The Daily Reporter articles from September 2003

The Daily Reporter archives from September 2003

WTC Fifty States 9-11 Memorial Committee plans memorials to attacks in state capital cities.
September 2, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell The Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks have, in some ways, been a construction story from the beginning, and now a state contractor is taking the lead in preserving its memory.Some of the earliest images of the...

Milwaukee plans a 60-acre business park to recruit businesses to area.
September 2, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass The city of Milwaukee has put together a plan for a 60-acre business park on Milwaukee's northwest side aimed at recruiting businesses to the area as part of a redevelopment effort in the Havenwoods neighborhood.The...

Dorner Inc. faces hefty OSHA citations.
September 3, 2003... Byline: Chris Thompson Dorner Inc. is contesting $305,600 in Occupational Safety and Health Administration fines stemming from the utility contractor's work on three projects."We're fighting," said Jodi Arndt, an attorney with Liebmann,...

$4 million clinic planned in Germantown.
September 3, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass Advanced Healthcare SC is working on plans for a $4 million, 20,000-square-foot primary care and specialty medical clinic on West Mequon Road in the village of Germantown to meet a growing client base in the Washington...

Road builders maintain ties despite technology.
September 4, 2003... Byline: Chris Thompson It might seem strange in this era of electronic bidding, but there was a time when road builders traveled from across the state to Madison for the industry's monthly bid letting.Builders had standing reservations in...

Camp Randall Stadium tested twice this weekend.
September 4, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell There will be two ways to measure the success of the University of Wisconsin football team's first home game this weekend.The first is obvious: The Badgers want to beat the University of Akron before the home crowd...

Database linking projects, contractors created.
September 4, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan The nonprofit developer of a database to link minority and women's businesses to public projects has formed young alliances with some of southeastern Wisconsin's biggest public and private owners."We want to provide...

Kenosha board decides not to decide on plans to build coal-fired plants.
September 4, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass The Kenosha County Board on Tuesday night rejected a resolution opposing We Energies' plans to build three new coal-fired plants in Oak Creek, saying it should be up to Milwaukee and Racine counties where the facilities...

Commentary: Trying to interpret Mukwonago's residential development ordinance.
September 5, 2003... Byline: Daily Reporter Staff Here is a summary of the town of Mukwonago's residential development ordinance: "If the total number of dwelling units in the development receive 10 or more points and does not exceed the allotment for the year...

Commentary: Constructive Comments, September 5, 2003.
September 5, 2003... Byline: Dick Snow We almost over-H-D'd last week during the invasion of motorcyclists in Milwaukee for Harley-Davidson's 100th anniversary.Outside of the venerable manufacturer itself, the well-managed event was a real catharsis for the...

Congressional debate over highway construction funding concerns industry observers.
September 5, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Congressional debate over highway construction funding could leave Wisconsin and other states strapped for cash, but state industry observers said the danger is remote.Ken Simonson, chief economist for the Associated...

Construction of Walworth County Courthouse plagued by too many change orders.
September 5, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass A string of additional costs in the first stages of the Walworth County Courthouse construction in Elkhorn is concerning county officials, who have vowed to closely monitor the controversial project.Walworth County's...

Milwaukee-based The Louis Schmitt Plumbing Co. to be run for the first time by a non-family member.
September 5, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan James Lagina of The Louis Schmitt Plumbing Company talks about plumbing like it's the most important thing in the world."If you put in a 10-, 12- or 14-hour day, when you shut down the lights and close the doors you can...

EPA, We Energies agreement criticized.
September 8, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass Three environmental groups have called on the U.S. Justice Department to reject the proposed settlement between the Environmental Protection Agency and We Energies over alleged violations of the federal Clean Air Act.In...

Contractor's workshop slated.
September 8, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Later this month, contractors will get their first thorough glimpse of the immense scope of work that will go into the reconstruction of the Marquette Interchange in Milwaukee.The state Department of Transportation...

High court disallows 'dockominium'.
September 8, 2003... Byline: Hal Karas Anyone who is familiar with land development is aware that having access to a waterway such as a lake or river will greatly enhance the value of the property. Developers are also aware that developing property as a...

FCC rule may block bidding by fax.
September 9, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell On bid day at Miron Construction Co. Inc., the faxes come in seemingly by the truckload.Estimators at the Neenah-based general contractor set up a War Room, equipped with six fax machines, not to mention two more on...

Dept. of Natural Resources investigates potential asbestos violations.
September 9, 2003... Byline: Chris Thompson After 25 years of relative obscurity, the former Alexian Brothers Novitiate in Gresham has found itself once again at the center of controversy.The state Department of Natural Resources is investigating potential...

