Midwest Construction News
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James P. Roubal, DLR Group Co-Founder and Integrated Design Firm Pioneer, Dies at 94
Obituary
Engineer founded Omaha integrated designer in 1966 with architects Irving Dana and Bill Larson
Founded in a basement in Omaha by the engineer and two architects, DLR Group has grown to have 1,800 employees in 36 offices worldwide and US revenue of $536.8 million.
Deere Faces Right-to-Repair Lawsuit from Chicago Site Work Contractor
Equipment
Class action seeks right to make independent repairs of earthmoving equipment
Class action lawsuit asserts contractor's right to repair its own skid steers, compact loaders and excavators without going through Deere or its dealer network.
Chicago's Water Tower Place Slated for $170M Makeover
Redevelopment
City-based Pepper Construction is general contractor for the project slated to begin in 2027
Will the planned renovation of the city's downtown mall, which opened in 1975, bring shoppers and new users back to the landmark building?
ENR Midwest Publishes Preliminary 2026 Top Contractors List
The July 6 issue of ENR Midwest will include the final ranking of the region's Top Contractors
ENR Midwest will publish a full list of 2026 Top Contractors in the region on July 6.
Wall-Climbing Robot Makes Bridge Inspections Easier and Safer
Technology
The HB3 crawler robot was tested on an inspection of the Chicago Skyway piers
Consulting engineering firm Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates uses crawling robot to inspect hard-to-reach places.
Grid Operator PJM Interconnection Aims Changes to Speed New Capacity Adds
Largest U.S. power transmission manager counts on upgraded review process to accelerate capacity as data centers multiply and criticism over its management grows
Power grid operator announced that its reopened queue of proposed new interconnections includes applications from 811 projects totaling 220 GW.
Subcontractors Ordered to Pay Record $1.28M in Minnesota Wage Theft Case
Workforce
Violations occurred at 19 job sites including the headquarters of the Minnesota Vikings
Two subcontractors have been ordered to pay $1.3-million in back wages to 26 workers in Minnesota.
Midwest Rankings and Top Lists
ENR 2025 Midwest Top Starts: Midwest Megaproject Construction Surges
Major construction activity is gaining momentum as investment bolsters advanced manufacturing facilities and data centers.
ENR's Regional Top Design Firms and Top Contractors Surveys Now Live
ENR Regional Surveys
Top Design Firms surveys due by March 31; Top Contractors surveys due by May 4
ENR has released surveys for its regional Top Design and Top Contractor rankings.
ENR Midwest 2025 Top Contractors: Regional Firms Adapt to Stay Ahead of Shifting Landscape
Top contractors in the Midwest stay nimble and invest in their businesses while coping with economic uncertainty and other challenges.
