Welcome to this week’s edition of TheJobWalk! Our Boxing Day construction special, gearing you up for a busy 2025. While the Christmas holiday dust settles and we recover from festive feasts, it’s time to get ready for the new construction season. Let’s kick start the year with stronger foundations and sharper tools. Enjoy the read!

PROJECTS

Layton Construction breaks ground on $211 Million Ray Nashville Tower

Construction is now underway on the incredible 32-story mixed-use tower in Nashville, Tennessee. The Ray Nashville will include 367 luxury residential units and 4,795 square feet of prime retail space at street level, along with a range of amenities for guests such as a scenic pool deck & indoor and outdoor fitness areas & many more. Construction is well underway and is set to be completed in 2027.

• General Contractor: Layton Construction

• Developers: VeLa Development Partners / Ray

• Architect: Johnston Marklee / Lamar Johnson Collaborative / Parts and Labor Design

• Civil: Kimley-Horn

• Award: Mixed-Use

• Value: $211 Million

• Location: Nashville, Tennessee

Project Announcement: $182 Million Toyota Stadium Upgrade

The 19 year old stadium is set to undergo improvements that will include; a new roof, 10% more seating, 26% more bathroom space, major sound system and video board upgrades. The upgrade will also include improved media facilities, two suite levels and three new clubs. Additionally, they will upgrade the field drainage system for more efficient water clearance. Work is anticipated to begin on the stadium early 2025 and set to finish by 2028, with games to commence as usual whilst under construction.

• Company: Toyota Stadium

• General Contractor: Manhattan Construction Group

• Design Team: HKS, Inc.

• Award: Stadium/Sports

• Value: $182 Million

• Location: Frisco, Texas

Project Announcement: Google Invest $1 Billion in Texas Data Centers

Recently announced, Google will invest $1 Billion in the expansion of their data centers in Red Oak & Midlothian Texas, both in Ellis County. Google plans to sign agreements with energy suppliers to provide 375 MW of 100% renewable energy to support its data center operations in Texas This takes Google’s total investment in Texas over $2.7 Billion.

• Company: Google

• Award: Data Center

• Investment Value: $1 Billion

• Location: Dallas, Texas

$230 Million The Paramount Tower coming to Nashville Tennessee

The 60 story luxury residential high-rise is set to become the largest skyscraper in Tennessee. The state-of-the-art skyscraper will consist of 360 apartments, 140 condominiums, 517-space parking garage along with a range of amenities such as open deck with a pool, cabanas, grilling stations, outdoor fitness area and much more. The tower has been designed Goettsch Partners and will be overseen by Giarratana Development with the iconic building to be completed in 2027.

• Development: Giarratana

• Architect: Goettsch Partners

• Award: Mixed-use

• Value: $230 Million

• Location: Nashville, Tennessee

NEWS

Construction Spending Hits Record $2.17 Trillion

In October 2024, U.S construction spending reached a record high of $2.17 trillion, reflecting a 0.4% increase from the previous month. Economists attribute this growth to a boom in data-center and manufacturing facilities, trends anticipated to continue into 2025. Here’s a breakdown:

Residential Construction Growth: Residential spending rose 1.5% in October 2024, with single-family homes up 0.8% and multi-family housing up 0.2%, despite mortgage rates hitting 6.72%. (Reuters).

Private Non-Residential Dip: Spending on private non-residential buildings, like offices and factories, fell 0.3%, with drops in the commercial and healthcare sectors. (Reuters).

Public Construction Spending Down: Public construction saw a 0.5% decline, with state and local projects decreasing while federal spending rose slightly. (Reuters).

Data Center Boom: Investments in data centers surged, fuelled by AI demand, with developers like Panattoni entering the market to build large facilities. (WSJ).

Manufacturing Facility Growth: Manufacturing spending spiked, with Intel receiving up to $7.9 billion to build new U.S. chip plants in four states. (WSJ).

Land Shortages Threaten AI and Manufacturing Boom

The US faces a significant challenge in its quest to lead in artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced manufacturing, due to a shortage of development-ready industrial sites. Here's an overview of the situation:

Industrial Land Scarcity: Nearly two-thirds of site selectors in a 2024 survey identified the lack of available industrial land as the primary barrier to new projects (Financial Times).

