Construction Dive's Friday Punch List series aims to share the week's major construction headlines that contractors may have missed.

Construction news remained busy this week. The Associated Builders and Contractors reported that construction costs rose 7.4% in July compared with the same period in 2025; a joint venture of AECOM Hunt, Turner Construction, and Horus Construction Services was named the preferred builder for the Tampa Bay Rays' $2.3 billion MLB ballpark project.

Here is more news from this week that contractors should know.

Skanska lands $1.2B contract to build four data centers

Skanska, a Stockholm-based builder, has signed a $1.2 billion contract with an existing, undisclosed client to build four new data centers in the southeastern United States, the company announced Thursday.

The four new data centers will total roughly 808,000 square feet, according to the press release. The project scope includes shell construction and interior fit-out for technical spaces and support areas.

Construction will start in the third quarter of 2026, with completion expected in the third quarter of 2028.

— Zachary Phillips

Amtrak completes first phase of $1.6B tunnel project

Amtrak has officially reopened the East River Tunnel's No. 2 tube, the first phase of its $1.6 billion East River Tunnel rehabilitation project, according to a press release from the company on Monday.

The reopening was delayed by about a month after workers discovered voids during overhead contact system installation. This required an engineering change before workers could finally install the support hardware.

Since construction began last summer, crews have completely rebuilt the internal systems of the 116-year-old tunnel, including track, power, communications, drainage, and structural components, according to Amtrak. Workers removed or replaced more than 24,000 feet of rail, 8,000 tons of ballast, 8,000 wooden ties, and 20,000 cubic yards of sidewall concrete, per the release.

The project is a critical link in the Northeast Corridor, and its second and final phase will begin this fall, with completion expected by the end of 2027, Amtrak said.

— Sebastian Obando

Auburn University partners with Air Force on timber barracks

Auburn University has partnered with the U.S. Air Force to develop redeployable modular timber military housing, the Alabama school announced Monday. The collaboration aims to build temporary barracks-style structures, targeting faster assembly and improved cold-weather performance.

Such structures have traditionally been built with light wood framing, similar to conventional residential construction, according to the release. However, this method can require several days of on-site assembly.

"By prefabricating, we move some of the work off-site," said David Roueche, an associate professor in the university's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, in the announcement. "When housing is urgently needed, the actual assembly time should be greatly reduced."

Auburn's College of Engineering is leading the project, and Battelle, an applied science and technology organization based in Columbus, Ohio, is working with the Air Force to build the prototype.

— Matthew Thibault

Two builders and a supplier announce executive changes

Several companies in the built environment saw leadership changes this week.

84 Lumber, one of the nation's largest private building materials suppliers, named Dustin Hauenstein its new chief financial officer on Monday. Hauenstein brings more than 25 years of financial experience, having most recently served as senior vice president at Designer Brands, where he also acted as CFO for DSW and the brand portfolio.

The same day, Rosemont, Illinois-based McShane Construction named a new vice president for its Southeast regional office in Auburn, Alabama. Jack Sommer will oversee business development in the region in that role, according to a press release shared with Construction Dive.

Sommer brings more than 20 years of experience in operations, project management, and preconstruction across hospitality, mixed-use, healthcare, education, and industrial sectors, according to McShane. He previously served as director of projects at Bailey-Harris Construction in Auburn.

Elsewhere in the Southeast, Manhattan Construction announced Tuesday that it appointed Craig Bryant as senior vice president for Florida. Bryant will oversee the company's operations in Tampa Bay and Southwest Florida.

Bryant is a 28-year industry veteran who has helped deliver more than $2.2 billion in construction projects. He first joined Tulsa, Oklahoma-based Manhattan in 2022 as vice president of its Naples/Fort Myers, Florida, office.

— Zachary Phillips