Denise Farris Scrivener Receives Two Prestigious Awards

Denise Farris Scrivener has recently been named a 2024 Fellow for the Construction Lawyers Society of America. "The Construction Lawyers Society of America is an invitation-only, selective and limited membership international association of the world’s best construction lawyers. The composition of the CLSA is aggressively diverse, with recognition of deserving, experienced and highly qualified lawyers across all practices relating to the construction industry.”

She was also recognized as a 2024 National "Lawyers of Distinction." The organization's "Best of the Best" list is featured in the New York Times, USA Today, Forbes, Bloomberg Business Week, the Wall Street Journal, and other notable publications.

Denise has contributed her expertise numerous times in SLC3 programs and committee meetings. We are beyond proud to recognize her for her many accomplishments and wish her all the best as she continues to succeed! Click below to read more about Farris Legal Services.

S. M. Wilson & Co. Celebrates Groundbreaking of Jerseyville Public Library Addition

Jerseyville Public Library officials celebrated the groundbreaking ceremony for its new 7,500 SF addition, made possible through fundraising and a grant from the Illinois State Library. S. M. Wilson & Co. is the Construction Manager at Risk, while Farnsworth Group is the architect. 

“S. M. Wilson & Co. is excited to be a part of this project. We understand the importance of this project to the community,” said Matt Frank, project director at S. M. Wilson. “As trusted partners, we are committed to pursuing excellence, building lasting partnerships and going Beyond the Build to assist the library in constructing an addition that will provide services for today’s patrons and future generations.” 

Through this expansion, the library will nearly double its size. It will include four study/tutoring rooms, a computer lab, a teen room for young adult books, a gaming area, a larger adult fiction area, a computer corner, a workstation room, a large print room, additional restrooms and additional parking. The building’s entrance will feature columns on both sides of the front door, closely matching the Carnegie Library architectural style. From 1904 to the building’s last expansion in 1987, the entrance to be renovated served as the main entrance. Through the expansion, it will once again serve as the main entrance.

S. M. Wilson has completed other public projects throughout Illinois and Missouri, including Madison County Transit, the City of Highland Public Safety Building, the City of Edwardsville’s R. P. Lumber Center, Creve Coeur Fire Protection District Fire Station No. 2, City of Maplewood Fire Station No. 1 and City of Frontenac Municipal Building.

From STL Business Journal: Inside the New $31.8M St. Louis County Library Branch: Clayco & Lamar Johnson Collaborative Member Spotlight

The branch is named after Clayco founder and Executive Chairman Bob Clark, who donated $4 million to the building project in 2022 as part of a $6 million donation.

"Now more than ever, libraries need community support to bring world-class learning, recreation, and other critical services to the citizens of the St. Louis region," Clark said. "The Clark Foundation holds education and scholarship dear to our hearts, and the entire Clark family embraces the mission and vision of the St. Louis County Library and their staff. The incredible renaissance of all the libraries that has taken place the past 10 years, along with the Library's innovative programming and partnerships, guarantees our libraries will be a place to see future generations thrive."

The two-story building encompasses 74,000 square feet and replaced the district's former headquarters building — making it the largest branch in the district now. The building was designed by Lamar Johnson Collaborative and ICS Construction Services LTD served as the general contractor.

The first floor of the branch includes two fireplaces, lots of seating, a large growing collection and art on display from the Kranzberg Arts Foundation. There are also 18 private study rooms, an outdoor reading deck, a computer lab and community meeting rooms throughout the branch.

ARCO Announces Opening of Northwest Arkansas Office

ARCO Construction Company has announced the opening of its newest office in Rogers, Arkansas. This growth represents a major achievement for ARCO as it continues to expand its footprint and bring its design-build expertise to Northwest Arkansas.

This new office will enable ARCO to better serve the region’s growing multifamily, senior living, commercial and industrial construction needs. This strategic move is aimed at fostering our existing and new relationships with local clients and contributing to the region’s economic development.

Hank Bellina, President of ARCO, expressed his enthusiasm about the new venture. “We are incredibly excited to establish our presence in Northwest Arkansas,” said Bellina. “This region offers a unique blend of opportunities, and we are eager to bring our expertise in design-build construction to the community. At ARCO, we believe in building not just structures, but lasting relationships within the communities we serve. Our new office will allow us to make a meaningful impact and support the area’s continued growth and success.”

Led by Regional Manager Dylan Ream, P.E. and Business Development Manager Alan Bergfeld, this new office will enable us to better serve the region's growing multifamily, senior living, commercial and industrial construction needs.

Founded in 1989, the Sports Commission is a nonprofit organization focused on promoting sports in the region and attracting and hosting major sports events locally. President Marc Schreiber said that while the Sports Commission has continued to successfully lure events to St. Louis, it is increasingly competing with similar entities across the country that have public sector financial backing.



“There’s a lot of cities and states whose public sectors invest in these efforts. That’s made it more challenging for our bids,” he said.

