Public Service Commission.
May 20, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass S.C. Johnson & Son Inc. and Clean Wisconsin Inc. filed a lawsuit against the Wisconsin Public Service Commission alleging that the agency's review of We Energies' application to build three new coal-fired plants in Oak...

Transportation funding plan gets mixed reviews.
May 20, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell The Republican Legislature's plan to revamp transportation finances has drawn praise as well as notable criticism from Gov. Jim Doyle. Transportation stakeholders are cheering the proposal's aim to diversify...

Commentary: State's lowest responsible bidder law works.
May 20, 2003... Byline: Jim Boullion Government officials have always faced tremendous pressure to keep spending down and get the most value for taxpayers' money. That pressure will surely increase as we all deal with the current budget crisis. A...

Lunda Construction, state settle complaints.
May 21, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan Lunda Construction Co. will pay the state $150,000 to settle 14 complaints stemming from environmental and permitting violations on three railroad bridges it built for Wisconsin Central Ltd. "The gist of it is that...

Wisconsin legislator proposes lower retainage level.
May 21, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell A state legislator is finalizing a proposal that would lower the retainage level for public construction contracts. "It will be a positive change for the construction industry as well as for taxpayers," said Rep....

Commentary: How big should government be?
May 21, 2003... Byline: Donald Croysdale In both Washington, D.C. and in Madison, budget negotiations continue in earnest. But the rhetoric is bound to confuse most observers. With one eye on the dollars and the other eye on upcoming elections, our...

$17 million roadwork project planned in Menomonee Valley.
May 21, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan Next year's $17 million reconstruction of Canal Street in the Menomonee Valley will turn an area often described as an armpit with flooding problems into Milwaukee's greenest downtown district. "We're really trying to...

SE Wisc. Regional Planning Commission approves $6.6B freeway plan.
May 22, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan Opponents of the southeastern freeway system reconstruction proposal approved Wednesday say they'll continue challenging the plan's social impacts as it passes to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. "We will...

Metropolitan Builders Assn. takes actions to protect the industry.
May 22, 2003... Byline: Matt Moroney What is so important that the Metropolitan Builders Association feels compelled to challenge communities it desires to work with? The answer is simple: The MBA and the industry must challenge actions that risk the...

Bidding statutes waived on Interdisciplinary Research Complex job.
May 22, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell The state is once again turning to a limited-bidding delivery method for the construction of a high-profile project. The State Building Commission on Wednesday voted unanimously to waive state bidding statutes...

Commentary: Constructive Comments May 23, 2003.
May 23, 2003... Byline: Dick Snow In accepting the annual S.I.R. Award from the Associated General Contractors of Greater Milwaukee at its Past President's Night, Kevin O'Toole, executive vice president of Hunzinger Construction Co., last week delivered a...

Commentary: Lowering retainage rate on construction contracts is necessary.
May 23, 2003... Byline: Daily Reporter Staff State Rep. Dan Vrakas is proposing that the retainage level for public construction contracts be lowered, a measure we wholeheartedly back. Vrakas, R-Hartland, is suggesting that the level be reduced to no...

Ventter Denk Architects wins two American Institute of Architects awards.
May 23, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan Vetter Denk Architects Inc., which collected two American Institute of Architects Wisconsin Chapter awards Wednesday, gives a profound meaning to the idea that it's not the size that counts, it's how you use it. ...

Milwaukee development gets national push.
May 23, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass City of Milwaukee officials took their recruiting message straight to national real estate developers and retailers this week. Six Milwaukee aldermen and Department of City Development officials pitched the city of...

Mayfair Mall expansion wins design, development award.
May 23, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass The recent expansion of Mayfair Mall in Wauwatosa has won a major design and development award from the International Council of Shopping Centers. General Growth Properties, a Chicago mall developer that owns...

Milwaukee to lure grocery store to downtown area.
May 27, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass With the ongoing housing boom in downtown Milwaukee, city officials are trying to lure a major grocery store to the Historic Third Ward or Walker's Point. Department of City Development officials believe that with the...

Company shutdowns Rock County economy, but rebound is in the cards.
May 27, 2003... Byline: Seth Ansorge You might say Rock County is due for some good news. Once a bustling manufacturing hub, the southern Wisconsin county was hit hard in recent years when several of the region's premier employers shut down. Two...

Commentary: Beware of implied warranties in real estate transactions.
May 27, 2003... Byline: Sean Lanphier The traditional rule in the sale of real estate was caveat emptor or buyer beware. The buyer had a duty to inspect the property and do such things as obtain a survey, check zoning requirements and search for...

Supporters no longer back We Energies' plans for building coal-powered plants.
May 28, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass Two prominent supporters of We Energies' plans to build three coal-fired power plants in Oak Creek have decided to withdraw their support and oppose the plans because of their outrage with We Energies over recent actions....

Building Commission budget clears legislative committee.
May 28, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Despite Wisconsin's historic fiscal problems, the state building program appears set to emerge relatively unscathed from ongoing budget negotiations. Republican leadership on the Legislature's Joint Finance...

Commentary: Federal aid to states will boost contractor's activity.
May 28, 2003... Byline: Donald Croysdale Last week, we noted that the resolution of our state's budget dilemma is more likely to be determined in Washington than in Madison. Well, Congress finally got together on a stimulus package that is even better...

Franklin Common Council decision leaves door open for 3 large developments.
May 29, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass A recent decision by the Franklin Common Council to extend sewer to a subdivision near South 76th Street and West Ryan Road left open the possibility that three large developments could still occur at the busy southern...

Marquette Interchange, freeway plans debated.
May 29, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan A panel discussion on the reconstruction of the Marquette Interchange and southeastern Wisconsin freeway system aired intense rifts between Milwaukee and state officials over the usefulness and cost-effectiveness of...

Commentary: New executive order on apprenticeships likely.
May 29, 2003... Byline: John Mielke In 1971, Gov. Patrick Lucey issued an executive order asking the heads of all state government agencies to include in construction contracts a clause that requires construction contractors to employ apprentices on the...

We Energies' coal-fired plant plan touted by Illinois health, environmental groups.
May 30, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass We Energies' three new proposed coal-fired plants in Oak Creek have been criticized by opponents for their potential to increase pollution in southeastern Wisconsin. But the new plants are being held up as an example...

Natural Resources Board OK's asbestos-abatement rule.
May 30, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell The Natural Resources Board on Wednesday approved a compromise proposal allowing state environmental regulators to begin issuing citations for improper asbestos abatement. The Department of Natural Resources had...

Commentary: Constructive Comments May 30, 2003.
May 30, 2003... Byline: Dick Snow There is a positive movement in the Legislature by a coterie of construction associations to even out the current retainage provision in the statutes. The associations would like to see a flat 5 percent retention over...

Groth Design Group focuses on building churches.
May 30, 2003... Byline: Candy Doyle Groth Design Group Inc. may not be one of the oldest architectural firms around, but many of its projects are nonetheless worthy of reverence. The Cedarburg company that employs 16 started anew last November, when...

$10 million shopping center planned in Kohler.
May 30, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass An Illinois development firm will break ground next month on a $10 million, 120,000-square-foot expansion of a "power" shopping center in the village of Kohler, located at the busy intersection of Interstate 43 and...