Beacon News

Beacon's team has consulted on some of the largest and most complex construction projects in the U.S. in recent years. However, our team also keeps abreast of other notable construction projects announced or underway. Beacon's VP Jim Bruno has compiled this summary of several interesting, large-scale projects planned and/or started in the U.S.

Amazon Headquarters 2 (Arlington, VA) - Amazon plans to build a 350-foot-tall building, modeled on a helix, in Arlington, Va., as the centerpiece of its second headquarters (see image this page). The building, designed by architectural firm NBBJ, overlooks a site which will include venues for public performances, green space and shopping. Amazon has said it will invest more than $2.5 billion in Arlington county over the next decade. The expected influx into the area has already inflated housing prices there and sparked several new transportation projects, including expansion of Amtrak and Virginia Railway Express services. Phase 1 of development project has a planned completion date in mid 2023. This Phase will include 2.1-million sf of energy-efficient office buildings with state-of-the-art workspaces and green outdoor terraces for employees in two 22-story towers. For more info, Click Here >

Buffalo Bills - New Football Stadium (Orchard Park, NY) - In August of 2021, the owners of The Buffalo Bills NFL football franchise submitted their plans for a $1.9-billion, 60,000-seat stadium in Orchard Park, NY to representatives of the State of New York and Erie County. As of this writing, negotiations were still underway related to public funding support for the stadium. In recent months, New York Governor Cathy Hokul expressed optimism that a deal would be reached in the coming year related to the stadium. Buffalo's existing stadium (Highmark Stadium) is 49 years old and reportedly would need need expensive (and expensive) repairs in the next 5-6 years to remain viable. An architectural rendering of the proposed stadium is posted on New York's Empire State Development website (see bottom of this page). For more info, Click Here >

Samsung Chip Factory (Texas) - In late 2021, Samsung Electronics announced that it will build a $17-billion advanced chip-making plant in Texas, with construction starting in 2022. The new plant will provide 1,800 new jobs according to a recent article in The Wall Street Journal, and will be located in Taylor, TX--about 30 miles away from Austin. The new site is reportedly 1,200 acres in size, making it larger than Samsung’s existing Austin, TX facility. Samsung reportely plans to break ground at the site this year and begin producing chips in 2024. For more info, Click Here >

High Speed Rail Project California - According to California High-Speed Rail Authority, the state's planned high-speed rail system will connect the mega-regions of the state (San Francisco to Los Angeles), contribute to economic development and a cleaner environment, create jobs and preserve agricultural and protected lands. The system will run from San Francisco to the Los Angeles basin in under three hours at speeds of over 200 miles per hour. Eventually, the system could extend to Sacramento and San Diego, totaling 800 miles with up to 24 stations. As of this writing, the cost estimate to deliver the 500-mile system linking San Francisco to Los Angeles/Anaheim via the Central Valley ranges from $69 billion to just under $100 billion. According to project information posted online, Phase 1 of the project will consist of 520 miles of track. Phase 1 will connect the downtowns of San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Anaheim using high-speed rail through California's Central Valley. Construction is ongoing, with Phase 1 completion projected to happen within the next 7-10 years according to online sources. For more info, Click Here >