Zero Tolerance

Take a proactive approach to sexual harassment policies.

By Brett Schneider and Michael Kantor

Unless you have been living under a rock the last few months, you have no doubt heard about the allegations of sexual harassment made against many high profile personalities, including Matt Lauer, Bill O’Reilly, Roger Ailes, Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey and Louis C.K. 

However, Hollywood doesn’t have a monopoly on sexual harassment, and lawsuits have arisen in every industry. As more and more women enter previously male-dominated industries such as construction, employers must be very proactive to protect themselves from liability for employee claims of sexual harassment. 

There are three steps that can help construction companies reduce workplace harassment – make a plan, communicate the plan and make the plan work.

Securing Your Jobsite

By Joshua Estrin

An unsecured construction site is a playground for vandals, thieves and trespassers. The 2017 "Construction Equipment Guide" reports that construction site theft costs the industry between $300 million and $1 billion annually. As a result, construction equipment on site as well as the dollar investment in the construction project demands that construction site security must be a priority.

The potential costs are staggering, so what is the solution? As with any construction management challenge, analyzing the hazard(s) of a specific job is integral and security is no different. Although jobsite security is multi-faceted, one of the greatest necessities is addressing the reality of trespassing.

Trespassers come in many different sizes and shapes and have just as many different intentions as to why they choose to trespass. Statistics collected by the American Association of Insurance Services (AAIS) and Insurance Service Offices (ISO) indicate that approximately 6.3 percent of builders risk losses are attributed to theft, burglary, robbery, vandalism and malicious mischief.

The New Look of Sustainability

By Jason Cocek

A decade ago, ask employees at virtually any construction and engineering firm and they would tell you one of the most popular services they offered was helping clients earn LEED certification. At the time of its introduction, it no doubt provided a number of firms enough work to keep employees busy during working hours and beyond.

Fast forward to 2017. LEED certification projects still come across the desks of construction professionals, but have likely become a smaller part of the daily workload. That’s not because it isn’t important and the certification isn’t valuable. Companies that meet the requirements get more than a nice plaque, but also save on their utility bills and can also qualify for a number of tax breaks.

The change in course has more to do with the fact that as an industry, the definition of a major buzzword is changing somewhat, which has in turn changed the focus of many companies.

Increasing Productivity with Technology

By Guy Skillett

On a typical construction project, there is one resource that dominates all other costs: labor. Up to 50 percent of the cost of construction can be attributed to the cost of the craft workforce. Not only is labor a significant cost on many projects, it’s also the most variable and the least understood. Construction sites are complex and rapidly changing, where unforeseen events like weather, equipment delays and worker turnover are all levers that can seriously impact productivity.

The construction industry often considers labor as a fixed cost, where little can be done to optimize craft performance and productivity. There’s some obvious reasons why this is the case. Construction is largely executed by subcontractors, where jobsite conditions and project execution are defined by planning and sequencing of work by contractors. Subcontractors are often not in control of all the factors that define project success.

Equipment Uptime = Service Success

By Mark Wasilko

Providers of construction equipment, including OEMs and heavy machinery rental companies, are judged by their ability to provide continuous uptime, availability, and how quickly they can return an malfunctioning asset to service. That is why many companies offer guaranteed response times, same day repairs and proactive preventative maintenance programs. They understand that keeping their equipment running as much as possible is a critical differentiator in an industry where customers have a lot of choices.

That’s easier said than done, especially when one considers that, traditionally, repair and maintenance processes have been plagued by inefficiencies and a lack of useful, in-context, actionable information. For instance, when an asset malfunctions, construction teams may receive an alert that something is amiss, but that alert will often come without context or follow-up. There is no recommended plan of action. As such, everyone involved in the maintenance and operation of that equipment is left making educated guesses regarding the cause of the problem and how to execute the repairs required to get the asset up and running.

Skyline Scaffolding Inc./Vik XS Services

Skyline Scaffolding and Vik XS Services’ expertise helps them thrive.

By Alan Dorich

Some companies that operate in similar fields might be opposed to the idea of working together. But that is not the case when it comes to Skyline Scaffolding Inc. and Vik XS Services. 

Four Seasons plans to double portfolio

Four Seasons has 50-plus projects in its pipeline as the company looks to double its portfolio in the coming years. Properties are scheduled to open in Malaysia and India in 2018. Read the Food & Drink Digital story here

Viejas Resort to open 159-key hotel-within-hotel

California’s Viejas Resort is adding the adults-only Willows Hotel & Spa to its offerings. Opening next month, the hotel within the resort has 159 guest rooms.  Read the San Diego Business Journal story here

Hotel companies fuel growth with boutique brands

Choice, Marriott and Hyatt are among the major hotel names betting on smaller, boutique brands. Choice opened 45 Ascend properties last year, while Marriott now has 27 Tribute-branded hotels in its portfolio with more planned. Read the CoStar Group story here

Canada’s Cara to acquire The Keg restaurant chain

Canada-based Cara Operations will acquire Keg Restaurants in a cash and stock deal valued at $161.4 million. Cara is Canada’s largest full-service operator, with 1,259 company-owned and franchised units under 16 banners including Harvey’s and Swiss Chalet and Keg operates 96 eateries in Canada and 10 locations in four U.S. states. Read the Nation’s Restaurant News story here

McCarthy Ranch – McCarthy Creekside Industrial Center

McCarthy Ranch aims to deliver a high-quality product with the McCarthy Creekside Industrial Center.
By Bianca Herron

McCarthy Ranch is a sixth-generation family business that got its start as a farm and ranch in the 1800s. COO Joseph McCarthy Jr. recalls that as a young child his father, Joseph McCarthy Sr., oversaw the farm and its crops, including pear trees and a dairy farm.

In the 1980s, McCarthy Sr. transitioned from a farmer to a real estate developer as the industry began to take off in the Los Gatos, Calif.-based company’s area. Over the course of the next 30 years, he would look into joint ventures and sell parts of the property to other developers and companies.

7-Eleven pays $3.3B for 1,030 Sunoco c-stores

Convenience store retailer 7-Eleven has closed on its $3.3 billion purchase of 1,030 c-stores in 17 states from Sunoco, according to The Dallas Morning News. Irving, Texas-based 7-Eleven now has 9,700 stores in the U.S. and Canada.

ISM Raceway

Renaming ISM Raceway is more than a sponsorship deal – it’s a technology showcase that signals a new era for the racetrack.

By Tim O’Connor

Growing up in the Northeast, Jeff Hutchins remembers what it was like when the Philadelphia Phillies left their longtime home, Veterans Stadium, in 2004 for the new Citizens Bank Park. Something was lost in the transition. Veterans Stadium was a local icon for decades, but the corporate name of the new ballpark seemed detached from the community.

Cocozza Group

Cocozza Group rebrands itself solely for restaurant and retail construction.

By Kat Zeman

As the rent continues to increase for restaurant and retail space in posh locations throughout New York City, many independent business owners find themselves in a quandary. For some, it’s too expensive to operate in certain neighborhoods.

New York-based Cocozza Group, a construction management and general contracting services company, has been helping many business owners find solutions. “There are certain prime areas where rent is so high that our clients have to get creative to get in the locations they want to be in,” says Dan Cocozza, owner and managing director.

The Lanwin Group

The Lanwin Group celebrates its 40th anniversary, attributing its success to building outside of the box.

By Kat Zeman

Phil Evans is an old-fashioned guy with modern ideas. He believes that a handshake seals the deal and that promises matter. “In our day and age, even when we shake hands, we still need two pounds of paper for contracts,” he says. “But I think if you shake someone’s hand, it’s a deal.”

At the same time, he believes in innovative ideas and isn’t afraid to enter new territory or introduce unique designs when it comes to construction. As founder and managing partner of The Lanwin Group, Evans pushes his company to build outside of the box.

“We are not a cookie-cutter builder,” he says. “We like doing different things, facing challenges and coming up with creative ideas. We always ask ourselves, ‘How can we do it better?’”

