We're reading the headlines so you don't have to.

From buildings undergoing adaptive reuse transformations and mass timber to modernizing U.S. electricity transmissions to a music venue breaking ground in Milwaukee, here's what was buzzing in the building world from the week of February 5 - 9, 2024:

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Church-to-treatment cent project up for approval in St. Cloud
Nelson Construction and Development, working with Ascension Recovery Services, wants to rehab the 15,303-square-foot church at 302 Fifth Avenue South and turn it into a 48-bed inpatient and outpatient center for treatment of substance abuse, anxiety, and depression. Built in the 1960s, the building has been vacant since 2013, when the First United Methodist Church relocated after 50 years of holding services there. The building has an assessed value of $208,000, according to Stearns County property records. (2-5-2024 | Finance & Commerce)
 

Comcast Minnesota broadband expansion includes Corcoran, Cologne, Nowthen
Philadelphia-based Comcast said it is expanding service in Corcoran, Cologne, Nowthen and parts of Grant, Hugo, Rogers, and Stillwater Township. The expansion is part of Comcast's broader statewide initiative that has seen about $473-million investment across Minnesota over the past three years. The latest expansion is receiving funding from Border-to-Border Broadband, Minnesota's grant program that funds internet expansion to unserved or underserved areas in the state. According to Corcoran's city website, the program gave Comcast $1.2-million for its expansion into Corcoran last fall. (2-5-2024 | Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal)
 

Engineers redesign California's piers to withstand bigger storms
More storms, rising seas and huge waves are taking their toll on California's iconic piers that have dotted the Pacific coast since the Gold Rush, posing the biggest threat yet to the beach landmarks that have become a quintessential part of the landscape. At least a half dozen public piers are closed after being damaged repeatedly by storms with multiple atmosphere rivers hitting the state over the past year. Repair costs have climbed into the millions of dollars. (2-5-2024 | Finance & Commerce)
 

Metro council receives request for hyperloop study, connecting Twin Cities and Rochester
The non-profit Global Wellness Connections is petitioning for $2.5-million to conduct a study on the feasibility of a "hyperloop" project between Rochester and Bloomington. The project would exist nearly entirely underground, keeping farms and rural communities unburdened by the hypothetical infrastructure. (2-5-2024 | KAALTV - ABC 6 News)
 

Redevelopment of former Minneapolis church stalls in face of lawsuit, 2040 plan uncertainty
The city of Minneapolis and the project's developers --- an entity called Beard Manager LLC --- are fighting a lawsuit brought by a neighboring property owner, Dan Murphy, who's arguing the city erred in granting approvals for the project. The project at the heart of the lawsuit is located at the site of the former Lake Harriet Christian Church, at 5009 South Beard Avenue, which is just a few blocks east of the 50th and France shopping district. The project would replace the church with a 5-story, 63-unit apartment building and 1,500-square-feet of commercial space. (2-5-2024 | Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal)
 

Wisconsin program turns office space into affordable housing
Lincoln Avenue Capital proposed building a 203-unit affordable housing complex in the footprint of two office buildings at 250 and 350 Bishops Way. It's one of three projects that will get $1-million each, or 20% of the cost, to turn vacant commercial buildings into affordable housing. The developer purchased a 3.7-acre parcel from the Wisconsin Robinson Family, according to the land sale deed. The project is set to break ground this year, Brookfield officials said. (2-5-2024 | Finance & Commerce)
 

Former Model-T factory on St. Paul's University Avenue is demolished
The Pioneer Press has a report on the end of 117 University Avenue West, which was built in 1914 to assemble Ford's Model-Ts, the factory assembled as many as 500 cars per day at one point, before the work shifted to Ford's Highland Park plant in the 1920s. The property, which is close to the State Capitol and a Green Line light rail station, will be converted to green space as part of a project led by the Capitol Area Architectural and Planning Board. (2-6-2024 | Minneapolis-St Paul Business Journal)
 

Historic Lutsen Lodge to be rebuilt following fire
The fire at the Lutsen Lodge was reported around 12:30am. The only staffer on duty spotted smoke coming from electrical outlets in the floor in the lobby and called 911. The employee made it out safely. No guests were checked in because it was early in the week. The building was fully engulfed as crews from eight departments battled the blaze. The state fire marshall's office was investigating, but the cause could not be immediately determined. Lutsen's manager quickly pledged the lodge would be rebuilt in the same design. (2-6-2024 | Finance & Commerce)
 

Kraus-Anderson buys Phoenix construction company
The acquisition expands the Minneapolis company's growth in the southwest U.S. and is the first acquisition of another company in KA Constructions 126-year history, according to a press release. Founded 20 years ago, Phoenix-based Sonoran Crest Construction has an "established healthcare presence," KA said. (2-6-2024 | Finance & Commerce)
 

Lake Bronson dam project on track for bids in January
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has completed one of the final phases required prior to bidding out the Lake Bronson Dam reconstruction. The DNR's next step while the project is out for bids is to complete the permitting needed for the project. They will need a few permits from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers --- sections 401 and 404 of the Clean Water Act, which pertain to water quality and dredging and fill material placed within wetlands for construction; a permit regarding endangered species; in conjunction with the SHPO office, a permit regarding historic properties. The DNR may also need to get permitting from Kittson County regarding right of way on CSAH 28, which runs over the dam and from FEMA for flood plain mapping revisions. (2-6-2024 | Kittson County Enterprise)
 

Mass timber products gain momentum in building industry
Wood requires the least amount of energy to produce in comparison to other building materials such as steel and concrete; it's also renewable and sequesters carbon. The carbon dioxide in the air is extracted and carbon is transformed and stored in the wood fiver, taking a greenhouse gas out of the atmosphere. Engineered wood products include cross-laminated timber (CLT), laminated veneer lumber, glue-laminated lumber (glulam), dowel-laminated timber (DLT) and nail-laminated timber (NLT). (2-6-2024 | Finance & Commerce)
 

