TheJobWalk E.46

Welcome to this week’s edition of TheJobWalk! Illinois kicks off a massive $50.6B six-year infrastructure overhaul, while Related Digital breaks ground on its Cheyenne data center. Google drops $4B in Arkansas to boost cloud and AI growth, Boise launches a $700M airport upgrade, and Meta expands its Montgomery campus with a $3B addition. Meanwhile, CoreWeave acquires Monolith AI to strengthen its industrial cloud capabilities. We’re also pleased to launch TheJobWalkJobs, the hub of construction careers. Let’s dive in!

NEWS
Illinois Launches $50.6B Six-Year Infrastructure Program

Governor JB Pritzker has announced a record-breaking $50.6 billion infrastructure plan under the Rebuild Illinois initiative, marking the largest capital program in state history.

The six-year plan prioritizes statewide improvements to roads, bridges, railways, airports, and waterways, with a strong emphasis on sustaining long-term economic growth and job creation across Illinois.

The investment allocates $32.5 billion for state and local road and bridge projects and $18.1 billion for other transportation modes such as transit, freight, and passenger rail, aviation, and ports.

For fiscal year 2026, $5.5 billion will be released to fund active construction, with a goal to rebuild or repair over 7,100 lane miles of roadway and 8.4 million square feet of bridge deck. Additionally, $400 million is earmarked for 223 local projects covering road, bicycle, pedestrian, transit, and port upgrades.

TheJobWalk’s got eyes on this too...

📰 Related Digital Breaks Ground on Cheyenne Data Center(RD)
📰 Gilbane Building Breaks Ground HCA Houston(Gilbane)
📰 DPR Digests AI in Healthcare Construction(DPR)
📰 Prologis, Amazon and Meta Aim for Low Carbon(CNBC)

PROJECTS
Build of The Week

$1.7 Billion Red Bull Manufacturing Facility, North Carolina

Last month, construction began on the 2.36 million square feet manufacturing & distribution facility in Concord, North Carolina. 

Red Bull is in partnership with Ball Corporation and Austrian beverage firm RAUCH Fruchtsäfte on this project. The state-of-the-art facility is one of the largest food & beverage manufacturing investments in North Carolina’s history.

The facility is expected to begin operations in 2028 and have full production in 2028. 

• Client: Red Bull

• General Contractors: NDA 

• Award: Manufacturing

• Value: $1.7 Billion 

• Location: Concord, North Carolina

Movement in the field:

🏢Google Drops $4B in Arkansas: Google has announced a $4 billion investment plan in Arkansas, building their first data center in the state, located in West Memphis. The West Memphis data center will serve as a core facility for Google’s growing cloud and AI operations. Alongside the data center, the investment includes a major push into clean energy with the development of a 600 MW solar project in collaboration with Entergy. Google also announced they will be launching a $25 million Energy Impact Fund to help scale energy efficiency and affordability initiatives for local residents. 

Key Details: General Contractors: TBD, Client: Google / Alphabet Inc, Award: Data Center, Value: $4 Billion, Location: West Memphis, Arkansas

⚙️TI’s Utah Fab Update: Texas Instruments is progressing on its second 300 mm wafer fab (LFAB2) in Lehi, Utah, expanding its existing site adjacent to LFAB1. TI’s LFAB2 project is part of its commitment to expand U.S semiconductor manufacturing, with more than $30 billion being invested across sites in Utah and Texas. The company broke ground on LFAB2 on November 2, 2023, and construction is still underway. 

Key Details: Owner/Developer: Texas Instruments, General Contractor: Austin Commercial, Sector: Semiconductor/Advanced Manufacturing, Value: $11 Billion (capital investment for LFAB2), Location: Lehi, Utah

✈️Boise’s About to Board a $700M Upgrade: Recently announced, HENSEL PHELPS has secured a $700 million contract to deliver a major expansion at Boise Airport. The project includes adding 10 new gates, designed to handle future passenger growth and expanded air service. The upgrade will significantly increase the airport’s capacity, positioning Boise as a stronger regional hub while supporting the city’s rising demand for travel.

Key Details: Owner/Client: Boise Airport, General Contractor: HENSEL PHELPS, Sector: Aviation, Value: $700 Million, Location: Boise, Idaho

📈Meta’s Montgomery Site Grows by $3B: Meta is expanding its Montgomery, Alabama data center campus by adding two new buildings, bringing the total campus footprint to nearly 1.3 million square feet. This expansion nearly doubles Meta’s investment in the campus to over $1.5 billion. Combined with Meta’s Huntsville facility, the company’s data center investments in Alabama now exceed $3 billion. During peak construction, the Montgomery site is expected to support over 1,000 skilled trade workers.