Milwaukee planners discuss student housing, parking.
September 9, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan Milwaukee planners in association with the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee have formed a panel that will consider zoning changes and new developments to adequately house students. The University Neighborhood...

Lunda Construction has a big day.
September 10, 2003... Byline: Chris Thompson If Tuesday's bid letting holds true, Lunda Construction Co. will net $10.9 million in Wisconsin Department of Transportation road contracts.The Black River Falls contractor topped its list of apparent victories with...

Southridge Mall renovation planned.
September 10, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass The owners of Southridge Mall in Greendale are planning a $2.5 million facelift for the shopping mall in 2004 as part of a plan to keep the shopping center competitive.BRE/Southridge Mall LLC, which bought the mall in...

Commentary: Jobs, productivity and growth.
September 10, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass The relationships between jobs, productivity and growth are as simple as they are complex. Most people - especially given the almost total lack of economic training in our high schools - have a hard time understanding why...

PSC, DNR to streamline process for transmission lines.
September 10, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell State regulators have promised to cut in half the amount of time it takes to review power plant and transmission line permit applications, Gov. Jim Doyle announced Tuesday.Days after a massive blackout struck the...

WisDOT land deal ruled invalid.
September 10, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan The Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Hartland and a Lutheran education association are considering a challenge to a court ruling nullifying a state land transaction that would've enabled projects benefiting all...

OSHA worker recalls World Trade Center tragedy.
September 11, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass On the second anniversary of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York City, Bill Wilkerson still can't believe what he saw.Wilkerson, assistant area director of the Milwaukee office of the federal...

Gov. Doyle, Wisc. Republicans pledge bipartisan effort in economic plan.
September 11, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell State political leaders pledged to mesh two plans they said would position government as a catalyst for job growth and economic development.Both Democrat Gov. Jim Doyle and Republican leadership in the state Senate...

Commentary: Conservation subdivisions integrate.
September 11, 2003... Byline: Mark Moroney More people are interested in living in an environment where they can also enjoy, preserve and protect Wisconsin's natural beauty and resources. In response to this growing demand, more communities and developers are...

Constructive Comments: September 12, 2003.
September 12, 2003... Byline: Daily Reporter Staff While we are cavorting among the California redwoods and Napa Valley, as a public service, we offer this late August appraisal of the state of the construction industry, thanks to number crunching by Ken...

Marquette University considers offering undergraduate construction-management program.
September 12, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Marquette University is considering adding its name to the list of Wisconsin schools offering undergraduate construction-management programs, and it wants the industry to help out."We want to see whether it's a good...

Glendale-based Concours Motors and Russ Darrow Group request rezoning to build new dealerships.
September 12, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass Concours Motors Inc. and the Russ Darrow Group have proposed new dealerships along West Green Bay Road in Glendale - an area that has seen an explosion of car dealerships in recent years.Concours Motors has proposed an...

FCC do-not-call list will also restrict contractors from faxing job notifications.
September 12, 2003... Byline: Daily Reporter Staff The construction industry dances to the beeps of its fax machines.On bid days, faxes tell the tale of success and loss for companies across the state. Million-dollar deals pass through those machines, and...

One year after the opening of Lynde and Harry Bradley Technology and Trade School in Milwaukee.
September 15, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan After a hectic opening year of refining its curriculums, organization, building layout and student body, Principal Ed Kovochich and his staff are ready to make Bradley Tech Milwaukee's most successful school."What we're...

Legislative audit of Milwaukee's State Fair Park finds mounting debt over four year period.
September 15, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell An ambitious building program at State Fair Park has contributed to a mounting debt buildup, the Legislative Audit Bureau revealed on Thursday.Few of the nonpartisan bureau's findings painted State Fair in a...

Wisconsin Legislature considers bill dealing with employees with arrest, conviction records.
September 15, 2003... Byline: Thomas P. Godar This Wisconsin Legislature is currently considering a bill that would allow employers to refuse to hire somebody who has a felony conviction. Currently, there is no bright-line rule in Wisconsin as to the extent to...

Construction generates 30 percent of landfill waste.
September 16, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Construction and demolition waste is piling up in state landfills, accounting for nearly a third of all garbage, according to a recent state-commissioned study. The Department of Natural Resources hired a consultant...

Kenosha neighborhood to be revamped.
September 16, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass The city of Kenosha is embarking on plans for a massive makeover of one of its neighborhoods that will include the acquisition, demolition and tenant relocation of 60 four-plex housing units in an effort to rejuvenate the...

