Latest Crane Count Shows Net Decrease with High Project Completion Rate

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International property and construction consultancy firm Rider Levett Bucknall has released its latest Crane Index and quarterly Construction Cost Report. The two documents provide a perspective on the North American construction industry in 14 key markets. The latest RLB quarterly Construction Cost Report, with data from mid-Q1 2024, shows that the national average increase in construction costs was 1.29%, similar to pre-pandemic levels. Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York and Washington, D.C. all experienced increases over the national average this quarter. Denver, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Portland, San Francisco and Seattle experienced gains that were less than the national average. Crane Index notes Calgary, Las Vegas and Los Angeles have … Read more

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ABC: Construction Materials Prices Increase 0.4%

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Construction input prices increased 0.4% in March compared to the previous month, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors’ analysis of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Producer Price Index data. Nonresidential construction input prices also increased 0.4% for the month. Both overall and nonresidential construction input prices are 1.7% higher than a year ago. Prices fell in all three energy subcategories last month. Natural gas prices were down 37%, while unprocessed energy materials and crude petroleum were down 6.9% and 0.8%, respectively.  

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International Dark Sky Discovery Center Breaks Ground in Fountain Hills

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The International Dark Sky Discovery Center broke ground on its new observatory in Fountain Hills, Arizona, in sync with the solar eclipse on April 8. The new observatory was designed by SWABACK Architects + Planners and is being built by McCarthy Building Companies. The $25 million, 23,000-square-foot facility will encompass a 27.5-inch PlaneWave telescope, housed within its 20.5-foot domed observatory, along with a 65-seat planetarium. The center will also include a multipurpose auditorium with capacity for 150 guests, and a “Night Sky Experience” exhibit space equipped with interactive educational and historical components. The center’s primary intent is to highlight the importance … Read more

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ABC: Nonresidential Construction Adds 24,600 Jobs

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The construction industry added 39,000 jobs on net in March, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors’ analysis of data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. On a year-over-year basis, industry employment has expanded by 270,000 jobs, an increase of 3.4%.  Nonresidential construction employment increased by 24,600 positions on net, with growth in all three subcategories. Nonresidential specialty trade added the most jobs, increasing by 16,300 positions. Heavy and civil engineering and nonresidential building added 6,000 and 2,300 jobs, respectively. The construction unemployment rate fell to 5.4% in March. Unemployment across all industries declined from 3.9% in February … Read more

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UHealth at SoLé Mia Reaches Construction Milestone with Topping Out

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A topping out celebration was held for UHealth at SoLé Mia. The seven-story, 363,000-square-foot medical center is being built on 10 acres in North Miami, Florida’s master-planned community of SoLé Mia, a 184-acre mixed-use project. Set to be UHealth’s largest outpatient medical facility when it opens in 2025, UHealth at SoLé Mia will serve communities in north Miami-Dade, south Broward counties and beyond. The facility will offer academic healthcare specialties, including cancer care from Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center; advanced vision care from Bascom Palmer Eye Institute; urological treatments from the Desai Sethi Urology Institute and more. The center will feature … Read more

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