This year's roster of big-dollar construction projects in Arkansas topped the $1 billion mark in total valuation.
An influx of new developments combined with a strong foundation of holdover projects to push the number higher than last year's $854 million total.
Twenty-five carryover projects from last year's list continue to work toward completion in 2003.
Among the new entries is a new No. 1: the William Jefferson Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock at $110 million.
With a scheduled completion of July 2004, the project could retain its position atop the list for another year.
The size of the presidential library gave CDI Contractors LLC of Little Rock the largest dollar total of any general contractor/construction manager in the list.
CDI's four large projects totaled $200 million and included the Jack Stephens Center for Spinal Research at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences campus in Little Rock, No. 3 at $45 million; Immanuel Baptist Church in Little Rock, No. 6 at $33 million; and the Embassy Suites in Hot Springs, No. 17 at $22 million.
Nabholz Construction Corp. of Conway and its Rogers operation tallied the second-highest dollar total at $148 million, with nine projects scattered across the state.
Baldwin & Shell Construction Co. of Little Rock posted the most projects in the list, 11 entries that totaled about $128 million.
Baldwin & Shell, Nabholz and CDI accounted for $476 million worth of construction, about 45 percent of the $1.06 billion represented in this year's list.
The 62 projects in the 2003 roster are spread across a diverse range of categories.
Government work — federal, state and local — posted the most entries in the list with 10 and a valuation of more than $195 million. Of those, four were courtesy of Uncle Sam at the Little Rock Air Force Base in Jacksonville.
Health care-related construction, which included three projects at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, registered nine entries. Total dollar valuation: more than $204 million.
Three categories each had eight projects in the list. The biggest in terms of valuation was colleges/universities at more than $147 million. It was followed by apartments at $100 million and elementary/high schools, at more than $68 million.
Six high-dollar church projects combined for more than $62 million. Five hotel jobs topped that total at nearly $80 million.
