Florida Construction Starts Awaken in June, Rise 32%

The value of Florida’s June construction starts improved by 32% compared to the same period of a year ago, according to McGraw-Hill Construction, with more than $2.4 billion in new contracts moving forward during the month.

All three construction sectors experienced strong, double-digit percentage jumps in June. The nonbuilding sector, which includes infrastructure projects, improved by the highest percentage, 67%, to tally $665.4 million.

McGraw-Hill Construction, publisher of ENR Southeast, estimated new residential starts at $843.8 million, or 24% better than the same period of a year ago. Nonresidential construction jumped 21% to deliver the greatest volume of new contracts for the month, an estimated $915.4 million.

On a year-to-date basis, however, all three construction sectors remain negative. Through June, residential is 3% behind 2010’s pace, with more than $4.4 billion in new contracts. The nonbuilding category represents the second-largest market so far in 2011. Its year-to-date total of nearly $3.8 billion in new contracts is 19% below the pace of a year ago. Nonresidential contracts total nearly $3.1 billion, or 24% behind the year-ago total.

Through June, McGraw-Hill Construction estimates Florida’s 2011 new contracts at nearly $11.3 billion, or 15% lower than the $13.2 billion recorded midway through 2010.

Scott Judy is Deputy Editor for Regions, and editor of ENR Southeast, one of Engineering News-Record's 10 Regional publications. His roughly 27 years as a construction journalist began with an 11-year stint covering Midwest construction projects. In 2000, Judy helped launch the publication now known as ENR Southeast. He often delves into controversial aspects of the construction industry such as bankruptcies and fatal accidents, and wishes he would never have to cover another accident but suspects that he might.