TheJobWalk E.27

Welcome to this week’s edition of TheJobWalk! Eli Lilly plans a $5.9B bio-manufacturing expansion, Five Point backs $1B West Texas data campuses, KU breaks ground on a $450M cancer center, across the globe India builds their first bullet train, and DeWALT debuts productivity-boosting MSUITE Hangers. Time to dive in!

NEWS
From Dirt to Dollars, Meet the Homebuilding Heavyweights

The 2025 Builder 100 list highlights the top home builders in the United States, ranked by the number of homes they closed in 2024. D.R. Horton leads the list with 93,311 homes closed and $33.8 billion in revenue. Lennar follows closely with 80,210 closings and $33.8 billion in revenue. PulteGroup ranks third with 31,219 closings and $17.3 billion in revenue. 

Dream Finders Homes was named the 2025 Builder of the Year. They closed 8,583 homes in 2024, generating $4.4 billion in revenue, marking an 18% increase from the previous year. The company also reported a pre-tax profit of $438 million and had a backlog of 2,599 homes valued at $1.3 billion. 

Taylor Morrison was recognized as the most trusted builder in 2025, achieving this distinction for the tenth consecutive year. They earned a net trust score of 110.1, based on feedback from over 66,000 U.S. consumers. 

The Builder 100 list provides valuable insights into the performance and reputation of leading home builders in the industry.

TheJobWalk’s got eyes on this too...

📰 Hamptons New-Construction Demand Soars(New York Post)
📰 Clean Energy Expansion Paused(Reuters)
📰 April Housing Market Beats Forecasts(WSJ)
📰 Top 400 ENR Contractors 2025 Announced(ENR)

PROJECTS
Build of The Week

Eli Lilly Eyes $5.9B Biomanufacturing Expansion

Recently announced, Eli Lilly and Company is evaluating a $5.9B investment to build a biomanufacturing facility in northeast Houston. The 236-acre site would include multiple buildings to produce pharmaceutical ingredients for Lilly’s growing portfolio. If approved, the project would create 2000+ construction jobs and 600 permanent roles. It's part of Lilly’s $27B U.S expansion plan announced in February 2025.

• Client: Eli Lilly and Company

• Developer: McCord Development, Inc.

• General Contractor: TBD

• Award: Biomanufacturing

• Estimated Value: $5.9 Billion

• Location: Generation Park, Houston, Texas

Movement in the field:

⚡Power Surge! Data Centers Coming to Texas: Just announced, Five Point Infrastructure launched PowerBridge, committing up to $1 billion into large-scale data center campuses in West Texas. These facilities aim to support AI, computing, and bitcoin mining, utilizing the region's natural gas and water resources. PowerBridge will use over 275,000 acres managed by LandBridge and water infrastructure from WaterBridge to meet the power and cooling demands on these data centers.

Key Details: Developer: PowerBridge, LLC., Five Point Infrastructure, Award: Data Center, Estimated Investment: Up to $1 Billion, Location: West Texas

🏥Kansas City Gets a Health Boost, Courtesy of KU: The University of Kansas has broken ground on a new $450 million cancer center on its Kansas City campus. The new complex will span 500,000 sq. ft. and be built over multiple phases, including research, clinical, and manufacturing spaces. The groundbreaking took place earlier this month, with the first phase of the facility expected to open in 2026. 

Key Details: Client/Developer: The University of Kansas Health System, General Contractor: JE Dunn Construction, Design Contractor: CannonDesign, Sector: Healthcare, Value: $450 Million, Location: Kansas City, Kansas

🏢Nashville Reaches New Heights with $390M Tower: Towards the end of last year, Brasfield & Gorrie, LLC broke ground on the tallest building in Nashville. The 60-story Paramount Tower will rise 750 feet at 1010 Church Street, with 500 residential units, a 517-space garage, and a massive YMCA expansion next door. Set to wrap in 2027, the project is expected to create thousands of jobs and bring a major boost to the city’s growth.