How to Make Construction Safer With Drones

By Jonathan Hegranes

It’s no surprise that drones are becoming a common sight in the world of construction. They are a versatile tool that can be used by managers to map, plan and keep track of progress, while also providing supplementary material for presentations and clients. But apart from the speed, convenience and quality of aerial imagery, introducing drones to a construction site comes with a number of safety benefits.

New World Design Builders

New World Design Builders delivers a fantasy world in Hollywood and dips its toes into the Northeast residential market.

By Janice Hoppe-Spiers

New World Design Builders is known for creating “Insta-worthy” environments for its clients in the hospitality industry and has begun translating that imaginative design into the high-end residential sector. “We build everything that we design,” founder and CEO Chris Kofitsas says. “We are not only the architects, but also the interior designers and general contracting company.”

Kofitsas started the New York City-based design/build firm 23 years ago. His goal was to eliminate the typical finger-pointing that plagued the construction industry, and to provide seamless integration of all aspects of design and construction. “I always thought it was unusual, even going back to when I worked in a firm in Manhattan right out of college, to have someone else build your design,” he remembers. “I realize it was the industry standard, but I just didn’t understand it and I wanted to be able to provide both seamlessly.”

CDH Partners

CDH Partners plans to continue designing spaces that meet clients’ needs and stay forward-thinking over the next 40 years.

By Janice Hoppe-Spiers

CDH Partners takes a client-centered approach to designing spaces that make a difference. Every church, school and hospital the firm designs embodies the vision of the client to suit the needs of the congregation, students and parents or the community as a whole.

Latitude Development – Latitude Business Park

Latitude Development aims to deliver its client a high-quality product with its latest project.
By Bianca Herron 

Founded in 2003, Latitude Development is a partnership between Principal Dave Kessler and Kevin and Darryl Donovan, the owners of Donovan Brothers Construction. The company’s goal is to develop quality, institutional-grade projects throughout the Puget Sound region.

Whether developing property held for investment or developing for third-party companies, Latitude is committed to providing a high-quality, cost-effective product. “We’ve built the company by primarily focusing on office, industrial and retail development,” Kessler says, noting that Latitude will celebrate its 15-year anniversary this year.

“It’s been a successful partnership,” he says proudly. “The relationship between Latitude Development and Donovan Brothers Construction has been mutually beneficial.”

Jobsites Leap Into the Future With Robotic Innovations

By Jeremy S. Cook

Manufacturing has seen a huge advancement in automation over the past few decades, but in the construction industry, where every jobsite is different, automation has been slow to catch on. At most building sites, new technology comes in the form of upgraded pneumatic nailers and increasingly portable table saws and routers.

Allen Harrison Co. – Citadel Apartments/South Main Project

Allen Harrison’s Houston projects avoided the challenges of Hurricane Harvey.
By Alan Dorich

Some might recoil at the challenge of building a project in a floodplain, but Allen Harrison Co. did not hesitate. “Our niche has become building on sites that others have passed up on,” Managing Director Joshua Wood says.

Allen Harrison accepted that challenge to develop two projects in the city of Houston. One is the Citadel Apartments building, which will feature five stories with 293 living units that wrap around a six-story parking garage.

The company also is building South Main, an 11-story apartment building. Seven floors will feature 186 residential units, and the remaining four will house a cast-in-place garage.

Tips for Creating Performance Incentives

By Brian Binke

Once you’ve landed the best candidates for your construction jobs, the focus of your organization should shift to employee retention strategies. As a matter of course, retention should be an ongoing focus for your firm. Losing skilled workers, especially during a labor crisis, will negatively impact your company’s bottom line through lost time, slower project completion, and repeated training. A great way to help with retention is to implement performance-based incentives.

Archer Western – Jones Branch Connector

Archer Western keeps safe and on time as it builds a project for Virginia DOT.

By Alan Dorich

As one of the nation’s largest contractors, Archer Western has the expertise for almost any heavy highway project. “Archer Western delivers transportation projects of many sizes and complexities,” Project Manager Pedro Doldan says. “It’s good to work for a company that can take on challenging projects.”

Continental Building Company

Continental Building Company nears completion on first-of-a-kind hotel in Ohio. 

by Kat Zeman

Expected to increase tourism and give the local economy a bump, a new full-service Renaissance Columbus Westerville Hotel is preparing to open its doors in Westerville, Ohio.

Developed by Continental Real Estate Companies in partnership with Concord Hospitality Enterprises Company, construction on the $50 million project should be completed in spring. The 170,000-square-foot hotel, which broke ground in 2015, will be the first full-service hotel with a ballroom and conference rooms in Westerville.

“I think this hotel will bring a lot of weddings and conferences into the area,” says Jeremy Ayres, Continental Building Company (CBC) project executive. “Plus, there are a lot of businesses surrounding this hotel that are looking to use it for their meetings and conferences. They will be able to assemble large groups of people into a room.”

Kraus-Anderson – FirstLight Health System

Kraus-Anderson is overseeing the expansion and modernization of FirstLight Health System in Mora, Minn.

By Tim O’Connor

Successful outcomes for hospital patients require responsive care and restful conditions. The ongoing expansion for FirstLight Health System seeks to improve the former while being conscious of the latter.

Doing business IRL: Adapting convention centers for the digital era

The Henry B. González Convention Center

Chat with any colleagues who have recently returned from an industry gathering or conference, and, in addition to the business debriefing, you’ll likely hear anecdotes, restaurant recommendations, and of course the latest insider gossip. In my experience, there’s no substitute for this kind of personal interaction. Face-to-face networking, in such a concentrated way with people who have common interests, remains an incredibly effective, efficient way of communication. 

Judging by a report in the June 2017 issue of Trade Show Executive, an increasing number of people share this view. Year-over-year, April 2017 exhibited 2.9 percent growth in nation-wide trade show attendance, and capped a run of four consecutive months of growth.

Especially in the age of digital meeting technologies, this positive trend is encouraging. As people are communicating more electronically—video-conferencing is de rigueur in large organizations, with approximately 450,000 systems installed in the United States, and Skype alone logs eight billion hours of calls each year—it’s obvious that quality, in-person time is viewed as valuable and that the convention industry, especially host cities and facility owners, should appreciate this by keeping their properties in top condition.

A convention center can generate a significant amount of revenue for a municipality. The income isn’t attributable to just the facility rentals, but also the expense-account dollars spent by visitors for dining, entertainment, and shopping.

In 2016, the San Diego Convention Center welcomed 824,000 attendees, who directly spent $658 million in the city; the regional fiscal impact totaled $1.1 billion. Chicago’s 2.6 million-square-foot McCormick Place generates $1.7 billion each year. The Orange County Convention Center brought $2.28 billion to the Orlando community in 2015, while drawing one million visitors to town.

The San Diego Convention Center

Disrupt or be disrupted
In light of these facts, it’s clear that the meetings industry must make some significant changes if it is to continue to remain relevant. At the big-picture level, a new perspective on the economic relationship between the community and the convention business is emerging.

Cities are promoting not just their facilities and cultural attractions to conference organizers, but also their resources for innovation, often in the tech, research, and education sectors. This far-sighted, inclusive strategy stresses long-term growth for cities and regions, rather than short-term returns. Austin’s South by Southwest (SXSW) is a notable example of this approach.

With minimal expense, the city leveraged its homegrown media and music industries to attract attendees as well as outside sponsors to the conference; the local economic impact of the 2016 event was $325.3 billion. Attendance at SXSW has increased eightfold since its establishment in 2011.

Redefining the destination-city in this way greatly enhances the draw to convention visitors. If they’ve made the financial and scheduling commitment to traveling, conference attendees want to go somewhere interesting. To remain competitive, it’s incumbent upon cities to deliver a holistic experience to visitors.

McCormick Place

Drilling down on building up
To keep up with these changes, the physical nature of convention centers has also evolved. In the 20th century, convention centers were all about scale. Except in cases where a facility regularly hosts heavy-equipment trade shows, the demand for cavernous exhibition spaces is waning. Replacing the bigger-is-better mandate is a focus on customizable meeting spaces that can be tailored to diverse specifications.

