TOP HEADLINES

Design

Skanska breaks ground on 300,000 sq. ft. mass timber high school

Skanska, a global construction and development firm, broke ground on the modernization of Cleveland High School for Portland Public Schools on June 12. The project will replace the existing school with an approximately 300,000-square-foot high school on the same Southeast Portland site, along with upgrades to the athletics stadium and Powell Park fields. Construction is expected to begin in July 2026 and be completed in the summer of 2029.

Furniture

Showcase Furniture highlights growing interest in farmhouse-inspired styles

Showcase Furniture has highlighted increasing customer interest in farmhouse-inspired kitchen seating as homeowners seek furniture styles that combine traditional design influences with practical everyday use. The company’s observations reflect changing customer preferences toward furniture that supports comfort, functionality, and visual consistency within modern residential spaces.

Woodworking Industry News

Think Lightweight returns to IWF 2026 with bigger booth, new products

The countdown to IWF 2026 has begun and Think Lightweight said it plans to make a bold statement at North America’s largest woodworking event. From August 25–28, 2026, visitors attending the International Woodworking Fair 2026 in Atlanta will have the opportunity to explore smarter lightweight solutions, advanced manufacturing capabilities, and two brand-new product launches.

Woodworking Industry News

JCHS: High costs, slumping demand squeeze housing as affordable units in short supply

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Persistent affordability challenges and rising economic uncertainty are squeezing housing conditions, with weakening labor markets and plummeting immigration dampening household growth, according to a new report from the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies. The State of the Nation’s Housing 2026 report also finds that construction activity has softened, cost burdens for both renters and homeowners continue to climb, and federal assistance is profoundly underfunded.