January - Construction News

Transcription

Covering the Industry’s News
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CONSTRUCTION
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Dallas -Fort Worth
The Industry’s Newspaper
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Volume 14
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Number 1
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JANUARY 2016
Venture gained
RK acquires RRA
L-R: President/CEO Bill Fraser, CFO Michael Rosen, Vice President Hal Adams, senior project
manager Brown Jones and Vice President Guy Toro AIA
Sarah M. Cole and Charles D. Neel
T
wo companies – one from California and the other from Michigan –
have combined forces for a new
North Texas venture.
Irvine, CA-headquartered Carlson,
which designs and builds major technology and mission critical facilities, has
partnered with Walbridge, a Detroitbased global construction services firm
with expertise in multiple industries. The
new creation, Carlson Walbridge Group
LLC has been established at 14901 Quorum Drive, Ste. 595 in Dallas.
Bill Fraser, PE, president and CEO of
Carlson Walbridge, says both companies
bring different strengths to the table.
The venture leverages resources between the two companies, which will re-
main independent and privately owned.
“Carlson has great experience in designing and constructing mission critical
facilities for customers across the nation,”
Fraser says. “Walbridge has been eager to
expand into new industry segments and
the growth in technology-driven facilities offers great new opportunities. With
Walbridge’s size and Carlton’s knowledge
of the requirements of clients in this sector, we offer a great combination of size,
resources and expertise.
“One of our first objectives is to get
in front of large enterprise clients with
technology-driven facility needs who
seek a design-build solution from one
company,” Fraser continues. “We have
R
aba Kistner Inc. (RK), a San Antonio-based project management,
engineering, testing and environmental firm has operated in the Dallas
area since 2009 with nearly 40 employees, but it recently dug deeper to expand
its presence in the Metroplex.
In December, RK acquired Dallas archaeology firm Red River Archaeology
(RRA), which specializes in providing
cultural resource compliance services to
engineering and environmental consulting firms, as well as energy and transportation sector clients in Texas and Oklahoma.
“The purchase of RRA aligned with
Raba Kistner’s growth strategy for our
cultural resources compliance services,”
continued on Page 18
says Tom Burr, senior VP and COO of
Raba Kistner Environmental. “It also facilitates RK’s plans for an enhanced presence in the North Texas and Oklahoma
markets.”
Red River Archaeology will begin
conducting business under the name of
Raba Kistner Environmental Inc., formerly
Red River Archaeology, in the first quarter of 2016 and will completely discontinue use of the Red River Archaeology
name by the fourth quarter. The Dallas
office, located at 10100 N. Central Expressway, Suite 160, consists of four archaeologists. Sarah M. Cole, RPA, serves
as the office manager and Principal Investigator and Charles D. Neel serves as the
Senior Archaeologist.
Simply heavenly
A
lthough the Church of the Incarnation was founded as the Cathedral
Chapel of the Incarnation in 1879,
it didn’t settle at Dallas’ 3966 McKinney
Avenue until 1927, when a modest brick
chapel was secured for the purpose.
Nearly 90 years later, this Episcopal
church – which grew into one of the Diocese’s largest parishes – needed new
spaces for its expanding congregation.
The plan called for 60,000 sf of new
worship and education space in the form
of three buildings: a welcome center, an
education building and a chapel – but it
wasn’t as simple as constructing new
spaces. The addition would need to complement the sweeping stained-glassed,
Anglican-furnished neo-Gothic style of
the property’s other buildings (with the
exception of the Great Hall and the
school building).
Lee Lewis Construction Inc.’s superintendent Ricky Donithan, assistant su-
perintendent Jared Schafer, and project
manager Jordan Wallace worked closely
with HH Architects’ Gary Kirchoff and
owner representatives Kyle Nix and
Elias Bahar of Pritchard Associates Inc.
to design and construct spaces that respected the past but prepared for the
future.
“The general challenge of this project was to provide a neo-Gothic-style
building that incorporated green building practices while introducing 21st century building methods as to not impact
the design visually,” Wallace explains.
Once they began construction in
March 2014, the team realized that honoring the church’s architectural style
wouldn’t be the only challenge they
would face in the project’s 21-month
time span.
“There were other challenges with
weather that impacted drying in the
The chapel is one of three new buildings Lee Lewis Construction Inc.
built for the Church of the Incarnation in Dallas.
Page 2
Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News • Jan 2016
Page 3
Silver celebration
Warmest wishes
I
T
t was one last round of cheer for the
year as the American Subcontractors
Association (ASA)’s North Texas chapter
hosted a Holiday Open House Dec. 10 at
its office/conference center. Members
were encouraged to reach deep into their
closets and pull out their most eyebrowraising holiday sweaters to wear for ASA’s
“Ugliest Sweater Contest.” To keep the less
fortunate equally warm, guests brought
new coats and blankets to donate to the
homeless charity Dallas Life. –mjm
wenty-five years in the construction
business was celebrated in Phillips/
May fashion Oct. 29 at Fair Park’s
Hall of State. To commemorate the company’s silver anniversary, guests enjoyed
a buffet dinner and dancing to tunes provided by Noe Esparza & the Fabulous
Dells. – mjm
Gilbert May
dances with his
wife, Maribel
Zubras Electric’s Simon Zubras and Marcella
Jones were hailed as the winners of ASA’s
“Ugliest Sweater Contest.”
L-R: EyeSite Surveillance’s
Doug and Dean Olson
LGT’s Chris Hollis tries to hide his
disappointment that his holiday sweater
didn’t place first.
Guests celebrated the milestone in style.
L-R: ASA’s Kelly Dando, Encore Mechanical’s John Reynal, ASA’s Beverly Reynal
and Haley-Greer Inc.’s Tish Barker
L-R: Phillips/May’s Amanda Castro, Chris Escobedo, Gilbert May, Dallas mayor Mike Rawlings
and Mayor Pro Tem Monica Alonzo
H Location
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Page 4
Henry Yiu, President
Kathy Dress, Partner
PDI Group, Dallas
PDI Green Technology (DBA),
Dallas
PDI Electrical (DBA), Dallas
PDI Expert Steel (DBA), Venus
B
efore Henry Yiu and Kathy Dress
defined the American dream together, they defined it for themselves, each on a different journey
through immigration and success in
America. Now, with a few constructionrelated companies to their credit, they
are helping others who have similar journeys behind them and in front of them.
Henry, tell me about your background
before you came to America.
My family is from Shanghai, China.
My grandfather studied mathematics at
the Lingjing Normal School (1900s) there.
We moved to the capital of Nanjing,
where my grandfather was teaching. My
father met my mom, who came to study
medicine from Indonesia in the 1960s,
and I was born in Nanjing.
In 1981, since my mom was “overseas
Chinese,” we moved to Hong Kong. At
that time my English was not perfect English yet, so I went back to China and got
my Bachelors degree in Engineering in Jinan University in Canton, and then moved
to Hong Kong again. From there, I worked
for the Hong Kong Productivity Council
for four years in the electronics design lab
doing research and design jobs in the
wireless field. But from the beginning, I
knew I needed to go to the United States
and get a higher education. I can speak
Shanghainese, Cantonese and Mandarin;
language is no problem for me, I just
needed to seek opportunity in America.
When were you finally able to come to
the United States?
In 1993, I got my visa to come to the
United States and got admission to the
MBA program at Wichita University in
Kansas, and studied international business for three years. When I graduated in
1997, I tried to use my MBA to find a job,
but I couldn’t, especially in Wichita, KS.
At the same time, I had a friend in
Dallas, and I had been looking in the
newspaper and saw a lot of jobs in telecommunications in the Dallas area. I
thought that I would use my Bachelors
degree to find a job. After moving to Dallas, I stayed with my friend as I tried to
find one. For eight hours each day, I
would go to different places for meetings
and networking. Eventually, I found a job
with Nortel. In 1998, telecom was booming. They hired me right away because I
had R&D experience in Hong Kong, and
they helped me get a green card. To this
day, I am appreciative of Nortel for helping me get my green card.
How did your work at Nortel lead to
business ownership?
In Nortel, I did many things; I helped
them set up and expand their business in
China and Israel. But I wanted to have my
own business. I always told people that
the first day I had my green card in America that I would start my own business
right away. But I had no choice but to do
it step by step.
During these days, I worked for Nortel, but I also started an eBay business in
2002 with my wife and my sister, because
Nortel’s business was going downhill. I
thought, “Since I have a green card, it was
time for me to pursue my American
dream.” At the time, LED [lighting] was not
very popular; it was mostly headlamps
and flashlights, but I started moving them
from Hong Kong to here and selling on
eBay. One day in 2007, my boss came to
me and asked me what I wanted to do; did
I want to keep a job by transferring to another department in Nortel, or did I want
to leave Nortel for my own business? I said
I wanted to go for my own business, and
thank you very much! It gave me a chance
to work and focus on my business fulltime and meet different people.
Is that what gave you the opportunity
to meet people like your business
partner, Kathy Dress?
Yes. I was meeting with different
chambers of commerce and giving presentations about my LED lighting. Kathy
was working for Dallas Area Rapid Transit
(DART) and she was talking to small business owners in chambers. She heard me
speaking about how LED lighting was the
future, and one day she came up to me
and asked if we could work together.
Kathy, describe your background and
how you came to meet Henry.
I too am an “overseas Chinese” in the
sense that I have an ancestral home [in
China] but really, I barely lived in China. I
was born in Kunming, Yunnan and my father was one of the few doctors there. He
played an important role in wartime and
started working for the World Health Organization. We left China, lived in Hong
Kong for a brief time, but then started living in the Philippines, Germany, several
places in Europe and Egypt. So when
people asked me where my home was,
my home was where my parents were!
