PCL, Sundt Collaborate On Landmark Waterworks
Pure Water Center groundbreaking participants included (L-R) Adam Wickersham, EPWater vice president of information technology; Gilbert Trejo, EPWater vice president of operations and technical services; Iliana Holguin, El Paso County commissioner; Ricardo Samaniego, El Paso County judge; John Balliew, EPWater CEO/president; Renard Johnson, El Paso mayor; Bryan Morris, Public Service Board chair; Anna Gitter, Public Service Board member; Stephanie Block Uribarri, Public Service Board secretary-treasurer; Charlie Intebi, Public Service Board vice chair; and Ivan Niño, city of El Paso representative.
By David Holzel
CEG CORRESPONDENT
One day in 2021, Sanaan Villalobos received a call from El Paso Water, the nonprofit public utility that serves the West Texas city of 700,000 people.
Villalobos, vice president and project manager of Carollo Engineers, was leading the design of EPWater’s Pure Water Center, the first direct-to-distribution water reuse facility in the United States.
El Paso — which receives a scant 9 in. of rainfall a year on average — relies on fresh and desalinated groundwater and water from an increasingly drought-plagued Rio Grande for its drinking water.
But for decades, the city also has recycled and innovated and conserved, so that need would not outstrip the supply of drinking water. In fact, conservation has cut water use by 40 percent since the 1970s, according to texastribune.com.
The aim of the $295 million Pure Water Center was to increase the water supply in an increasingly hot and dry environment. Carollo planned, designed and is providing construction management services for the center in tandem with contractors PCL Construction and Sundt Construction.
Parkhill provided, architectural, civil, landscape architecture, interiors, structural and electrical design services for the Pure Water Center as a subconsultant to Carollo Engineers
El
mony. see WATERWORKS page 10
at the Feb. 27, 2025, groundbreaking
El Paso Water photos
Paso Mayor Renard Johnson addresses those gathered
cere-
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Construction Begins On New Austin Convention Center
Construction has begun on the new Austin Convention Center., with city leaders hosting a groundbreaking event on April 16, 2024, according to kxan.com.
“Today is the official closure of the Austin Convention Center. We are unveiling Unconventional ATX, which is the new Austin Convention Center project,” said Trisha Tatro, director of the Austin Convention Center Department.
Construction management is being overseen by the JE Dunn/Turner joint venture, according to an Austin Convention Center press release. Demolition is expected shortly, followed by initial construction.
The city of renderings of the facility earlier in 2025. City leaders said the project will add green space and make the area more walkable.
“The redevelopment of the Convention Center will create a vital downtown amenity and urban connector,” said Austin Mayor Kirk Watson. “With a design that emphasizes street-level openness and accessibility, vibrant public plazas, and pedestrian-friendly pathways, this transformation will enhance connectivity and inclusivity, creating a more accessible and engaging downtown experience for residents and visitors.”
The $1.6 billion project will nearly double the rentable square footage, increasing from 365,000 sq. ft. to 620,000 sq. ft. (including 70,000 sq. ft. outdoors) of rentable space, according to a city press release from February.
“We took about half of our leads that we got, and we put them right in the trash can because we were either sold out or too small,” said Tom Noonan, president and CEO of Visit Austin. “Now we’re going to be much more competitive.”
The city calls the project Unconventional ATX. It is being funded through Hotel Occupancy Tax and Convention Center revenues, so no property taxes are going toward the project.
A reopening of the convention center is expected in 2029, according to kxan.com.
ÂArchitectural and SustainableÊ Design
The new convention center will be the world’s first zero-carbon-certified convention center (International Living Futures Institute), according to the city, kxan.com reported.
A city press release said the center’s design “reimagines traditional event spaces” and prioritizes accessibility, flexibility and sustainability.
Kxan.com reported that the design intends to enhance connectivity with surrounding districts. Those include the Waterloo Greenway, Palm District= and Project Connect initiatives. By reopening Third Street for multimodal traffic and transforming Second Street into a pedestrian-friendly corridor, it will prioritize public access and multimodal transit.
“There will be retail and open green spaces for not only the community to celebrate and enjoy and partake in but also our visitors,” Tatro said.
Art installations, interactive exhibits and artist-driven spaces that “celebrate Austin’s diverse creative community,” will be highlighted at the center. There will be a $17.7 million investment in public art, according to a convention center release.