Are Milwaukee Public Schools hiring standards chasing contractors away?
September 17, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan The Milwaukee Public School system has identified hang-ups in its new hiring goals program and is working with builders to make it more contractor-friendly without diluting its social impact.The program sets minority- and...

Reform of utility approval process sought.
September 17, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell The Doyle administration's move last week to streamline the approval process for energy projects doesn't go far enough, state legislators and regulators said Tuesday.Gov. Jim Doyle, citing a need to shore up the...

Vacant Younker's store may be declared blighted.
September 17, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass Village of Greendale officials, tired of waiting for the owner of the vacant Younker's store at Southridge Mall to follow through on promises to redevelop the building, have taken the first step to declare the property...

Construction workers rally for coal.
September 18, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan A host of union construction workers Wednesday rallied outside the first public hearing on We Energies' proposed Oak Creek plant, packing the first of two sessions with pro-coal advocates."I'm here to talk about how it's...

Wisc. transportation secretary guarantees four-year schedule for Marquette Interchange.
September 18, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell State Transportation Secretary Frank Busalacchi on Wednesday guaranteed a four-year schedule for the $810 million reconstruction of the Marquette Interchange in Milwaukee.Ensuring the four-year delivery could mean...

Milwaukee selects planning firm to update master plan.
September 18, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass The Milwaukee Department of City Development has selected a Milwaukee planning firm, which has teamed with a nationally known planner, to develop a master plan for the eastern end of the Menomonee River Valley.DCD has...

Commentary: We Energies' plan to build coal plant is reasonable way to power future.
September 19, 2003... Byline: Daily Reporter Staff The technical and public hearings on We Energies' proposal to expand its coal-plant operation in Oak Creek have ended.Now, it's up to the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin to decide whether that portion of...

Commentary: Construction industry loses a giant.
September 19, 2003... Byline: Dick Snow While last Friday's memorial service for John K. MacIver drew 500 friends and relatives to Whitefish Bay's United Methodist Church and included a recounting of his civic and political endeavors, only scant mention was...

Milwaukee County Executive unveils budget.
September 19, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker's proposed a 2004 budget Thursday that reduces county property taxes, cuts jobs and calls for more public-private ventures to run some county operations."While some will point to...

State Building Commission delays action on U of Wisconsin waiver.
September 19, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell The State Building Commission on Wednesday temporarily thwarted the University of Wisconsin-Madison's attempt to waive bidding statutes on a large project.The UW, thanks to a $13 million gift, accelerated the...

Major residential development proposed in Mequon.
September 19, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass A Mequon firm has proposed a major residential development for the northeast corner of Mequon Road and Wauwatosa Road in Mequon.Lakeside Development Co. is preparing plans for a mix of 62 single-family homes and duplexes...

Panel wants end to automatic gas tax increases.
September 22, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell State Assembly leadership is putting the brakes on a proposal to repeal the automatic annual increases to the state gas tax.On Wednesday, the Assembly Ways and Means Committee voted 11-1 in favor of a bill sponsored...

Reaction to Milwaukee County's budget.
September 22, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass Proposed changes in Milwaukee County's minority and small business programs are good as long as they don't "water down or replace" the goals set by the county on its construction and other contracts, several minority...

Commentary: Part I:The court on environmental cleanup, insurance.
September 22, 2003... Byline: David A. Crass (First in a two-part series)On July 11, the Wisconsin Supreme Court issued its landmark decision in Johnson Controls v. General Casualty, overturning its prior decision in the 1994 case of City of Edgerton v. General...

Wisc. Republicans oppose project-labor agreement for $161M project.
September 23, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Republican members of the State Building Commission are threatening to withhold support for a $161 million project if the state inks a project-labor agreement for the job.The University of Wisconsin-Madison plans to...

We Energies' proposed power plant still faces many obstacles.
September 23, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan Even if the Public Service Commission approves We Energies' proposed Oak Creek power plant, there are enough permit requirements and legal options remaining to stop or, more likely, delay the project.The PSC has until...

Milwaukee County Sheriff enters mayoral race.
September 23, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass The entry of Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. into the crowded Milwaukee mayoral race is expected to make it much more competitive, but the business community is still expected to back former Milwaukee...

Commentary: Do higher taxes spur growth?
September 24, 2003... Byline: Donald Croysdale Last week, several members of the construction and bonding industries met to discuss the merits of the retainage-reduction bill that has been introduced by Rep. Daniel Vrakas. This bill has broad-based support...

Milwaukee Mayor John Norquist unveils 2004 budget.
September 24, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan Milwaukee Mayor John Norquist Tuesday handed the Common Council his 2004 budget, which froze the city tax levy at $197 million and maintained the infrastructure budget at 2003 levels."Given how reckless the Thompson,...