The new entertainment attraction fund created by SLDC came together as the Sports Commission had discussions with SLDC President and CEO Neal Richardson about how the two entities could work together to bring high-profile sports events to St. Louis, Schreiber said. The new fund established by SLDC is designed to provide a financial “backstop” for events being pursued by the Sports Commission. Bidding for events often requires the Sports Commission to provide a financial guarantee, or a projection of how much revenue the event's rightsholder will receive, while also covering event expenses using revenues generated from it, Schreiber said. That requires the Sports Commission to cover shortfalls.

Construction Workers are Dying by Suicide at an Alarming Rate

The construction industry has one of the highest suicide rates among professions, with an estimated 6,000 construction workers dying by suicide in 2022.

In a swath of Arizona desert that will soon be home to a multibillion-dollar semiconductor plant, Justin Azbill stood before thousands of construction workers and told the story of the day he almost took his life.

Pressure had been building on Azbill for months at his job as safety director for a large Boston construction firm during the height of the pandemic. Sleep-deprived and overwhelmed, Azbill said he packed a lethal means to harm himself in his lunch sack.

But as he was preparing to leave for work that morning, his daughter asked him to stay home with her that day. He did and the day provided a moment of clarity for Azbill, who then sought out help from a friend.

Azbill, who got his start in construction as an ironworker, has been traveling to construction sites across the country sharing his story as he and others in the industry race to address what they say is an epidemic of suicide among their colleagues — many of whom are under increasing strain amid a nationwide construction boom and a shortage of workers.

“In the construction industry, we’ve generationally been taught that if you talk to someone about a weakness or you’re struggling then you’re weak and you won’t get hired,” said Azbill. “One of the reasons I talk about it so freely is so people know that it’s normal and it’s OK.”

The construction industry has one of the highest suicide rates among professions — with the rate among male construction workers 75% higher than men in the general population, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. An estimated 6,000 construction workers by suicide in 2022, an increase from 2021, according to the most recent data available. That compares to around 1,000 who died from a construction work-related injury.

“When you’re more likely to be killed by your own hands than to get killed in a jobsite accident, that’s a crisis in our industry,” said Brian Turmail, vice president of public affairs and workforce for the Associated General Contractors of America. “We know pretty much what needs to happen to protect people physically. We’re figuring out how to protect people mentally.”

While construction wages are up and jobs are plentiful, those in the industry fear that the pressures on their workers’ mental health are only getting worse. A recent surge in construction projects, spurred by billions of federal dollars for infrastructure, clean energy and semiconductor projects have put increasing strain on an already stretched workforce.

Trench Safety: The Down and Dirty of Trenching & Excavations

By Ezra Schlecht, CSHO, SSH, Loss Control Consultant, Marsh McLennan Agency

As with many other safety topics, I’ve observed a lack of training when I’m out in the field. So, how can we make safer work environments when it comes to trenches?

Trenching is most common in the construction industry, and is commonly seen on new construction and additions job sites. Trenching and excavation produces a wide array of hazards. Some of these hazards include: cave in, atmospheric, struck by (equipment), and caught-in (earth or between utilities and equipment) but definitely not limited to these.

A few of the most common mistakes I see in the field are similar from small sites to large. I see a lack of protection methods deployed and the competent person is missing or doesn’t bring everyone up to speed. All workers should know information such as the soil classification, depth, and distances.

You may be wondering how a “competent person” is defined. Per OSHA, this individual should have previous training, education, and ability to make and enforce changes or corrections. In my experience, this can be a lay person but is often an equipment operator.

When I give a trench training, I love to start off with a numbers game, it looks something like this:

What do the following numbers stand for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 20, 25?

• 1 = Need one Competent Person on site
• 2 = Spoils pile (excavated dirt), also the maximum amount of exposure beneath a trench box
• 3 = Feet of ladder exposure outside of a trench/trench box
• 4 = Access/egress needed (ladders, ramps, or stairs)
• 5 = Protection method (shoring, sloping, shielding, or benching) is needed
• 6 = Fall Protection needed (For both your employees and the public. When speaking about trenches, this is usually achieved with barriers.)
• 20 = Professional Engineer stamp needed if digging deeper than 20 feet
• 25 = Maximum travel distance to access or egress (ladder, etc.)

If you can remember this easy numbers game, you are leaps and bounds ahead of your peers when it comes to knowledge around trenching and excavation.

There have been 39 deaths related to trenching and excavation in 2022, which is WAY too many. I believe 2023 numbers are around 15, but nothing official has been posted. We can do better! Protection methods need to be deployed, voices need to be exercised, and comprehensive training must occur.

Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis DEI Contractor & Supplier Networking Event

Expand your network with the FRB St. Louis facilities team and learn about the opportunities available at the Bank, including previous projects! Registration Details will be released soon.

When: Thursday, September 26th, 4:30 - 6:30 pm

Where: Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, Economy Museum (free/secured parking in the Bank's garage)