Shifting attitudes towards sustainability facilitate industry changes
The built environment generates more than 40% of annual carbon emissions. According to Chicago-based McKinsey & Co., that puts the industries responsible, developers and builders of residential and commercial buildings as well as infrastructure, among the highest producers of carbon emissions --- more than shipping, aviation and producing electricity. But shifting attitudes around the topic of sustainability are providing an opportunity for change. As one of the world's largest, global design and architecture firm Gensler is helping lead that charge. And so far, it seems to be working. (2-6-2024 | Finance & Commerce)
 

Trident pitches 128-unit apartment project in Apple Valley
Apple Valley's Planning Commission will review a pitch from St. Cloud-based Trident Development for the proposed 4-story building on the 5-acres site at the northwest corner of English Avenue and 157th Street West. Plans for the site have "evolved over time" in response to changing market conditions. Previous master plans showed future retail development at the Trident site, as well. Specifically, a 2017 plan called for a "big box retail center" there. In 2019, the plan was revised to show two "medium-sized" retail buildings. (2-6-2024 | Finance & Commerce)
 

Uncertainty plagues venue construction for 2026 Olympics
An all-new 15,000-seat hockey arena that's supposed to welcome back NHL players to the Olympics for the first time in more than a decade is a giant construction pit. The 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics start exactly two years from February 6, 2024, and it still seems like there are more questions than answers for a complicated games that will be staged across a large swath of northern Italy spread over five different venue clusters. (2-6-2024 | Finance & Commerce)
 

Plymouth advances plan for 330 apartments
The City Council authorized a comprehensive plan amendment and other approvals for Dietrich's proposed 330-unit Highway 55 Apartments building, which would rise on a site framed by Highway 55, South Shore Drive and Revere Lane North. The project, which also includes up to 10,600-square-feet of retail space and 12 townhome units, won unanimous support from the council, despite a smattering of concerns from neighbors. (2-7-2024 | Finance & Commerce)
 

US to invest $1.2B to expand and modernize electricity transmission
The US DOE has announced an investment of $1.2-billion to expedite the construction of large-scale transmission lines. The initiative aims to address the financial barriers hindering the development of new and upgraded transmission lines. The DOE expects to provide the $1.2-billion investment through federal support under the RFP. (2-7-2024 | Power Technology)
 

BAE Systems coming to Maple Grove in 'Project Libre'
The warehouse project, which has been ground through the city's approval process under the name "Project Libre," will bring 248,000-square-feet of manufacturing, warehouse, office and research and development space to a 30-acre site at Interstate 94 and Highway 169. The Maple Grove City Council is expected to review a $600,000 TIF request next month for soil correction work at the project site. Soil correction needs stem from the site's historical use as a gravel mining operation. (2-8-2024 | Finance & Commerce)
 

Use it or lose it: South Dakota rushing to invest $700M on water projects
South Dakota lawmakers, state agency leaders and water system managers are hustling to spend roughly $700-million in COVID-era funding on water and sewer projects before the federal government claws it back. They money was part of the American Rescue Plan (ARPA), a $1.9-trillion aid package Congress and the Biden administration passed in 2021 to help states recover from the pandemic. ARPA rules require states to allocate all the funds by the end of this year and spend it by the end of 2026 or ship it back to Washington for possible usage by other states. (2-8-2024 | South Dakota News Watch)
 

Josh Helgesen takes over as Greiner's president and CEO
Helgesen joined Greiner in 2001 as an apprentice carpenter. Through the years, he has "demonstrated remarkable leadership, dedication, and an unwavering commitment to our company's values. His ascent to this role is a testament to his exceptional drive and the invaluable contributions he has made to Greiner's success," the company said in a new release. (2-9-2024 | Finance & Commerce)
 

Madison cultural center could break ground in spring
Known as The Center, the nonprofit proposed a three-story, 37,000-square-foot cultural center on a 3.5-acre lot at the 700 block of West Badger Road. In October, officials said they had $3-mollion left to raise before an expected groundbreaking in spring. The Center hopes to pen in the fall of 2025 after construction is completed. The building will have a multi-purpose theater, coworking space, recording studio, art production space and spaces for both youth and seniors, according to the project webpage. (2-9-2024 | Finance & Commerce)
 

State fields design proposals for $48M crime lab in Mankato
State officials are seeking design services for what they call a "state-of-the-art criminal investigation and laboratory" facility in Mankato. The proposed 44,000-square-foot building is funded through design, but the project still needs construction money from the Legislature. (2-9-2024 | Finance & Commerce)
 

Construction Leaders Recognizing & Responding to the Opioid Crisis
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) began expressing concern about opioids to its members in 2015-2016. The Association of Union Constructors (TAUC) Spring 2018 edition of TAUC's Construction User magazine was devoted to the opioid issue with the theme "Confronting the Opioid Crisis: What Contractors Can do Today." The industry leaders highlighted in this article were among the earliest to recognize the need to address opioids in the commercial and industrial sectors of the commercial industry. (2-12-2024 | For Construction Pros)
 

FPC Live will break ground on Milwaukee music venue in the spring
In November, the Common Council unanimously approved plans for the 4,500-person venue at 1051 North Vel R. Phillips Avenue. FPC Live, an affiliate of Live Nation, originally had plans for two separate venues for $50-million but amended to make one instead. Miron Construction is the general contractor for the project, having recently submitted requests to construct the foundation and footings for $33.9-million, according to an application. The parcel area is around 252,666-square-feet and crews will build a three-story building, city records showed. The project work area will be around 83,750-square-feet. (2-12-2024 | The Daily Reporter)