Insight

Construction News: 5 Boom Cities of 2016

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U.S. construction news is again positive for 2016. According to Dodge Data & Analytics, the industry will grow by six percent over 2015, up to $712 billion.

Here are five cities where we expect good construction news to continue in 2016.

Houston Construction News

Why the good construction news?

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Architectural rendering of the proposed Texas Medical Center campus in Houston, Texas
Construction News: TMC3 Campus

Popular projects

  • San Jacinto Mall: The 35-year-old property will be remodeled into an open-air shopping center.
  • TMC3: Texas Medical Center will build a new $1.5 billion 30-acre research campus.
  • Natural gas liquids pipeline: Enterprise Product Partners LP will expand the existing pipeline.

Average wage: $43,290

Dallas/Fort Worth Construction News

Why the good construction news?

Construction News: 1900 Pearl
Construction News: 1900 Pearl

Popular projects

  • ViaWest data center: Construction on this 156,000-square-foot facility is expected to be completed in Q4 2016.
  • Facebook data center: Building a $1-billion development entitles you to name your own address.
  • 1900 Pearl: This 25-story, 260,00-square-foot office tower will be the new gateway to the Dallas Arts District.

Average wage: $37,520

New York Metro Area Construction News

Why the good construction news?

Construction News: 30 Hudson Yards
Construction News: 30 Hudson Yards

Popular projects

  • Second Avenue subway: The first major expansion of the subway system in 50 years will cost $4.5 billion.
  • 30 Hudson Yards: The 2.6-million-square-foot tower will be the second-tallest office building in New York.
  • 1 Manhattan West: Another office tower, this 67-story skyscraper is LEED Gold certified.

Average wage: $65,720

Chicago Construction News

Why the good construction news?

Construction News: Lucas Museum of Narrative Art
Construction News: Lucas Museum of Narrative Art

Popular projects

Average wage: $66,310

Denver Construction News

Why the good construction news?

Construction News: Gaylord Rockies Resort and Convention Center
Construction News: Gaylord Rockies Resort and Convention Center

Popular projects

  • Gaylord Rockies Resort and Convention Center: Slotted for construction in the suburb of Aurora, this project will employ about 10,000 workers.
  • Niobrara Connector: This rail transfer facility handles the storage and transport of crude oil produced in the Denver-Julesburg Basin.
  • 1144 Fifteenth: This 40-story office building will be the first of its size built in Denver in 30 years.

Average wage: $45,020

Other areas where the construction news for 2016 looks positive include San Francisco; Phoenix; Washington, D.C.; Seattle; and Boston. While growth in Houston, Dallas and other Texas regions continues, oil price volatility may cause a slowdown.

One challenge that all of these areas face is that there is more work than there are workers to do it. An aging workforce is not being replenished fast enough to keep up with retirement. The result: a construction labor shortage.