Energy, Mass Transit and Stadium Projects Highlight Healthy 2017 Construction Market

This year’s construction market continues to pick up steam, with millions of dollars in new projects breaking ground over the past few weeks, and billions in projects now on the drawing boards.

As you can see in the chart below, the mix of work is diverse in its location and by type of project. The largest project by far is a $23 billion petrochemical complex in Cameron Parish, LA, planned by energy giant G2 LNG that would bring 6,000 construction jobs and include a massive LNG plant. Another large project recently announced was the $1.3 billion Targa Resources natural gas pipeline that would connect the oil-rich Permian Basin to Mont Belvieu, TX, near Houston, more than 500 miles away.

Over $800 million in new construction work broke ground in the past few weeks in just three projects: a $150 million expansion to Wacker chemical plant, Charleston, TX; the $349 million Skansa hospital, Harrison Township, TX; and the $350 million Summa Health project in Akron, OH.

Two mass transit projects close to ground-breaking include a $1.9 billion extension to an existing light-rail system in the Minneapolis-St. Paul market and the $2.2 billion extension of Boston’s Green Line.  And EM previously reported on the plans for the conversion of  a U.S. Post Office facility in New York  into Penn Station’s Moynihan Train Hall for Amtrak and local subways.

The largest stadium projects planned or underway include the previously reported NBA arena for the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco; a stadium in Las Vegas for the NFL’s Oakland Raiders; a stadium in Inglewood, CA that the NFL’s San Diego Chargers and Los Angeles Rams will share; and a 25,000-seat soccer stadium in Miami.