Broad Strength in Nonresidential Planning, Data Centers Pause

BOSTON, MA – September 8, 2026 — The 51���� (DMI), issued by 51����, ticked down 0.4% in August to 282.0 (2000=100) from the downwardly revised July reading of 283.0. Over the month, commercial planning declined 3.0% and institutional planning grew 4.9%.

“Strength in planning momentum remained relatively broad-based in August,” said Sarah Martin, Director of Economic Research at 51����. “Weaker data center planning predominantly drove the flatter trend, while most other sectors saw an acceleration in planning momentum.”

Commercial planning activity slowed down for data centers, retail stores and warehouses throughout August, while office buildings, parking garages and hotels picked up steam. On the institutional side, education, recreational, and public buildings saw a stronger planning pipeline, while healthcare activity slightly pulled back after four months of sustained planning growth. Year-over-year, the DMI was up 4.2% when compared to August 2025. The commercial portion of the index was up 2.3% and the institutional portion was up 7.8% over the same period. When removing data centers, the commercial segment would be down 18.9% from year-ago levels, given the surge in activity seen in late 2025.

A total of 31 projects valued at $100 million or more entered planning throughout August. The largest commercial projects included two EdgeConneX Data Centers (Buildings 31 and 32) in Bastrop, Texas, each valued at $462 million, the $378 million Bitdeer Data Center (Phase 1, 150 MW) in Shalersville Township, Ohio, and a $358 million Data Center in Secaucus, New Jersey. The largest institutional projects to enter planning included the $350 million Colosseum Sports Resort in Stafford, Virginia, the $350 million Commonwealth Courts Building in Richmond, Virginia, and the $350 million Holistic Health and Fitness building in Newport News, Virginia.

The DMI is a monthly measure based on the three-month moving value of nonresidential building projects going into planning, shown to lead construction spending for nonresidential buildings by a full year to 18 months.

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Twenty-Five $1 Billion-Plus Projects Lift Activity

BOSTON, MA — July 21, 2026 — Total construction starts popped 25.6% in July to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1.79 trillion, according to . Nonresidential building starts jumped 57.7%, residential starts increased 4.9% over the month, and nonbuilding climbed 2.2%. On a year-to-date basis, total construction starts were up 16.9% through July. Nonresidential starts were up 21.9%, nonbuilding starts improved by 29.8%, and residential starts were down 1.7% over the same period. For the 12 months ending July 2026, total construction starts were up 14.4% from the 12 months ending July 2025. Residential starts were down 2.7%, nonresidential starts were up 14.8% and nonbuilding starts were up 32.1%.  

“Megaproject driven volatility headlines a disjointed construction market,” stated Eric Gaus, Chief Economist at 51����. “There is strength in pockets, multifamily within residential, data centers within commercial, energy within non-building, but also verticals struggling to stabilize.”  

Nonresidential 

Nonresidential building starts jumped 57.7% in July to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $917 billion. Commercial starts were up 70.0% over the month. Offices and data centers, more than doubled (+107.9% m/m), offsetting weaker warehouse growth (+1.0% m/m) and declining hotels (-51.5% m/m),  parking garages (-19.4% m/m), and retail stores (-9.5% m/m). Institutional starts improved 6.2% over the month, supported by a 4.5% m/m uptick in education and dormitory starts, as well as a 45.7% m/m gain in other institutional starts. Healthcare facilities doubled down on their losses, falling another 59.7% in July. Manufacturing construction starts bounced back with 277.8% m/m, continuing a volatile streak. On a year-to-date basis through July, nonresidential starts are up 21.9%. Commercial and industrial construction gained 44.2%, while institutional starts are down 3.5% over the same period.  

For the 12 months ending July 2026, total nonresidential starts were up 14.8% compared to the 12 months ending July 2025. Commercial starts were up 45.2%, institutional starts decreased 5.6%, and manufacturing starts were down 1.5% over the same period.  

The largest nonresidential building projects to break ground in July were the $12.8 billion data center portion of the Project Jupiter Data Center and Microgrid Phase 1 in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, the $12.0 billion Micron Semiconductor Mega-Factory Fab 1 – Phase 1 in Clay, New York, and the $4.0 billion Amazon STACK Highway 3 Data Center in Benton, Louisiana.   