Many communities are faced with a choice between constructing a new convention center, or renovating existing facilities. Typically, building a new hall is easier than rehabbing an old one.

But finding a suitable site – one that is sufficiently large, centrally located, and within walking distance of urban attractions – is not always feasible. Opting to build from the ground up also eliminates the need to interrupt scheduled conventions, as they can be held in the outdated facility while the new one is being constructed.

For convention centers located on a landlocked, built-out site, there’s typically one way to go when adding meeting space to the hall: Up. The old model for facilities situated everything at ground level for easy access; now, with land at a premium, most buildings are stacking spaces vertically.

This presents its own set of challenges, including incorporating parking into the structure and planning the ground-level programming and content—but it provides an opportunity to make a design statement.

When modernizing the envelope of an existing building, owners are seeking design solutions that go beyond merely dressing up a box. They are aware that an attractive exterior can help to compensate for the decline in performance that occurs once the building starts showing its age, between five and ten years after completion. Also, convention centers that have an architecturally iconic identity reflect positively on their home city and, by extension, on the attendees and the conference.

Orange County Convention Center

Interior amenities
Inside the convention center, user expectations are a combination of the pragmatic and the aesthetic. Conference organizers are attracted to environments that make a good first impression.

Great-looking public areas and meeting spaces with a high level of quality detailing and finishes (think wood veneer, clear-span design, and glass partitions instead of drywall, concrete columns, and popcorn ceilings).

Architecture that capitalizes on its setting, with a lobby or ballroom oriented towards a view of a river or park, is another enticement that appeals to meeting planners.

To maximize resources (both in area and revenue), it’s possible to simultaneously increase meeting capacity and reduce exhibit space through creating a physically flexible design. Moscone West in San Francisco is an example of this tactic.

The building features more than a mile of movable interior walls that permits a high degree of freedom to reconfigure the 200,000 square feet of function space on the second and third floors. Anaheim’s new expansion also adopts this approach.

Of course, the technological features that are intrinsic to the impetus for upgrading a convention facility must be state-of-the-art. Digital resources, seamless connectivity, and security programs are central to every successful meeting. Intelligently planned and executed, investments in convention centers will yield not only great financial returns, but ensure a returning customer, as well.

______________________________________________________________

Julian Anderson is a member of Rider Levett Bucknall’s global board and chairman of its Central Consulting Services (CCS) group of companies. He is a founding shareholder and president of the company’s North American practice, where he is responsible for overall management. Rider Levett Bucknall is an award-winning international firm known for providing project management, construction cost consulting, and related property and construction advisory services – at all stages of the design and construction process.

Lighting up the Cypress Boardwalk

Located at a busy intersection in densely populated Cypress, California, a former Office Max location was transformed into hub of indoor and outdoor dining. Pasadena-based architect firm McKently Malak was tasked to tackle the redevelopment project focused on attracting restaurants and food offerings to the space. 

In order to achieve that goal, the firm set about creating an outdoor environment that would entice and encourage diners to visit and linger.

“The aim was to create an organic, comfortable, pedestrian friendly space,” says Michael Hidalgo, who led the project for McKently Malak. “It had to be somewhere people could relax and enjoy their meal”.

Outside of the 13,700-square-foot building, the McKently Malak team created a contemporary space with an urban park feel. They combined composite wood, metal and stone materials to achieve that modern look. The clean and welcoming space is lined with greenery, and enhanced and illuminated by light columns.

The lighting was an important component to bringing the whole ambiance together. “The lighting choice was based on two criteria,” Hidalgo says. “The aesthetic had to work; the lighting columns needed to look elegant and clean. And we needed the functionality; the seated area had to be well illuminated with a color temperature that was kind to the users and the surroundings.”

The team at McKently Malak opted for lighting columns from Luminis, The LumiSTIK product suited to lighting applications where space enhancement is the goal. Featuring a clean extruded aluminum base and high impact acrylic diffuser, it provided an architectural aesthetic that complemented the surrounding.

Twenty-one lighting columns were used in the project. Measuring 12 feet tall, the slim columns are an ideal fit for the contemporary feel the architect was going for. This clean design ensures the lighting fixtures look as good in the daytime as they do after sunset.

More than just enhancing the space, the lighting had to be functional. The area is busy with diners, and the obvious hazards of tables and chairs are at every turn, so it was important that the lighting was able to adequately illuminate the area in the evenings.

In the end, the area continues to be well lit, with the temperature of the lighting providing a soft, warm and welcoming feel for the evening diners. Says Hidalgo, “The client has been very positive about the results.”

Why technology may be the answer to workplace accidents in the construction trade

Every year, accidents on construction sites across the globe lead to fatalities and serious injuries. Indeed, incidents such as falling from scaffolding or being struck by a vehicle make working on a building site one of the most dangerous professions in the world.

Across the country, there were 937 fatal work injuries in the private construction industry in 2015 alone, the highest number since 2008. Each year one in ten construction workers is injured on site, a huge number considering the industry workforce consists of approximately 9.6 million.

Although health and safety legislation has gone a long way to help prevent such tragedies occurring, these shocking figures show there is clearly much still to be achieved if employers are to offer their workers the best possible protection.

So, what options are there to keep the construction workforce safe?

Safety firms are increasingly harnessing the power of the latest technology to produce ever more innovative equipment that promises to improve the welfare of construction workers.

Take reversing alarms. Most of us are familiar with the traditional ‘beep beep’ noise these devices emit when vehicles are reversing; they’re fitted as standard on most construction and commercial vehicles the world over, and are credited with saving multiple lives in the workplace and beyond.

But in recent years it has been noticed that when several alarms can sound at once, which is a regular occurrence on construction sites, it is difficult to establish where the noise is coming from.

Thanks to the latest technology, a new generation of reversing alarms are being introduced, such as global safety firm Brigade Electronic’s patented White Sound bbs-tek reversing alarm. These alarms make a ‘ssh ssh’ white sound that can be heard clearly on a construction site, even when workers are wearing headphones or ear defenders.

White sound reversing alarms use broadband frequencies, giving greater directional information to the ear. This means the sound is instantly locatable – a huge leap forward in terms of safety, because even a split-second’s confusion can result in serious injury or death.

Other innovations include the new generation of onboard cameras, which offer complete surround views of the area outside a vehicle, eliminating blind spots and reducing collisions with people and objects. As well as HGVs and vans, these advanced camera systems can be fitted to construction machinery, such as front loaders and excavators.

Advances in the capabilities of radar systems mean these are gaining popularity as a tool to protect staff working on sites where conditions are challenging. Radar systems work by detecting people and objects in the driver’s blind spot, providing in-cab visual and audible warnings even in harsh workplace conditions such as smoke, fog and dust.

As well as construction, this type of radar safety equipment is a good choice for potentially hazardous industries such as mining, quarrying, and agriculture where vehicles used tend to have larger blind spot areas.

As with any industry, safety must always be the number one priority. With the help of technological innovations, maybe we can start to see a future where tragedies on the construction worksite are a thing of the past.

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Corey Heniser is an expert at Brigade Electronics Inc.

Harrison & Burrowes Bridge Constructors, Inc.

Credit www.dennisleephotography.com

Harrison & Burrowes Bridge Constructors diversifies its portfolio while remaining true to its core competencies.
By Jim Harris

Harrison & Burrowes Bridge Constructors Inc. prides itself on being reliable. “We’ve developed a reputation over the past 38 years as being the guys who, when we are the apparent low bidder, will get it done right, on schedule and under budget without any headaches or hassles along the way,” Vice President Chris DiStefano says.

The Glenmont, N.Y.-based company has earned its reputation through the efforts of its executives and other staff. Harrison & Burrowes’ five executive managers are DiStefano and his father, Jeff DiStefano, who co-founded the company in 1980 and serves as CEO; President Mark Klingbeil; Vice President Steve Avveduti, and Secretary/Treasurer Ann Marie Olsen-Geitner. Combined, the five have nearly 170 years of combined experience. Several of the company’s superintendents have worked for it for 30 years or more.

