Contractors Blitz Capitol Hill
The Associated General Contractors of America recently closed
its legislative conference with a lobbying blitz under the
theme of Construction=Jobs=Growth.
AGC members from all over the country joined in Washington,
D.C., to hear from congressional leaders, congressional staff,
administration officials and political pundits.
Key issues for the meeting were the highway reauthorization,
water infrastructure funding, permanent repeal of the death
tax, multi-employer pension plan reform and Federal Accounting
Standard 150.
AGC CEO Stephen E. Sandherr said construction is the backbone
of the economy and advocated that construction investment
is an investment in the future.
He stated, "Every dollar added to construction adds $2
to the Gross domestic product, including $500 million in new
manufacturing orders and $500 million spread through other
sectors of the economy."
"The value of construction put in place makes up eight
percent of the GDP, and 6.8 million jobs that average an hourly
wage of $18.99," continued Sandherr.
"Construction also makes up 11 percent of all manufactured
goods ordered."
ABC Chapter Signs CLAS Partnership
Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc., Texas Coastal
Bend Chapter, Corpus Christi, recently signed a Construction
Leaders Agreement for Safety (CLAS) partnership with the Occupational
Safety and Health Administration's regional office.
The goal of the CLAS partnership is to reduce injuries, illnesses
and fatalities on construction worksites. Under the national
agreement, which serves as a template for the local CLAS agreements,
Platinum members of ABC's safety training and evaluation process
(STEP) that enter into CLAS partnerships with OSHA are not
required to undergo programmed inspections for 12 months following
the successful conclusion of an OSHA verification inspection.
Additionally, CLAS participants in good standing with the
agency are eligible for maximum good faith, size and history
penalty reductions currently available in the OSHA Field Inspection
Reference Manual.
ABC's Texas Coastal Bend Chapter is the 40th chapter nationwide
to participate in this partnership.
Design Award/Architect Winners Honored
Seven projects and their designers were recently recognized
at a special ceremony held during the Texas Society of Architects'
64th Annual Convention and Design Products Expo at the Fort
Worth Convention Center.
The annual competition honors outstanding architectural projects
by practicing architects in Texas.
The winning projects were chosen from 271 entries by nationally
prominent architects, Michael McCall, principal of his own firm
in San Francisco; Dan Rockhill, professor of architecture at
the University of Kansas; and, Maryann Thompson, founder of
Maryann Thompson Architects, Cambridge, Mass., were the judges
for the design awards competition.
The winning projects and architects of TSA 2003 Design Awards
competition are:
Austin Convention Center Expansion, Austin
By Page Southerland Page Architects, Austin
Highly refined in its materials and detailing, this addition
links the existing facility to adjacent entertainment districts.
The main entry is punctuated by a sophisticated array of blue-tinted
solar panels that is as much a work of public art as a technical
solution to energy efficiency.
Marcus B Armijo Library Addition, El Paso
By Alvidrez Architecture, El Paso
An elegant in-fill project enclosed an exterior courtyard
to create a children's reading room, encompassing a dramatic
mural depicting Latino achievements from the pre-Colombian
era to the Space Age.
House by a Pond, Dallas
By Max Levy Architects, Dallas
Flowing water becomes a design element that connects this
beautifully rendered home to its site. Downspouts merge in
the open-dog-run to send rainwater coursing down alongside
a stepped pathway.
Retail Prototype: Goodwill, Austin
By Team Haas Architects, Austin
Seeking to upgrade its image from a thrift store selling castoff
goods, Goodwill Industries asked the architect to design a
kit of parts that included interior layout and exterior signage.
The result is a cleverly detailed storefront that has tripled
sales.
Round Valley Office Building & Garage, Houston
By Architectworks, Houston
The client needed a place to work on his expensive cars, but
also lease space next door to generate income. Simple materials
are gracefully woven together in a low-key project that exceeds
the requirements for most speculative buildings.
Sunlit House, Dallas
By Max Levy Architects, Dallas
Set far back from the street on a non-descript suburban tract,
this Modern Style residence offers protected views to the
outdoors and shelters its occupants within refined interior
spaces.
Twin Peaks, Austin
By M.J. Neal Architects, Austin
Two tall, narrow structures next door to each other, these
homes feature an assortment of bright colors and a broad palette
of materials. Both homes bring the outdoors inside through
ground-level screen porches and upper-level patios set within
the site's canopy of trees.
|
print this page
e-mail this page