Key Details: Client: Giarratana, Architect: Goettsch Partners, General Contractors: Brasfield & Gorrie, LLC, Award: Highrise, Value: $390 Million, Location: Nashville, Tennessee

🧬Hard Hats Meet Brainwaves in Yale’s New Build: Yale New Haven Health is currently building a brand new healthcare facility in Connecticut, which broke ground back in August 2022. Turner Construction Company has been constructing the neuroscience center, which happens to be the largest of its kind in Connecticut history. This project spans 505,000 square feet and stands at 14 stories high. It will also include two new patient facilities and 204 inpatient beds. The center is expected to be opened in 2027.

Key Details: Client: Yale New Haven Health, General Contractors: Turner Construction Company, Award: Healthcare, Value: $430 Million, Location: New Haven, Connecticut

MEET LEWIS MICHAEL CONSULTANTS

Lewis Michael Consultants is a specialist recruitment firm focused solely on the U.S construction industry, operating from East to West Coast. 

Recent placements include General Superintendents, MEP Project Managers, and Electrical Project Managers, working on renowned projects with Google, Samsung & Tesla.

Whether it's a large-scale infrastructure project or a small development, Lewis Michael Consultants has the network to support recruitment needs across the spectrum.

WORLD
The Mumbai–Ahmedabad Bullet Train, India

India is building its first bullet train, connecting Mumbai and Ahmedabad. This train will travel 508 km, with 348 km in Gujarat and 156 km in Maharashtra. It will stop at 12 stations: 4 in Maharashtra (Mumbai, Thane, Virar, Boisar) and 8 in Gujarat (Vapi, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand, Ahmedabad, Sabarmati).

The train will reach speeds of up to 320 km/h. With limited stops, the journey will take about 2 hours and 7 minutes. If it stops at all stations, the trip will be around 2 hours and 58 minutes.

By 2028, the part in Gujarat should be ready. The full line to Mumbai is expected to open by 2030. So far, 300 km of the elevated track is done, with 257 km built using a fast method called Full Span Launching.

TECH SPOTLIGHT
DeWALT Unveils Game-Changer for MEP Trades

In a major step toward faster and smarter construction, DeWALT has launched MSUITE Hangers, a powerful new tool designed to help mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) contractors work more efficiently. This automation software speeds up the process of modeling hangers- a critical, yet time-consuming task in construction projects.

Although hangers only make up about 5% of a building’s 3D model, they can take up as much as 25% of the total modeling time. MSUITE Hangers tackles this issue by using automation to dramatically cut down that time. 

The tool updates hangers automatically when there are changes in the building model. It also helps with tasks like placing beam supports and pipe clamps, which means less manual labor and fewer steps for workers.

Contractors are already seeing the benefits. One user shared that a task that used to take 10 steps now only takes one with MSUITE Hangers. That kind of time savings means projects can move faster and teams can stay focused on higher-value tasks.

QUICK FIRE ROUND
Your quiz questions for this week:

In masonry, “mortar” is used to:

A. Paint the surface // B. Bind bricks or stones together // C. Waterproof foundations

The primary purpose of a load-bearing wall is to:

A. Improve aesthetics // B. Support weight from above // C. Create electrical pathways

“Rough-in” work refers to:

A. Finishing surfaces // B. Installing basic frameworks for plumbing, electrical, HVAC before finishes // C. Demolition tasks

“Sheathing” is used to:

A. Provide a base for roofing or siding // B. Insulate pipes // C. Reinforce concrete

The “eave” of a roof is:

A. The highest point (ridge) // B. The lower edge that overhangs the wall // C. A decorative ornament

Check out the answers at the bottom.

WEEKLY FUNNY
“I’m a builder, not a magician.”

REFLECTION
This week’s question to ask yourself✌️

What does success look like for me?

ANSWERS

Q1 B. Bind bricks or stones together // Q2 B. Support weight from above // Q3 B. Installing basic frameworks for plumbing, electrical, HVAC before finishes // Q4 A. Provide a base for roofing or siding // Q5 B. The lower edge that overhangs the wall

How many did you get?