Apparently owners didn’t get the memo about the construction industry slowing down between the holidays. For all the publicity about the cracker, UPMC and AHN, and the airport modernization, it is the $10-$50 million projects that are really making this construction market boom. One experienced BD executive told me this week that their calendar had 6 RFPs and 3 interviews on it by the end of the first week in December.

Bids went in Wednesday for Buchanan Ingersoll’s TI at its new 120,000 square foot home in the Union Trust Building. A. Martini, Mascaro, Massaro,Shannon and Wyatt bid. Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank is interviewing Jendoco, Landau, A. Martini, MBM, PJ Dick, and Massaro on Nov. 27 for its $11.8 million project. The $45 million Palumbo Center renovation is out for competitive GMP proposals to Jendoco, Mascaro, Massaro, PJ Dick and Rycon. Conemaugh Hospital has its $35 expansion project out for proposals to Butz, Mascaro, Massaro, PJ Dick and Rycon. Conemaugh also broke ground on its $22 million outpatient center in Ebensburg. Massaro Corp. is the contractor.

Allegheny County Airport Authority has reached a short list for interviews on the three major contracts out for proposals. The second A/E services contract – covering the 3,500-car garage, ground transportation center (GTC) and rental facilities – was narrowed to Michael Baker Jr., TranSystems Corporation Consultants and WSP USA Inc. Two separate contracts for CM Agency services are being considered. The short list for the first – including the 632,000 sq. ft. new landside terminal and renovations of the existing airside terminal – includes PJ Dick/Hunt AECOM and Turner/Baker. The second contract covers the scope of work in the second AE services contract above. The teams short-listed are Hill/WSP/MEC, JMT/SAI Engineering/HNTB and Turner/Parsons. According to the RFP, the Airport Authority is not considering awarding CM contracts for both scopes to the same CM team.

Trade bidding on a number of the major projects is also active. Concrete bids are being taken by Yates Construction on the $150 million new Childrens Hospital at WVU Medicine. Mascaro awarded the MEP contracts on the $350 Vision and Rehabilitation Hospital at UPMC Mercy to Ruthrauff Sauer/SSM and Lighthouse Electric.

Millcraft selected the Yates/Massaro team as CM for the Esplanade, its $300 million mixed-use development on the North Side. Rycon Construction was awarded the $32 million Fifth/Clyde residence hall by CMU.