ConstructionForum 🕸

From RiverBender:  At a recent “What’s Up Downtown” meeting, the CEO of The Wedge Innovation Center shared more about what’s in the building and how the community can engage. Scot Heathman was named the CEO of The Wedge prior to its opening in April 2025. He explained that The Wedge is a space for the […]

From Leader Publications:  The Missouri Department of Transportation fully opened a new roundabout constructed in the southeast quadrant of the I-55/Hwy. 67 interchange south of Festus on May 17. Northbound I-55 traffic exiting at the Festus exit (Exit 174) to travel southbound Hwy. 67 will now use the now fully open roundabout to access Hwy. […]

From The Architect’s Newspaper:  In its April Architecture Billings Index (ABI), the AIA shared that billings have dropped “in 28 out of the past 31 months.” This last month was no exception: April reported a score of 43.2, a decrease from March’s 44.1—any number below 50 indicates a decrease in billings from the previous month. […]

From St. Louis Magazine:  The St. Louis region’s continued struggles to retain and attract new residents are nothing new. It’s become an annual ritual of holding our collective breath to see just how bad the damage is when the U.S. Census Bureau releases its population estimates each spring. St. Louis city and county officials believe […]

From St. Louis Post-Dispatch:  An overhaul of the University of Missouri-St. Louis includes plans to revamp much of the school’s southern campus over the next several years. UMSL plans to demolish old buildings there and develop a workforce district with retail and businesses where students can learn on the job. The university hasn’t finalized what […]

From Construction Dive:  On April 1, thousands of Health and Human Services workers arrived at work to find their identification badges failed to let them into their jobsite. They were placed on administrative leave with a letter of termination set for June 2. Employees at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health were among […]

From St. Louis Business Journal:  With public services pushed to the limit by the May 16 tornado that hit St. Louis, some of the region’s largest companies are pitching in to do what they can to help in the immediate aftermath, especially in North City. The Regional Business Council, a business advocacy group, immediately donated […]

From Construction Business Owner:  Construction workers, firefighters, military personnel and doctors — these are the “toughest jobs in America,” according to a new survey. The poll included 2,000 Americans (1,000 of whom are trade workers), asking respondents what they believe the “toughest” jobs are and what comes to mind when they think of “tough jobs.” […]

From St. Louis Business Journal:  A developer who proposed a $106 million high-rise apartment tower on prime real estate in Clayton has dropped the plan in favor of redeveloping the existing building. The proposed 21-story high rise at 111-121 S. Meramec Ave. in downtown Clayton was to be developed by Revive Capital Development of Kansas City, which […]

From St. Louis Magazine:  Two Midtown buildings that nearly fell prey to the wrecking ball will see new life as early as this fall—when they’re slated to reopen after years of vacancy as The Key – Burger Bar & Boogie. The Key will combine a fast-casual restaurant, a sports bar, and an adjacent music venue […]

From Builder:  Economist and financial historian Peter Bernstein famously said, “Forecasts create the mirage that the future is knowable.” Unpredictability often emerges in the face of expectation, and the only staple of the future is uncertainty. Look no further than 2024 for the latest example. Following the Fed’s 50-basis point (bp) rate cut in September, […]

From Leader Publications:  Spectrum, a suite of communications services from Charter Communications Inc., held a grand opening for its new Field Operations Center in Herculaneum on April 25. The facility, 1555 McNutt St., houses more than 100 employees who service customer homes and businesses, maintain the network and lead network construction initiatives. Monte Miller, communications […]

From St. Louis Post-Dispatch:  The developer trying to revive the empty AT&T tower downtown said Friday his plans were in limbo after state lawmakers ended their session this week without approving a key subsidy. Charles Goldman, of Boston-based Goldman Group, said he would pursue all available options to finance the redevelopment project, but warned it […]

From St. Louis Business Journal:  St. Louis Lambert International Airport is seeking more contractors to work on its proposed $3 billion redevelopment into a single-terminal facility. The airport, via its owner and operator, the city of St. Louis, has put out requests for qualifications for construction, surveying and geotechnical work on the project. Responses are […]

From STL.News:  Across the nation, and certainly relevant to residents in the St. Louis metropolitan area, patterns in political discourse at both federal and local levels are drawing scrutiny.  Observers and studies indicate that increasing partisan divides, procedural roadblocks, and focusing on symbolic actions can create significant hurdles to addressing substantive, long-term community issues.  While […]

From RiverBender:  The Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) announced the conditional award of more than $50 million in state and federal funding to spur the development of permanent supportive housing throughout Illinois. These critical investments will enable the construction or rehabilitation of seven developments, creating 129 units of affordable housing integrated with comprehensive services to […]

From St. Louis Business Journal:  Plans are underway for a new 100,000-square-foot retail development that’s to include the latest location of a St. Louis-based grocery store chain. The newest location of Chesterfield-based Dierbergs Markets is planned for New Town Boulevard in St. Charles, near the Missouri Route 370 interchange. The 73,000-square-foot store will be the […]

From St. Louis Magazine:  Following a three-year, $30 million renovation effort, a century-old apartment complex in DeBaliviere Place has a new name, modern amenities, and a high-profile tenant on the way. The Era Collective Apartments recently celebrated its grand opening, showcasing more than 8,000 square feet of updated amenities across four buildings on Union Avenue just north […]

From Bloomberg:  On film, mental health facilities designed for children are too often pale and plastic. Think of the linoleum-floored corridors of Girl, Interrupted, the institutional green trim of It’s Kind of a Funny Story. Behavioral clinics for youth are aggressive in their lack (of color, of amenity, of detail), underlining patients’ separation from the outside world […]

From Construction Business Owner:  Construction leaders at all levels must be aware of the rising risks of workplace misconduct. Company principals should be prepared to promptly and effectively investigate all circumstances of misconduct in the workplace. This includes incidents both in the office and on jobsites. In today’s increasingly litigious environment, there can be no […]