(Renderings courtesy of Austin Convention Center Department and LMN/Page.)
Work Under Way On SH 178 (Artcraft Road) Near El Paso Area
Construction began in April 2025 on the Artcraft Road project near El Paso, Texas.
The $243.7 million project, from the Texas/New Mexico state line to I-10, is designed to improve mobility in the fast-developing corridor.
SH 178 (Artcraft Road) is a vital link in the regional transportation network that supports important trade and commercial activities within the international and tri-state area of Texas, New Mexico and Chihuahua.
SH 178 serves the Santa Teresa Port of Entry and is a major artery that feeds trade routes destined for other parts of the United States and Mexico. Additionally, the land area adjacent to SH 178 has been subject to rapid residential and commercial development in recent years. The area’s growth has creat-
ed the need to address safety hazards and increasing traffic congestion.
The project corridor extends approximately 3 mi. on SH from the New Mexico state line to I-10.
Improvements at the SH 178 I-10 interchange will affect I-10 between Trade Center Boulevard and Helen of Troy Drive.
The project includes the following features:
• Direct connectors at the I-10 interchange providing drivers with direct access to I-10 east and west and to Artcraft Road.
• U-turn bridges at the Artcraft Road /I-10 interchange.
• Frontage road improvements between I-10 and State Highway 20 (Doniphan Drive) will include rebuilding sections of the road and extending the frontage roads in
both directions.
• Bridges at the intersections of Artcraft Road at Upper Valley Road and Westside Drive will be added, along with new entrance and exit ramps.
• Shared-use path improvements creating a more accessible, safe and enjoyable experience for all users.
These changes will streamline traffic at the Artcraft Road/I-10 interchange, enhance east-west travel between NM 136 and I-10, and improve access from cargo facilities to the Santa Teresa Border Crossing.
The project will be constructed in five phases, some of which may be undertaken concurrently. The first work will begin at the Texas/New Mexico state line and the project is expected to be complete in 2030.
A different view of the new Austin Convention Center.
The Austin Convention Center will cost $1.6 billion to build.
A rendering of the new Austin Convention Center now under construction. Texas Department
SH 178 (Artcraft Road) project.
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Kiewit Wins $404M USACE Contract for Port Arthur Project
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Galveston District (SWG) awarded a $403,944,000 contract to Kiewit U.S. Contractors Co., April 9, 2025, to construct additional portions of the Port Arthur Project, a component of the Sabine Pass to Galveston Bay (S2G) Coastal Storm Risk Management Project.
The Port Arthur Project provides critical improvements to increase the level of flood protection, or risk reduction, provided by the existing hurricane protection system in Port Arthur. Under the awarded Contract PAV04, construction will include the replacement of 9,525 ft. of floodwall, 2,300 ft. of levee raises, four levee-floodwall tie-ins and fronting protection at three pump stations. These upgrades are intended to enhance the reliability and performance of the existing hurricane protection system.
Construction of this work is expected to begin in summer 2026 and take approximately three and a half years to complete.
Contract PAV04 is a design-build contract and serves as the seed project for USACE’s $7 billion Construction Multiple Award Task Order Contract (MATOC), which provides a more efficient process for delivering largescale civil works infrastructure projects along the Texas coast.
The Port Arthur Project is a partnership between USACE and Jefferson County Drainage District No. 7 (DD7), with funding support from the State of Texas through the Texas General Land Office and the Gulf Coast Protection District (GCPD). Project costs are shared 65 percent federally and 35 percent non-federally. USACE is managing the design and construction, while DD7 will continue to operate and maintain the system following construction.
Allen Sims, DD7 general manager.
The project team continues to develop designs for the remaining elements of the Port Arthur Project, with full project completion targeted for 2033. According to USACE, this important initiative will protect the people and businesses of Port Arthur when completed and contribute to the longterm security of the entire Gulf Coast region.
“Jefferson County Drainage District No. 7 appreciates the efforts and support of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Texas
“This award, which represents the largest construction contract to date for the S2G Project, is an important step in the long-term effort to improve flood protection for the Port Arthur area,” said Coalter Baker, GCPD executive director. “We’re pleased to support DD7 and USACE as they move this critical work forward.”