“Once people come here, they don’t go anywhere else,” Chris DiStefano says. “Our people take pride in what they do and are proud to work here. Even when they’re not at work, you’ll see them wearing a Harrison & Burrowes-branded hoodie or hat.

“We treat everyone here equally and with respect,” DiStefano adds. “We expect a lot of our employees, and we know the construction season in New York is long, but we are a pretty easy company to work for.”

Snavely Group – The Quarter

Snavely Group’s Quarter project is leading redevelopment efforts in Cleveland’s Ohio City neighborhood.
By Jim Harris

In the past 20 years, Cleveland’s Ohio City neighborhood – located just west of the city’s downtown and the Cuyahoga River – has seen a great deal of positive change. One of the city’s oldest neighborhoods, Ohio City today is home to more than 9,000 residents and more than 250 businesses, including many of Cleveland’s trendiest restaurants.

Even amid the new development, however, the intersection of West 25th Street and Detroit Avenue in Ohio City remained mostly underutilized. “This was an inactive part of the neighborhood with lots of potential,” says Zoe Adams, marketing director for developer The Snavely Group.

The Snavely Group in 2014 began an effort to transform the northwest and southwest corners of the intersection. “We are performing the largest development this neighborhood has seen since its revival,” Adams says. “We are making a big change on this corner that will lead to a lot of other redevelopment.”

CSI Construction

CSI Construction diversifies its portfolio and strengthens its presence in western states as it marks its 40th anniversary.

By Tim O’Connor

One of the best signs that a company excels at its job is when its customers want to work with it again. By that measure, Colorado’s CSI Construction is among the tops in the industry. Ninety percent of the company’s work is for repeat clients.

“We really emphasize trying to build a team relationship with the developer or clients, letting them know they are our first priority,” Senior Project Manager Gary Kiger says.

Forney Construction – BSA Camp Strake

Forney Construction is overseeing the construction of Camp Strake in Texas.
By Alan Dorich

When Camp Strake in San Jacinto County, Texas, opens in 2019, it will offer Boy Scouts summer experiences that they will always remember. “It will be a well-used camp for sure,” Thomas Franklin declares.

Franklin is the COO for the Sam Houston Area Council Boy Scouts of America (SHAC), which is building Camp Strake as its flagship camp. With its location surrounded by the Sam Houston National Forest, “It is a truly outdoor experience,” he says.

Live Oak Contracting

Live Oak Contracting is developing projects along the East Coast and growing in revenue.

by Kat Zeman

Live Oak Contracting is one of the fastest-growing construction companies in Jacksonville, Fla. The young company has been in business for only five years, but it’s already earned a stellar reputation among its clients throughout the East Coast – and it has the revenue stream to prove it.

A full-service general contracting firm specializing in multifamily construction, Live Oak’s revenue increased by more than 778 percent between 2014 and 2016. Last year, the company raked in roughly $180 million. “And our 2018 outlook will keep us on track to do over $200 million this year,” says Walker Palmer, director of construction.

Piroli Group Developments – Seacliff Heights II

Piroli Group Developments is nearing the end of its development of the 13-acre Seacliff property in Ontario.

By Construction Today Editor

Piroli Group Developments’ commitment to building quality properties extends far beyond the completion of its projects. “We always deliver a good product on time and on budget and stand behind our construction,” says Rob Piroli, president and founder of the Windsor, Ontario, Canada-based developer and building. “We make sure we keep our commercial and residential tenants happy, and our buildings are always well-maintained.”

Founded in 1993 as Piroli Construction, the company has developed properties since 2000. Piroli Group Developments serves as general contractor on all of its projects, which include residential subdivisions, industrial buildings, apartment complexes and senior living developments. The company has completed several projects in Windsor, Leamington, Peterborough, Mississauga and other towns in southwestern Ontario.

Stone wool mfc ROXUL Inc. is now ROCKWOOL

ROXUL is now ROCKWOOL in North America. Effective January 1st, the company officially adopted the name of its global parent company: ROCKWOOL–the world’s largest manufacturer of stone wool products. Now, with a truly unified global presence, ROCKWOOL plans to build on its 80-year history by leveraging its broad portfolio of capabilities to enrich modern living by releasing the natural power of stone.

The rebrand to ROCKWOOL applies to all segments and product lines of the company’s North American stone wool insulation business–residential, commercial, roofing, OEM (core solutions) and technical insulation (industrial, marine & offshore). North American customers and consumers will see the ROCKWOOL rebrand supported throughout 2018 with increased presence, promotional efforts and communications.

Customers in all segments will notice a transition to the ROCKWOOL branding on all packaging. At retail home improvement and building centers, DIY consumers, builders and contractors will find a familiar look to the wrapping on ROCKWOOL COMFORTBATT®, SAFE ‘n’ SOUND® and COMFORTBOARD® products. The primary difference will be the new ROCKWOOL logo, which includes a graphic representation of a volcano–symbolically the source of the core material: volcanic rock, from which all ROCKWOOL products are made.

Customers will also notice the new branding on all marketing materials, including hard-copy materials like sales literature, technical data sheets, and more, to ROCKWOOL’s new digital site and social channels throughout North America. ROCKWOOL has adopted new social media handles on all North American platforms, and invites its customers, partners, and stakeholders to connect.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/rockwoolna Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rockwoolna Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rockwoolna/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rockwool-north-america/

“The rebrand bolsters our position in the North American marketplace and internationally, as well,” says Trent Ogilvie, President, ROCKWOOL (North America). “It allows us to leverage our collective strengths to better serve both new and existing customers, while driving growth and investment across all regions.”

The ROCKWOOL commitment to progress is evident through investments in capacity, workforce and infrastructure. On the digital side, January marks the launch of ROCKWOOL’s new website in North America, www.rockwool.com, while the ROCKWOOL Group corporate site has transitioned to www.rockwoolgroup.com.

The new websites provide a stronger digital presence intended to revolutionize how ROCKWOOL engages with its stakeholders. They leverage advanced personalization, intelligent search and chatbot technology to make each interaction a more customized, relevant and meaningful user experience. Both the corporate and North American websites have an easy-to-navigate set up that offers visitors an opportunity to engage and personalize their experience.

Significant investment in its manufacturing operations continue to support strong and growing demand for ROCKWOOL stone wool products in the United States and Canada. Since 2014, the ROCKWOOL Group has invested some $350 million in three new North American manufacturing facilities, including a recently announced stone wool insulation plant in Ranson, West Virginia.

“The North American rebrand is meaningful beyond its impact to our company,” says Mirella Vitale, ROCKWOOL Group SVP of Marketing, Communications, and Public Affairs. “Under one, unified identity, ROCKWOOL is able to mobilize more effectively to address the challenges affecting modern society. As we look to the future, ROCKWOOL stone wool products will play an increasingly important role, providing effective solutions to the critical issues of modern living such increased levels of urbanization, climate change, sustainability, water scarcity, flooding, energy consumption and noise pollution. Our commitment to people and the planet is written in stone.”

*The rebranding applies to ROCKWOOL’s North American insulation business. Rockfon and Grodan will continue to operate under their respective brand names.

About ROCKWOOL
With five manufacturing facilities and 1,000 employees, ROCKWOOL is North America’s largest stone wool producer, offering advanced building insulation, industrial and technical solutions.

At the ROCKWOOL Group, we are committed to enriching the lives of everyone who experiences our solutions. Our expertise is perfectly suited to tackling many of today’s biggest sustainability and development challenges, from energy consumption and noise pollution to fire resilience, water scarcity and flooding. Our range of products reflects the diversity of the world’s needs, supporting our stakeholders in reducing their own carbon footprint along with way.

Stone wool is a versatile material and forms the basis for all our businesses. With more than 11,000 passionate colleagues in 39 countries, we are the world leader in stone wool solutions, from building insulation to acoustic ceilings, external cladding systems to horticultural solutions, engineered fibers for industrial use to insulation for the process industry, marine and offshore. For more information, visit: www.rockwoolgroup.com.

GREEN SEAL® NAMES DOUG GATLIN AS NEXT CEO

Green Seal, Inc., the nation’s premier ecolabel, is pleased to announce that its Board of Directors has appointed Doug Gatlin as Chief Executive Officer effective January 16, 2018.

