While many of the general building sectors remain in the doldrums, health-care projects continue to pump a steady stream of revenue for top contracting firms. Although the recession did create a pause in capital projects at many health systems, megaprojects—especially federally funded ones—are filling the pipelines of top firms. And as big-dollar projects wane, many companies hope to see a return to more traditional work in the near future.
Skanska USA, New York City, is on track for one of its “better years in health care,” says Andrew Quirk, senior vice president in the firm's Healthcare Center of Excellence. “Last fall, we saw the biggest uptick in recent memory, with inquiries on requests for proposals and interviews,” he adds. “We've seen that same trend this year, and we're starting to get ready for a very busy fall.”