Commercial Development

Since the dawn of the recession, when the commercial construction and development industry was waylaid more than most, industry executives have been talking about gradual improvement. Three years into a slow economic recovery, they still are. Full Story 

Despite some gradual improvement, these continue to be challenging times in the commercial development and building industry. Each year since the onset of the recession and the sluggish recovery that has ensued, In Business magazine has not been sure there would be enough quality projects for our annual Commercial Design Awards, but each year Greater Madison (and now statewide) architects, engineers, and others come through, and our panel of judges remained impressed with the quality and value of projects. Full Story 

Running the Madison office of an engineering firm may not sound like the perfect jumping-off point for a jet-setting lifestyle, but for Dave Werren, it’s been a lifetime pass to exotic locales and bracing challenges. Then again, as the president of the U.S. operation for Baird & Associates, a global coastal engineering company that boasts offices in Canada, Chile, the United Arab Emirates, Barbados, and Australia, Werren is more than happy to turn the familiar credo “think globally, act locally” on its head. Full Story 

Thanks in part to a decision made last summer, businesses that want a new home, or would like to expand their existing facilities, will find the financing waters smoother than they might have expected, according to bankers and executives who have gone through the construction financing process. The underlying reason is the Federal Reserve's announcement last July that it intends to keep interest rates low until 2013. Full Story