All of ENR Midwest's coverage of how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting the regional construction industry.

Projects across ENR's 11-state Midwest region are being postponed or shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic with no real certainty in sight as to when they might continue. The wide-ranging secondary effects of the novel coronavirus and the shutdowns it caused include loss of sales tax and revenue for state incentives.

Construction in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Wisconsin is seen as essential infrastructure, so work continues on most sites in those states. Minnesota, Kentucky, Missouri and Kansas's orders broadly exempt outdoor activities. Michigan's order includes public works construction as essential.

Craft-worker wages fell 8.5%, on average and building costs on 335 schools did not drop, say researchers.

With urban revitalization spurring growth in residential and mixed-use facilities, the Indiana construction market is “stable and reflects national trends with growth in life sciences, health care, entertainment and infrastructure,” Philip Kenney says.