General Land Office and the Gulf Coast Protection District in helping to protect the citizens and economy of Southeast Texas.
Contract PAV04 is the third of 10 proposed projects that will greatly enhance the storm surge protection for our area. We are excited to see continued progress on this effort,” said
“Through the Jefferson County Drainage District No. 7, the community in Port Arthur has dutifully maintained their coastal storm surge defenses for decades. This investment improves those defenses to provide more resiliency and protection to further safeguard Texans from the growing threat of storm surge and flooding,” said Col. Rhett Blackmon SWG district commander. “This project is emblematic of our efforts up and down the Texas coast to increase coastal storm and flood risk management for the communities we serve.”
For more information, visit swg.usace.army.mil/S2G/.
(All photos courtesy of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.)
Granite Construction Awarded $70.3M Border Wall Contract
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) awarded the first border wall contract of President Trump’s second term to Granite Construction Co. for $70,285,846 to construct 7 mi. of new border wall in Hidalgo County, Texas.
That’s within the U.S. Border Patrol’s (USBP) Rio Grande Valley (RGV) Sector.
The RGV Sector is an area of high illegal entry and experiences large numbers of individuals and narcotics being smuggled
into the country illegally, according to CBP. Completing the border wall in these locations will support the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) ability to impede and deny illegal border crossings and the drugand human-smuggling activities of cartels, it said.
DHS is working to implement President Trump’s Executive Orders titled “Securing our Borders” and “Declaring a National Emergency at the Southern Border of the United
States” — which directs the DHS Secretary to take all appropriate actions to deploy and construct physical barriers to ensure complete operational control of the United States’ southern border. Crews are installing 6-ft. guardrails with 18-ft. steel panels in Hidalgo County, according to newsnationnow.com.
CBP officials said the construction work will aid agents in preventing migrants from entering the country, as well as slow the drugs and humans being
smuggled across the U.S.Mexico border.
Trump officials said that migrants and the cartels were taking advantage of open gaps in the wall after construction was stopped by President Biden.
In 2023, however, the Biden administration announced it waived 26 federal laws in Texas to allow wall construction to continue, The Associated Press reported. Work on the wall resumed in McAllen, Texas, under Biden’s executive power
after 245,000 illegal border entries took place during fiscal 2023, according to newsnationnow.com.
Border officials said that 28,654 encounters took place between border officials and migrants along the southern border in February, versus 81,528 in January.
In the Rio Grande Valley sector, border encounters dropped from 5,964 in January to 1,285 in February, newsnationnow.-com reported, citing CBP data.
A map of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Port Arthur Project.
Port Arthur
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$295M Project Designed to Add to El Paso Water Supply
“EPWater knew there would be a need someday,” Villalobos said. “So, it’s never been a rushed project or an emergency project.”
Until that phone call.
“They said, ‘We were never expecting this, but COVID changed everything,’” Villalobos said.
With El Pasoans at home during the pandemic — working remotely, supervising children doing long-distance learning, making bread, washing dishes and laundry at all hours, tending newly planted vegetable gardens — water use spiked.
“They hadn’t seen an increase in years, because of all the conservation,” said Villalobos, who has lived in El Paso most of her life. “So, it was a big wake-up call because that buffer that everyone thought had been there — it wasn't as much of a buffer as everyone thought. So, they were like, ‘OK, it’s time now. Let’s get the design done. Let’s get it ready to put out the bid.’”
Late last year, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality approved plans for the Pure Water Center. And in February [2025], El Paso Water, Carollo, PCL Construction and Sundt Construction broke ground on the innovative project.
When the Pure Water Center is completed — the estimate is in 2028 — the facility will produce 10 million gal. of drinking water per day from treated water. That’s about 9 percent of the city’s daily water use.
“Every other facility that we know about cleans the water and puts it back in the river or they use it for farming,” said Gilbert Trejo, vice president of operations and technical serv-
ices at El Paso Water.
The Pure Water Center will be the first in the country to send purified water — initially treated at the nearby Roberto Bustamante Wastewater Treatment Plant — right back into residential and business use.
The project will be delivered by the construction manager at risk method.
“It’s a different breed of construction,” Trejo said of the delivery method. “The focus is on delivery and quality.”
“The biggest benefit of working with the owner is making sure they get what they want,” said Nicholas Iannello, a Sundt project executive.
