![]() Up to twenty public schools in Denver could see the construction and installation of new air conditioning systems, depending upon the fate of a bond proposed for this fall’s election. Members of the Denver Public Schools’ community planning and advisory committee, in looking over a wide variety of facility improvement projects for the larger district, have decided on a list that will also include the possible construction of a new high school, playground upgrades, and the building of middle school science labs. Committee members determined that all of the projects would require an $801 million bond, with $332 million of that figure going for air conditioning and related projects. But whether that bond will actually appear on the November ballot remains to be determined by a majority vote of the DPS school board. The twenty schools pegged for the air conditioning work represent a wide cross section of the city and include the Columbine Elementary School in the River North Art District; Grant Beacon Middle School on the south side of the city; and the Hallett Science and Tech Academy elementary school on Denver’s northeast side. The Denver Public Schools system is comprised of more than 200 traditional, magnet, and charter schools. Of that number, roughly a third are currently without air conditioning. While most of the school year in Denver sees relatively mild temperatures, the heat during the late fall and early spring months can rise to the mid and upper 70s. Members of the school board may make a final determination on the bond proposal this week. By Garry Boulard
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![]() Despite the negative impact Covid-19 is having on the nation’s economy, both Colorado and New Mexico added new construction jobs between May and June of this year. Those new jobs represent a few of the small examples of job increases in a national construction picture seeing more job losses than gains between the early summer of 2019 and May and June of this year, according to a new report just issued by the Associated General Contractors of America. The report shows that 225 out of 358 metro areas across the country lost construction jobs between the late spring of 2019 and May and June of this year. In a statement, Ken Simonson, chief economist with the AGC, said it was “troubling to see construction employment lagging year-ago levels in most locations.” While May to June construction job increases were posted in localities across the country, “those gains were not enough to erase the huge losses in March and April.” The economist added that a variety of indicators since the employment data was collected in mid-June suggests that “construction employment will soon decline, or stagnate at best, in much of the country.” Colorado posted one of the most impressive May to June job gains with an overall construction job increase of 3 percent. All seven of the metro areas surveyed in Colorado saw gains of anywhere from 1 to 6 percent, with the Pueblo area posting the largest gain. The Albuquerque, Las Cruces, and Santa Fe areas were surveyed for New Mexico’s numbers, with an overall 2 percent increase. The largest gain was in metro Albuquerque, up by 4 percent, while both Las Cruces and Santa Fe experienced 3 percent gains. Arizona saw an overall 1 percent decline in construction jobs, ranging from a drop in that same percentage in the big Phoenix/Mesa/Scottsdale metro area, and a 4 percent decline in Yuma. But the picture wasn’t all gloomy in the Grand Canyon State, as Prescott enjoyed a 5 percent increase, and Tucson was up by 1 percent. El Paso also saw a 1 percent increase, in line with an overall Texas state increase of the same percentage. Metro areas nationally recording the most significant construction job gains from May to June include Monroe, Michigan, with a 31 percent increase; New York City, up by 22 percent; and Fairbanks, Alaska, with an 11 percent gain. By Garry Boulard ![]() The City of Albuquerque wants to upgrade and rehabilitate one of the busiest traffic spots in the metro area: the intersection of Lomas Boulevard NE and University Boulevard NE. In a Request for Proposals, the city is asking for engineering consultants to reconstruct that intersection, a project that will include the building of new curbs and gutters, as well as sidewalks compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The project will additionally entail new signage and street lighting, not to mention the construction of modern storm drain improvements. The selected engineer for what could ultimately be a $3 million project will also be involved in public hearings on the upgrade, as well as right-of-way acquisition work measuring around 1,300 feet on University, and another 1,000 feet along Lomas. Counting turn lanes, Lomas at that intersection is made up of seven lanes, as is University Blvd. City officials say the intersection, which has not seen an upgrade in more than 20 years, is plagued with crumbling medians and uneven ground, among other issues. The submission date for the RFP is August 27. By Garry Boulard |
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