Resource Shortages Impact Timelines: A substantial 87% of respondents reported that shortages in resources—including land, labor, and utilities—have adversely affected or delayed project timelines (Financial Times).

Increased Power Demand: The growing need for energy-intensive AI and manufacturing facilities is expected to drive U.S. power demand up by 9% by 2028 and nearly 20% by 2033, following two decades of relatively flat growth (Financial Times).

These factors collectively pose a significant challenge to ambitions in AI and advanced manufacturing, necessitating strategic solutions to overcome industrial land and resource shortages.

WORLD

Rail Baltica, Europe

Rail Baltica is a major European infrastructure project that aims to create a new high-speed, standard-gauge rail corridor connecting Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland, ultimately integrating the Baltic region’s transportation network with the rest of the European Union.

Spanning roughly 870 kilometers, it will connect Helsinki (via ferry link) to Tallinn, pass through key cities like Pärnu, Riga, and Kaunas, and extend down to Warsaw. Beyond simply improving passenger travel times, Rail Baltica is designed to boost regional economic ties, enhance freight logistics, and support sustainable, greener mobility.

TECH SPOTLIGHT

Robotics Revolutionizing the Construction Industry

Robotics is transforming construction by enhancing efficiency, safety, and productivity. The global construction robot market is projected to grow from $85.3 million in 2021 to $242.4 million by 2030 (Statista).

In the United States, the construction robotics market is expected to reach $383.11 million in 2024 and grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.5% to reach $787.48 million by 2029 (Mordor Intelligence).

Despite this growth, the states lag behind other regions in robot density, with only 0.2 robots per 10,000 construction workers, compared to Europe's 1.2 per 10,000 (EC Magazine).

As the industry continues to adopt robotic solutions, these advancements are expected to address labor shortages and meet increasing infrastructure demands.

Exoskeletons, The Future of Smarter Workforces?

Exoskeletons are wearable devices designed to reduce physical strain and enhance productivity in construction, here’s an overview:

Injury Reduction: Exoskeletons can decrease work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) among construction workers, who experience WMSDs at a rate 16% higher than all industries combined. (ConstructionBriefing)

Productivity Enhancement: The construction industry has seen only a 1% productivity growth over the past two decades, compared to 2.8% globally. Exoskeletons have the potential to bridge this gap by enhancing worker performance. (IAARC)

Challenges to Adoption: Despite potential benefits, challenges such as compatibility with rugged job sites, cost, and worker acceptance hinder the widespread adoption of exoskeletons in the U.S. construction sector. (Illinois Experts)

These points underscore the transformative potential of exoskeletons in construction, while also highlighting the challenges that need to be addressed for broader implementation.

QUICK FIRE ROUND

Your quiz questions for this week:

Which profession is primarily responsible for designing building structures?

A. Architect // B. Structural engineer // C. Civil inspector

When discussing concrete strength, “psi” stands for:

A. Pounds per square inch // B. Pressure standard index // C. Poured surface integrity

A “load path” in a building is the path through which:

A. Materials are delivered // B. Forces travel down through structural elements to the ground // C. Contractors access the site

What does a “change order” in construction mean?

A. Changing the legal owner of the site // B. A request to change safety gear // C. An alteration to the original contract scope

What does the term “Glazing” refer to?

A. Application of a protective metal coating // B. Surface painting // C. The installation of glass in windows or doors

Check out the answers at the bottom.

WEEKLY FUNNY

THIS WEEK’S HOT JOBS

1. Construction Manager, Data Centers

2. Mechanical Engineer, Food & Beverage

3. Electrical Engineer, Food & Beverage

4. Electrical Superintendent, Data Centers

5. Construction Manager, Commercial

6. Construction Manager, Food & Beverage

7. MEP Superintendent, Data Centers

8. Project Manager, Healthcare

9. Project Manager, Healthcare/Life Science

10. MEP Project Manager, Healthcare

REFLECTION

This week’s question to ask yourself..

What would make 2025 a great year?

🚧Answers

Q1 B. Structural Engineer // Q2 A. Pounds per square inch // Q3 B. Forces travel down through structural elements to the ground // Q4 C. An alteration to the original contract scope // Q5 C. The installation of glass in windows or doors

How many did you get?

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