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The Korte Company will begin construction on a 100,000 square foot design-build warehouse facility within America’s Central Port, located in Madison, IL, just 5 miles north of downtown St. Louis. The tilt-up structure, located at the region’s only full-service, public intermodal port, will include warehouse and office space for a private tenant.

America’s Central Port’s business and industrial park currently contains over 1.7 million square feet of rail-served warehouse space, and approximately 70,000 square feet of office space with access to the Mississippi River, four interstate highways and six Class I railroads. This new development is the first phase of an industrial park expansion project at the Port that calls for up to 1 million square feet of new rail-served warehousing space.

America’s Central Port continues to expand economic growth for the region. With access to rail, water and trucking transportation options, the Port offers an ever growing number of benefits and services to not only the St. Louis Metro area, but the entire Midwestern Region.

According to Todd Korte, President and CEO of The Korte Company, “We are pleased to be partnered with America’s Central Port, whose positive economic impact continues to benefit the entire area.”

The Korte Company, founded in 1958, is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri with offices in Highland, Illinois; Norman, Oklahoma; and, Las Vegas, Nevada. The company manages, on average, an excess of $200 million in annual construction volume.

The Korte Company’s project expertise includes building for federal, state and local government agencies as well as the design and construction of healthcare facilities, medical office buildings, warehouse/distribution centers, religious facilities, commercial buildings, schools, recreation centers and office complexes.

3D printing is fast becoming part of many industries, and construction is no exception.

SpaceX and NASA are using 3D printing to make rocket engines. American Standard is using it to make artistic new faucets. Medical device companies are printing medical implants, and apparel companies are printing shoes and clothing.

Contractors in St. Louis are getting on the 3D wave ­­– for marketing.

The AGC’s membership meeting last week shone a light on how St. Louis-based contractors are using 3D printing.

Sidney Parkhe described how McCarthy Building Cos. have used a 3D printer for six years to make project models. “We use them to show clients what their building will look like,” she said, and also to show the concrete guys what their work should look like when they are done.

The benefit is that people who aren’t familiar with how to read drawings and BIM models and hold it in their hands and better see what the design looks like.

Steve Faust said Icon Mechanical began using 3D printing three years ago “strictly as a marketing tool.” A scale model next to a scale printed “man” helps owners understand the size of the equipment Icon will install.

On the BJC Campus Renewal project, however, they found that the printed 3Dmodel also helped with coordination, constructability, and planning.

“We worked through the model with HOK, Jacobs, Sachs Electric, and Ben Hur, and it really opened eyes to how any changes affected others,” Faust said.

Having a physical 3D model, “helps you think about constructability,” he said. They used it to figure out how much they could prefab, and how big the prefab assemblies could be, and how far the cranes could reach.

The result, he said, is that instead of having 25 people in the field, they had four people prefabricate sections the traditional way in the shop, and six guys put it together in the field.

Are they using 3D printing, also called additive manufacturing, to make parts or assemblies in the shop? Not yet.

There were a few occasions where demand for design services decreased from a month-to-month basis in 2015, but the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) concluded the year in positive terrain and was so in eight of the twelve months of the year.  As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate nine to twelve month lead time between architecture billings and construction spending. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) reported the December ABI score was 50.9, up from the mark of 49.3 in the previous month. This score reflects a slight increase in design services (any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings). The new projects inquiry index was 60.2, up from a reading of 58.6 the previous month.

“As has been the case for the past several years, there continues to be a mix of business conditions that architecture firms are experiencing,” said AIA Chief Economist Kermit Baker, Hon. AIA, PhD.  “Overall, however, ABI scores for 2015 averaged just below the strong showing in 2014, which points to another healthy year for construction this year.”

The outlook was not so rosy in the Midwest, however, where the ABI was down again, this time at 46.1. The Midwest had the lowest index of any of the four regions surveyed. The best outlooks were in the West, where the index stood at 53.7, and the South, where the index came in at 53.3.

The regional indices are calculated as a 3-month moving average, whereas the national index is a monthly number.