“We are delighted to have someone with Doug’s experience and 25-year track record in sustainability take the helm of Green Seal at this important time,” said Green Seal Board Chair, Dr. Joanne Fox-Przeworski. She noted that Gatlin has played a pivotal role in the development of two of the most widely recognized voluntary environmental certification programs, namely the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) LEED and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ENERGY STAR.

“Doug’s personal passion and experience in the arena, along with his exceptional ability to translate vision and strategy into execution, make him the perfect choice to lead Green Seal at a time when companies increasingly value sustainable processes and products,” she added.

As Senior Vice President at USGBC, Gatlin led numerous initiatives to drive growth in the U.S. marketplace for its Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) program. After joining USGBC in 2006, Gatlin spearheaded USGBC’s LEED for Existing Buildings Operations & Maintenance rating system and later went on to head overall service delivery for USGBC’s sister organization, the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI).

Previously, during a 10-year career at the U.S. EPA, he served as a Senior Advisor to the Deputy Associate Administrator for Intergovernmental Relations, focusing on regulatory innovation and environmental information. Prior to this, he led an ENERGY STAR Buildings team that built a national energy efficiency collaborative program with utilities and state energy offices.

“I am honored to join Green Seal at such a critical time in the environmental movement. As the premier ENGO leading the ecolabeling revolution, Green Seal has played a crucial role in helping buyers make informed choices that help protect human health and the environment, while saving money” said Gatlin. “I’m looking forward to working with the many leading companies and service providers whose offerings represent environmental leadership and can benefit from Green Seal certification. These are the true leaders of today’s environmental movement, and we need more of them,” he added.

ABOUT GREEN SEAL, INC.
Green Seal®, a nonprofit organization founded in 1989, is the nation’s premier ecolabel, symbolizing transparency, integrity, and environmental leadership. Its flagship program develops life-cycle-based environmental standards, and certifies products and services that meet them. Green Seal standards cover 450 categories – from janitorial supplies, paints, and windows to hotels and restaurants – and are specified by countless agencies and institutions. Green Seal’s science-based programs empower choices and improvements that transform the economy for a healthier, greener world.

For more information, visit GreenSeal.org, or call 202-872-6400. Connect with Green Seal on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Midas Hospitality first dual-branded Marriott hotel

Residence Inn and Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott recently opened at 11918 Westline Industrial Dr. in Maryland Heights, Mo. The 119,000-square-foot hotel, which was the previous home of Clayton Engineering, cost $25 million. This is Marriott’s first dual-branded hotel in the St. Louis area.

The hotel includes 96 suites for the Residence Inn and 88 rooms for the Fairfield Inn & Suites. The property features a state-of-the-art fitness center, indoor pool, meetings rooms, guest laundry facilities, and backyard seating areas with a grill and pergola. Located on Page Rd. east of I-270, the hotel is adjacent to Westport Plaza, Worldwide Technology headquarters, and Edward Jones headquarters, as well as 15 minutes from Lambert International Airport.

Midas Hospitality, a premier hotel management group, will manage the hotel built by sister company MC Hotel Construction, a general contractor specializing in new hotel construction and renovations.

“This dual-branded hotel – one of the Marriott Hotels & Resorts’ finest – truly complements the growing Maryland Heights’ area,” said Rob Willard, President and Principal. “We look forward to being a part of this community, as well as catering to both extended stay and transient customers.”
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Founded in 2006, Midas Hospitality has developed, opened and currently manages numerous properties including 33 hotels in 14 states. The company serves global brands including Hilton, IHG, Marriott, and Starwood. Midas Hospitality’s headquarters are located at 1804 Borman Circle Dr. in Maryland Heights, Mo. For more information, call (314) 692-0100 or visit http://www.midashospitality.com.

MC Hotel Construction, which is also located at 1804 Borman Circle Dr. in Maryland Heights, MO, specializes in hotel construction and renovations with projects currently underway in six states. MC Hotel Construction builds for leading brands such as Hilton, Marriott, IHG, Starwood and Legacy Suites. For more information, call (314) 339-6600 or visit http://www.mchotelconstruction.com.

PROFILITEC SETS SIGHTS HIGH FOR 2018

Italian producer of state-of-the-art floor profiles and related installation solutions, which has been in the states just a short while, is planning a focused, total launch of its comprehensive product line throughout the United States during 2018.

“We have listened to the marketplace, in particular to our growing distribution network, and thoroughly believe our products offer high-performance solutions, longevity… and total value,” stated Greg Gelston, longtime construction industry executive and President of PROFILITEC USA.

In particular, the company manufactures tile installation systems including floor, wall, movement, step tread and baseboard profiles; tile pedestal, anti-lippage, shower and uncoupling systems. Additionally, a complete line of profiles for LVT, laminate, hardwood, engineered wood and carpet. For four decades, PROFILITEC has delivered these innovative products to the global marketplace… and while doing so, has developed mutually beneficial relationships with customers worldwide. PROFILITEC prides itself on “doing business the right way.”

“Doing business the right way is our mantra,” commented Gelston. “We’re not looking for new customers offering us instant gratification. Rather, we are focusing exclusively on distributors who are ready to enter into a long-term, mutually beneficial relationship. We offer not only solutions in so many areas of construction with our profile systems. We also offer highly technical educational solutions… based on keeping our customer base updated on the very best methods in which to install our quality products. And, blatantly speaking, we offer profit solutions that clearly explain how members of our distribution network will prosper. I know these are ambitious statements,” continued Gelston, “And frankly, we are going to back them up 100%.”

Gelston added that a strong number of the nation’s top distributors have already signed on with PROFILITEC. “Stay tuned for more announcements about our firm,” he declared. “We have a well-planned, strategically defined road-map to success. You’ll be hearing more and more about us as time elapses. Stay tuned!”

PROFILITEC’s extensive product portfolio can be easily seen by logging onto www.profilitec.com. Click here to link to photos seen above with appropriate caption support.

About PROFILITEC: PROFILITEC prides itself on “doing business the right way,” which according to President & CEO/Owner Roderick Egli, “Always includes maintaining our integrity and transparency.” Recently relocated to state-of-the-art facility in Isola Vicentina, PROFILITEC products are strategically warehoused in upstate New York for ease of accessibility. For more information on PROFILITEC as well as high-resolution photographs, please contact Terri Sparks: tas@communicatorsintl.com.

ConstructConnect Acquires Quote Software, Inc.

ConstructConnect, a leading provider of construction information and technology solutions in North America, announced today that it has acquired the assets of Quote Software, Inc., a privately-held Eugene, Oregon based software company. Quote Software focuses primarily on estimating and building information modeling software and services for plumbing and mechanical contractors.

“The acquisition of Quote Software which includes its award-winning QuoteSoft® product line is a natural fit that gives us the ability to offer a more complete and actionable preconstruction solution to our combined customers,” explained Dave Conway, CEO of ConstructConnect. “This is an important transaction for us, and is a key component of how we continue to serve the industry by combining relevant construction information with easy-to-use software.”

Quote Software’s 26-year history was founded on the principle of “no two metal shops are alike,” so its software would not be a “one size fits all” model. The company’s QuoteSoft Pipe and QuoteSoft Duct estimating software was developed in accordance to fit each customer’s unique needs.

“We’re excited to be part of the ConstructConnect family,” said Kerry Brainard, president of Quote Software. “We share the same philosophy about maintaining strong customer relationships, by letting our customers drive the development of our products.”

About ConstructConnectConstructConnect is a leading provider of construction information and technology solutions in North America, and a wholly-owned subsidiary Roper Technologies, Inc. Through the combination of its four legacy brands (iSqFt, Construction Market Data, BidClerk and Construction Data), ConstructConnect brings project participants together with the most complete, accurate and actionable construction data and tools to drive success in national, regional and local markets. Its collaborative network empowers the construction industry to be more successful with access to relevant information through easy to use technology.

For more information, visit constructconnect.com.