My career started in my university
days. Half of the time, I was in Hong Kong
in the Chinese university. I took all of their
English courses, mostly in literature. After
two years, the principal said I had to leave
because there was nothing else they could
teach me. My dad, who was the dean of
the public health college in Ethiopia, told
me to come back home, so I did everything
I could to catch up to get a BA degree.
The Chinese believe education is very
important. By the time I graduated and
got my Bachelors degree in English and
Shakespeare, I was teaching French and
English to Italian girls and was learning
Italian. I gained admission to Ivy League
schools, got three scholarships and had to
choose one, and I chose Bryn Mawr in
1958. I got my Masters degree in one year
because I discovered all of the girls were
terribly smart and I was afraid I wouldn’t
get the scholarship next year, so I thought
I had better get it all done in one year.
What happened after you earned your
Masters degree, Kathy?
After that, I said enough of this study
stuff! At that time, I had already met my
first husband, who is also from Shanghai,
and I worked for Trans World Airlines. I’ve
had many careers; I was a journalist for
the official English paper in Ethiopia, I
once was stringing on radio programs
and local programs for CBS, and I have
experience in the hospitality and tourism
industries in Ethiopia.
By the time I met Henry, I had already
retired from DART and was thinking of
starting my own business. We decided to
work together in 2010 because he didn’t
know how to get government contracts
and since I had worked for DART, I knew
about that. We decided we would partner
because my weaknesses are his strengths,
and his weaknesses are my strengths.
How did the business evolve?
Kathy: He was going from the LED
flashlights to more commercial LED lighting applications, so he represented man-
L-R: Kathy Dress and Henry Yiu are passing on their American experience and partnering
with other immigrants, including Gloria Zhou.
ufacturers out of China. When we went
after the government contracts, we discovered that most of the time, [contractors] wanted American-made. Together,
we went and found a mentor who represented American manufacturers. He told
us to make our name, which was Pacific
Dynasty International Inc., not so identifiable as an Asian company, so we called
ourselves PDI Green Technology. We became his authorized distributor to top
companies in the U.S., including General
Electric. For the next five years, we attended bids and told everyone who we
were, and people started recognizing us.
We were known as the LED entity, and we
built our reputation.
Now we’re everywhere, and we’ve
become one of the few minority-owned
companies that is an authorized distributor, not only for Asian products, but also
for American products.
As a minority, did you find it to be challenging to make connections in the
Texas construction industry?
Yes, there was some difficulty. We went
into bids and in many situations we were
the only minorities. But we found our way.
Our big breakthrough came in 2012
when the City of Dallas had a project
called MoneyGram Soccer Park. We found
out that we had to be “admitted” as an
alternate but the people in charge didn’t
want to help us. It took a lot of fighting on
our part to get to the point where our
product was recognized as one of the
possible alternatives.
It just so happened that we had the
very best product. LED was still fairly new
and the City of Dallas asked us to submit
lights to test. By the time we gave our
sample, they had already tested three different factories’ lights that had failed.
One year later, through terrible weather
including snow and 110-degree summers, our lights were still good and the
other companies’ lights had busted. It
was the first important bid for us, and we
won it, fair and square. People knew us
because we had done this project, and
we started getting substantial contracts
and grew in business volume.
What would you recommend to others
who are starting like you did?
One of the most important things we
did was participate in a mentor/protégée
program with North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA), and our mentor was Azteca-Omega Group; they are our prime
example of what we are doing. Austin
Commercial and JE Dunn also mentored
us and their programs are excellent.
We’ve learned a lot, such as the corporate style and running your business as
a corporation, even if it only has two people in it! That’s how you can communicate with the larger companies. If you
don’t, you can’t integrate. This has helped
us greatly increase our capacity.
Since your LED lighting company has
taken off, you’ve expanded your offer-
ings to electrical and steel. What motivated that decision?
Kathy: We provided only lighting
equipment and always had to wait for
someone to bid us. It was like we were
girls waiting to be asked to dance, which is
stupid! Last year, Henry and I decided we
really needed to grow our capacity, and
that we had to bid ourselves, which means
we had to have a master electrician. We
found Andy Chen, who is Chinese and a
master electrician, and together formed
our company, PDI Electrical in Dallas.
Henry: We also formed an engineering, metal fabrication and construction
company last year, with Gloria Zhou as
the general manager.
Kathy: They already had everything
set up, but what they didn’t have time for
was marketing their product in the right
way and getting government contracts.
We are HUB-certified. Now, we are PDI
Experts Steel and are bidding with contractors such as Big Sky Construction and
producing and delivering.
In talking with other GCs, we’ve discovered we’re in an important niche.
There are very few minorities who do steel
fabrication. This is where we have come
from our little LED struggle. Steel is much
more profitable. We were selling caviar,
which is hard to sell, and now we have
steak and potatoes! But both sides are
growing.
Your involvement with the LED lighting company, electrical and the steel
company must keep you busy! What
do you do when you’re off the clock?
Henry: My two kids, 17-year-old
Joycelyn and 13-year-old Berkley, are involved in a lot of activities. I invest a lot in
them; I put them in different schools,
such as a Chinese school, math schools,
and the swimming team and tennis team.
My wife is a piano teacher, and so my
daughter and son play percussion and
piano. We also set up a non-profit organization for kids to help others in our community. All week I’m busy!
Kathy: I don’t have any free time anymore! I’m 74 years old; I have a son who
lives in Minnesota, but have no family
who lives here. So all of these people
have become my mentoring group, all of
these communities that I am a part of
have become my family.
When I was growing up and traveling, I had to learn to swim or sink. Since
I’ve been here in the U.S., I’ve become a
mentor for others. When Henry and I met
each other, I was helping and mentoring
him. And when we started working with
Gloria, we were also mentoring her. Gloria is also part of the immigration story;
she represents the young, intelligent Chinese people here. She was at the edge of
learning the American experience, and
we have the American experience. You
can’t do business here unless you know
how American business works. So we’re
passing on our knowledge. –mjm
Page 5
Fueling the fa-la-las
Concrete goes country
D
&H United Fueling
Solutions
Inc. celebrated
the season with a holiday party hosted Dec.
17 at Vila Brazil (VB)
Steak House in Arlington. –mjm
The ranchette’s brick, stone and wood finishes are actually precast concrete.
R
oughing it doesn’t have to be
rough. The rustic cabins of yesterday, used by hunters and fishers
everywhere, no longer need to rot in the
wild’s harsh elements.
At least that’s what Superior Concrete Products owner and CEO Todd
Sternfeld is trying to prove. On his property in Cleburne, which also houses his
concrete plant, Sternfeld has built a 600sf “ranchette.” The fully functional living
space, complete with two bedrooms,
one bathroom, living space, kitchen and
patio, are mostly made out of his precast
concrete products.
More “city-fied” than cinderblock,
the precast concrete “brick,” “wood,”
“stone” and interior finishes trick the eye
as well as the elements – the sustainability of the product makes it hard to blow
this house down. Plus, the ranchette’s
high style just might turn campers into
“glampers.”
“The house structure, columns supporting the porch, railing and the patio
area are my product, and we used some
on the inside as well,” Sternfeld says. “I
tried to use the product as much as I
could, and it’s been fun to use the product for other applications.”
Three years ago, Sternfeld built three
units on the property with this in mind
but only recently had time to fulfill his vision. Having already used his Euless factory as a sort of guinea pig for various
precast concrete applications, he was eager to experiment on his Cleburne property, especially with the Chisolm Trail
opening nearby.
“I actually submitted it as a creative
project in a contest for the National Precast Concrete Association,” he says. “We
used the precast product in so many different ways that I thought it would be
worth the time. I’m curious to see what
happens.”
Want an invitation? Well, as welcoming as the space is, Sternfeld says invites
are hard to come by.
”I’ll have to think about that,” he
laughs. “I have thought about doing free
pony rides out there for the little kids just
as a way of giving back; since there is a
corral and horses out there, I thought
that might be fun.”
Celebrating its 30th anniversary, Superior Concrete Products is a full-service manufacturing and construction company that
provides a complete range of NPCA-certified
precast concrete building systems. –mjm
L-R: Construction manager Jeff Bucknam, dispatcher
Jennifer Davidson, service manager Ryan Aaron and office
manager April Siddens.
L-R: D&H United Fueling Solutions Inc.’s Aaron Vargas (with his lovely wife
and Juan Chan (also with his lovely wife).
L-R: Service tech Jerry Guzman with his wife Tina celebrate with Sarah
and her boyfriend, service tech Lon Turner.
Page 6
Business is a game! Play to win!
Part 1 of a 3 part series
Carrie D. Bradshaw, C.P.A.
Brown, Graham & Company P.C.
Georgetown, TX
K
now your score
Business is a game and your financial statements are
your scoreboard. Do you know your score? Are you
winning or losing the game? In order to answer this
question, you must first understand the financial
management of your company and the story your financial statements tell about your
company. Consider your monthly balance sheet as the score at the end of a period; a
quarterly balance is your score at the end of the game; and an annual balance is your
score at the end of the season. You can make adjustments to the game plan during the
quarter if you are paying attention during the game. When you get to the end of the
game you will see if your strategic adjustments worked to win the game. If it worked,
maintain that strategy for the next game. If it did not work, the strategy needs to be
adjusted for the next game to have a winning season.
