Kraus-Anderson plans new downtown Minneapolis headquarters

Kraus-Anderson Cos. Inc. plans to consolidate its Twin Cities operations in a new building next to its downtown Minneapolis headquarters, bringing 250 employees under one roof and doubling its downtown workforce.

Read more in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Journal.

Construction remains Minnesota's fastest growing jobs sector

Construction employment weathered persistent winter chills in February to hold on to year-over-year gains. The industry added 6,766 jobs between February 2013 and February 2014, an increase of 8.5 percent, according to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development data released Thursday.

Read more in Finance & Commerce.

Contractor Confidence Rises in Early 2014

Gains in the Associated Builders and Contractors' (ABC) Construction Confidence index (CCI) indicate that contractor confidence expanded as 2013 wound to a close, particularly with respect to near-term industry profit margins and staffing levels.

Read more at For Construction Pros.

Apartments in the Twin Cities can’t go up fast enough

Twin Cities apartment developers are filling units nearly as fast they can build them. Although more than 3,000 new apartments were built in the metro area over the past year, the average vacancy rate barely budged, ending the year at just 2.5 percent, with average monthly rent rising 2.5 percent to $981, according to Marquette Advisors. Read more in the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Minn. ranks 10th in LEED certification

Minnesota ranked 10th nationally in 2013 in LEED-certified projects, the U.S. Green Building Council said Tuesday.

Read more in Finance & Commerce.

Kraus-Anderson, Elion Partners to bring new life to 700,000-square-foot corporate campus

A key corner in the Minneapolis market will soon be home to a mixed-use development including offices, shops, restaurants and a future hotel, thanks to a partnership between Minneapolis' Kraus-Anderson and Aventura, Fla.-based Elion Partners.

Read more in the REJBlog.

Hastings enters new era as Mississippi River bridge fully opens

After three years of construction, a new landmark bridge over the Mississippi River connects Washington and Dakota counties.

See a project slideshow in the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

I-35 'smart' bridge stands the tests of time

Though still basking in the gleam of youth upon turning 4 in September, the new I-35W St. Anthony Falls Bridge is, like most of us, coping with a little shrinkage and creep. But not to worry.

Read more in the CTS Catalyst.

Near double-digit growth forecast for construction

McGraw Hill Construction predicts total U.S. construction starts for 2014 to rise 9 percent to $555.3 billion.

Read more at Pit & Quarry.

Developers going commercial again

Everyone knows that apartment development is surging across the Twin Cities. But a closer look at projects that the city of Minneapolis is eyeing for state redevelopment funds shows a different trend: more commercial projects are on the latest list than multifamily projects.

Read more in Finance & Commerce.

Dollar stores open wallets for expansion

Dollar stores have grabbed the spotlight for their aggressive rollout of new stores - a strategy that runs contrary to the mass of retail closings that has been more the norm in recent years. . . . Hundreds of new stores are in the pipeline nationwide.

Read more in Finance & Commerce. Editor's note: Dollar stores have concrete parking lots.

U.S. Supreme Court limits agencies' ability to impose permit conditions on landowners

On June 25th, the U.S. Supreme Court issued an important Takings Clause decision with far-reaching implications for real estate developers and other who rely on federal or state permits. In Koontz v. St. Johns River Water Management District, the Court extended the doctrine of "unconstitutional conditions" established in the Court's Nolland and Dolan cases.

Read more in the e-newsletter of Greenberg Traurig, LLP.

A June construction boom in Minneapolis St. Paul

Growing consumer confidence. Bigger homes. They're the kind of things making life pretty sweet for Twin Cities homebuilders. Housing construction so far this year is up 23 percent from the same period in 2012, putting builders on track for their best year since 2007.

Read more in Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Seniors housing projects keeping Minnesota's Oak Grove Capital busy

Developers of seniors housing projects have kept St. Paul, Minn.-based Oak Grove busy lately with a steady stream of business. These developers are calling on Oak Grove to provide them with refinancing loans for seniors housing communities in Minnesota and across the country.

Read more in the REJblog.

Jobs recovering in state's construction industry

There is good news for Minnesota's construction industry, according to AGC of America. Jobs are starting to recover. Construction employment in the state totaled 95,100 in January, up 2.1% from January 2012. St. Cloud, Fargo, and Grand Forks experienced the greatest construction employment increases: 8, 16, and 13 percent, respectively. Minnesota lost more construction and mining jobs than any other state during the recession.

Sudden Rise in Home Demand Takes Builders by Surprise

After six years of waiting on the sidelines, newly eager home buyers across the country are discovering that there are not enough houses for sale to accommodate the recent flush of demand.

Read more in The New York Times.

CoStar Group: Industrial vacancy rate keeps falling in Twin Cities

CoStar Group recently brought good news to industrial brokers working in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. According to a report from the company, the Minneapolis industrial market ended the fourth quarter of 2012 with a vacancy rate of 6.4 percent.

Read more in the REJblog.

Twin Cities home construction rebound continues

Home builders started construction of 1,344 new homes in the Twin Cities during the fourth quarter of 2012, the highest fourth-quarter pace since 2007.

Read more in Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal.

Twin Cities home permits doubled in 2012

Residential construction nearly doubled in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area in 2012 compared to 2011, according to the Builders Association of the Twin Cities.

Read more in Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal.

EPA Gas Drilling Study: Top Agency Official Optimistic Before Report's Release

A top official with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is optimistic that a nationwide project examining natural gas hydraulic fracturing and potential drinking water impacts will provide comprehensive guidelines to help scientists and the public identify key issues to focus on. But the industry said past studies have already shown the process is safe.

Read this Associated Press story in The Huffington Post.