Sundt and PCL have entered into joint ventures before. The companies share a common culture, Iannello and others said. Both are employee-owned.
“We share similar philosophies and a way of doing things,” Ianello said. “We work well together.”
Both encourage a “one-team mentality,” said Daña Lebeda, area manager for PCL. “You can’t tell who works for Sundt and who works for PCL.”
“These are major construction companies that could easily have delivered this project on their own, but they decided to combine to ensure available resources,” Trejo said. “Everything was available to make their team stronger and really stand out as the most qualified.”
Design Features
The advanced purification process includes membrane filtration, reverse osmosis, ultraviolet light with advanced oxidation,
granular activated carbon filtration and chlorine disinfection.
EPWater launched the project in 2016 when it began a pilot study to test the feasibility of producing potable water from treated wastewater.
The Pure Water Center has a public education mission as well, with interactive displays and viewing opportunities of the purification process. A lab area will be available for advanced students to pursue research.
“It’s designed so that you walk into the front entrance area and there's a space for a presentation area,” said Villalobos. “If you want to have a tour group, you can start with a small video and there’s some seating area. And then you walk along and there’s a viewing hallway with windows that look into the process area.”
Tilt-up concrete panels will be the building materials of the main process building.
“But it’s not your typical square water-treatment building that doesn’t care how it looks,” Iannello said.
The exterior features stainless steel tiles.
The Pure Water Center’s process building includes another innovation: air conditioning.
“Apparently, that’s not the norm,” Villalobos said. At the end of the tour is the tasting station, where visitors can sample the finished product.
ÂIck FactorÊ
The water at the tasting station — which will eventually pour into kitchen sinks and out of shower heads across the city — is so clean that El Paso Water has added minerals so that it will taste like people expect water to taste.
Nevertheless, Trejo said the utility anticipated hesitation among customers to drink water whose source is effluent. He called this the “ick factor.”
The city has combated the ick factor with a yearslong education campaign and followed it up with public surveys.
“Now we know through our research and seeing how these types of projects evolve in other communities, that hesitation or some type of negative perception of these types of projects is out there, which is why we have such a strong public outreach and communications program,” Trejo said.
“Our surveys are telling us that upwards of 90 percent of our customer base is accepting of this.”
“This is another avenue to get water,” Iannello said. “EPWater is making sure the community knows about the project.”
Plans for similar direct-to-distribution water reuse facilities are under way in Arizona in Phoenix and Tucson.
“This solution addresses a lot of needs for a lot of different communities across the country,” Trejo said.
Some of the materials used in the project will include 1,800 sq. ft. of stainless-steel wall tiles; 6,600 sq. ft. of resilient terrazzo flooring; 10,000 sq. ft. of concrete; 40,000 linear ft. of piping (including high density polyethylene (HDPE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), ductile iron, carbon steel, stainless steel and others); 8,000 sq. ft. of concrete unit masonry; 37,500 sq. ft. of drywall; 5,300 sq. ft. of ceramic tiles, 3,500 sq. ft. of tile carpeting; and 1,200 decorative fiberglass reinforced wall panels.
Equipment to be used will include cranes (up to 350 tons for erecting tilt-up panels,) excavators, forklifts, loaders, backhoes and scissor lifts. CEG
(All photos courtesy of the Pure Water Center.)
Orion Construction Rebuilding Lake Waco Twin Bridges
Waco’s twin bridges are receiving a $114 million makeover, according to kcentv.com.
“These bridges are old. They’re over 60 years old so, ultimately, it’s a safety project” said Jake Smith, spokesperson of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Waco District.
The project comes at a time when funding is available. That allowed TxDOT to address infrastructure needs while still preparing for future regional growth.
The Twin Bridges reconstruction is set to be finished in 2029.
Drivers traveling across the twin bridges now face limited space, with just two lanes and minimal shoulder room. The renovation is designed to improve the situation.
“If you travel on the twin bridges right now, you’ve got two lanes and not much else,” Smith said to kcentv.com. “This new project will add shoulders, and it will add for future accommodations for expansion.”
That expansion includes a new lane in each direction. The shoulders will be 10 ft.
Orion Construction LLC has begun preliminary work on the project, although most people may not notice the activity, kcentv.com reported.
