Friday’s groundbreaking for the South Side Works City Apartments marked one of a handful of significant projects getting underway as the year starts. Rycon is the contractor for the South Works apartments, which is almost $50 million in new apartments and a 562-car garage being developed by Village Green. In East Liberty, PJ Dick is starting the second $28 million Bakery Living apartment building at the Bakery Square 2.0 development by Walnut Capital.

Pitt’s board should give a green light to the contractors to start work on the $21.5 million Parran Hall renovation. Volpatt Construction is the general contractor for that project. The Pittsburgh Builders Exchange reported that the Montour School District awarded contracts for the $40 million new K-4 Elementary. Lobar Inc. from Mechanicsburg area was the low general on that project. Mascaro is getting underway with the $32 million expansion of the South Plaza at Heinz Field.

Down at WVU bids were taken on the HSC Simulator Center Expansion last week. Manheim Corp. was low at $1,794,000, followed by TEDCO at $1,824,000 and MASSCon at $1,925,000.