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Nonbuilding construction��starts��increased 2.2% in��July��to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of��$485��billion.��Continuing their slide,��highway and bridge starts fell back��16.9% in��July��while��environmental public works fell 7.8%��and miscellaneous nonbuilding��dropped 5.3% over the same period. Meanwhile,��utilities improved��44.7% m/m. On a year-to-date basis through��July, nonbuilding construction was up��29.8% alongside the��94.1% year-to-date growth in electric power/utilities,��31.8% in miscellaneous nonbuilding, and��6.8% growth in highways and bridges. Environmental public works are down��4.8% year-to-date.����

For the 12 months ending July 2026, total nonbuilding starts were up 32.1%. Environmental public works fell by 5.1% compared to the 12 months ending July 2025. Highway and bridge starts were up 5.6%, miscellaneous nonbuilding starts were up 43.1% and utility/gas starts increased 105.6% over the same period.  

The largest nonbuilding projects to break ground in July included the $2.4 billion CHSRA New Track & Systems (Two Sections) in Bakersfield, California, the $2.3 billion microgrid portion of the Project Jupiter Data Center and Microgrid Phase 1 in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, and the $1.5 billion Transco Southeast Supply Enhancement Pipeline Expansion-SSE in Chatham, Georgia.  

Residential 

Residential building starts rose by 4.9% in July to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $386 billion. Single family starts increased 4.3% m/m, and multifamily starts rose 5.7% m/m. On a year-to-date basis, residential starts are down 1.7%, with single family starts down 6.1% and multifamily starts up 6.4%. 

For the 12 months ending July 2026, total residential starts fell 2.7%. Single family starts fell 11.1% compared to the 12 months ending July 2025, and multifamily starts increased 13.0% over the same period. 

The largest multifamily structures to break ground in July were the $535 million NY Vue-Harbor Station South Residential Tower/Retail in Bayonne, New Jersey, the $343 million ICON Beach Waterfront Condominiums in Hollywood, Florida, and the $320 million 65 Franklin Mixed Residential & Commercial Building in New York, New York.  

Regionally, total construction starts in July rose in every region except the Midwest and South Central; the Northeast (117.7% m/m), the South Atlantic (28.7% m/m), and the West (61.4% m/m). The Midwest declined by 24.6% and South Central fell 9.3% between May and July.  ��

JULY 2026 CONSTRUCTION STARTS

About 51����

51���� leverages an unmatched offering of data, analytics, and industry-spanning relationships to generate the most powerful source of information, knowledge, insights, and connections in the commercial construction industry. The company powers five longstanding and trusted industry solutions—Dodge Construction Central, Principia Consulting, Blue Book Construction Network, Sweets, and IMS—to connect the dots across the entire commercial construction ecosystem. Together, these solutions provide clear and actionable opportunities for both small teams and enterprise firms. Purpose-built to streamline the complicated, 51���� ensures that construction professionals have the information they need to build successful businesses and thriving communities.

With over a century of industry experience, 51���� is the catalyst for modern commercial construction. To learn more, visit

Media Contact: Alyssa Orender | 51���� | pr@construction.com

The post Construction Starts Rebound 25.6% in July appeared first on 51����.

Data Centers��Drive Growth, Institutional Planning Broadens It��

BOSTON, MA –��August��6, 2026��—��The 51���� (DMI), issued by����Construction Network,��grew��6.9% in��July��to 291.7��(2000=100) from the upwardly revised��June��reading of 273.0. Over the month, commercial planning��expanded��4.1%��and��institutional planning grew 13.1%.����

“Data centers and broad-based growth across key institutional sectors supported stronger planning activity in July,” said Sarah Martin, Director of Economic Research at 51����. “Sustained planning activity should bolster construction in��late��2027, though real growth will prove more constrained as inflationary expectations are priced into project costs.”��

After a brief pause in June, data center planning momentum steadily picked up in July. Meanwhile, office, warehouse,��retail��and hotel planning��slowed��pace. Within the institutional��portion��of the index, planning momentum was more broad-based. Education, healthcare, recreational,��religious��and public building planning��all��accelerated in July. Most of the strong month-over-month��gain��can be attributed to education and public building starts, with the latter expanding over 100% in the last two months.��Year-over-year, the DMI was up��11.7% when compared to��July��2025.��The commercial��portion��of the index was up��13.8%��and��the institutional��portion��was up��7.6% over the same period.��When removing data centers, the commercial segment would be��down��16.2% from year-ago levels, given the surge in activity seen last July.����

A total of 59 projects valued at $100 million or more��entered��planning throughout June. The largest commercial projects included the $500 million Data Center Campus in Petersburg, Virginia, the $500 million DFW20C Data Center in Fairfield, Texas, and the $500 million Google Data Center (Project Avalon, Building 2) in Buffalo, West Virginia. The largest institutional projects to enter planning included the $351 million Northwestern Memorial Hospital Cancer Center in Chicago, Illinois, the $300 million��BeOne��Medicines Research and Development Facility (Expansion) in Pennington, New Jersey, and the $300 million Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Agricultural Complex in Houston, Texas.����

The DMI is a monthly measure based on the three-month moving value of nonresidential building projects going into planning, shown to lead construction spending for nonresidential buildings by a full year to��18 months.����

The post 51������Improves��7% in July�� appeared first on 51����.

Starts Calibrate After Strong Growth in May  

BOSTON, MA — July 21, 2026 — Total construction starts declined 19.9% in June to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1.42 trillion, according to . Nonresidential building starts fell back 9.1%, nonbuilding starts decreased 37.7%, and residential starts decreased 2.2% over the month. On a year-to-date basis, total construction starts were up 11.1% through June. Nonresidential starts were up 6.2%, nonbuilding starts improved by 33.8%, and residential starts were down 3.5% over the same period. For the 12 months ending June 2026, total construction starts were up 10.6% from the 12 months ending June 2025. Residential starts were down 3.6%, nonresidential starts were up 4.9% and nonbuilding starts were up 34.3%.  

“After strong megaproject activity in May, construction starts came back down to earth throughout the month of June,” stated Sarah Martin, Director of Economic Research at 51����. “Residential and institutional construction remain weak, while commercial, industrial and nonbuilding construction continue to show strong year-to-date growth.”  

Nonresidential 

Nonresidential building starts receded 9.1% in June to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $584 billion. Commercial starts were up 1.2% over the month, driven by a 29.5% m/m increase in parking garages, alongside growth in warehouses (+15.0% m/m), hotels (+8.1% m/m) and retail stores (+3.2% m/m). Offices and data centers, meanwhile, pulled back 3.7% m/m. Institutional starts improved 2.5% over the month, supported by an 8.0% m/m uptick in education and dormitory starts, as well as a 32.9% m/m gain in other institutional starts. Healthcare facilities fell back 29.9% in June. Manufacturing construction starts declined 62.9% m/m, normalizing after a surge in activity in May. On a year-to-date basis through June, nonresidential starts are up 6.2%. Commercial and industrial construction gained 17.9%, while institutional starts are down 7.3% over the same period.  

For the 12 months ending June 2026, total nonresidential starts were up 4.9% compared to the 12 months ending June 2025. Commercial starts were up 28.0%, institutional starts decreased 6.8%, and manufacturing starts were down 22.6% over the same period.  

The largest nonresidential building projects to break ground in June were the $3.6 billion Delta Forge 1 Hyperscale Data Center Campus in Boyce, Louisiana, the $2.1 billion Sentinel Midstream Deepwater Port in Freeport, Texas, and the $2.0 billion AWS Data Center (Phase 2) in Canton, Mississippi.   

Nonbuilding 

 
Nonbuilding construction starts fell back 37.7% in June to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $473 billion. After triple digit gains last month, highway and bridge starts fell back 46.6% in June and utilities declined 70.3%. Meanwhile, environmental public works improved 26.3% m/m and miscellaneous nonbuilding surged 168.3% over the same period. On a year-to-date basis through June, nonbuilding construction was up 33.8% alongside the 119.6% year-to-date growth in electric power/utilities, 17.0% in miscellaneous nonbuilding, and 10.8% growth in highways and bridges. Environmental public works are down 5.5% year-to-date.  

For the 12 months ending June 2026, total nonbuilding starts were up 34.3%. Environmental public works fell by 4.8% compared to the 12 months ending June 2025. Highway and bridge starts were up 7.8%, miscellaneous nonbuilding starts were up 36.2% and utility/gas starts increased 122.2% over the same period.  

The largest nonbuilding projects to break ground in June included the $3.6 billion CTA Red Line Extension Project in Chicago, Illinois, the $2.4 billion Cleveland Browns Huntington Bank Field Stadium in Brook Park, Ohio, and the $2.1 billion Amtrak Sawtooth Bridge Replacement in Kearny, New Jersey.  