About Quote Software, Inc.
Founded in 1991, Quote Software, Inc., is a privately-held software company developed by a sheet metal estimator who wanted to create a bidding software using an individual specification model instead of a one-size-fits-all approach. Through the success of its QuoteSoft SheetMetal software, the company introduced QuoteSoft Piping and QuoteSoft Duct. Quote Software is the 2017 Constructech Vision Award recipient for leveraging technology in an innovative way to solve operational challenges and improve bottom lines.

For more information, visit quotesoft.com.

BELKNAP WHITE GROUP WELCOMES TWOMBLY

The Belknap White Group (BWG), one of America’s leading full-service flooring distributors, has announced that Jane Twombly has joined their team as Director of Specifications. In this position, she will be developing and maintaining the firm’s strategic architectural and design focus, which is concentrated on increasing specifications of BWG’s extensive product portfolio.

Twombly will be actively assisting the A&D Sales team in securing specifications of BWG product lines in commercially focused projects such as higher education, K-12, multi-unit residential, hospitality and similar. She will also be working closely with key suppliers as it pertains to the product lines they are promoting to the A&D Community.

“I’m very excited to have the opportunity to work at the Belknap White Group and its sales team here,” beamed Twombly. “I am ready for the challenge, and look forward to a very successful 2018!”

According to Bill Prescott, BWG’s Executive Vice President of Sales, “We’re confident Jane’s experience will help greatly increase our market share within the North American specification channels.”

Jane Twombly, has been in the industry for over 20 years, with extensive experience in architecture, interior design and specification, as well as flooring products specifically. Twombly earned her bachelor’s degree in Architecture and her graduate degree in Marketing. In addition, she is a LEED Green Associate.

Headquartered in Mansfield, MA, The Belknap White Group is one of the leading full-service, hard-surface flooring distributors in the United States. Family-owned-and-operated for over 35 years, The Belknap White Group strives to deliver excellent service, while partnering with industry-leading suppliers to deliver an extensive portfolio of premium flooring products. We have nine showrooms and distribution locations across New York, New Jersey and New England featuring hardwood, resilient, ceramic and supplies for all residential and commercial applications.

For more information about The Belknap White Group, visit www.BelknapWhite.com.

LCS Facility Group New Dir. of Org. Development

Angela M. Gervino of Hyde Park, N.Y., has been named Director of Organizational Development at LCS Facility Group, the region’s most experienced and largest provider of facilities solutions. This key role also oversees LCS University, the Company’s training center focused on maintaining the high standards for which LCS is known.

As the Director of Organizational Development, Gervino – formerly Kanceler – will assume responsibility for supporting key elements of the organization’s human resources development, employee training, performance management, employee relations and quality assurance programming.

Specific duties Gervino will undertake in her new role include supporting key operations functions in the ongoing expansion of the Company into new geographic regions and vertical markets as well as conducting activities to enhance employees’ work experiences, and assisting in the identification, development and promotion of High Potential Employees.

Gervino has been a member of the LCS team since 2009, when she was hired to oversee LCS’ marketing activities. Over the last eight years, Gervino has served in a host of roles within the Company; most recently as Director of Human Resources, where she has been responsible for the development and implementation of human resource strategies to effectively support LCS and its team members.

As an active member of her community, Gervino currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the Dutchess County region of the Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of New York. She is also the Chair of the board’s annual charitable golf tournament, “Fairway to Heaven.” In 2012, Gervino was recognized as a 40 Under 40 Mover & Shaker by the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce.

“LCS has provided me with countless opportunities for growth,” said Gervino. “As the new Director of Organizational Development, I plan to further LCS’ commitment to employee training during this ongoing evolution and exciting growth of the Company. This role will ensure we continue to meet the demanding needs of our expanding client base; while providing the entire LCS team with the resources they need to succeed.”

LCS Facility Group Owner Joe Lepore welcomed Gervino to her new role.
“Angela has been an integral part of LCS’s growth and development since she joined the team nearly a decade ago,” he said. “Her ability to recognize talent and enhance the work experiences of LCS team members make her a clear choice for this position at this critical time in the Company’s positioning for future growth.”

About LCS
As the preferred outsourcing partner, LCS Facility Group is an industry leader in providing the highest quality expertise, professional and full-service facilities maintenance, and specialty services to the commercial sector. LCS Facility Group’s services include cleaning and facility maintenance; landscaping and property maintenance; snow and ice removal; hospitality and stewarding services; construction support services; specialty services and more. For additional information, visit: http://www.lcsfacilitygroup.com.

National Roofing Partners Hires Coker as Controller

National Roofing Partners (NRP), the leading network of commercial roofing contractors in North America, is proud to announce the addition of Kyrah Coker to the NRP team. Coker has more than 20 years of progressively responsible finance experience directing companies financially from start-up through growth modes.

Coker has spent the last 12 years as a director of finance and operations with a private, woman-owned and operated construction business (WBE) in Dallas. She helped grow the company exponentially, securing and maintaining bonded municipal contracts with the City of Dallas, and other surrounding cities. Prior to transitioning into construction accounting, Coker spent over a decade as a branch manager in a publicly held Telecom company headquartered in Atlanta, GA. During this time, she developed strong accounting experience and became an Intuit Pro Advisor.

“Kyrah has the background and focus that NRP needs. Her financial knowledge and talent is not only important in day-to-day operations but is also critical as we continue our aggressive growth and use of technology through all parts of our business,” stated Dale Tyler, president of NRP. “NRP is fully committed to utilizing technology in communications and processes, providing the best experience for national accounts and facility managers. Kyrah is key to supporting our financial technology solutions while working in tandem with our large commercial roofing contractor network.”

Coker holds a B.A. and M.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of Texas at Dallas where she held active leadership/board roles in SPEAK (Students for Political Education and Knowledge) and Phi Theta Kappa Iota Honor Society. She has served as roll call liaison with local police departments for Mothers Against Drunk Driving, is an active member in Women in Film Dallas, in support of her adult son in acting, and a volunteer with Food on the Move’s Summer Program.

About National Roofing Partners
National Roofing Partners (NRP) was founded with the mission of continually improving the facility management capabilities of its customers by analyzing existing roof conditions, recommending and providing high quality single-source roofing replacements and services with dedicated support and technology. Building on the strong expertise of tier one commercial roofing contractors with over 120+ service locations and 8,000 employees nationwide, the network provides exceptional roofing and building envelope service, technology and maintenance for customers. For more information, visit www.nationalroofingpartners.com.

Egan Sign Promotes Associates to New Assignments

Egan Sign, a recognized leader in national sign management and corporate rebranding, announced several recent promotions within the company’s Operations and Business Development Functions.

Within the company’s Project Management Team, Lisa Bachman and Jessica Ruggiero have been promoted to the position of Project Manager, and Devon Loose and Jessica Paladino have been promoted to the position of Senior Project Coordinator.

Bachman and Ruggiero both joined Egan Sign in August, 2016 in the role of Project Coordinator. In their new role as Project Manager, they will take on primary responsibility for project management activities within assigned accounts, while working within Egan’s overall project management team function.

Paladino and Loose joined Egan Sign in January and March, 2017 respectively in the role of Project Coordinator. In their new role as Sr. Project Coordinator, they will provide project management support to Project Managers within the company’s project management team.

Melissa Kapadia has been promoted to the position of Graphics Manager. Kapadia, an industry veteran with over ten year’s experience in Graphics Design and Project Management, joined Egan Sign in the third quarter of 2017 as Project Support Specialist. In her new role as Graphics Manager, Melissa will be responsible for all graphics and design activities as part of the company’s overall signage management services.

Tamara Twardowski has been promoted to the new position of Permit Acquisition Manager. Twardowski, a seasoned professional in the fields of municipal and township permitting procurement, will take on full responsibility for all permit acquisition activities for the company.

Annette Debiec has been promoted to the new position of Manager of Business Development & Sourcing. Debiec, a professional in the fields of procurement and sales and business development, joined Egan Sign in mid 2017 in the position of Strategic Sourcing Manager. In her new position, Annette will be assuming the additional role of Business Development Manager to help guide and support the company’s overall sales function.