“There’s work being done, it is largely in the water around the water, so the public may not be able to see it right now, but they are working under the bridge,” Smith said.
TxDOT officials told kcentv.com that major disruptions are still several months away; some minor closures have occurred at the start of the initial construction phase.
Texas Department of Transportation diagram
This diagram shows the plan for the Twin Bridges on State Highway 6. The expansion will add one lane in each direction and 10-ft. shoulders.
“You won’t see significant traffic impacts to the highway until next year,” Smith told kcentv.com.
TxDOT representatives have actively communicated with residents and businesses about the project timeline with a goal of minimizing inconvenience and allowing for proper planning.
The twin bridges project is just one ongoing infrastructure improvement around Waco. The reconstruction of I-35
Waco South — the last regional section of the interstate to be updated — continues, kcentv.com reported. Crews on that project are focused on drainage and utility work. More visible activity is scheduled in the coming months.
“The significant impact to traffic, we’ll work on our traffic switch, is scheduled this summer,” said Smith. “So, for now until then, there’s some prep work and barrier work.”
Kodiak Gas Services Starts Work On Two New Facilities
Kodiak Gas Services has begun the construction of two facilities in Midland and Pecos, Texas, which marks an expansion of its Permian Basin presence, according to Offshore Technology.
Groundbreaking ceremonies were hosted at both sites on April 14, 2025.
According to Offshore Technology, the investment, “reflects its dedication to operational excellence, employee development and a long-term strategy in the region.”
The Midland facility will cover nearly 22 acres and span more than 140,000 sq. ft. of space; it will bolster Kodiak’s operational capacity.
It also will house the Bears Academy — a center for advanced training and development. It will feature virtual reality labs and interactive classrooms.
Dahlia Cos. and NRG Realty Group are partnering to build the facility for Kodiak, according to mrt.com.
The Midland facility is scheduled for completion in June 2026, Offshore Technology reported.
Turner Phipps, Kodiak’s senior vice president, told mrt.com that the location consolidates several locations into a centralized spot supporting the entire Permian Basin. Kodiak maintains satellite offices in Pecos
and Carlsbad, N.M.
Not only will the facility support the company’s supply chain, but it also will house its compressions operation team as well aftermarket service teams.
In Pecos, the 9-acre facility will include more than 24,000 sq. ft. of shop and office space and is designed to increase Kodiak’s service capabilities in West Texas, especially for customers in the western Permian Basin. That facility is expected to be fully opera-
tional by December 2025, according to Offshore Technology.
“The groundbreaking of our new facilities in Midland and Pecos marks an exciting next chapter in Kodiak’s journey across the Permian Basin,” according to Chad Lenamon, Kodiak Gas Services executive vice president and chief operating officer.
“These projects represent our continued investment in our people, our customers, and the communities where we operate. We’re
building for the future—with purpose and drive.”
Kodiak, which is based in The Woodlands, Texas, provides contract compression services for the United States’ oil and gas industry, which is essential for efficiently producing and transporting those resources.
Kodiak supports producers and midstream clients with services for gas gathering, processing, gas lift and transmission systems.
Courtesy of Kodiak Gas Services
Kodiak Gas Services is building
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PIRTEK Liberty Hill Bolsters Coverage in North Austin Area
PIRTEK continues its strategic growth across Texas with the opening of a new franchise mobile service provider in Liberty Hill operated by owner Seth Huckaba.
Huckaba is a San Antonio native and Texas A&M University engineering graduate, transitioned from a career in electronics manufacturing to franchise ownership, seeking a hands-on business that allowed him to stay local and build meaningful connections in his community.
“I wanted to do something that allowed me to serve and grow within my community,” Huckaba said. His mechanical knowledge stems from the experience of working at his family’s ranch on heavy equipment like tractors, skid steers and excavators.
The Liberty Hill location strategically covers northwest Austin, Cedar Park, Leander, Bertram and Andice, with capabilities to extend as far as Burnet, Marble Falls and Lampasas.
The new franchise operates two service vans staffed by Huckaba and technician Daniel Foley, with plans to expand further.
“Our territory covers a rapidly growing area,” Huckaba said. “This new location allows PIRTEK to significantly reduce response times in North Austin and positions us perfectly to support growth along U.S.
183 and to the western outlying areas.