In a nutshell, your balance sheet is Association
(RMA),
Construction
composed of assets, liabilities and equity. Financial Managers Association’s annual
Assets are what you own. Liabilities are survey, and many others. Compare the
what you owe. Net worth is what is left ratios you calculated on your balance
over.
sheet to your peers and see how you
measure up. Are you consistent with
Ratio analysis – understanding your your peers?
scoreboard
A word of caution in using industry
Financial
managers
use
a benchmarking: You cannot be sure the
methodology referred to as ratio analysis comparison is “apples to apples”. There is
to understand the scoreboard. You are no standardization of information
probably familiar with some of these submitted to the groups gathering this
ratios as you have been in conversation information. You also do not know the
with your bonding agent or banker. level of success of the companies
When you evaluate your ratios related to submitting this information. We
your balance sheet, consider the recommend finding industry publications
following:
that publish “Best in Class” benchmarks
Current working capital: This ratio as well. The purpose of benchmarking is
measures your solvency - the number of to identify potential targets at which to
dollars in current assets for every $1 in aim.
current liabilities. In other words, can you
pay your bills today?
Internal financial trends
Debt-to-worth: This ratio measures Another important aspect of
your financial risk - the number of dollars understanding your score is monitoring
of debt owed for every dollar of net your internal performance over time. Is
worth. In other words, does the bank your business seasonal? How does that
own more of your company than you do? seasonality impact your score (and more
Accounts
receivable
turnover: importantly your cash!)? Perform your
Measures the rate at which accounts ratio analysis on a monthly, quarterly and
receivable are collected on an annual annual basis to help you identify trends
basis. How many days from the time an within your company.
invoice is generated until it becomes a Part 2: Know your costs
deposit in the bank?
We will discuss a break-even analysis
Accounts
payable
turnover: tool.
Measures the rate at which accounts Part 3: Know your cash flow model
payable are paid on an annual basis. Is every dollar of revenue created the
How many days from the time an invoice same?
is received until the bill is paid?
By beginning to implement a
Something to consider: Should you disciplined system of monitoring your
be paying accounts payable at a slower score, you can develop the strategy to
rate than you collect accounts receivable coach your team to greater success!
to conserve cash? Maybe. That question Carrie D. Bradshaw, CPA and CCIFP
will be addressed in part 3 of this series.
with over 20 years of construction
contractor coaching experience, is the
Industry benchmarking
Managing Shareholder of the Brown,
Now that you understand your Graham & Company, P.C.’s Georgetown
score, how do you measure up against office. You can contact Carrie at
the competition? There are many sources [email protected] or call 512-930for obtaining industry benchmarks: 4090.
industry associations, Risk Management
Product Recall Insurance should
be part of your Product Risk
Management Plan
Julie Davis, CIC
IBTX
San Antonio, TX
T
here may be no word that strikes greater fear in the
hearts of individuals in the manufacturing/
processing industry than “recall.” Mere consideration of
the term may mean that someone has been made ill or possibly died from consumption
of or exposure to a product. The response must be inordinately fast and include
coordination with federal government agencies, and state governmental agencies, as
well as other companies who sit both upstream and downstream of your position in
the distribution chain of the product at issue. The aftermath can leave injured
consumers and damaged reputations. The monetary costs may include lost profits,
recall expenses, civil damages and potential criminal action. Despite excellent quality
control, you may find yourself swept into a recall. Advance planning for recalls can
make the difference in the survival of your company.
While a written recall plan has long different than another.
been a regulatory requirement, planning Coverage details
for a recall should include much more The following are key issues of the
than a template form in a file. Recall policy, and policies may differ on the
planning should include record-keeping definitions. Each policy must be carefully
steps to be taken well in advance of any read and understood by policyholders to
concerns, but which will make any recall insure they are purchasing what they
effort more effective. A team of advisors need.
who will serve in various roles in the • Loss of sales revenues
planning, execution and post-recall • Customer loss of gross profits
process is also a necessity. It should also • Government recall
include Product Recall insurance • Voluntary recall
• Adverse publicity
coverage.
• Rehabilitation expenses
Cost of Recall
The next step to consider after • Extra expense
internal procedures are consistently • Defense costs
implemented is how much will this cost • 3rd Party coverage
the company? Loss of sales, not only the • “Pay on behalf” or reimburse language
company’s lost profit, but that of your Depending on who you speak with,
customers should be considered. Also the chance of having a serious product
consider the damage to the company’s recall occurrence is not a matter of if, but
reputation and possible effect on future when. Serious consideration of a proper
sales, the added expense for disposal, game plan in the event could be crucial
replacement product, time and mental for the company’s survival. Is this a cost
anguish by management and employees; that the company can absorb or is it more
cost effective to purchase an insurance
these are all part of the cost.
Many companies look at funding this policy for the risk? Recently, many large
possible exposure with an insurance distributors and retail corporations are
policy, but in today’s market, most requiring Product Recall/Contamination
Commercial General Liability (CGL) coverage in their contracts. In any event,
policies will not cover a loss in a Product as part of your company’s recall
Recall scenario. Do not mistake Product procedure, add an insurance policy
Liability coverage for Product Recall review by a competent insurance
coverage, they are not the same. Some professional and review all contracts with
insurance carriers may offer a sub-limit to suppliers and clients regarding the
cover the expense of removal and insurance expectations.
Julie Davis, CIC has worked with the
disposal of the product as part of the CGL, but these amounts may only cover a food processing industry for over 15 years,
coordinating risk management plans and
fraction of total cost.
insurance policies to reflect the food
Product Recall/Contamination
industries’ changes to new exposure and
Insurance
There are insurance carriers that heightened responsibility. IBTX understands
have policies that pertain specifically to your potential risk exposure and stands
the issue of product recall, contamination ready to help you make informed decision
and/or tampering. These stand-alone about how to protect your customers, your
policies may also include crisis supply chain, and your bottom line. Contact
management consultants.
Product us at 800-880-6689 or visit us at www.ib-tx.
Recall/Contamination policies are not com for more information or to setup your
standardized policies, so one insurance policy today.
company’s coverage may look drastically
Submitted to Construction News
On the move
It’s office-ial: General contractors Adolfson & Peterson Construction
recently relocated to a new office. The company’s Texas office is now at
1600 N. Collins Blvd. Suite 2000 in Richardson. –mjm
Page 7
Texas Mechanic’s and
Materialman’s Liens on
private projects in Texas
Janet Townsley, Senior Associate
The Cromeens Law Firm
Dallas, TX
C
redit is the lifeblood of the construction industry. By
the nature of a construction contract, the contractor
extends credit to the owner to the extent the contractor
performs labor or services and supplies materials before being paid. When
construction funds are withheld, the impact is felt throughout the construction chain.
On even a small project, a payment default by an owner can have disastrous
consequences for dozens of contractors, subcontractors and suppliers (and their
employees). Just as most lenders will not loan money without adequate security for
payment, contractors, subcontractors and suppliers need security when they extend
credit on a construction project. Such security is the right to secure and enforce a lien
on real property for the value of work performed. Mechanic’s and Materialman’s Liens
(M & M Liens), when executed properly, elevate a subcontractor or material supplier
from an unsecured creditor to a secured creditor. 1
Because the M&M lien operates like
an involuntary mortgage on the, Texas
law requires specific steps to create a
valid lien. One misstep in complying with
strict notice deadlines or omission of a
sentence required in the notice letter,
invalidates the M & M Lien.
Anyone who provides labor or
supplies materials for the construction,
repair of a house, building or
improvement is entitled to an M& M lien.
After recent changes in Texas law,
architects,
engineers,
surveyors,
landscapers, demolition trades that
provide temporary workers may have an
M&M lien when not paid.
The Homestead Pitfall
One of the great things about Texas
is the protection of homesteads found in
Article 16, §50 of our Texas Constitution.
This means you cannot have a lien against
a property unless there is a construction
contract signed and notarized by the
homeowner(s) and filed in the real
property records prior to any work.
Typically, this means you cannot file a lien
for a small repair. This is because it is
unlikely a contract has been filed of
record unless you filed one. But, if you’re
doing a large repair or remodel, it would
be worth the investment to hire an
attorney to draft and file the contract to
ensure you will be protected!
A homestead is regarded as a
residence owned by an individual that is
being OCCUPIED by that individual. A
person and spouse may have only one
homestead. Hence, an owner building a
residence while currently living in a
homestead, cannot call the new
residence a homestead. However, if the
individual does not currently have a
homestead and is building a new
residence intended as a homestead, the
new residence is considered a homestead
although the individual does not live in
it.2
Notice, Notice, Notice
M&M liens are an involuntary lien
against someone’s property and
although you may not have a contract
with the owner, you may have the right to
lien the owner’s property. To perfect a
lien, certain notices must be sent prior to
filing the lien. This gives the owner and
general contractor a chance to resolve
your claim prior to filing the lien.
All notices must be sent Certified
Mail Return Receipt Requested to comply
with statutory notice timelines. These
timelines are strictly enforced and
missing a timeline date even by one day,
invalidates the lien. Therefore, do not let
anyone stall or push you past outside
your deadlines.
The notice timelines differ between
a commercial and residential project, and
on whether you have a contract with the
General Contractor. Thus, it is good
practice to calendar a deadline for
sending notice of unpaid invoices for the
15th day of the second month after the
labor was performed or materials
supplied, as in many instances, this is the
first deadline you will have to meet. An
attorney should be consulted to address
deadline and notice requirements in
specific instances.
Janet Townsley is a Senior Associate at
The Cromeens Law Firm.