Information provided herein provided by Sultana Mangal of Gorilla 76 in collaboration with The Korte Company

From cutting-edge building technologies to innovative construction methods and better decision-making systems, projects are getting smarter. Given the rapid development of emerging construction opportunities, owners should demand faster projects, lower costs and better buildings. In this guide, we’ve compiled 10 trends that will shape and improve construction projects in 2016 and beyond.

1. Detailed 3D BIM Modeling

Architectural models have changed. Instead of 2D drawings, 3D computer designs using Building Information Modeling (BIM) are becoming the standard, providing owners better visualizations. And today, these are no longer limited to architectural models, but also models of specific building systems. Subcontractors’ design consultants use BIM to model structural engineering, mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems, ductwork, steel work and more. Combined with clash detection programs, designers can ensure no systems interfere with each other, preventing field coordination problems before they arise on the job site.

2. Cost and schedule modeling with 5D Macro-BIM

More and more design firms are adopting 5D Macro BIM at the earliest stages of design. These models show owners how early design concepts affect cost, schedule and constructability, allowing them to evaluate large-scale options and make informed decisions. These pre-construction designs used to be little more than napkin sketches, now they’ll be far more scientific and complete as the industry adopts 5D Macro BIM technology.

3. Pre-fabrication

Owners are increasingly realizing value as construction firms pre-fabricate building elements off-site. Instead of sequentially constructing facilities, contractors are starting to deliver multiple project elements at the same time to streamline schedules. While subcontractors pre-fabricate walls off-site, a contractor pours the foundation. With some of the most technical work performed off-site, in a more controlled environment, safety is improved too. Combining pre-fabrication with 3D BIM, project teams avoid potential conflicts regarding the use of building space. And owners see a safer, faster, less expensive project.

4. Energy-saving building systems

Design and construction firms are increasingly bringing energy-efficiency analysis into the early design and construction process. Builders, owners and architects have increasing opportunities to model how different energy-efficient solutions affect a build. With the use of Life Cycle Cost Analyses and Sustainable Return on Investment (SROI) reports, owners can make informed decisions to achieve a higher ROI and overall building value with green construction.

5. Smart buildings

Buildings are becoming increasingly connected, with systems that provide data monitoring and remote access. Technologies are emerging to allow owners to not only track their facility’s systems but also automate them. For example, distribution center lighting can be set to automatically turn on in specific zones and turn off when not in use, delivering significant energy savings to owners. One day, smart buildings will likely become the norm.

6. Integrated mobile technology and information on job sites

Construction teams are increasingly using mobile devices to file reports and share information on job sites, streamlining the construction process. The use of this technology reduces costs while improving the reliability of reports and job-site documentation. Using custom applications on mobile devices, the project team has instant answers to questions that would have previously slowed down a project with trips to job-site trailers for plan evaluations or calls to the architect. Pictures of job-site progress can be taken, and Quality Assurance can be improved.

7. Robotic automation

Some jobs in a construction project involve repetitive manual labor and can be automated. Robots and automated technology are emerging to handle certain tasks, such as robotic masonry and brick laying, and will be integrated into projects over the next few years. Skilled workers who can oversee and work in conjunction with robots will become increasingly important as well.

8. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are small devices with rotors and an on-board camera that takes stills or sends video to a live feed. Some can be piloted from an iPad, iPhone or Android device. Project teams are exploring their use in surveying to digitize geographical terrain and create 3D models of a site prior to construction. UAVs can aid in remote job-site monitoring, inspections and safer evaluations of hard-to-reach areas, such as 80 feet up a building or underneath a bridge. They can sit atop buildings, monitoring energy usage with thermal readings. And upon project completion, UAVs provide aerial building views and can be a marketing tool for those who want to highlight projects or properties. Legality questions remain, but in 2016 the FAA is expected to define licensure requirements for the commercial use of UAVs.

9. 3-D Printing in construction

A 3D printer is a machine that connects with a computer interface to process 3D designs. Then, using an extruder filled with a hot, liquid material (almost like a glue gun), prints the 3D design layer by layer. In the future, this technology may impact construction. As projects increasingly use detailed 3D models, 3D printing is a logical future progression. Already, firms have printed houses using giant 3D printers with cement and glass materials. In the last decade, the technology has rapidly progressed. Its benefits include reduction of health and safety risks, the use of recyclable materials, waste reduction and the capability to build otherwise infeasible design concepts. In the near future, some commercial project teams may 3D print building components, providing savings and schedule reduction.