Key Details: General Contractors: HENSEL PHELPS, Client: Meta, Award: Data Center Expansion, New Value: $3billion, Location: Montgomery, Alabama

🏈Touchdown! Cleveland Scores a $2.4B Stadium Upgrade: AECOM Hunt and Turner Construction Company, in a joint venture alongside Independence Construction, have been selected to build the new Huntington Bank Field stadium for the Cleveland Browns in Brook Park, Ohio. The new NFL stadium will feature seating for 67,500 spectators, with the ability to expand up to 75,000 for larger events. The estimated project value is $2.4 billion, funded through a combination of $1.2 billion in private investment, $600 million from the State of Ohio, and $600 million in local government contributions. The project is expected to break ground in early 2026 and open in time for the 2029 NFL season. During construction, it is projected to create over 6,000 jobs.

Key Details: General Contractors: AECOM Hunt and Turner Construction (JV), Independence Construction, Client: Haslam Sports Group, Cleveland Browns, Award: Stadium, Value: $2.4 Billion, Location: Brook Park, Ohio

LOOKING TO HIRE? OR LOOKING FOR YOUR NEXT ROLE?

We’ve launched TheJobWalkJobs, a hub designed specifically for the construction industry.

Built to connect you directly with the Estimators, Superintendents, Project managers, and Tradespeople who build America.

Hiring? Post FREE Unlimited Jobs

WORLD
The Leadenhall Building, London

The Leadenhall Building, better known as “The Cheesegrater,” stands at 122 Leadenhall Street in London’s financial district, opening in 2014. Designed by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, this 225-meter, 48-story steel skyscraper is one of the tallest in the UK.

Structurally, the building relies on a visible steel megaframe- a “tube and ladder” system engineered by Arup and features 80% prefabrication of components off-site, a major innovation for a project in the City’s tight confines.

Despite a mid-project delay during the financial crisis, The Cheesegrater became a symbol of engineering precision and urban restraint. Its £1.15 billion construction set new standards for modular assembly in supertall buildings, balancing aesthetic ambition with environmental performance.

Today, it remains one of the city’s most notorious skyscrapers.

TECH SPOTLIGHT
CoreWeave Acquires Monolith AI

CoreWeave has announced its acquisition of Monolith AI, a London-based artificial intelligence company specializing in physics-driven machine learning for engineering and manufacturing applications. 

The acquisition strengthens CoreWeave’s position as a leader in AI cloud infrastructure and signals its entry into industrial innovation sectors. Financial details were not disclosed.

Monolith’s technology is designed to help engineers predict and optimize product performance using simulation and data-driven modeling. Its platform has been adopted by major industrial firms, including BMW, Nissan, and Honeywell, enabling faster R&D cycles and reducing costly physical testing. 

CoreWeave plans to integrate Monolith’s capabilities into its AI cloud environment, giving industrial and construction-related engineering teams access to advanced modeling tools for design, performance analysis, and sustainability testing.

QUICK FIRE ROUND
Your quiz questions for this week:

What is the minimum curing time recommended for concrete to achieve optimal hydration?

A. 7 days // B. 3 days // C. 28 days

Which electrical system component ensures safe disconnection of circuits during maintenance?

A. Transformer // B. Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) // C. Circuit breaker

In mechanical systems, what is the primary function of a Variable Air Volume (VAV) box?

A. Control lighting loads // B. Regulate air flow to specific zones // C. Measure static pressure

Which type of drawing best represents the relationships between structural components?

A. Elevation drawing // B. Isometric drawing // C. Structural framing plan

In construction safety, what does the term “lockout/tagout” refer to?

A. Securing doors on site after hours // B. Disconnecting and labeling equipment to prevent accidental start-up // C. Evacuation during fire drills

Check out the answers at the bottom.

WEEKLY FUNNY
ah god damn it!!

REFLECTION
This week’s question to ask yourself✌️

How do I show up for your family? Not just in presence, but in the presence of mind and heart?

ANSWERS

Q1 A. 7 days // Q2 C. Circuit breaker // Q3 B. Regulate air flow to specific zones // Q4 C. Structural framing plan // Q5 B. Disconnecting and labeling equipment to prevent accidental start-up

How many did you get?