For more
information on our services, please visit
www.thecromeenslawfirm.com or call
(713) 715-7334.
Public property is not subject to lien, and
is beyond the scope of this article.
2
A spec home is one owned and being
built by a company. It is not a homestead
and is considered commercial conconstruction.
Electrical Lock Out and Tag Out
Joann Natarajan
Compliance Assistance Specialist
OSHA
Austin, TX
E
nergy sources including electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, chemical, thermal, or other
sources in machines and equipment can be hazardous
to workers. During the servicing and maintenance of
machines and equipment, the unexpected startup or release of stored energy can result in serious injury or death to workers.
Failure to control hazardous energy
accounts for nearly 10 percent of the serious accidents in many industries. Proper
lockout/tagout (LOTO) practices and
procedures safeguard workers from hazardous energy releases. The OSHA standard for The Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout) (29 CFR 1910.147)
for general industry outlines measures
for controlling different types of hazardous energy. The LOTO standard establishes the employer’s responsibility to
protect workers from hazardous energy.
Employers are also required to train each
worker to ensure that they know, understand, and are able to follow the applicable provisions of the hazardous energy
control procedures:
Proper lockout/tagout (LOTO) practices and procedures safeguard workers
from the release of hazardous energy.
The OSHA standard for The Control of
Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout) (29
CFR 1910.147) for general industry, outlines specific action and procedures for
addressing and controlling hazardous
energy during servicing and maintenance of machines and equipment. Employers are also required to train each
worker to ensure that they know, understand, and are able to follow the applicable provisions of the hazardous energy
control procedures. Workers must be
trained in the purpose and function of
the energy control program and have
the knowledge and skills required for the
safe application, usage and removal of
the energy control devices.
● All employees who work in an area
where energy control procedure(s) are
utilized need to be instructed in the purpose and use of the energy control
procedure(s), especially prohibition
against attempting to restart or reenergize machines or other equipment that
are locked or tagged out.
in the workplace, the type and magnitude of energy found in the workplace,
and the means and methods of isolating
and/or controlling the energy.
Specific procedures and limitations
relating to tagout systems where they
are allowed.
Retraining of all employees to maintain proficiency or introduce new or
changed control methods.
The control of hazardous energy is
also addressed in a number of other
OSHA standards, including Safety and
Health Regulations for Construction;
Electrical (1926 Subpart K), Concrete and
Masonry Construction (1926 Subpart Q),
Electric Power Transmission and Distribution (1926 Subpart V), and General Industry; Electrical (1910 Subpart S), Special
Industries (1910 Subpart R), and Electric
Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (1910.269).
[email protected]
512-374-0271 x232
PARTNERS IN CONSTRUCTION.
BONDED BY TRUST.
Building surety
relationships
for 30 years
1
● All employees who are authorized to
lockout machines or equipment and perform the service and maintenance operations need to be trained in recognition
of applicable hazardous energy sources
(972) 459-4749
www.pclbonds.com
Dynamite demo
Tower power
Construction workers watch Dallas’ 52-year-old St. Paul University Hospital being
imploded by Lindamood Demolition on Nov. 22. Once the rubble is cleared, the site will
become home to UT Southwestern’s west campus, which will boast a thermal energy
plant, 5,200 parking spaces and two buildings totaling 1.1 million sf. –mjm
The opening of Beck-built Methodist Mansfield Medical Center’s patient tower was
celebrated Dec. 17. The 110,000-sf project includes 34,000-sf of additional operation
rooms, cardiology and gastroenterology services, and 64,000-sf of additional support
services including a lab and pharmacy. –mjm
Page 8
Christmas cards
Taking a moment
Every Wednesday morning, several employees at Crimson Building Company LLC in
Bedford gather and hold Bible study in the office’s conference room. President Eric
Little calls it “one of the most satisfying things about our week.” –mjm
L-R: Play bells were ringing for Mark and Debi Piland, Cassie Mitchell and Dan and
Karen Graham of JMEP LP at the Christmas party and casino night hosted by the
Independent Electrical Contractors’ (IEC) Fort Worth/Tarrant County Chapter. More
than 100 guests attended the event at Stockyards Station’s Stockman’s Club on Dec. 3
and donated food, toys and funds for Mission Arlington. –mjm
A drive to share
Glad tidings
L-R: On Dec. 6, Weldon Contractors project manager David Estes and superintendent
Gene Gregory shared the reason for the season (and loads of toys!) with the Cleburne
City Union of the King’s Daughters and Sons. Gregory organized a toy drive on Weldon’s
La Moderna jobsite to benefit the charity. –mjm
L-R: Burgess Construction Consultants Inc.’s Chris Urbanus, Chris Davis, Barbara
Sutton and Davis’s wife, Jordan, celebrate the season at the company’s office party,
hosted Dec. 5 at Maggiano’s in Plano. –mjm
A holiday to remember
T
he Beck Group in Dallas celebrated
at a Casino-themed holiday party
Dec. 11 at West End Center. Beck
employees also donated funds to sup-
port Chile mission work in honor of their
late co-worker Lauren Davis, who spent
time doing mission work and who had
recently passed away in an automobile
accident with her husband CJ. –mjm
L-R: Beck’s Priscilla Trevino and Holly Hunt
Beck’s John Paul DeFrank,
and Abi and Fred Perpall
Page 9
Waypoint Marine. They are a full service
marine dealership that services all of the
major brand outboards and have an array
of new and used boats to choose from.
Stop by and see them at 3033 S.P.I.D. in
Corpus for all your marine needs.
For the past several weeks I have been in
a hunting mode, traveling all over South
and West Texas hunting and guiding
white tail and mule deer hunts. I must
say it’s been a good break from the salt
life I live on the water. There is something
about the South Texas brush country, the
mountains in West Texas and the serenity
of the Laguna Madre that make my job so
enjoyable. I can’t think of anything else
that I would enjoy doing.
New changes for
a New Year
by Capt. Steve Schultz
Fishing remains good in the Laguna
Madre/Baffin Bay complex. Both trout
and redfish are still being caught on live
shrimp and lures along the King Ranch
shoreline and rocks of Baffin Bay. Best
bet this time of year is still wade fishing
with artificial lures.
Sponsored by:
Waypoint Marine, Majek Boats, E-Z Bel
Construction, Power Pole Shallow Water
Anchor, Aggregate Haulers, ForEverlast
Hunting and Fishing Products and
Columbia Sportswear.
W
ell I can’t tell you how excited I
am to announce the changes
that are in store for the 2016 season for Steve Schultz Outdoors. For those
of you that have fished with me in the
past five years, you already know that the
Majek Xtreme is the boat that got us to
and from our fishing spots in comfort and
style. I consider the 25-ft. Xtreme the
best hull on the water for the everyday
guide and recreational angler. One
change that most people will notice immediately will be the new Evinrude E-TEC
G2 300hp outboard on the back of my
2016 Majek. Evinrude has stepped up
their game recently on the introduction
of the E-TEC G2 and I have spoken with
several guides that have run the outboard, and they are extremely happy
with the performance, fuel efficiency and
speed not to mention the savings of
maintenance. Here is a statement from
Evinrude: “The new Evinrude E-TEC G2
isn’t just built to last. It’s built to outlast.
Run it right out of the box for 500 hours
with no dealer scheduled maintenance.
Less time in the shop means lower own-
I have already started to fill the calendar
for the upcoming 2016 season. Don’t
wait until all the good dates are gone! To
schedule your next bay fishing trip give
Capt. Steve Schultz a call at 361-813-3716
or 361-334-3105 or e-mail him at [email protected]. Good luck
and Good Fishing.
David Wyatt shows off his 26-inch redfish caught on live shrimp under
a popping cork with Steve Schultz Outdoors.
ership cost, less hassle and much, much
more value over the lifetime of your engine.”
Along with the change of the new Evinrude E-TEC G2 will be the new relationship I look forward to being a part of with
the staff at Waypoint Marine in Corpus
Christi. I’ve known owners Jim and Jared
Poole for many years now. I also know
many of the pro-staff and guides that
they have established relationships with
them throughout the years, and really
look forward to a long working relationship with them and the entire staff at
STEVE SCHULTZ OUTDOORS, LLC
BAFFIN BAY –– LAGUNA MADRE –– LAND CUT
SPECKLED TROUT –– REDFISH –– FLOUNDER
FISHING AND HUNTING TRIPS
(361) 813-3716
www.baffinbaycharters.com
[email protected]
U.S. Coast Guard &
Texas Parks and Wildlife Licensed
Page 10
Ken Milam’s Fishing Line
Since 1981, Ken Milam has been guiding fishing trips for striped bass on Lake Buchanan in
the Texas Hill Country,. You can hear Ken on radio on Saturday and Sunday mornings, 6-8
AM on AM 1300, The Zone – Austin, or http://www.am1300the zone.com
Fishing Calendar
of Events!
T
he water has finally made it back to
our lake and several others! For the
first time in years we get to look forward to all the fishing and catching the
New Year will bring. Last year we were
trying to clean and clear up the scary wild
lake bed to protect ourselves from wildfires, rattlesnakes and cactus. This year
its all about the fish!
Just in case you have forgotten what our
lakes have to offer, or are new to the area
of a recently returning lake, here is an
idea of what you can expect.
In the Spring the catfish are loving the
cold water. If you want a trophy cat, now
is the time. White bass are running up
the rivers to spawn again. For several
years this hasn’t been possible, but now
they are back, and catching them is a lot
like eating popcorn. Their big cousins
the stripers also can be found upriver trying to spawn. Look for crappie to be
moving up river in their pre-spawn pattern. Warm, sunny afternoons draw them
up into shallow murky water around
brush and trees because this water
warms up first.
