MAPP builds Glazer distributorship in St. Rose

MAPP Construction of Baton Rouge recently landed the contract for Glazer's Wholesale liquor distributorship in St. Rose.

The project is valued at $4.5 million and construction will be completed in March. The distributorship includes a 65,000-sq.-ft. addition to an existing warehouse facility and renovations of existing office space as well as parking lot modifications and improvements.

Gulf Coast Construction Users Council holds Metairie conference

A Gulf Coast Construction Users Council Conference was held recently at the Four Points Sheraton Hotel in Metairie.

Highlighting the conference were numerous guest speakers, including an "Industry Perspectives" discussion led by Renae Conley, president of Entergy Louisiana; Eddie Rispone, chairman of ISC, Baton Rouge; and Vikki Medley of CMA.

Other discussions focused on craft training, workforce development, crane operator certification, standardized drug and alcohol testing and employee background screening.

The event was presented by the Golden Triangle Business Roundtable, Greater Baton Rouge Industrial Managers Association, Greater New Orleans Business Roundtable, Houston Business Roundtable, Lake Area Industry Alliance, Southeast Texas Plant Managers Forum and Southwest Louisiana Construction Users Council.

Louisiana construction numbers remain stagnant

McGraw-Hill Construction recently reported that Louisiana's year-to-date contracts for future construction were relatively unchanged through July compared to 2003.

Total construction figures came in at about $3.62 billion compared to $3.61 billion the previous year.

While both residential and nonresidential numbers improved by 11 percent and 9 percent, respectively, a sharp 28 percent decline in year-to-date nonbuilding construction offset the gains.

Nonresidential numbers came in at $1.17 billion compared to $1.07 billion in 2003; residential numbers were $1.82 billion compared to $1.65 billion in 2003; and nonbuilding numbers were $638 million compared to $890 million in 2003.

Nonbuilding construction includes streets and highways, bridges, dams and reservoirs, river and harbor developments, sewage and water supply systems, missile and space facilities, airports, utilities and communication systems.

Nonresidential buildings include commercial, manufacturing, educational, religious, administrative, recreational, hotel, dormitory and other building.

Citgo moves forward on $1.3 billion project in Westlake

Citgo was recently given the go-ahead by the Public Service Commission for a new $1.3 billion power plant in Westlake.

The 670-net-megawatt integrated gasification combined cycle plant should finish the permitting process by June, followed by construction in July. The project will create 1,000 to 2,500 construction jobs and about 70 permanent jobs.

The plant will mix petroleum coke and oxygen, then heat the mixture to produce power, steam and hydrogen.

Shawn Trahan, public affairs officer at Citgo, said the project's current screening phase would be followed by an environmental phase. Leucadia National is the project's primary investor.

McGraw-Hill Construction, AGC form partnership

McGraw-Hill Construction, a provider of construction information and intelligence and part of The McGraw-Hill Companies, recently announced a new partnership with Associated General Contractors.

McGraw-Hill Construction will publish AGC's CONSTRUCTOR magazine, membership directory and buyer's guide, which currently have a circulation of more than 40,000. The publications reach contractors, suppliers and service provider members who perform the majority of all highway, building, underground, heavy and industrial construction nationwide.

McGraw-Hill Construction publishes Engineering News-Record (ENR), Architectural Record and 12 regional publications, with readership in excess of half a million. The company also publishes association magazines for The American Institute of Architects and the Design Build Institute of America.

As part of the new partnership, AGC and McGraw-Hill Construction have set up an editorial advisory board comprised of AGC officers and McGraw-Hill Construction editorial and business leaders.

Gilliland dies at 85

Caskey "Cass" Gilliland, 85, died July 22 in a Houston hospital.

Gilliland was a native of California and was vice president and general manager of Dunham Price Inc. of Westlake until his retirement in the early 1990s. After his retirement, he managed special projects and acted as a consultant for the company.

Gilliland served in the Air Force during World War II and the Korean conflict. He came to Lake Charles in 1951 to reopen the Lake Charles Air Base as base operations officer. He retired from the Air Force with the rank of lieutenant colonel.

He was also appointed by the police jury as aviation adviser establishing the acquisitions and construction of the Lake Charles Regional Airport and maintained the position until his death.

He is survived by his wife, Ouida Gilliland; two daughters, Gail Frances Jones of Fredrick, Md.; and Joan Lund of Asheville, N. C.; one stepson, Charles P. Childs III of Houston; four grandchildren; one great-grandchild; and one brother, Wilbur L. Gilliland of Oakland, Calif.

A memorial service with a military honor guard was held at Johnson Funeral Home of Lake Charles. A private burial was held at Houston National Cemetery in Houston.