Monthly Archives: February 2012

On Monday night, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation official began construction on the George C. Platt Memorial Bridge on Route 291. The $43 million rehabilitation project will reportedly restrict the bridge to one lane in each direction for the next two years, with pedestrian access remaining on the bridge during that time.

A 21-acre tract of land owned by Institute for Advanced Study from Princeton University is currently the subject not only of a historic battle, but also a contemporary land dispute.

Last week, we noted that the state House voted 101-90 to approve a compromise plan on a measure that would impose an “impact fee” on companies engaged in natural gas drilling. The measure has not yet been signed by Governor Corbett.

OnWednesday, Bucks County commissioners voted to postpone action on a contract dispute with Philadelphia-based construction management firm Ernest Bock & Sons Inc. stemming from a project to construct a new courthouse in Doylestown.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reported on Thursday that, after three years of debate and false starts on a plan to impose a local impact fee on natural gas drillers, the state is close to approving a measure. On Wednesday, the state House voted 101-90 to approve a compromise plan on the impact fee. Senate has already approved the measure, and now it goes to Governor Corbett, who has said he will sign it.

Landlord-tenant relations is one aspect of real estate law, which includes a host of issues including purchase and sales agreement, construction contracts, and environmental compliance. A recent article in the Philadelphia Inquirer took a look at a new development in the area of commercial leasing.

Philadelphia’s Point Breeze section is currently the subject of ongoing controversy regarding a plan to turn dilapidated properties into high-end homes. The developer, Ori Feibush, plans to build 13 high-priced apartments, and the project is going to raise the cost of living for neighborhood members. That news is worrisome to those who are struggling to get by right now.

According to the Associated General Contractors of America, a construction industry trade group, Philadelphia lost more construction jobs than any other metro area in the nation during 2011. The number of jobs reportedly decreased 4,800 between December 2010 and December 2011, making for a 7 percent loss. The data was taken from federal employment information, and was not seasonally adjusted.