As spring warms into summer, smaller
catfish become easier to find in shallow
water. White bass begin moving back
down the river channel after spawning
Barrel of cheer
and all they want to do is chase shad and
eat anything they can catch. Stripers are
moving back down stream forming big
schools of fish that form feeding frenzies
that anglers dream of in early to mid
summer. Once it gets hot they begin to
slip into deeper cooler water, but still like
to feed on top on cool mornings. Crappie
go back to being their elusive selves once
it warms up. I have always thought that is
why we consider them so delicious, they
can play hard to get. A good crappie
guide can still get you on them though.
Fall comes in with a mix of blazing leftover summer heat and the promise of
cooler weather. Catching catfish is still
steady over baited holes and will come in
to chum. The white bass begin to migrate upstream again. Stripers can be
slow when it’s still hot because they find
our water temperatures in Texas to be excessive. Once the shorter days and cooler
nights start to cool off the water, they
turn back on and feed like crazy because
they don’t feed much in the heat. You
will catch a lot of smaller stripers, lots of
action. Larger stripers begin their swim
upstream.
Winter sees all the fish staging for next
year, heading upstream to spawn. We
get some really nice fishing days mixed in
with the winter chill. It’s worth checking
out if only to take a break from hunting
and get out of the house.
I think we are in for exciting times on the
water in these returning lakes. We have
lots of new trees and vegetation improving our fisheries now, plus there are plenty of fish out there that haven’t been exposed to human fishing pressure or as
long as five years in some places. That
means they have had plenty of time to
get big and bold. I can’t wait!
Let’s Go!
Half or Full Day Fishing Trips
In the spirit of the
season, the crew at
Site Barricades in
Fort Worth constructed a 30-ft. tall
Christmas tree out
of barrels, complete
with blinking lights,
of course. One traffic barricade was
given a Rudolf
makeover with a
flashing nose, and
was posed proudly
on the business’
roof. –mjm
All Bait, Tackle & Equipment
Furnished
Your catch Filleted and
Bagged for You
Ken Milam Guide Service
(325) 379-2051
www.striperfever.com
Furnish your TPWD Fishing
License & Refreshments,
and WE DO THE REST!
Page 11
Perfect 10s
H
aley-Greer Inc.’s John Baker and Charles Sherrow had deer more than turkey on their minds as Thanksgiving approached last year. A subcontractor of the company
took the two on a hunt at Pearsall, TX’s G2 Ranch and they both came back feeling very thankful – Baker and Sherrow each scored a 10 pt. buck.
“It was a three-day hunt the weekend before Thanksgiving and both [bucks] were harvested on the last evening hunt about five minutes apart,” Baker says. “Charles’
buck scored 147 in. and mine scored 135 in.”
Charles Sherrow scored a perfect “10” as well.
John Baker and his 10 pt. buck.
publishing the industry’s news
Texas
Style
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San Antonio
Austin
Dallas/Fort Worth
Houston
South Texas
Page 12
Ranch-style hunting
R
atliff Hardscape’s Danny Ratliff, Mart Inc.’s Vernon Proctor and IBTX’s Michael Hendrickson recently enjoyed a successful desert mule deer hunt west of
Yeso, NM. Staying as guests of El Yeso Ranch owners Charlie and Beverly Overton, hunting was conducted on a 68,000-sf open range for trophy bucks. While hunting, members of the group toured ancient Indian campsites where Comanche held
view over miles of open ground in their pursuit of buffalo. –mjm
Vernon Proctor’s 3x3 desert mule deer boasted a 27 in. spread
L-R: Michael Hendrickson and Danny Ratliff show off the spoils of the hunt – a 3x4 buck with
a 28 in. spread.
Page 13
Builders take a bow
I
t was a time to reflect on the past year,
recognize companies and individuals
whose buildings made their mark on
the Metroplex and crown the year’s TEXO
Challenge Cup winner. The 2015 TEXO
Holiday & Awards Gala, held at Grapevine’s Gaylord Texan on Dec. 3, honored
the many people and companies who
have exemplified exceptional qualities
during the construction process. –mjm
Building 1: ($0-$2 Million)
Steele & Freeman
Interior Finish Out: ($0-$500K)
Skiles Group
Design Build 1: ($0-$10 Million)
J.T. Vaughn Construction
Lee Lewis Construction Inc.
Andres Construction Services
Spring Valley Construction Company
Design Build 3: (Over $30 Million)
Byrne Construction Services
Health Care 2: ($10-$30 Million)
Ridgemont Commercial Construction
Industrial Warehouse 1: ($0-$5 Million)
Spring Valley Construction Company
Building 6: (Over $75 Million)
BARC – Balfour Beatty Construction, Azteca,
H. J. Russell, CARCON Joint Venture
Design Build 2: ($10-$30 Million)
The Beck Group
Building 2: ($2-$5 Million): Linbeck Group LLC
Health Care 3: (Over $30 Million): BARA (Balfour Beatty,
Austin Commercial, H.J. Russell, Azteca Enterprises)
Mechanical 2: ($5-$10 Million)
TDIndustries
Mechanical 1: ($0-$5 Million) and 2015
Distinguished Building Merit Award
The Brandt Companies LLC
Health Care 1: ($0-$10 Million)
Skiles Group
Interior Finish-Out 2: ($500,000-$2 Million)
T&G Constructors
Interior Finish-Out 4: (Over $5 Million)
Mechanical 3: (Over $10 Million)
TDIndustries
Other Specialty (All Contract Amounts)
Walker Engineering Inc.
Exteriors: (All Contract Amounts)
Southern Botanical
Electrical 3: (Over $10 Million)
Walker Engineering Inc
No pictures:
Industrial Warehouse 2: (Over $5 Million)
AUI Contractors LLC
Interior Finish-Out 3: ($2-$5 Million)
Mapp Constructors
Electrical 1: ($0-$5 Million)
George-McKenna Electrical
Residential Multi-Family (any amount)
JE Dunn Construction
Residential Single Family (any amount)
Sebastian Construction Group
Specialty Construction (any amount)
Rogers-O’Brien Construction
Page 14
Builders take a bow
Safety Excellence:
In the Specialty Contractor Division Over 1
Million Man Hours: TDIndustries
In the Building Division, Under 100,000 Man
Hours: Cadence McShane
No Picture: In the Building Division, 250,001-450,000 Man Hours:
Structure Tone Southwest Inc.
2015 Specialty Contractor Safety
Professional of the Year:
Jamie Dabbs,
TDIndustries
2015 General Contractor Safety Professional
of the Year:
Jim Fentress,
2015 Specialty Contractor Superintendent
of the Year:
Farzin Pourshahidi,
Humphrey & Associates
2015 General Contractor Superintendent
of the Year:
Nick Terry,
2015 Magnolia Award:
Dinah Doty Hays,
2015 S.I.R. Award:
Mike McWay,
McCarthy Building Companies
2015 STEP Award Winners
Gold Level Companies:
Adolfson & Peterson
Big D Metalworks
Humphrey & Associates Inc.
Structure Tone Southwest Inc.
Platinum Level Companies:
Austin Commercial LP
DynaTen Corporation
SEDALCO LP
TDIndustries Inc.
2015 Vision Award
Lee Lewis Construction Inc.
Diamond Level Companies:
Balfour Beatty Construction
Byrne Construction Services
Chamberlin Roofing & Waterproofing
Johnston Products of Dallas Inc.
Kwest Group LLC
LEMCO Construction Services LP
Manhattan Construction Company
Rogers-O’Brien Construction Company
SpawGlass Contractors
W.G. Yates & Sons Construction
TEXO Challenge Cup: Humphrey & Associates
2015 Distinguished Building Merit Award Winners:
Adolfson & Peterson Construction
Bob Moore Construction
JE Dunn Construction
SEDALCO Inc.
Hunt Construction Group,
An AECOM Company
James R. Thompson Inc.
No picture: Weldon Contractors
Page 15
Construction Forecast
Interest rates up, labor down
for 2016
Shane Hesters, North Texas Division Manager
Yates Construction
Fort Worth, TX
W
hat is your opinion about the
current state of the Dallas/Fort
Worth construction industry?
By all accounts, the Dallas/Fort
Worth construction industry is currently
one of the hottest markets in the country. When assessing the viability of a certain geographic location, Yates Construction takes into consideration labor resources, commodities, equipment inventories and the level of state and local
economic development initiatives.
With D/FW’s business-friendly environment, along with an attractive cost of
doing business and cost of living, all four
of these indicators are particularly strong
right now. On the heels of the U.S. Federal Reserve recently raising interest
rates, D/FW could see a burst of home
sales with that market expected to reach
$24 billion by 2015 year-end, which
would be a record for the region and
spur development in additional sectors
that further impact and benefit our local
construction industry.
What markets do you expect your
company and industry to see an in-
crease in over the course of 2016?
Why?
D/FW is a dynamic market, and one
of the few in the country where multiple
sectors are all seeing concurrent and
consistent growth. Yates’ diverse portfolio includes public, manufacturing, athletic facilities, office and mixed-use projects and one of our targets in 2016 and
beyond is to leverage our people and
experience to establish a solid backlog of
private commercial construction projects
in North Texas. A primary strength of
Yates’ is our passion for and expertise in
building high-rise condominiums and
with D/FW experiencing the biggest
high-rise condo boom since the 1980s,
we foresee this being one of our busiest
markets next year. As one of ENR’s topranked multi-unit residential contractors
in the nation, Yates is uniquely qualified
to help owners deliver an entire spectrum of styles and prices to their highrise condo customers.
