Report: Construction costs likely to rise in Milwaukee next year

October 30, 2019 2:15 pm 1 Comment

Crews work in April on the 25-story office tower BMO Harris Bank is having built in downtown Milwaukee across Wells Street from city hall. The high-rise is just one of many projects that have contributed to the city’s unprecedented building boom of recent years. Officials at Mortenson Construction recently released a report finding that demand for construction services is likely to remain strong in the Milwaukee area next year even as materials prices rise and economic recession becomes a real possibility. (Staff photo by Dan Shaw)

Although a steady backlog of work is expected to keep commercial contractors busy in Milwaukee next year, the city’s tight labor market could continue to drive up costs even as an economic slowdown looms, according to a recent report.

Tagged with: American Institute of Architects Associated Builders and Contractors City of Milwaukee employment Labor Shortage materials prices Mortenson Construction

Architecture billings plummet

September 19, 2019 10:24 am Leave a comment

Construction is underway on July 29 on the Hyatt House extended-stay hotel at 315 First Ave., Rochester, Minnesota. Sluggish U.S. architecture billings are giving rise to concerns about future construction activity, but Minnesota market watchers don’t expect a severe downturn soon. (File photo by Bill Klotz)

Another sluggish month for U.S. architecture billings is stoking fears of a slowdown in future design and construction activity, but local market watchers don’t expect the bottom to fall out anytime soon.

Tagged with: American Institute of Architects Associated Builders and Contractors

Capitol building turning 100

January 16, 2017 4:51 am Leave a comment

clouds roll over the Wisconsin state Capitol in Madison. A bipartisan commission is planning a months-long celebration for the building's 100th anniversary with a kick-off event beginning Jan. 31, 2017. (Michael P. King/Wisconsin State Journal via AP, File) /Wisconsin State Journal via AP)

When Sen. Fred Risser visited his father, a Wisconsin state senator, in the Capitol as a young boy, attendants operated the elevators, lawmakers had tobacco spittoons in their offices and there was not a single female senator.

Tagged with: American Institute of Architects Capitol

Experts weigh in on what 2016 has in store for construction industry

November 25, 2015 2:11 pm Leave a comment

Two construction workers inside the curtain wall of the 833 East project on Nov. 23. C.G. Schmidt lost a court battle against a subcontractor it hired for the curtain wall work. (File photo by Kevin Harnack)

Despite a persistent labor shortage and other difficulties, those who make their living in construction have more good than bad to look forward to in 2016.

Tagged with: American Institute of Architects construction spending The Opus Group

Architecture billings dropped in March

May 19, 2014 9:16 am Leave a comment

Billings at U.S. architecture firms declined in March, the third drop in five months.

Tagged with: AIA American Institute of Architects

Architecture index up by 1.9 points in Jan.

February 20, 2014 9:45 am Leave a comment

The Architecture Billings Index increased by 1.9 points in January.

Tagged with: AIA American Institute of Architects

Architecture index: Growth in design activity

August 21, 2013 11:33 am Leave a comment

The Architecture Billings Index for July shows an increase in design activity.

Tagged with: AIA American Institute of Architects

Architecture billings bounce back in May

June 21, 2013 10:50 am Leave a comment

Architecture billings were up in May after a setback in April, according to the American Institute of Architects.

Tagged with: AIA American Institute of Architects architect architecture

Building code uniformity raises local control questions

May 15, 2013 4:38 pm Leave a comment

Advocates of a uniform code for commercial buildings are developing a compromise they concede would remove much of the uniformity from their proposal.

Tagged with: ABC AIA American Institute of Architects Art Dahlberg building code commercial building code DNS John Mielke Terry Moulton