While the cranes dotting the skyline of Grand Rapids have started to come down, the construction industry in West Michigan remains in uncertain time as a number of government and educational projects buoy their project portfolios in 2011. What remains unclear is the degree to which private investors are going to reenter the game. We invited a number of leaders in the design-build community to participate in this year’s roundtable discussion.
2011 will be better than last year — I hope. Seriously, last year was strained for our industries, and while it will stretch into 2011 a bit, I see light at the end of the tunnel. Things do seem to be picking up in the architecture profession for many firms and that will eventually trickle down to the construction industry.
Damian Hill, industry relations director at Associated General Contractors of Michigan, participated in a Q&A with MiBiz Managing Editor Joe Boomgaard about the organization’s outlook for 2011.
This past year again presented most West Michigan commercial, industrial and institutional contractors with extraordinary challenges. Those surviving the period of 2008 through 2010 should be “lean, mean, fighting machines,” as it could take 12 to 18 months to see any sustained recovery for West Michigan’s commercial contractors and material suppliers.
Crystal Ball 
Order Reprints
2011 will be better than last year — I hope. Seriously, last year was strained for our industries, and while it will stretch into 2011 a bit, I see light at the end of the tunnel. Things do seem to be picking up in the architecture profession for many firms and that will eventually trickle down to the construction industry.
Damian Hill, industry relations director at Associated General Contractors of Michigan, participated in a Q&A with MiBiz Managing Editor Joe Boomgaard about the organization’s outlook for 2011.
This past year again presented most West Michigan commercial, industrial and institutional contractors with extraordinary challenges. Those surviving the period of 2008 through 2010 should be “lean, mean, fighting machines,” as it could take 12 to 18 months to see any sustained recovery for West Michigan’s commercial contractors and material suppliers.