The Liberty Hill franchise focuses primarily on hydraulic hose replacements.
“Clear, concise communication is key. We always ensure our customers understand exactly what’s going on through prompt updates by phone, text and email,” Huckaba said. “Our goal is to minimize downtime and keep businesses operating.”
As PIRTEK continues its rapid growth throughout Texas, the Liberty Hill location reinforces the company’s commitment to providing reliable, efficient hydraulic services across the state.
Fluor Wins Contract for SH 6 Project Near College Station
Fluor Corp. announced on March 31, 2025, that its infrastructure business was awarded the construction contract for the State Highway 6 (SH 6) project in College Station, Texas, by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT).
Fluor will recognize the $671 million bidbuild contract in the first quarter of 2025.
“This award shows Fluor’s continued commitment to executing projects in Texas and builds on our longstanding partnership with TxDOT,” said Shawn West, president of Fluor’s Infrastructure business. “The SH 6 project is another step in our relationship with TxDOT as they work to enhance the state’s transportation demands in this rapidly expanding corridor.”
SH 6 is a north-south highway that serves as a major commuter route for Bryan, College Station, Texas A&M University, Brazos County and the surrounding region. It also is part of the Texas Highway Freight Network, the Texas Highway Trunk System and is a Hurricane Evacuation Route. Fluor will reconstruct and widen the 12-mi. stretch of highway
from two lanes to three in each direction. Construction is scheduled to begin in summer 2025 with substantial completion anticipated in spring 2030.
Fluor has designed and built infrastructure projects in Texas for nearly 25 years and is executing the I-635 LBJ East and I-35E projects in Dallas, the Oak Hill Parkway and I35 Capital Express South projects in Austin, and the I-35 NEX South project in San Antonio.
PIRTEK photo
Seth Huckaba
Fluor photo
A look at the portion of State Highway 6 near College Station, Texas, that will be widened by Fluor Corp.
Austin’s Longhorn Dam Wishbone Bridge Nears Finish
A new $25 million wishbone-shaped bridge scheduled for completion next year is taking shape in southeast Austin, according to kvue.com.
The Longhorn Dam Bridge is expected to make it easier for Austinites to walk and drive through that area upon completion.
“I think it’s going to improve accessibility to the trail. And for the folks that are commuting north-south along Pleasant Valley, it’s also going to improve accessibility to the park that’s right behind us,” Genest Landry, the assistant director of project delivery for Capital Delivery Services with the city of Austin, told kvue.com.
The project will connect the Ann and Roy Butler Trail, Canterbury Street and the Holly Peninsula in Town Lake Metropolitan Park.
Previously, a narrow, 4-ft. wide sidewalk provided the service access for the Longhorn
Dam. That made it difficult for pedestrians to get around that area safely.
Each side of the new bridge will be 230 ft. long, kvue.com reported.
The bridge’s design did not originate with the city: Landry said an Austinite suggested the wishbone shape during a public meeting.
Landry told kvue.com that the bridge’s construction is proceeding on time. All the underwater substructure work is in place.
The city still must add two more beams, finish pouring the walkway and add finishing touches such as shade structures and planters.
In addition, the project includes building a new tunnel to connect Pleasant Valley Road to the trail on the Longhorn Shores at Town Lake Park.
“Both the tunnel and the new bridge provide a safe path for bicyclists and pedestrians
that has no conflicts with vehicular traffic, so it also improves safety for vehicles,” Landry told kvue.com.
The tunnel is part of the city’s Art in Public Places initiative. The city hired a Houston artist to install mosaics along the tunnel.
The tunnel and the bridge will have light-
ing installed throughout. The city also plans to add art to the bridge, according to kvue.com.
The city of Auston is funding the project, although it received $4.1 million in federal money earmarked by U.S. Rep. Greg Casar.
(All photos courtesy of the city of Austin.)
Fort Worth OKs Tax Incentives for $2.1B Data Center
The Fort Worth City Council agreed on April 8, 2025, to provide tax incentives for a Spanish developer — whose subsidiary is Turner Construction — that plans to construct a five-building data center near Saginaw, Texas, according to wfaa.com.
The deal will reduce Madrid, Spain’s ACS Group’s tax liability for 10 years. In return, the company promised to invest $2.1 billion in the property while employing 37.
The average salary of those jobs would be approximately $150,000, according to star-telegram.com.
