Author: agcnews

Replacing a gate that has served for more than a century is no small undertaking. At Seattle’s Ballard Locks, Manson Construction Co. took on the challenge of replacing the Large Lock’s center gate, helping preserve a critical piece of Pacific Northwest infrastructure for generations to come. The project, recognized through AGC’s Baldwin Build America Awards, demonstrated the innovation, technical expertise and coordination required to deliver complex marine construction projects while minimizing disruptions to essential operations. Replacing a Century-Old Gate The Ballard Locks connect Puget Sound with Lake Washington, serving as a vital link for maritime traffic and regional water management.…

The producer price index for inputs to new nonresidential construction jumped 11.9% from September 2025 to September 2026, the most in four years, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of government data released today. Association officials said construction firms appear to be absorbing most of the cost increases amid relatively soft demand for construction projects except data centers. “Construction firms are being hit by a double whammy of tariff- and war-induced materials cost increases as higher metals and fuel costs permeate an ever-wider range of prices,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “Making matters…

Help Us Promote Responsible Data Center Construction By Featuring Your Successes AGC of America is looking to feature member’s success stories from working on data center projects. The association will post those case studies and lessons-learned documents on its new Data Center Resource Hub as part of our broader efforts to promote responsible data center construction. If you have a success story or resource related to data center construction, please contact AGC of America’s Director of Market Insights, Macrina Wilkins at macrina.wilkins@agc.org.

There’s still time to apply for AGC of America’s 2027 awards programs, with entries due October 31, 2026. Opportunities include the Baldwin Group Build America Awards, Marvin M. Black Partnering Excellence category, AGC in the Community Awards, Culture of CARE Impact Awards, AGC Innovation Awards, and the Bowen Prize for Great Builders. The programs recognize outstanding projects, collaboration, community service, workplace culture, innovation, and individual leadership across the construction industry. The 2027 Safety Awards Season is also open, recognizing companies and professionals that demonstrate an unwavering commitment to safety excellence across the construction industry. AGC is currently accepting applications and…

Construction firms add 11,000 jobs in September and employment rises 1.3% over the past year, outpacing the 0.3% increase in total nonfarm employment. Nonresidential contractors account for all of the monthly gains, while construction wages climb 4.3% and the number of jobseekers with recent construction experience falls 11% from a year ago, highlighting continued difficulty filling positions. AGC of America says sustaining job growth will require both addressing workforce shortages and maintaining construction demand through a new long-term highway and transportation bill and policies that allow responsible data center and other major projects to move forward. Read more.

Construction spending rose 0.9% in August but was still 1.7% below a year earlier, according to AGC’s analysis of new government data. Data center and power projects kept growing, while manufacturing and residential construction stayed below last year’s levels. AGC warned that labor shortages, rising materials costs and interest rates, and a short-term highway funding extension that leaves out key programs could stall any further gains. The association is urging Congress to pass a long-term highway bill soon after Election Day. Read more.

Originally built in 1925 as a movie theater, Powell Hall has been the home of the St. Louis Symphony since 1968. A major renovation and expansion has now reimagined the historic landmark for a new generation of performers, audiences and the St. Louis community. The project added approximately 64,000 square feet of space, including expanded areas for patrons, musicians, backstage operations, education and learning. The front-of-house expansion was designed with the visitor experience in mind, creating a welcoming new entrance, grand lobby, additional amenities and a monumental spiral staircase. The staircase has become one of the defining architectural features of…

Construction employment increases in 177, or 49%, of 360 metro areas between August 2025 and August 2026, as data centers, power projects, and advanced manufacturing plants continue to drive gains in select markets. Houston adds the most construction jobs over the year, while Baton Rouge posts the largest percentage increase; Atlanta records the largest job loss, and Walla Walla has the steepest percentage decline. AGC of America says the uneven growth underscores the need for policies that support construction demand, including a new multiyear highway and transit bill, greater certainty on tariffs, and a workable path for responsible data center…

Construction employment increased in 35 states and the District of Columbia from August 2025 to August 2026, while 31 states added jobs between July and August, according to an analysis of new federal data released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials cautioned, however, that several policy developments threaten to reverse those gains, including an explosion of moratoriums on data centers, delayed passage of long-term federal funding for highways and transit, and frequent changes in tariffs. “A solid majority of states added construction jobs in August on both a monthly and year-over-year basis,” said Ken Simonson, the…

For construction professionals, safety means being prepared for the unexpected. For one California construction leader, that preparation included keeping naloxone — a medication that can rapidly reverse an opioid overdose — readily available. After an inspector shared a personal story about his son experiencing an overdose, the experience prompted further research into the opioid crisis and the importance of having naloxone available in an emergency. That research ultimately led to a simple decision: Make sure every project under his direction in California had naloxone on site. That preparation became critical in November 2025. While attending a conference, he heard people…