Residential 

Residential building starts fell by 2.2% in June to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $363 billion. Single family starts fell 3.4% m/m, and multifamily starts fell 0.4% m/m. On a year-to-date basis, residential starts are down 3.5%, with single family starts down 7.5% and multifamily starts up 3.7%. 

For the 12 months ending June 2026, total residential starts fell 3.6%. Single family starts fell 11.8% compared to the 12 months ending June 2025, and multifamily starts increased 11.8% over the same period. 

The largest multifamily structures to break ground in June were the $480 million 1740 Broadway residential conversion in New York, New York, the $251 million River Commons Residential and Community Facility in Concourse, New York, and the $191 million 40 Exchange Place residential conversion in New York, New York.  

Regionally, total construction starts in June fell in every region except the Midwest; the Northeast (-13.9% m/m), the South Atlantic (-32.7% m/m), the South Central (-33.5% m/m), and the West (-4.7% m/m). The Midwest improved by 3.0% between May and June.  

JUNE 2026 CONSTRUCTION STARTS

About 51����

51���� leverages an unmatched offering of data, analytics, and industry-spanning relationships to generate the most powerful source of information, knowledge, insights, and connections in the commercial construction industry. The company powers five longstanding and trusted industry solutions—Dodge Construction Central, Principia Consulting, Blue Book Construction Network, Sweets, and IMS—to connect the dots across the entire commercial construction ecosystem. Together, these solutions provide clear and actionable opportunities for both small teams and enterprise firms. Purpose-built to streamline the complicated, 51���� ensures that construction professionals have the information they need to build successful businesses and thriving communities.

With over a century of industry experience, 51���� is the catalyst for modern commercial construction. To learn more, visit

Media Contact: Alyssa Orender | 51���� | pr@construction.com

The post Construction Starts Recede 20% in June appeared first on 51����.

Data Center Growth Cools from Record Pace, Planning Activity Remains Strong��

BOSTON, MA – July 8, 2026��—��The 51���� (DMI), issued by��Dodge��Construction Network, fell 1.9% in June to 271.7 (2000=100) from the upwardly revised May reading of 277.1. Over the month, commercial planning declined 6.8%��and��institutional planning momentum grew 10.9%.����

“Despite June’s pullback, nonresidential planning remains on solid ground,” said Sarah Martin, Director of Economic Research at 51����. “Data center activity continued to drive the Index, but its pace moderated from the extraordinary levels seen in recent months and drove the��DMI��to pull back over the month. Otherwise, planning activity accelerated across��nearly every��other sector.”��

Within the commercial��portion��of the Index, slowing data center planning momentum drove this month’s decline.��Meanwhile, planning activity for traditional office buildings, warehouses, retail stores and hotels improved.��On the institutional side, healthcare planning continued to accelerate in May, alongside recreational,��government��and religious building activity.��Educational planning slowed down for the second consecutive month.��Year-over-year, the��DMI��was up 21.8% when compared to June 2025. Both the commercial and institutional segments were up also 21.8% over the same period. When removing data centers, the commercial segment would be up 7.6% from year-ago levels.����

A total of 59 projects valued at $100 million or more��entered��planning throughout June. The largest commercial projects included the $500 million��Stak��Energy AI Data Center Campus in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, the $480 million Project Swan Data Center Complex in Lakeland, Florida, and the $456.8 million Parcel A Data Center in Manassas, Virginia. The largest institutional planning projects included the $437 million��DCSO��Correctional Facility (Replacement) in Nashville, Tennessee, the $320 million Cone Health Hospital in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and the $303 million El Camino Health Hospital in Los Gatos, California.����

The��DMI��is a monthly measure based on the three-month moving value of nonresidential building projects going into planning, shown to lead construction spending for nonresidential buildings by a full year to��18 months.����

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Megaprojects Support Growth

BOSTON, MA — June 18, 2026 — Total construction starts improved 34.1% in May to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1.78 trillion, according to . Nonresidential building starts grew by 17.8%, nonbuilding starts increased 91.9%, and residential starts fell 2.1% over the month. On a year-to-date basis, total construction starts were up 12.7% through May. Nonresidential starts were up 12.3%,  nonbuilding starts improved by 32.9%, and residential starts were down 4.9% over the same period. For the 12 months ending May 2026, total construction starts were up 12.5% from the 12 months ending May 2025. Residential starts were down 4.6%, nonresidential starts were up 11.7% and nonbuilding was up 33.2%.