What do you foresee as the biggest
challenge your company and others
like it in the industry will face in 2016?
Construction Outlook:
Sweet (and Sour) ‘16
Ken
Simonson,
AGC of America
Chief
Economist
Arlington, VA™
T
exas contractors are facing a varied landscape in
2016. Overall, the outlook is favorable, but the slump
in oil and gas drilling will be a major drag.
The state continues to benefit from
one of the highest population growth
rates in the nation. That keeps demand
high for both single - and multifamily
housing, schools, stores and many other
categories of construction.
The U.S. Census Bureau reported in
March, “Two Texas metro areas -- Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land and Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington -- were the only
ones in the country to add more than
100,000 residents over the 2013-2014 period. Within the Houston metro area, Harris County alone gained almost 89,000
people, more than any other county in
the nation. The Lone Star State also had
four metro areas among the nation's 20
fastest growing by rate of change: Austin-Round Rock (third), Odessa (fourth),
Midland (ninth) and Houston (11th).”
For 2016, population growth is likely
to remain especially strong around Dallas, as three major national firms relocate
thousands of employees to new office
space there: Toyota and Liberty Mutual in
Plano, and State Farm in Richardson. Even
in areas of the state where population
growth is slowing, there will be a lot of
school construction to accommodate recent inflows of students.
The planning for an expanded Pana-
ma Canal, currently expected to open
sometime in 2016, has already triggered
billions of dollars of investment in ports,
pipelines and other transportation infrastructure, natural gas liquefaction plants,
and storage and distribution facilities.
More such investments will occur in the
coming year. In contrast, railroads are expected to cut back on construction, after
years of investing in new track and yards
to serve ports and to haul crude oil from
drilling areas without enough pipeline
capacity to refineries and terminals.
Low natural gas prices may encourage construction of more petrochemical
plants and gas-fired power plants. But
those same prices will hold down drilling,
related service and materials supply businesses, and investment in wind and solar
generation—all of which had contributed
to construction in Texas in recent years.
With the enactment in early December of a five-year federal highway and
transit funding bill, Texas and other states
will see a slight boost in federal dollars
for transportation infrastructure. State
funds also will be more abundant for
highways and universities.
Healthcare spending has picked up
nationally in 2015 after lagging ever since
the 2008-09 recession. Compared with
There are myriad challenges facing
the construction industry, but the shortage of skilled workers probably looms
largest. Carpenters, sheet metal installers,
brick layers and concrete workers are in especially short supply, but the industry is
also challenged with filling salaried positions such as project managers, estimators
and engineers. The unfortunate fact is that
too few students are being exposed to
construction careers or provided with the
basic skills needed to prepare for such a
career path. To address this issue, construction companies can increase funding
for career and technical education, work
with educators to help establish construction academy charter schools and expand
partnerships between apprenticeship
programs and community colleges. Because Yates’ primary asset is our people,
we continue to place a premium on recruiting, training and retaining top-ofclass performers that share our mission,
which is to provide value to our clients,
and our core values, which are safety, integrity, passion and commitment.
What do you think will be different for
your company and the industry in
2016 compared to the previous year?
Are there any trends that are generating buzz?
Yates continues to experience
steady and impressive growth in Texas.
In fact, we catapulted 19 spots from #32
in 2014 up to #13 in 2015 in ENR Texas and
Louisiana’s “Top Contractor” rankings.
Our portfolio diversity, combined with
our depth of talent, has allowed us to
stay active in multiple markets.
In 2016, Yates will continue to expand our focus on technology, with Ocuearlier periods, fewer patients are being
admitted overnight to a hospital, and
they are staying for fewer days. Consequently, hospitals are building more
emergency, diagnostic and treatment
rooms, and fewer recovery rooms. A larger share of healthcare construction
spending is going into standalone urgent-care facilities, outpatient surgical
centers and clinics in stores and shopping centers. These trends appear likely
to continue in 2016 in Texas as elsewhere.
Construction downshifted in Texas in
2015 while accelerating nationally. From
November 2014 to November 2015, U.S.
contractors increased their employee
count by 4.2%, whereas construction job
growth in Texas slowed to 1.6% from a
7.7% growth rate a year earlier. In the latest 12 months, the state tied for 36th out
of 50 states and the District of Columbia.
For 2016, national construction employment and spending growth should
continue, albeit slightly less robustly than
in 2015. Texas also will add construction
activity, but the growth will vary widely
by region and sector, with the totals
again falling short of the nation.
In the Austin-Round Rock metro
area, construction employment grew by
5% from November 2014 to November
2015. That rate outpaced the state and
the nation but was less robust than the
8% increase a year earlier. (Data for Austin and most other metro areas includes
mining and logging with construction.)
Thanks to population growth, tourism,
government and university spending,
construction in the capital area should
continue to outperform the state as a
whole in 2016.
In the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington
metro area, construction employment
has plummeted from some of the highest growth in the nation—a gain of
lus Rift at the forefront. The Rift is a virtual
reality head-mounted display headset
with integrated headphones that provide
a 3-D audio effect allowing the entire
project team to virtually walk through the
buildings they have just designed. With
our custom programming and software
optimization, Yates can create an incredible visual fidelity and an immersive field
of view that helps our clients visualize and
spatially coordinate their projects.
How would you sum up the last five
years for business at Yates, and what
do you predict for the next five years?
The past five years have been very
busy and productive for Yates, both in
Texas and nationally. We successfully
navigated the recession and actually
grew our team of people and project
portfolio in Texas. Our offices in D/FW,
San Antonio and Houston are all in expansion mode.
Long term, our Vision 2020 (known
as 10x20) identifies 10 areas of excellence
to focus on over the next five years with
specific metrics in each area to measure
our progress during this time frame, including safety, portfolio diversity, customer satisfaction, performance, training, innovation, community involvement,
culture, teamwork and sustainability.
Each area has a corporate champion to
lead our efforts, but it takes everyone’s
full support to succeed. 10x20 exemplifies Yates’ continued commitment to improvement and excellence as we prepare
for the future.
Founded in 1964, family-owned Yates
Construction provides a wide range of construction and building services. –mjm
11,500 jobs between November 2013 and
November 2014—to among the largest
declines—a loss of 2,800 jobs between
November 2014 and November 2015. (Because the data actually combine mining
and logging with construction, the gains
and losses to construction employment
alone are probably overstated.) In 2016,
Dallas and its immediate suburbs are likely to experience moderate-to-strong construction growth but construction
around Fort Worth will be dragged down
by oil-industry woes.
In the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land metro area, construction employment growth slowed dramatically in the
past year, from 16,600 jobs added between November 2013 and November
2014 to 4,000 in the following 12 months.
Continuing population growth, expanded school construction and the windup
of some office and industrial projects
may keep construction from losing jobs
overall in 2016, but further expansion is
unlikely for the time being.
Construction activity expanded
sharply in the San Antonio-New Braunfels
metro area in 2015. Construction employment jumped by 10% from November
2014 to November 2015, more than double the national rate or the local rate a
year earlier. In 2016, growth is likely to
continue but at a more subdued pace.
Construction activity was mixed in
South Texas in 2015. Year-over-year employment growth had matched or exceeded the national average through
early 2015 in the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission metro area but stalled beginning in
April. Employment has been nearly flat in
the Brownsville-Harlingen area after slipping throughout 2014 and 2015. (Data for
these and most other metro areas includes mining and logging with construction.) In 2016, both areas are likely to record small increases in construction.
Page 16
Construction Forecast
Lending small business
owners a hand
be purchased quickly with cash to a seller
versus waiting on financing.
Debra Ruiz, Vice President - Construction Loan
Manager
Wells Fargo
San Antonio, TX
P
art of Debra Ruiz’s job at Wells Fargo is to assist the
small business owner by working with them on
loans to purchase or build a space for their operations. These small business owners
are the clients of the construction companies and contractors who build or renovate
those spaces. So, we asked her what she sees in the construction loan forecast for
small business borrowers in 2016.
What does your position as construction loan manager of the SBA Lending
Group in San Antonio entail?
I manage and oversee an SBA portfolio of close to $40 million in construction-related loan volume. While overseeing this portfolio, I am maintaining excellent customer service to both my internal
and external clients of Wells Fargo Bank. I
have the entire State of Texas under my
management.
My specialty is in Small Business Administration, working with various general contractors, architects and the small
business borrower on a day-to-day basis.
We like to say that we are making dreams
come true in the small business world.
What do you expect will be the biggest changes to construction lending
in 2016?
On my desk and what I have seen approved in our Texas market are more and
more ground up construction projects.
We have a lot of land in Texas, so building
and owning your own building is key.
With the year’s end wrapping up and
winding down, I already have approxi-
mately $20 million in approved loan volume, all awaiting on their architects’
plans, zoning, replatting, permits, and
just construction bids from their selected
general contractor.
These are already in the closing
group and just waiting. This does not account for the new loans being approved
[in December], and this is just the one
month forecast in January 2016. I forecast
we are just going to get busier in the construction industry in 2016.
With that said, I foresee an increase
in construction material and costs, as this
happens every year. With activity in the
market and throughout Texas, I would
also hope for an increase in overall appraisal values for the small business customer/client.
What should clients expect when applying for construction loans?
