March 2026 City Scoop: Philadelphia
City Grill
Todd Lofgren
Senior Vice President, Account Manager
Skanska USA Building
Construction work in Philadelphia “is heating up after a slow winter,” with strong activity in science, technology and mission-critical facilities, Lofgren says.
Demand for research and manufacturing space is “driving design trends toward flexible, efficient layouts and advanced infrastructure,” enabling projects to adapt to “evolving client needs and complex technical requirements,” he adds.
In South Jersey, “data centers and industrial campuses” reflect growing interest in technology and logistics. “Preconstruction activity is increasing across both regions as clients seek to capitalize on favorable market conditions,” Lofgren says. Despite “rising material costs and tariffs,” the market outlook “remains positive.”
Health care projects are “focused primarily on infrastructure and equipment upgrades,” while higher education construction “has remained slow since early 2025, largely limited to small renovations and infrastructure work,” he says. Mission-critical work, “historically quieter, is gaining momentum.”