“Megaproject starts within healthcare, manufacturing, utilities and data centers drove sizeable gains across the month,” stated Sarah Martin, Director of Economic Research at 51����. “Outside of this activity, however, pockets of weakness across institutional construction, warehouses and residential construction remain.”

Nonresidential

Nonresidential building starts improved 17.8% in May to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $647 billion. Commercial starts were up 0.8% over the month, driven by the 20.2% m/m increase in offices and data centers, while all sectors experienced declines; parking garages (-53.6% m/m), hotels (-36.8% m/m), warehouses (-17.0% m/m), and stores (-6.2% m/m). Institutional starts gained 17.4% over the month, supported by the 138.8% m/m surge in healthcare construction and offset by the -15.1% m/m decline in education starts. Manufacturing construction rebounded 116.1% m/m in May, alongside the start of the $5 billion Rivian Electric Vehicle Plant. On a year-to-date basis through May, nonresidential starts are up 12.3%. Commercial and industrial construction gained 32.9%, while institutional starts are down 8.8% over the same period.

For the 12 months ending May 2026, total nonresidential starts were up 11.7% compared to the 12 months ending May 2025. Commercial starts were up 26.6%, institutional starts decreased 4.1%, and manufacturing starts were up 32.4% over the same period.

The largest nonresidential building projects to break ground in May were the $5 billion Rivian Electric Vehicle Plant in Social Circle, Georgia, the $3.0 billion Nebius Data Center (Buildings 1 & 2) in Birmingham, Alabama and the $2.8 billion World Trade Center Commercial Tower in New York, New York.

Nonbuilding
Nonbuilding construction starts surged 91.9% in May to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $758 billion. Triple digit gains in highways and bridge starts (+111.3% m/m) and utilities construction (+195.6% m/m) drove gains, while environmental public works (-18.3% m/m) and miscellaneous nonbuilding (-13.1% m/m) slowed down. On a year-to-date basis through May, nonbuilding construction was up 32.9% alongside the 125.9% year-to-date growth in electric power/utilities and 12.1% growth in highways and bridges. The remaining sectors, however, are seeing declines. Environmental public works are down 5.5% year-to-date, and miscellaneous nonbuilding starts are down 12.1% over the same period.

For the 12 months ending May 2026, total nonbuilding starts were up 33.2%. Environmental public works fell by 2.5% compared to the 12 months ending May 2025. Highway and bridge starts were up 9.5%, miscellaneous nonbuilding starts were up 23.8% and utility/gas starts increased 121.6% over the same period.

The largest nonbuilding projects to break ground in May included the $13.5 billion LNG Export Facility in Hackberry, Louisiana, the $4.2 billion SR 400 Express Toll Lanes (Phase 3) project in Sandy Springs, Georgia and the $4.1 billion Brent Spence Bridge (Corridor #116649) project in Convington, Ohio.

Residential

Residential building starts fell by 2.1% in May to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $373 billion. Single family starts fell 1.0% m/m, and multifamily starts fell 3.7% m/m. On a year-to-date basis, residential starts are down 4.9%, with single family starts down 9.4% and multifamily starts up 3.6%.

For the 12 months ending May 2026, total residential starts fell 4.6%. Single family starts fell 13.5% compared to the 12 months ending May 2025, and multifamily starts increased 12.7% over the same period.

The largest multifamily structures to break ground in May were the $867 million 111 Wall Street Residential Conversion in New York, New York, the $633 million River’s Edge Continuing Care Retirement Community (Phase 1) in Bronx, New York and the $271 million Cherry Lane Residential Tower (Phase 1) in Denver, Colorado.

Regionally, total construction starts in May rose in every region except the Midwest; the Northeast (+33.5% m/m), the South Atlantic (+36.5% m/m), the South Central (+87.6% m/m), and the West (+24.4% m/m). The Midwest declined by 8.4% between April and May.

MAY 2026 CONSTRUCTION STARTS

About 51����

51���� leverages an unmatched offering of data, analytics, and industry-spanning relationships to generate the most powerful source of information, knowledge, insights, and connections in the commercial construction industry. The company powers five longstanding and trusted industry solutions—Dodge Construction Central, Principia Consulting, Blue Book Construction Network, Sweets, and IMS—to connect the dots across the entire commercial construction ecosystem. Together, these solutions provide clear and actionable opportunities for both small teams and enterprise firms. Purpose-built to streamline the complicated, 51���� ensures that construction professionals have the information they need to build successful businesses and thriving communities.