With my job role as a construction
loan manager-SBA lending, I am working
with the borrower on their approved
loan to get them to the closing table as
well as making sure their selected general contractor has met the bank’s and SBA
requirement to minimize the construction risk.
The contractors are not applying for
the loan, but once I ask for their financials
for bank review, they feel like they are applying themselves. The overall goal is to
waive the payment and performance
bond fee for the small business owner.
This is the fee the contractors pass over
to the borrower/owner on the contract.
My goal is to try to eliminate this fee, to
benefit the small business.
Are there any expected shifts in the
market that would affect construction
loans next year?
I have seen historically the overall vacancies rates in existing real estate/condos improve a great deal. I know some of
our Texas cities do not have enough inventory to sell, or the real estate seems to
What does the process involve and
how long does it take?
The SBA-Small Business Lending process is not fast. So, that is a very openended question. We have some small
leaseholder deals that have historically
closed as quick as 10 days or less. But
keep in mind, the borrower has to be on
Quality craftsmen
in demand for 2016
In your opinion, what will be the challenges in the next year?
Craftsmen will be our greatest challenge.
The availability of qualified workers
on-site will affect the overall schedule
and quality of the projects we are constructing.
Roger Berry, President SLCH
SpawGlass Construction Corp.
Houston, TX
In your perspective, what is your projection for the Houston construction
industry for 2016?
I think the construction market will
be good in 2016, but not as robust as the
past two years.
In my opinion, the medical and higher education markets should be leaders
in the industry for the upcoming year.
Do you expect any increases or decreases in business or interest rates?
They have been stable. I do not think
they will go up. You hear about it from
the Fed, but nothing has happened. I
think since we are in an election season,
that will come down the road. Lenders
are being very aggressive and competitive in rates to secure deals. So, it is the
time for a small business to request a
loan, if they plan to expand, purchase a
building or build a new building for their
small business.
What do you think will be the keys to
success for 2016?
As always, find the right project that
fits your current team’s strengths and
ability to perform, including sufficient
tradesman required to meet the project
schedule.
What is your projection concerning
the cost/and or supply of materials?
I believe that certain materials will
reduce in price based on the commodity
markets.
However concrete will probably be
steady based on future demand.
Is it a good time to build?
I think it is a good time to build as a
private owner, financing is favorable.
spot and proactive on their end in providing the paperwork the bank has required.
Then, the longer processed loans can
take up to six months-plus. Keep in mind,
this is based on all of the replatting, zoning and permitting processes involved.
The loan approval process is the first step
of a long process. The six months estimate
is the beginning phase of loan application
up to the close date. And the close date is
based on when the building permit is issued. So, the overall process is truly up to
the borrower and how fast they really
want to close their overall project.
What changes have you seen in construction lending, as a market or in
terms of business, over the last five
years? And what would you like to see
change?
Projects are getting bigger and busier.
As I stated earlier, if the inventory for real estate is scarce, then small businesses are
wanting and needing to purchase their own
building or building a new one for business
expansion. So, it will only get busier.
The overall appraisal values have
bounced back since the lull we had back in
2008-2009. So again, I have to repeat that
it is the time to borrow, especially for the
small business. And keep in mind, the
small business has to be profitable and not
in the red or negative (net losses). I forecast more and more borrowers want to be
their own boss, and then be a small business owner themselves versus working for
a big corporate company. And I believe
the city fees will increase year after year.
I would like to see the building permit process throughout the major cities
of Texas move a bit faster to benefit the
small business owner.
Debra Ruiz began her banking career in
1996 and has been working with small businesses since 1999. She has been with Wells
Fargo Bank, NA-SBA Lending for 12 years. –mh
However budget constraints seem
to always push the limits of available
money for certain types of work.
What is on the horizon for the Houston construction industry?
It will be interesting to see what the
oil companies capital projects will do
based on the current price of oil.
In addition, I think the medical projects will probably rise to the top of future work.
SpawGlass is a Texas-based general
contractor, construction manager, design/
builder and civil contractor with offices in
Austin, Houston, North Texas, San Antonio,
South Texas and the Golden Triangle. –ab
NEXT MONTH
Feb 2016
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Construction Safety
2016
Schedule
Jan: Construction Forecast
Feb: Construction Safety
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Apr:Women in Construction
May:Concrete Industry
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Oct: Specialty Contractors
Nov: Architecture & Engineering
Dec: Construction Equipment
Page 17
Round-Up
Ho-ho-holiday
Fort Worth construction management
services firm SEDALCO announces the
addition of GPaul Holliman as executive
vice president/chief financial officer. Holliman, a 33-year veteran of the construction industry, was owner and president of
Holliman Consulting Group PC and previously served in the same capacity for a
major D/FW mechanical contracting firm.
He is a member of the board of directors
to ABC National representing the TEXO
chapter and is on ABC of Texas’ executive
committee and TEXO’s government affairs committee.
E
Santa greets guests with a hearty “Ho ho ho!”
Submissions
Round-Up
veryone was on the nice list at the
Regional Hispanic Contractors Asssociation’s (RHCA) Holiday Celebration with Santa held Dec. 15 at the Dallas’
historic Belo Mansion. Plaques of recognition were distributed and guests posed
for photos with ol’ St. Nick and brought
items for the association’s annual toy,
food and coat drive. –mjm
RDO Equipment has named Mark Kuhn
as general manager of its Irving office.
Kuhn joined the company in 2006 and
previously served as a sales professional,
sales manager and general manager at
other locations within the company.
Ann Hicks of the Women Construction
Owners and Executives (WCOE)
Association gives a plaque
acknowledging WCOE’s support of the
RHCA’s Luna Awards to RHCA chairman
Ben Muro.
Stephen H. Lucy,
PE, has been named
chief executive officer of structural and
civil
engineering
firm JQ. Lucy, a
graduate of Texas
A&M
University
with a Masters degree in civil engineering, joined JQ
in 1994 as co-founder of JQ’s Dallas office.
In December 2015, Lucy was awarded the
Distinguished Graduate Award, presented by the Zachry Department of Civil Engineering at Texas A&M University.
This is a monthly section for brief company announcements of new or
recently promoted personnel, free of charge, as space allows.
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Email (w/digital photo, if available) by the 15th of any month,
for the next month’s issue (published 1st of each month).
Email info to appropriate city issue, with “Round-Up” in the subject line:
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
San Antonio:
[email protected]
Austin:
[email protected]
Dallas/Ft. Worth: [email protected]
Houston: [email protected]
South Texas:
[email protected]
Season’s meetings
RHCA’s John Martinez, Santa Claus and Yolanda Tafoya
Association Calendar
Content submitted by Associations to Construction News
AIA - Dallas
NAWIC - Fort Worth
American Institute of Architects
Nat’l Assn. of Women in Construction
Jan. 14: 2016 AIA Dallas/TEXO Economic
Outlook, Noah’s Event Venue, 6101 East
Campus Circle Dr., Irving, 5pm. Presenters are Kermit Baker and Anirban Basu
Jan. 21: Business/dinner meeting, Diamond Oaks Country Club, 5821 Diamond
Oaks Dr. N, Fort Worth, 5:30pm
AIA - Fort Worth
N. Tx Roofing Contractors Assn.
American Institute of Architects
Jan. 13: Lunch and Learn meeting, International Bowling Museum, Arlington, 621
Six Flags Dr., Arlington, 11:30am
Jan. 23: AIA Fort Worth Awards Ceremony, Kimbell Art Museum, Piano Pavilion,
3333 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, 10am
ASCE
American Society of Civil Engineers
Jan. 11: Dallas branch meeting, 11am
ASA North Texas
NTRCA
PHCC
Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors
Jan. 19: Lunch meeting, Brookhaven
Country Club, 3333 Golfing Green Dr.,
Farmers Branch, 11:30am
American Subcontractors Association
PMI – Dallas
Jan. 28: Luncheon with Corgan Architects, Las Colinas Country Club, 4400 N
O’Connor Blvd., Irving, 11am
Project Management Institute
ASSE – Southwest
SAM
Jan. 11: Chapter meeting, Dallas Zoo Auditorium, 650 South R.L. Thornton Frwy.,
Dallas, 11:30am
Subcontractors Assn. of the Metroplex
CSI – Dallas
TEXO
The Construction Association
Jan. 14: CSI Dallas ACC Kick Off Event,
Addison Conference Center, 5:30pm
Jan. 14: 2016 AIA Dallas/TEXO Economic
Outlook, Noah’s Event Venue, 6101 East
Campus Circle Dr., Irving, 5pm. Presenters are Kermit Baker and Anirban Basu.
Visit www.texoassociation.org for details
and registration
Jan. 12: Eat, Drink and Be NARI! Ferguson, 1403 Slocum St., Dallas, 6pm
When winning gets “ugly” …
Jan. 7: Dinner meeting, MCM Elegante
Hotel, 2330 W. Northwest Hwy., Dallas
Construction Specifications Institute
NARI - Dallas
Jan. 21: Dinner meeting, Brookhaven
Country Club, 3333 Golfing Green Dr.,
Farmers Branch, 6:30pm
American Society of Safety Engineers
Nat’l Assn. of the Remodeling Industry
“Business” was the first order of business for the Asian American Contractors Association
of Texas (AACATX) at their annual fourth quarter general membership meeting. But, since
they were already assembled at a nice venue – NTTA’s Plano headquarters – anyway, they
put a post-meeting holiday party on their agenda as well. –mjm
NAWIC - Dallas
Nat’l Assn. of Women in Construction
Jan. 18: Dinner meeting, MCM Elegante,
2330 W. Northwest Hwy., Dallas, 5:30pm
L-R: ABC Supply’s Scott Adams’ topper out-uglied sweaters worn by Brettco Roofing’s
Holly Green and ER Systems’ Nick Febo, who placed second and third, respectively.