City officials expect to recoup the tax break over time, anticipating the data center will generate approximately $58 million in new tax revenue, allowing it to eventu-
ally recoup the tax break, wfaa.com reported.
Partial operations are slated to begin in 2031, with project completion set for completion in 2034.
ACS Group didn’t identify a tenant, but often works with highprofile technology companies that include Amazon, Meta, Microsoft and Google, according to wfaa.com.
ASC Group has been involved in several high-profile properties, including the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, and Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium, according to star-telegram.com. And Turner has worked on the expansion of Texas Christian University’s Amon G. Carter Stadium and several facilities at the University of Texas at Austin.
The new facility will span across more than 100 acres of northern Fort Worth near the intersection of North Saginaw Road and Hicks Field Road. ASC Group said it chose the site partially because it’s near an electricity substation and the Chisholm Grid battery farm, wfaa.com reported.
While the neighborhood is zoned for industrial use, nearby workers are building a housing development. The ACS Group told city council that it would take measure to reduce the noise coming from the data center operations.
Matthew Carter, senior vice president for digital infrastructure of ACS Infrastructure, said the company will work to maintain a physical gap between residential
areas and the facility, according to star-telegram.com.
“Data centers do have some noise, there’s no doubt about that. We are very cognizant of that; our design has much less noise than most,” Carter said.
Texas has lured data center operators from around the world, wfaa.com reported, noting that while the tax revenue benefits can be lucrative, the facilities require large amounts of electricity.
Texas has the third-most data centers of any state, according to star-telegram.com. The Metroplex already is home to approximately 140 data centers, including Meta’s $1 billion campus.
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas recently published its
long-term electricity demand forecast for 2026-2031. It expects Texans to use 58 percent more electricity in 2030 than in 2025, with warehouse consumers accounting for much of that growth.
“Adding these new heavy loads is going to strain the grid,” University of Houston Energy Fellow Ed Hirs told wfaa.com.
In response, state lawmakers are considering major investments in nuclear reactor research and development. A Senate committee heard a bill on April 8 that would create a multi-billion-dollar grant fund. Power companies could tap the fund to cover some of their reactor construction costs, while universities would be rewarded for nuclear energy research.
Construction of the Long Dam Bridge is well under way.
A rendering of the tunnel connecting Pleasant Valley Road in Austin to the trail on the Longhorn Shores at Town Lake Park.
Workers lower a support beam for the Longhorn Dam Bridge into place.
Construction and development firm Skanska announced the promotion of Mark Elpers to vice president — account manager of Skanska USA Building in Houston, Texas.
As a leader in Houston’s construction sector, Elpers will be instrumental in building some of Houston’s most innovative and community-changing projects that will support the region’s growth.
Elpers has more than 30 years of experience in commercial office, light industrial and higher education construction at Skanska, and has overseen more than $800 million worth of high-profile projects across Texas.
Most recently, he served as project executive on the Norton Rose Fulbright Tower at Discovery Green in Houston, Texas A&M University’s Wayne Roberts ’85 Building and the Rice University McNair Hall addition.
“Mark is an exceptional leader for Skanska and a pivotal asset to the building projects reshaping how Houstonians live, work and play,” said Dennis Yung, executive
Skanska USA Names Mark Elpers to Vice President Role
vice president and general manager of Skanska’s Houston construction operations.
“His innovative thinking and passion for quality has been instrumental in establishing Skanska as a construction leader in Texas.”
Before joining Skanska USA Building, Elpers dedicated 23 years to Skanska’s Civil division in Evansville, Ind., where he rose to vice president of operations.
Skanska operates 28 offices across the United States, with its headquarters in New York City. For more information, visit Skanska.com.
Granite Wins Contract for $80M Infrastructure Job in Forney
Granite was awarded an approximately $80 million contract by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to upgrade a section of Farm to Market 548 (FM 548) near Forney, Texas.
Project funding is to come from state sources and will be included in Granite’s firstquarter CAP.
This infrastructure project will transform the existing asphalt paved roadway from FM 548 north of US 80 to Windmill Farms Boulevard into a concrete paved roadway, including additional travel lanes and drainage upgrades. Project improvements will provide increased traffic capacity to help relieve traffic in the rapidly growing city of Forney and surrounding Kaufman County, particularly through the busiest commercial area in the city.