10. Enhanced job-site safety

As technology moves workers further and further away from the most dangerous tasks, construction projects should get safer. Each year, workers die and sustain injuries from preventable job-site accidents. It’s one of the biggest problems in construction. The industry already has well-established safety practices, and combined with technology, jobs should be less dangerous.

Original Blog Posting: https://www.korteco.com/construction-industry-articles/10-construction-trends-watch-2016 ?

On behalf of the Home Builders Charitable Foundation (HBCF), 2016 HBA President Kim Hibbs of Hibbs Homes (left) presented a $15,000 donation to Kathryn Feldt, chief development officer of Marygrove.

The donation will be used to replace tiles in each of the showers of the six cottages that make up Marygrove’s Residential Treatment Program. Marygrove is dedicated to providing a safe living environment to children and youth while addressing their mental health needs. Marygrove serves approximately 190 children and young adults each day (approximately 1,300 each year) who are struggling with behavioral, emotional or other mental health issues. These issues are often the result of abuse, neglect or other early childhood traumas. The desired outcome for each child is to learn how to manage their mental health condition and develop life skills so they can move to a less restrictive environment.

The HBA is a local trade association of more than 500 member firms representing the residential construction industry.

St. Louis-based development company is well positioned for future growth

McCormack Baron Salazar, Inc., one of the nation’s leading for-profit developers of economically-integrated urban neighborhoods, is pleased to announce the installation of a new President of the development arm of the firm and other organizational changes that successfully position the development company for future decades.

Vince Bennett will become President of McCormack Baron Salazar, Inc.  Mr. Bennett will be responsible for the overall performance of the development company, overseeing all aspects of operations and managing a talented multi-disciplinary team of design, construction, legal, finance, and management staff.  Mr. Bennett previously served as Chief Operating Officer of McCormack Baron Salazar. Kevin McCormack, formerly President of McCormack Baron Salazar, Inc., will assume the role of Chief Executive Officer of the corporate holding company, MBA Properties, Inc.

“McCormack Baron Salazar is deeply committed to the work of bettering communities for families, children, seniors and veterans,” states Richard Baron, founder and Chairman of MBA Properties, Inc.  “There is an ongoing need across the country for providing quality, affordable housing as the cornerstone of rebuilding cities – and now is the time for a capable leader like Vince to assume a larger role within the firm to continue our mission and continue to grow the company.”

Mr. Bennett joined McCormack Baron Salazar in 1993, when he was hired to serve as a project manager for a mixed-income development in Pittsburgh, PA.  In addition to his role as Chief Operating Officer, his experience includes structuring and negotiating development transactions that include Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) equity, Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME, HOPE VI/Choice Neighborhoods, New Markets Tax Credit equity, PHA capital, foundation funds, corporate donations, grants, and conventional debt. Mr. Bennett has particular strengths in facilitating communication and building consensus among local community organizations, elected officials, neighborhood residents, lenders, foundations, and state, local and federal agencies.

Prior to joining McCormack Baron Salazar, Mr. Bennett managed commercial and economic development activities for a community development corporation in the City of Pittsburgh. He has served on the Boards of Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri and Habitat for Humanity Saint Louis. A graduate of the University of California in Santa Cruz with degrees in Economics and Psychology, he received his master’s degree in Management and Public Policy with concentrations in Financial Management and Urban Development and Planning at Carnegie Mellon University.

“I am excited to take on the challenge and opportunity to further grow McCormack Baron Salazar,” states Bennett. “I know the key to our success is based upon a strong, stellar team with talent and experience, as well as a shared commitment to our mission of rebuilding urban America.”

Richard Baron will remain Chairman of MBA Properties, Inc. and Tony Salazar will remain President of West Coast Operations for McCormack Baron Salazar, Inc.  Tim Zaleski will remain President of McCormack Baron Management, Inc., the property management company, and Hillary Zimmerman will remain President of McCormack Baron Asset Management.  Laurel Tinsley will remain the Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of MBS Urban Initiatives CDE, the firm’s New Markets Tax Credits division.

McCormack Baron Salazar, Inc. is a nationally-acclaimed leader of affordable urban housing development.