A jury in St. Louis County today ruled in favor of the Cross County Collaborative (CCC) on all counts in a lawsuit that was brought by St. Louis Metro over the eight-mile Metrolink extension from Forest Park to Shrewsbury.

Cross County Collaborative was a joint venture of four companies hired to design and manage the project. The companies which include Parsons Brinckerhoff, STV Inc., Jacobs Engineering Group and Kwame Building Group of St. Louis were fired by Metro in 2004.

Metro alleged mismanagement and fraud, and sought $81 million in damages. The jury rejected the claims and awarded nothing.

In a counterclaim, the CCC accused Metro of making them a scapegoat and damaging their professional reputations, and sued for $6 million for work it performed. The jury awarded the team $2.56 million.

After Metro terminated the CCC and took over management of the project, the light rail opened in August 2006, 15 months late and more than $126 million over budget.

Richard Hardcastle, attorney for the CCC, said in a statement “For more than three years we have maintained that Metro wrongfully terminated the CCC and that its claims were baseless. We are pleased that the jury has agreed with us on all counts.

“It was a long process but one with great significance to the citizens of St. Louis. With this issue behind us, each of the firms looks forward to continuing to serve the St. Louis community in future assignments.”

Public Architecture, a nonprofit advocate for pro bono design, recently launched phase two of “The 1%,” a program created in 2005 to challenge architecture and design firms to pledge 1 percent of their billable hours to pro bono work. More than 200 design and architecture firms have signed on.

Walton Construction St. Louis has completed an $18.5 million expansion of St. Peters Rec-Plex, an indoor recreation facility located in St. Peters, Missouri.

The project included a new 106,000-square-foot recreation building with two National Hockey League regulation-sized ice rinks with seating for 1,200 and 300. The expansion tripled the size of the fitness training area with adult locker rooms, dry and wet saunas, an exercise and weight training area, a cardio theater, and a lobby. St. Paul, Minn.-based Ankeny-Kell Architects, which provided design services for the project, has worked with Walton on three other sports facilities, including the training facility for the NHL’s St. Louis Blues.

Source: RE Business Online

As you reflect on 2007 and prepare for 2008, you might consider signing up for the Associated General Contractor’s economic forecast. The interactive audio conference will be held on Thursday, December 13, 1 p.m. central standard time.

According to AGC, nonresidential construction held up well in 2007 despite a housing meltdown, credit market turmoil and rising materials costs. Here are some questions to consider for 2008:

• Can the industry keep pace in 2008?
• Will construction be dragged down by those factors and a slowing economy?
• What segments and regions are most vulnerable?

The panel of experts on construction materials and the economy — Ken Simonson, Daryl Delano, and John Cross — will assess the industry’s prospects and take questions from listeners.

The cost for the conference is $149 for AGC members and $229 for non-members.

Registration is at www.agc.org/EconForecast.

Wellspring Development Company and Belcher Homes LLC, will break ground this month on Rock Hill Trails, billed as “the area’s first totally ‘green’ new home community.”

Located in Woodriver, Illinois, the development will feature about 290 single family homes, multi–family units, and neighborhood commercial properties. Rock Hill Trails will offer high-performance homes, open spaces with trails and nature corridors, and neighborhood amenities to support social interaction.

According to Wellspring, all homes in the development will conform to National Association of Home Builders Green Building Guidelines and will be eligible for LEED certification. Homeowners will be able to “up-green” with other energy savings and conservation features. The landscape plan will provide natural habitat for wildlife and native plant species.

Wellspring plans to begin home construction on Phase I by first quarter 2008.

The Clinton Foundation announced four new partnerships in their Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI) at the Greenbuild conference in Chicago, the world’s largest green building event.

City of Chicago
The Sears Tower and the Merchandise Mart will receive energy-enhancing retrofits. The Clinton Foundation and the City of Chicago also have teamed with multi-tenant housing owners to retrofit their private buildings. Over time, the energy savings will finance the cost of the projects.

GE Real Estate
One of the world’s most significant commercial real estate companies, GE Real Estate will retrofit buildings they own in CCI partner cities around the world. Greenhouse gases emitted from commercial buildings contribute 30-40 percent of emissions annually.

U.S. Green Building Council
CCI and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) will work with K-12 schools throughout the nation to establish a Green Schools Program to reduce energy consumption. Besides lowering energy costs, the partnership will show the next generation the importance of using green technology to stop global warming.

American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment
CCI and the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) will retrofit hundreds of colleges and universities across the US, helping them attain climate neutrality while lowering energy bills.

Source: Clinton Foundation