The scope of the project includes more than 200,000 sq. yds. of 10-in. concrete pavement and more than 40,000 linear ft. of new storm drain.
“Our home market strategy in North Texas is complemented perfectly by this strategic project,” said Steve Kaesler, Granite vice president of regional operations. “It fits well with our core competencies and is a result of capitalizing on other wins in the nearby area.”
Granite is excited to contribute to the growth and development of Forney and Kaufman County, enhancing the quality of life for residents and supporting the area’s economic expansion.
Construction is expected to begin in July 2025 and be completed in March 2027.
Skanska photo
The Worldwide Leader in Concrete Paving Technology
JCB Confirms Plan to Double Size of New U.S. Plant in Texas in Wake of Increased Tariffs
Rendering of JCB’s new factory.
JCB is set to double the size of a new factory currently under construction in Texas as the company confirmed that newly announced tariffs will impact its business in the short-term.
JCB has been manufacturing in the United States for 50 years and in 2024 bought 400 acres of land in San Antonio, Texas, after recognizing the need to produce even more machines in North America, where the company’s existing manufacturing plant in Savannah, Ga., has operated for 25 years.
“JCB has been in business for 80 years this year, and we are well accustomed to change.”
Anthony Bamford JCB
The original plan for a 500,000-sq.-ft. factory in San Antonio has now been revised and JCB is forging ahead with plans to double its size to one million sq.ft. The new $500 million plant is due to start production next year and employ up to 1,500 people and will build on JCB’s growth in North America.
“JCB has been in business for 80 years this year, and we are well accustomed to change,” said JCB Chairman Anthony Bamford. “The United States is the largest market for construction equipment in the world and President Trump has galvanized us into evaluating how we can make even more products in the United States, which has been an important market for JCB since we sold our first machine there in 1964.”
“In the short term, the imposition of tariffs will have a significant impact on our business,” said JCB CEO Graeme Macdonald. “However, in the medium term, our planned factory in San Antonio will help to mitigate the impact. We are thankful that the tariff is only 10 percent and we can only hope that the UK Government will conclude negotiations on a trade deal in the coming days and weeks.”
JCB photo
TEXAS STATE SUPPLEMENT ADVERTISER INDEX
SCA Hosts 4th Annual Slag Cement School in Houston
The Slag Cement Association (SCA) recently concluded its fourth annual Slag Cement School in Houston, Texas.
The educational event, held on April 2122, 2025, featured technical presentations on the benefits of slag cement in concrete design and construction, as well as sustainability tools and resources available to the concrete industry. On the second day, attendees were treated to an exclusive, behindthe-scenes tour of Texas Lehigh Cement’s new slag cement plant.
The Slag Cement Association serves as a source of knowledge for slag cement and slag blended cements through promotion, education and technology development.
SCA President Jan Prusinski welcomed more than 80 attendees from 15 different states to Slag Cement School. Along with the technical presentations from SCA members, the event included networking opportunities for industry professionals.
“The Slag Cement Association is thrilled with the record-breaking turnout at this year’s Slag Cement School,” said Nick Brimley, SCA director of membership and marketing. “The high level of engagement we saw reflects the growing interest in slag cement in not only the region but the entire country.”
The presentations included:
• “Slag Cement Basics, Production and Cementitious Properties,” presented by Adam Wallace, Ozinga;
• “Enhancing Concrete
Durability Using Slag Cement,” presented by Wayne Wilson, Heidelberg Materials;
• “Slag Cement’s Role in Sustainable Concrete,” presented by Jay Whitt, Heidelberg Materials;
• “Texas Specifications Related to the Use of Slag Cement,” presented by Bill Goodloe, Cemex; and
• “Expanding the Role of Slag in Concrete Construction: Trends and Challenges in the U.S. and Texas,” presented by Darren Wilbanks, Texas Lehigh Cement Co.
The Slag Cement School was made possible through the support of its sponsors: Advancing Organizational Excellence (AOE), Cemex, Croell, Ecocem and Ozinga.
For more information on Slag Cement School, visit slagcement.org/school. (All photos courtesy of the Slag Cement Association.)
Attendees received a behind-the-scenes tour of Texas Lehigh Cement’s slag cement plant on April 22, 2025.
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