Legal/Regulation
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Hard Rock New Orleans developer will not implode partially collapsed building
1031 Canal Development said a conventional demolition could start sooner, help keep the structure stable and give crews a better chance to recover the two deceased workers inside.
By Kim Slowey • Dec. 05, 2019 -
Report: Scope of work changes top cause of construction disputes
Consultancy HKA said contractors could use technology as a way to reduce the number of disputes, but it is not a sure solution for human error.
By Kim Slowey • Dec. 04, 2019 -
Lawsuit threatens $275M Tennessee MLS stadium construction
A local activist organization claims that a city agency's unfair alliance to investors in the Nashville FC team swayed its awarding of contracts to Populous, Mortenson and Messer Construction.
By Kim Slowey • Nov. 27, 2019 -
ColumnThe Dotted Line: Everything you need to know about construction contracts
Contracts are crucial components of the construction process, but they can be among the most complicated and controversial aspects as well. As the industry shifts to increasingly collaborative project delivery methods and adopts new materials and technologies, construction professionals need to s...
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ColumnThe Dotted Line: What happens when a bonding company is called in
Making a claim against a performance bond is complicated, a legal expert explained, and it's critical to understand that the bonding company has four main options, outlined here.
By Kim Slowey • Nov. 26, 2019 -
Work resumes after building in Cincinnati under construction by Turner partially collapses, killing worker
Eight days after the deadly incident, structural engineer Thornton Tomasetti has deemed it safe to continue working on some sections of the mixed-use development.
By Joe Beeton • UPDATED: Dec. 3, 2019 at 10:05 a.m. -
Tappan Zee Constructors sues New York to prove it's owed $900M in bridge construction change orders
The construction consortium claims that the NY State Thruway Authority is dragging its feet on providing documents that show the drastic change orders made during construction of the new Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge.
By Kim Slowey • Nov. 26, 2019 -
Surprise inspectors stop work at more than 2K NYC construction sites and counting
Despite pushback from developers, a team of 38 has randomly inspected more than 20,000 major construction projects in the city, saying it's resulted in safer working conditions, and that number is set to increase.
By Kim Slowey • Nov. 25, 2019 -
SponsoredMoving your inspections online: Four surprising things you'll learn once you make the leap
Are your competitors winning more work because of their processes? Surprisingly yes. And here’s why.
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HVAC sub claims Skanska owes it $4M in change orders for New York medical center project
A lawyer for Dynamic Systems said there's no ostensible reason for the GC to withhold pay unless it's in a dispute with the owner.
By Kim Slowey • Nov. 19, 2019 -
OSHA: Faulty wiring at Universal Orlando caused electric shocks to employees, guests
The theme park was not fined for the incident, but one legal expert says the company and contractors that built the park could be sued by individuals who were injured.
By Kim Slowey • Nov. 14, 2019 -
AIA updates construction management contract documents
The AIA's revisions address the larger industry trend of early collaboration in preconstruction and integrated project delivery methods.
By Kim Slowey • Nov. 14, 2019 -
SponsoredThe value catalyst for building advantage
Create value in your company by taking a proactive approach throughout the construction process.
By Jason Peace, Director Product and Marketing Management, Georgia-Pacific • Nov. 08, 2019 -
Here's an interactive guide to the most common commercial building code violations
Subcontractors make most of the violations that inspectors uncover, so it's important to know what to look for.
By Kim Slowey • Nov. 06, 2019 -
Plumbing sub on New York healthcare project sues Walsh-Consigli for $22M
In the lawsuit, Brian Trematore Plumbing & Heating claims a "defective design" and lack of communication led to major setbacks on the $545 million Vassar Brothers Medical Center in Poughkeepsie, New York.
By Jenn Goodman • Nov. 04, 2019 -
Grenfell Tower materials likely didn't meet code, 'fueled' deadly fire
Officials in the U.K. have concluded in the first phase of their official inquiry that the fatal June 2017 incident in London was due to a combination of unsafe building materials and human error in the design process.
By Kim Slowey • Nov. 04, 2019 -
Trump allows Texas border wall construction to begin without standard environmental reviews
The border wall won't be subject to more than 30 typical regulations, including the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act, a historic preservation act, and safe water acts.
By Kim Slowey • Nov. 01, 2019 -
Council: No amount of marijuana OK for 'safety sensitive' jobs
The National Safety Council's position is complicated for those in construction, as it's hard enough to find workers to fill ostensibly dangerous field positions even without drug screening.
By Jennifer Carsen • Oct. 31, 2019 -
Deep Dive
When construction companies need to build a new identity
Using a DBA or creating a new corporate entity are ways contractors can distribute liability, expand geographically, update brand identity or even take on work that would put them in political crosshairs.
By Kim Slowey • Oct. 30, 2019 -
Deep DiveThe Dotted Line: The growing perils of using undocumented workers
Contractors risk heavy financial penalties, legal fees, a bad reputation and even jail if they hire laborers who aren't cleared to work in the U.S.
By Kim Slowey • Oct. 29, 2019 -
Victims of the Hard Rock Hotel New Orleans collapse file lawsuits alleging negligent construction practices
Those injured in the fatal Oct. 12 incident are claiming that, among labor-related and other shortcuts, flawed engineering processes are to blame.
By Kim Slowey • Oct. 29, 2019 -
San Francisco's office development fees set to more than double
The costliest city to build in is set to get even more expensive, with the higher fees, according to a city economic report, even making some projects "financially infeasible."
By Kim Slowey • Oct. 25, 2019 -
E-verify to be mandatory for contractors in Pennsylvania and maybe more states
President Donald Trump has expressed interest in making the federal, online legal employment status verification system more widespread, possibly as part of a larger overhaul of U.S. immigration law.
By Jennifer Carsen • Oct. 24, 2019 -
White House advances plan to revise NEPA, wants faster infrastructure permitting
National Environmental Policy Act rules, which were issued in 1978, have not seen a significant revision since 1986.
By Kim Slowey • Oct. 22, 2019 -
NTSB determines probable cause for deadly FIU bridge collapse
The board determined that FIGG's design had underestimated demand on the bridge structure, overestimated its capacity and failed to include redundancies that could have prevented the collapse. An independent engineering review failed to catch the errors.
By Kim Slowey • Oct. 22, 2019