“These recent promotions are consistent with Egan Sign’s continued growth and development strategies. We are fortunate to have such committed and talented team members within our organization to fuel our growth plans. Continued professional growth for employees is critical to our success at Egan Sign.” said John Dever, President. For more information regarding career opportunities at Egan Sign, visit www.egansign.com/careers.
Recently, Egan Sign was ranked ninth in the Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce Top 50 Businesses. The company will continue its growth under the leadership of President John Dever.

About Egan Sign
Egan Sign, headquartered in Wyomissing, PA, has managed on-premises sign and corporate rebranding programs for more than 25 years. The company provides extensive turnkey sign management services across all industry segments, and from design concept to permitting to manufacture and final installation. Egan Sign has successfully managed more than 20,000 sign projects and is well known for its on-time delivery, accuracy and customer service. Through its expert project managers and nationwide network of qualified partners, the company truly delivers on its business promise—”Sign Management Made Simple.”

For more information, visit www.egansign.com.

Hornig Capital Partners

Hornig Capital Partners specializes in projects that bring value to entire communities.

By Tim O’Connor

Every major city struggles with air pollution, but the situation in the Bronx is among the worst in the country. The New York City borough’s asthma death rate per 1 million people was 36.2 in 2014, according to the New York State Department of Health, nearly double the rest of the city.

The issue has spurred the creation of community groups and activists concerned for the quality of air they and their children are exposed to each day. But at least one developer has taken notice of the issue as well and is integrating healthcare into its next housing project in the Bronx.

Hornig Capital Partners is building a $156 million, 314-unit affordable housing project that will incorporate a 50,000-square-foot ambulatory care facility, teaching kitchen and pharmacy. The kitchen will provide a place for residents to learn to cook with fresh vegetables from the building’s rooftop garden and the pharmacy will be prohibited from selling cigarettes so that it does not contribute to the respiratory issues of the area’s residents.

Lands’ End to add 50 new stores by 2023

Lands’ End is shifting back into growth mode with plans to open up to 50 new stores and hit $1.8 billion to $2 billion in sales over the next five years, according to Women’s Wear Daily. The retailer, which expects to lessen its presence in Sears stores in the coming years, operates 11 standalone locations.

Marriott sets ambitious sustainability goals

Marriott‘s Serve 360 plan will act as a company road map in an effort to decrease the firm’s overall environmental impact. Read the Hotels online story here

MOD Pizza secures funding for 2018 growth

Seattle-based fast-casual chain MOD Pizza has won $33 million in new funding and secured a $40 million credit line to help fund the chain’s 2018 growth plans. MOD has grown to 300 units since launching a decade ago. Read the Nation’s Restaurant News story here

Ampex Brands expands Pizza Hut portfolio

Ampex Brands has acquired 77 Pizza Hut locations, making it the brand’s largest franchisee in North Texas. Ampex also recently acquired 52 KFC units in Oklahoma City, and Columbus, Ohio. Read The Business Journals story here

Hotelier buys former auditorium site in Greenville, S.C.

The former site of Greenvile Memorial Auditorium has been sold to hotelier Rajesh Patel for $3 million. Read The Greenville News story here

Gander Outdoors gears up for a slew of store openings

Outdoor gear retailer Gander Outdoors will open scores of new stores in the coming months in Minnesota and several other states. The new stores will trade the big-box feel of the former Gander Mountain stores for spaces split into departments based on different outdoor activities. Read the Star Tribune story here

H&M targets millennials with new Nyden brand

Sweden-based fashion retailer H&M will debut a new brand aimed at millennials this year, through online sales and pop-up shops. The brand, dubbed Nyden, will create products in partnership with cultural celebrities and artists popular with Gen Y. Read the Glossy story here

Luxury brands look to global expansion in 2018

The opening of the Raffles Europejski in Warsaw, Poland, represents an update to the historic Hotel Europejski and is one of the most anticipated openings of 2018. Marriott, meanwhile, is planning 40 luxury openings worldwide this year. Read the Travel Weekly story here

75% of construction firms plan to expand headcount in 2018

Seventy-five percent of construction firms plan to expand their payrolls in 2018 as contractors are optimistic that economic conditions will remain strong as tax rates and regulatory burdens fall, according to survey results by the Associated General Contractors of America and Sage Construction and Real Estate. 

Despite the general optimism outlined in Expecting Growth to Continue: The 2018 Construction Industry Hiring and Business Outlook, many firms report they remain worried about workforce shortages and infrastructure funding.

Respondents are very optimistic about demand for all types of construction services as measured by the net positive reading – the percentage of respondents who expect a market segment to expand vs. the percentage who expect a market segment to contract. The net positive reading for all types of construction is 44 percent, the highest yet recorded in the association’s Outlook survey series.

Broken down by market segment, contractors nationwide are most optimistic about the private office market segment, with a 22 percent net positive reading. This is followed by the other transportation and retail, warehouse & lodging segments, both of which had a 21 percent net positive reading. Water & sewer construction had a net positive reading of 20 percent; K-12 construction had a net positive reading of 18 percent and highway and hospitality construction both had a 17 percent net positive reading.

Respondents were only slightly less optimistic about growing demand in other segments. There is a 16 percent net positive for both multifamily residential and public building segments, followed by a 13 percent net positive reading for power construction, an 11 percent net positive for higher education construction and an 8 percent net positive for federal construction.

Association officials noted that 75 percent of firms say they will increase their headcount in 2018, up slightly from 73 percent last year. Most of the hiring will only expand headcounts by a slight percentage per firm, however. Half of firms report their expansion plans will only increase the size of their firm by 10 percent or less. Meanwhile, only five percent of firms report plans to expand their headcount by more than 25 percent above their current size. Only three percent of respondents expect to reduce headcount, down from six percent last year.

Association officials noted that firms in many parts of the country are already adding to their headcounts. According to a new analysis of Labor Department data the association is releasing today, construction employment increased in 255 out of 359 metro areas between November 2016 and November 2017. Among the fastest growing metro areas are Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, California; New York City and Cheyenne, Wyoming. Click here for the metro employment figures.

Even as firms expand headcount, an overwhelming majority – 82 percent – of firms expect it will either become harder, or remain difficult to recruit and hire qualified workers in 2018, up from 76 percent last year. In addition, 78 percent of firms report they are currently having a hard time finding qualified workers to hire, up from 73 percent at the start of last year.

Firms continue to take steps to address these growing workforce shortages. Sixty percent of firms report they have increased base pay rates, up from 52 percent last year. Thirty-six percent have provided incentives and/or bonuses, up from 35 percent last year. Twenty-four percent have increased contributions and/or improved employee benefits to cope with workforce shortages. Meanwhile, 56 percent of firms report they plan to increase investments in training and development, up from 52 percent at the start of 2017.

Officials with Sage noted that firms appear to be embracing information technology to help address workforce shortages and tight competition. They noted that 50 percent of firms say they currently spend one percent or more of their revenue on information technology, up from 47 percent in 2017. In addition, 43 percent of respondents report they will increase their information technology investments in 2018 compared to the prior year.

They added that information technology can be strategically applied to increase productivity of current staff and compete for more work. They said that helps explain why 52 percent of contractors indicate they currently have formal information technology plans that support business objectives, up from 47 percent last year. An additional eight percent of contractors report they plan to create a formal information technology plan in 2018.

Association officials noted that contractors’ overall optimism for 2018 is likely based on two key assumptions: that tax cuts will lead to stronger demand and that the Trump administration will finally deliver on its promise to boost investments in infrastructure. They said that the best thing Washington officials can do to make sure that federal tax cuts deliver on their potential is to continue rolling back needless regulatory burdens.

AGCA added that the association would continue to lead efforts to encourage new federal, state and local measures to rebuild the pipeline for recruiting and preparing the next generation of construction professionals. And the association would also remain committed to working with administration officials to help identify regulations that can be improved and others that can be removed.

The Outlook was based on survey results from over 1,000 firms from 49 states and the District of Columbia. Varying numbers responded to each question. Contractors of every size answered over 20 questions about their hiring, workforce, business and information technology plans. To see the report, click here.