City of Cudahy forming tax incremental financing district.
September 24, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass The city of Cudahy is forming a tax incremental financing district to fund an environmental cleanup of the former Crane Manufacturing & Service Corp. building to allow for the development of a $19 million, 152-unit...

Commentary: 'Uncommon Sense: The Life of Marshall Erdman'.
September 24, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Marshall Erdman's career really began with a proposition from Frank Lloyd Wright. "Baby, how would you like to be famous?" the architect reportedly asked the young builder.The year was 1949, and the First Unitarian...

Racine schools question Milwaukee-based We Energies' plan for three new coal-fired units.
September 25, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass The Racine Unified School District Board passed a resolution raising questions about We Energies' plans for three new coal-fired units in Oak Creek, citing concerns that an increase in electric rates could take funds from...

Off the Record with a Milwaukee alderman.
September 25, 2003... Byline: Chris Thompson What experiences in the construction industry helped prepare for your position as an alderman?"I've been in construction my entire life, and that's helped me. For example, look at the Park East freeway being torn...

Commentary: An open letter to the Wisconsin Public Service Commission.
September 25, 2003... Byline: Mark Moroney I don't envy you. The hearings last week examining We Energies' Power the Future program and the proposed new coal-fired power plants demonstrated there are strong opinions on all sides of the debate. As you move...

Constructive Comments: September 26, 2003.
September 26, 2003... Byline: Dick Snow We don't know if you're ready for this.According to the Indianapolis Star, there will be a shortage of 6,500 skilled construction workers in Indiana's capitol in 2005.A study by the FMI Corp., Raleigh, N.C., commissioned...

Wis. Dept. of Transportation tells contractors details about Marquette Interchange reconstruction.
September 26, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan State and federal agents told potential bidders Thursday that they'd be involved in the Marquette Interchange reconstruction on an unprecedented level to ensure contractors deliver it on time and on budget."If we don't...

Wis. Dept. of Natural Resources gets new citation authority to regulate asbestos-abatement industry.
September 26, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell On Wednesday, the state Department of Natural Resources will gain a new tool in regulating the asbestos-abatement industry.Following years of development and months of back and forth with the state Legislature, the...

Commentary: Dangerous liaisons among State Bldg. Commissioners.
September 26, 2003... Byline: Daily Reporter Staff State Building Commission members toying with project-labor agreements is like a Cub Scout pack on safari confronting a mysterious animal.They're familiar with the context of the situation but a little...

Wisconsin federal court judge sentences Milwaukee aldermen to 33 months in prison for mail fraud.
September 29, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass Calling it a "shot across the bow" to all elected officials in Wisconsin, Federal Court Judge JP Stadtmueller sentenced former Milwaukee Alderman Paul Henningsen Friday to 33 months in a federal prison for illegally using...

Public Works Committee set to ratify new bids for the Waukesha County jail construction project.
September 29, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell A second round of bidding on the Waukesha County jail project has brought the job inches from its budgetary goal.Over the summer, the county's Public Works Department solicited more than 15 bids on the $28 million...

$10M residential and commercial development proposed for downtown Milwaukee.
September 29, 2003... Byline: Mark Kass A $10 million residential and commercial development has been proposed for the Kramer Manufacturing building near downtown Milwaukee, another in a string of residential projects proposed in recent months for the area near...

Commentary: Wisconsin's environmental cleanup and reimbursement programs.
September 29, 2003... Byline: David A. Crass In last week's article, I discussed the recent decision of the Wisconsin Supreme Court in Johnson Controls v. General Casualty, in which the court overturned its prior decision in the 1994 case of City of Edgerton v....

Dorner Inc. tops $500,000 in OSHA penalties.
September 30, 2003... Byline: Chris Thompson It just keeps getting worse for Dorner Inc.The Appleton office of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration fined Dorner, a Luxemburg-based water- and sewer-pipe contractor with about 60 employees, $235,200...

Wisc. Public Service applies to add coal-burning unit to power plant in Rothschild.
September 30, 2003... Byline: Sean Ryan After a year of preparation, Wisconsin Public Service Corp. Friday formally applied to add a $750 million baseload coal-burning unit to its Weston power plant in Rothschild."We're very pleased with the public input that...

Oberlin College professor touts green building.
September 30, 2003... Byline: Jeremy Harrell Construction business and government leaders on Friday heard a seasoned lecturer provide insights into the future of green building and sustainable design.David Orr, a professor at Oberlin College in Ohio and...