Recently a construction research firm sorted through building data for the country’s Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) to find the 10 places where the most money has been spent so far this year on new construction (from January through May 2013). Also a national magazine looked at the dollar amount of new construction starts, or projects where ground has been broken and work started, for structures that fall under the “Total Building” umbrella.
Total Building includes single-family home construction, multifamily home construction, retail space, office space, warehouses, healthcare facilities, educational buildings, manufacturing plants and research facilities. The magazine did not include money spent on public works projects such as bridges, streets and parks, nor did it include electric utility construction.
Here’s a look at the top 10 going from lowest to highest:
10. Chicago, Ill., metro area
M.S.A.: Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL-IN-WI
2013 Construction Starts, January to May: $2.4 billion
Change, year-over-year: -5%
2012 Construction Starts: $7.1 billion
Change from 2011: 14%
Largest 2013 Project Started, to date: The Loews Chicago hotel-condominium tower.
9. Boston, Mass., metro area
M.S.A.: Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH
2013 Construction Starts, January to May: $2.6 billion
Change, year-over-year: 28%
2012 Construction Starts: $6.7 billion
Change from 2011: 13%
Largest 2013 Project Started, to date: UMass Boston General Academic Building Number 1 (Dorchester, MA)
8. Phoenix, Ariz., metro area
M.S.A.: Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
2013 Construction Starts, January to May: $2.6 billion
Change year-over-year: 8%
2012 Construction Starts: $6 billion
Annual Change from 2011: 10%
Largest 2013 Project Started, to date: Liv North Gateway Apartments (Gilbert, AZ)
7. Miami, Fla., metro area
M.S.A.: Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Miami Beach, FL
2013 Construction Starts: $2.8 billion
Change year-over-year: 36%
2012 Construction Starts: $6 billion
Annual Change from 2011: 77%
Largest 2013 Project Started, to date: Dezer Properties’ Porsche Design Residences (Sunny Isles Beach, FL)
6. Los Angeles, Calif., metro area
M.S.A.: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, CA
2013 Construction Starts, January to May: $3.2 billion
Change, year-over-year: -4%
2012 Construction Starts: $7.9 billion
Change from 2011: 23%
Largest 2013 Project Started, to date: Renovation of Delta Terminal 5 (Los Angeles, CA)
5. Atlanta, Ga., metro area
M.S.A.: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA
2013 Construction Starts, January to May: $3.6 billion
Change, year-over-year: 80%
2012 Construction Starts: $4.9 billion
Change from 2011: -3%
Largest 2013 Project Started, to date: Baxter Blood Plasma Fractionation Plant at Stanton Springs (Covington, GA)
4. Washington, D.C., metro area
M.S.A.: Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
2013 Construction Starts, January to May: $4.6 billion
Change, year-over-year: 23%
2012 Construction Starts: $9.6 billion
Change from 2011: 15%
Largest 2013 Project Started, to date: Alterations to the International Monetary Fund Headquarters.
3. Houston, Texas, metro area
M.S.A.: Houston-Baytown-Sugar Land, TX
2013 Construction Starts: $4.8 billion
Change year-over-year: 8%
2012 Construction Starts: $11.1 billion
Change from 2011: 23%
Largest 2013 Project Started, to date: MD Anderson Pavilion (Houston, TX)
2. Dallas, Texas, metro area
M.S.A.: Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
2013 Construction Starts, January to May: $5.2 billion
Change, year-over-year: 21%
2012 Construction Starts: $11.1 billion
Change from 2011: 22%
Largest 2013 Project Started, to date: Addition at T5@ Dallas Data Center (Plano, TX)
1. New York, N.Y., metro area
M.S.A.: New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-PA
2013 Construction Starts, January to May: $8.5 billion
Change, year-over-year: 16%
2012 Construction Starts: $20.5 billion
Change from 2011: 11%
Largest 2013 Project Started, to date: Phase 1 of the Prudential Financial Office Tower (Newark, NJ)