The three competed at the North Texas Roofing Contractors Association’s (NTRCA)
holiday party, held Dec. 9 at Irving’s Champps Kitchen & Bar. –mjm
Page 18
If you could give anything
to your best friend,
what would it be?
I would give her an amazing vacation to
Europe. We have both visited and she is
dying to get back to explore!
Laurel G. Wesson, United Rentals
I’d give my best friend what money can’t
buy: Free time together! We are so busy
with our work and home lives that we
don’t get to spend nearly enough time
just being together.
Sarah Hutchins,
Steel Construction Services
I would give my best friend the gift of
seeing her mother again. She lost her
mother to cancer weeks before her first
baby girl was born. Parents and grandparents are such blessings and I sincerely
wish she would even have just one photo
of her mom and daughter together.
Lindsey Stringer, Texas Masonry Council
I would give her a trip for fun and relaxation to escape the hustle and bustle of
juggling family, kids, work, activities, and
everything she perfectly, but tirelessly,
manages day to day (of course I would go
with her!).
Ashley Tinsley, FORT Construction
If I could give my best friend anything, I
would give them the gift of joy. That they
could be happy with their relationship
with God and His infinite love, happy
with themselves as a person and happy
with their loved ones, life would be grand
indeed! May joy reach everyone in 2016!
Jo Britt, IEC
I think I would give my best friend more
quality time to spend together. We don’t
Santa’s helpers
have much family around here. This
Christmas I am taking her and my boys to
a huge light exhibition in Houston. I’m
taking her to it because nothing I can buy
would make her as happy as spending
time together.
Gloria Zhou, Expert Industry Inc.
My husband is my best friend. I try to give
him the gift of time with our son without
me tagging along. They need time to just
be guys together, to take father-and-son
trips. There are times that I wish I was taking a vacation too, but I understand how
important it is for them to pal around
without ol’ Mom. When they return home
from their excursions, it’s always a gift to
me to see how strong their bond is.
Melissa Jones-Meyer, Construction News
I would give my friend a plane ticket to
go home to the Philippines. It has been
seven years since she has been back, and
it is very expensive. That is the best gift I
could give her.
April Siddens,
D&H United Fueling Solutions Inc.
My very best friend in the world is trying
to have a baby; she has been trying for a
while. I don’t even have to think about
what I would give her; I would give her a
baby.
Kelly Dando, ASA & CFMA
If I could give my best friend, my wife,
anything, it would be perfect children!
That would be huge for her!
Jeremy T. Darden,
Trinity Drywall & Plastering Systems
Trim on tap
Santa stopped his sleigh to pose with the ladies of the National Association of Women
in Construction’s Dallas chapter. NAWIC hosted a holiday party at Duston’s Prime Steak
House, with members exchanging gifts and collecting donations of children’s books,
school supplies and gently worn winter coats. –mjm
continued from Page 1 — Venture gained
the people and resources required to
handle very large projects, both in terms
of size and financial commitment by the
client. We’re especially attuned to the demands of clients in the fields of technology, telecommunications, automotive
and financial services.”
A staff of approximately 10 people is
planned for the Dallas office. Outside Dallas, the company will be offering its services from 20 locations around the world.
“Clients can benefit by working with
experienced designers and construction
experts from the same company from
start to finish,” Fraser says. “We can assist
clients from easy collaboration into integration of design, then all the way
through construction and start-up.”
Carlson Walbridge Group LLC provides
design, construction and design-build services to meet the technology-driven needs of
enterprise clients in multiple industries. –mjm
continued from Page 1 — RK acquires RRA
“The Dallas office will continue to
provide cultural resource compliance
services to private and public sector clients in Texas, Oklahoma and surrounding regions,” Cole says. “This move
means that we now have access to their
staff and services to offer to our clients,
and Raba Kistner now has our additional
services in the archaeological field to
draw upon.”
By joining the Raba Kistner family of
companies, RRA is afforded the opportunity to expand its menu of service offerings to include other core services of-
fered by RK. Among other offerings, this
would include environmental, geotechnical, material testing and program management services. The two groups will
develop and implement plans to begin
expansion of the service offerings in
2016.
“By combining our expertise and resources, this acquisition expands our
technical capabilities and the geographic
area with which we can provide cultural
resource compliance services,” Dr. Steve
Tomka, Cultural Resources program director for RK Environmental, says. –mjm
continued from Page 1 — Simply heavenly
The Trinity River Tap-House got “trimmed” by the National Association of Women in
Construction’s (NAWIC) Fort Worth chapter, who celebrated the holidays with an ornament
exchange Dec. 17. L-R: Brettco Roofing’s Holly Green, Gates That Open Inc.’s Martina
Wisherd, FAA’s Kathryn Oestricher, AXA Advisors’ Rebecca Turner, Steele & Freeman’s
Dena Rowland, AUI Contractors’ Shelie Gaffron, Direct Results’ Lara Siegel, Weaver’s
VaLissa Padgett, Cano Electric’s Stacy Van Pelt, Double Eagle Electric’s Lori Donnell
and AccuTex Electric’s Sarah Swan got in on the swap. –mjm
project,” Wallace says. “Another challenge was working with cast stone materials that were primarily placed at interior
and exterior openings while maintaining
the structural capabilities and keeping a
waterproofed building.”
Once the spaces were constructed,
high-quality materials were incorporated
to achieve a stunning effect. Slate roofing
material and marble countertops were
imported from Ourense, Spain and Verona, Italy, respectively. Other elements
were locally commissioned, such as the
Dallas-fabricated cast stone and Low-E
glass, the Lueders, TX cornerstone, and
the Arkansas-fabricated Douglas fir decking and yellow pine trusses and beams.
The new spaces allow the church to
host larger groups and gatherings than
could have previously been accommodated, but thoughtful design of the
structures creates an aura of intimacy despite its grand proportions.
“The building has a refined audiovisual and theatrical presence without losing focus of the interior architectural features through the use of millwork and
sound-absorbing features,” Wallace says.
“The three buildings – the welcome center, education and chapel – separately
invoke a feeling of ascension to heaven
from which the new chapel has been
named. The 50-ft. ceilings and exposed
wood trusses draw visitors’ eyes upward
toward the heavens, while the size of the
room still allows an intimate connection
with the speaker.”
Completed in December 2015, the
space is nothing less than inspirational.
Cast stone fabricated in Dallas was used
throughout the buildings.
“All members of the project team
provided key input for delivering a project that reflected the owner’s desires,”
Wallace says. “The architect was able to
illustrate the owner’s ideas and then work
closely with Lee Lewis Construction for
fundamental construction methods and
constructability.”
Established in 1976, Lee Lewis Construction Inc. offers pre-construction, construction and post-construction services
through its Dallas, Lubbock and Austin offices. The company focuses on education,
sports, recreational, civic, municipal, religious, hospitality and entertainment, retail,
financial, healthcare and corporate facilities. –mjm
D
Page 19
Quite fetch-ing
esign is going to the dogs! To support the SPCA of Texas’ Home for
the Holidays event, local design
firms created luxury doghouses to be displayed and raffled off, with a six-category
Big Dog Award: “Canine Cabana,” BRW and
SEDALCO Construction Services
“Bark + Build” competition hosted by the
American Institute of Architects’ (AIA)
Dallas chapter and TEXO, the Construction Association. –mjm
Most Innovative Award: “Wilson Mansion,”
OMNIPLAN and Abstract Construction
Best in Show: “Benchy Bungalow,” GFF and
Ridgemont Commercial Construction
Teacup Pup Award: “Midcentury K9 House,”
BOKA Powell and T&G Constructors
Hot Dog Award: “Pup Pavillion,” The Beck
Group and Alliance Glazing Technologies
Enviro Dog Award: “Canine Eco-Cabin,”
Malone Maxwell Borson Architects and
Manhattan Construction Group
Construction News JOB SIGHT
A princely project
A North Texas Contracting foreman moves dirt on the new Prince of Peace Christian
School & Early Learning Center expansion project in Carrollton. MYCON General
Contractors served as the project’s GC and WRA Architects Inc. designed the space,
which is slated for completion in January 2016. –mjm
Scary Christmas to you
Why settle for the same-old-same-old when sending out Christmas cards? C1S Group
Inc. didn’t. To commemorate their season’s greetings, the Dallas-based engineering,
construction and LEED sustainability firm used a group photo taken from its Halloween
festivities. Oh, the weather inside is frightful, but this crew is so delightful! –mjm
Page 20
BEST
Construction Tool?
Pulling up to the Station
ADVERTISING in
Construction News
210-308-5800
www.ConstructionNews.net
FORT Construction joined project owner Robert Dow and Burleson mayor Ken Shetter
on Dec. 14 to break ground on the city’s Old Town Station. Phase I of the five-acre project
includes a 36,000-sf office building featuring several businesses, with construction slated to
begin in January. Attendees were treated to live music and catering by Rio Mambo. –mjm
Sweet spot
Building enthusiasts, contractors, engineering and architecture firms, including BOKA
Powell, collaborated to create a town made entirely of gingerbread. Accented with Rice
Krispy roads and candy cane lampposts, GINGERTOWN 2015, which benefitted the Children’s
Craniofacial Association, was on display Dec. 1-13 at Dallas’ NorthPark Center. –mjm

January - Construction News

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