 

MGallery to add 30-plus properties over next 5 years

AccorHotels‘ MGallery brand is planning 32 openings during the next five years. Recent MGallery properties include The Retreat Palm Dubai, the Victory House London Leicester Square and the Tarcin Forest Resort & Spa. Read the Spa Opportunities story here

Church’s Chicken sells 76 locations to franchisees

Franchise operator Ampler Chicken has bought 70 of Church’s Chicken‘s corporate-owned restaurants, making it the chain’s third-largest multi-unit franchisee in the US. Church’s also sold six locations in Atlanta to franchisee KSH Chicken Restaurants. Read the QSRWeb story here

Everlane reverses course and expands into physical retail

E-commerce retailer Everlane has opened its first brick-and-mortar store in New York City, marking a reverse of executives’ previous stance against expanding into the physical retail space. Read the CBS News story here

Dapper Dan, Gucci collaborate to debut new shop in Harlem, N.Y.

Gucci and Daniel “Dapper Dan” Day, a fashion designer, have partnered to launch a new retail store in Harlem, N.Y. The brownstone-based boutique will open next month, but shoppers will have to make an appointment to visit the store. Read the Black Enterprise story here

Four Cutting-Edge Communications Tools to Increase Efficiency and Profitability

By Roy Rasmussen

Communications problems can cripple your business. When communications break down between your company’s team members or between your staff and customers, the result can be stalled workflow, misunderstandings and even lost workers and clients.

One root of companies’ communications crisis is reliance on outdated equipment. Here’s a look at current communications tools that can help you improve your construction company’s internal and external communications and boost your efficiency and your profits.

Unified Communications Platforms

Unified communications (UC) tools have been around for decades, but today’s best-in-class unified platform solutions offer an unprecedented level of sophistication and efficiency. Once centered around landline systems that integrated phone and fax features, today’s UC tools use a virtual platform that incorporates cutting-edge communications methods including VoIP, HD voice that eliminates background noise, video chat and conferencing and instant messaging.

Today’s leading unified communications platforms also incorporate cloud contact center features that can improve your external customer communication as well as your internal communication. A cloud contact center provides a single platform your service team can use to consolidate customer communications from all channels, providing your customers with a seamless omnichannel experience when tickets migrate from one channel to another. UC tools also integrate with customer relationship management apps, so your contact center team always has instant access to all the information they need to assist your customers and to take advantage of upsell opportunities.

Chatbots

Chatbots can automate the process of responding to online customer service inquiries from your website or apps such as Facebook Messenger. Chatbots can also recognize inquiries that need human assistance and direct them toward your available representatives in the order tickets are received.

Using chatbots allows you to be present to your customers 24/7 so that you don’t miss any potential business. At the same time, chatbots save time for your customers and your staff, boosting your customer satisfaction rate and saving you money on labor.

3-D VR and AR Presentation tools

Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technology provides construction companies with a powerful tool for presenting 3-D models of sites to clients and team members. You can use 3-D VR and AR models to present clients and contractors with realistic previews of proposed blueprints in order to get input and make modifications. Wearing VR headsets allows clients to experience an immersive view of what the proposed design would actually look and feel like, allowing for more persuasive sales presentations and better communication about desired specifications.

You can also collect 3-D images of projects as they develop by using technology such as mobile cameras and drones, helping you present clients with updates on project progress. This can also serve as a powerful tool for assembling time-lapse videos of project progress in order to create dramatic marketing presentations.

Unified communications platforms, chatbots and virtual augmented reality are some of today’s most useful communications tools for construction companies. Deploying these tools can streamline your internal efficiency, improve your customer communications and make your company more efficient and more profitable.

Roy Rasmussen, coauthor of "Publishing for Publicity," is a freelance writer who helps select clients write quality content to reach business and technology audiences. His clients have included Fortune 500 companies and bestselling authors. His most recent projects include books on cloud computing, small business management, sales, business coaching, social media marketing and career planning.

75% of construction firms plan to expand headcount in 2018

Seventy-five percent of construction firms plan to expand their payrolls in 2018 as contractors are optimistic that economic conditions will remain strong as tax rates and regulatory burdens fall, according to survey results by the Associated General Contractors of America and Sage Construction and Real Estate. Despite the general optimism outlined in Expecting Growth to Continue: The 2018 Construction Industry Hiring and Business Outlook, many firms report they remain worried about workforce shortages and infrastructure funding. 

Respondents are very optimistic about demand for all types of construction services as measured by the net positive reading – the percentage of respondents who expect a market segment to expand vs. the percentage who expect a market segment to contract. The net positive reading for all types of construction is 44 percent, the highest yet recorded in the association’s Outlook survey series.

Broken down by market segment, contractors nationwide are most optimistic about the private office market segment, with a 22 percent net positive reading. This is followed by the other transportation and retail, warehouse & lodging segments, both of which had a 21 percent net positive reading. Water & sewer construction had a net positive reading of 20 percent; K-12 construction had a net positive reading of 18 percent and highway and hospitality construction both had a 17 percent net positive reading.

Respondents were only slightly less optimistic about growing demand in other segments. There is a 16 percent net positive for both multifamily residential and public building segments, followed by a 13 percent net positive reading for power construction, an 11 percent net positive for higher education construction and an 8 percent net positive for federal construction.

Association officials noted that 75 percent of firms say they will increase their headcount in 2018, up slightly from 73 percent last year. Most of the hiring will only expand headcounts by a slight percentage per firm, however. Half of firms report their expansion plans will only increase the size of their firm by 10 percent or less. Meanwhile, only five percent of firms report plans to expand their headcount by more than 25 percent above their current size. Only three percent of respondents expect to reduce headcount, down from six percent last year.

Association officials noted that firms in many parts of the country are already adding to their headcounts. According to a new analysis of Labor Department data the association is releasing today, construction employment increased in 255 out of 359 metro areas between November 2016 and November 2017. Among the fastest growing metro areas are Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, California; New York City and Cheyenne, Wyoming. Click here for the metro employment figures.

Even as firms expand headcount, an overwhelming majority – 82 percent – of firms expect it will either become harder, or remain difficult to recruit and hire qualified workers in 2018, up from 76 percent last year. In addition, 78 percent of firms report they are currently having a hard time finding qualified workers to hire, up from 73 percent at the start of last year.

Firms continue to take steps to address these growing workforce shortages. Sixty percent of firms report they have increased base pay rates, up from 52 percent last year. Thirty-six percent have provided incentives and/or bonuses, up from 35 percent last year. Twenty-four percent have increased contributions and/or improved employee benefits to cope with workforce shortages. Meanwhile, 56 percent of firms report they plan to increase investments in training and development, up from 52 percent at the start of 2017.

Officials with Sage noted that firms appear to be embracing information technology to help address workforce shortages and tight competition. They noted that 50 percent of firms say they currently spend one percent or more of their revenue on information technology, up from 47 percent in 2017. In addition, 43 percent of respondents report they will increase their information technology investments in 2018 compared to the prior year.

They added that information technology can be strategically applied to increase productivity of current staff and compete for more work. They said that helps explain why 52 percent of contractors indicate they currently have formal information technology plans that support business objectives, up from 47 percent last year. An additional eight percent of contractors report they plan to create a formal information technology plan in 2018.

Association officials noted that contractors’ overall optimism for 2018 is likely based on two key assumptions: that tax cuts will lead to stronger demand and that the Trump administration will finally deliver on its promise to boost investments in infrastructure. They said that the best thing Washington officials can do to make sure that federal tax cuts deliver on their potential is to continue rolling back needless regulatory burdens.

AGCA added that the association would continue to lead efforts to encourage new federal, state and local measures to rebuild the pipeline for recruiting and preparing the next generation of construction professionals. And the association would also remain committed to working with administration officials to help identify regulations that can be improved and others that can be removed.

The Outlook was based on survey results from over 1,000 firms from 49 states and the District of Columbia. Varying numbers responded to each question. Contractors of every size answered over 20 questions about their hiring, workforce, business and information technology plans. To see the report, click here.