Con Dig (24-Sep-26) — Federal construction contracting dominates today’s US construction cycle, led by a $3.5 billion Air Force environmental construction vehicle and a $107.6 million Army facilities contract in Georgia. Elsewhere, major school, residential and transportation projects are moving forward in New Jersey, Nevada and California.
Air Force awards $3.5B environmental construction contract
The US Air Force has selected 35 contractors for a multiple-award contract with a maximum value of $3.5 billion covering environmental construction, demolition, restoration and remediation work. Projects can be performed at locations across the US through September 2034.
Why it matters: The vehicle creates a substantial long-term pipeline of federal environmental and site-construction work for a broad group of contractors.
GMHILL-Native Solutions wins $107.6M Fort Stewart construction contract
GMHILL-Native Solutions JV has been awarded a $107.59 million Army contract for sustainment, renovation and modernization construction at Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Air Field in Georgia. The five-year job-order contract will support facilities used by the 3rd Infantry Division and runs through September 2031.
Why it matters: The award provides a sizable recurring pipeline of renovation and modernization work across two major Army installations.
Paterson breaks ground on $208M STEAM high school
Construction has started on a new $208 million STEAM high school in Paterson, New Jersey. The state-funded project is expected to open in 2029 and will expand modern science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics education capacity in the city.
Why it matters: The project represents a major public-school construction investment and adds another large institutional start to the Northeast pipeline.
$143M Jewel mixed-use project breaks ground in Las Vegas Chinatown
Fore Property has broken ground on Jewel, a $143 million mixed-use development at 3588 S. Valley View Boulevard in Las Vegas. The 10.54-acre project will deliver 380 apartments and 26,000 square feet of retail and commercial space, with completion targeted for March 2029.
Why it matters: The start adds significant new housing and commercial space to one of Las Vegas’s most active urban corridors.
Coachella awards nearly $49M Avenue 50 bridge contract
The City of Coachella has awarded Riverside Construction Company a nearly $49 million contract to replace the Avenue 50 low-water crossing with a new bridge. Seven companies bid for the work, while total project cost including construction management is expected to reach about $61.5 million.
Why it matters: The project is a substantial local transportation investment that will replace vulnerable low-water infrastructure with a permanent crossing.
Thrivent starts Evergreen Operations Center in Appleton
Thrivent has broken ground on its Evergreen Operations Center in Appleton, Wisconsin, following the start of construction earlier this month. The building is the first major project within the roughly 600-acre Wilden Portfolio Park, a long-term mixed-use plan that could ultimately include housing, businesses and public spaces.
Why it matters: The operations center provides the first tangible construction start within a much larger master-planned development opportunity.
Army Corps awards $12.6M design contract for Albeni Falls Dam fish passage
The US Army Corps of Engineers has announced a $12.58 million design contract for a fish-passage facility at Albeni Falls Dam in Oldtown, Idaho. The work advances planning for new infrastructure intended to improve fish passage at the federal dam.
Why it matters: The design award moves another specialized water and environmental infrastructure project closer to eventual construction.
Construction executive confidence edges lower in third quarter
ENR’s Construction Industry Confidence Index slipped two points between the second and third quarters to 52, remaining slightly positive. The index has stayed in a narrow 52–54 range over the past four quarters despite pressure from costs, financing and uneven demand.
Why it matters: Contractor and industry sentiment remains broadly stable, but the lack of improvement suggests firms are still navigating a mixed construction market outside high-growth sectors.
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