With over a century of industry experience, 51���� is the catalyst for modern commercial construction. To learn more, visit

Media Contact: Alyssa Orender | 51���� | alyssa.orender@construction.com

The post Construction Starts Swell 34% in May appeared first on 51����.

Planning Activity��Broadens Beyond Data Centers

BOSTON, MA��–��June��5,��2026��—��The 51���� (DMI), issued by 51���� increased��5.9%��in��May��to��275.7��(2000=100) from the��downwardly��revised��April��reading of��260.4.��Over the month,��commercial planning��expanded 6.9%��and��institutional planning��momentum��grew��3.1%.����

“Nonresidential planning continued to stabilize throughout May,” said Sarah Martin, Director of Economic Research at 51����. “Growth in the DMI continued to be led by data center activity, but key sectors – such as healthcare, retail stores and offices – gained momentum as well. Nonetheless, the broader outlook remains cautious, as persistent labor constraints, elevated material costs and ongoing supply chain pressures weigh on owner sentiment in the near term.”��

Over the month, planning activity for traditional office buildings, data centers,��and retail stores improved, while��warehouse,��hotel and parking garage��planning slowed down.��On the institutional side,��healthcare planning continued to accelerate��in May, alongside government and religious building activity. Meanwhile,��educational��and recreational��building momentum��slowed down.��Year-over-year, the DMI was up��33.8% when compared to��May��2025. The commercial segment was up��41.2% (+6.6% when data centers are removed) and the institutional segment was up��17.7% over the same period.����

A total of��29��projects valued at $100 million or more��entered��planning throughout��May.��The largest��commercial projects��included��the��EDCAUS11 and EDCAUS12 data centers in Bastrop, Texas, each valued at an estimated $437 million.��Additionally, the $432 million Wallace Jackson Industrial Park Data Center (Building 4) in Griffin, Georgia entered the planning queue.��The largest institutional��planning��projects were the��$400 million Coast Guard Training Center (TRACEN) modernization project in Cape May, New Jersey, the $400 million Fisk University Innovation Center in Nashville, Tennessee, and the $241 million Harborview Yesler Terrace Medical Office in Seattle, Washington.����������

The DMI is a monthly measure��based on the three-month moving��value of��nonresidential building projects��going into��planning, shown to lead construction spending for nonresidential buildings by a full year��to��18 months.����

The post 51���� Grows 6% in May appeared first on 51����.

Broad-based Gains Signal Unexpected Strength

BOSTON, MA — May 20, 2026 —��Total construction starts��rose��9.0% in��April��to a seasonally adjusted��annual rate of��$1.33��trillion,��according to��. Nonresidential building starts grew by 18.6%, nonbuilding starts increased 7.0%, and residential starts fell 0.7% over the month. On a year-to-date basis, total construction starts were up 5.4% through April. Nonresidential starts were up 9.1%, nonbuilding starts improved by 12.3%, and residential starts were down 4.5% over the same period. For the 12 months ending April 2026, total construction starts were up 8.1% from the 12 months ending April 2025. Residential starts were down 4.4%, nonresidential starts were up 10.0% and nonbuilding was up 19.5%.����

“April’s construction starts were robust with only three categories posting month over month losses,”��stated��Eric Gaus, Chief Economist of 51����.��“Large��data centers and energy generation supported the growth, but 9 of the 15 categories saw��double��or triple��digit��growth.”��

Nonresidential��

Nonresidential building starts��improved 18.6% in��April��to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of��$550��billion. Commercial starts were��up��41.4%, mostly driven by the��46.1% m/m��increase in��offices and data centers,��however all sectors experienced growth; parking garages (120.4% m/m), warehouses (+25.0% m/m),��hotels (+12.8% m/m),��and��stores (+5.0% m/m). Institutional starts��gained��12.3% over the month,��with all sub-categories��experiencing growth; other institutional categories (+15.1% m/m),��education (+13.2% m/m),��and healthcare (+4.6%).��Manufacturing construction��gave up��29.3% m/m��after an astounding 251.4% growth in March. On a year-to-date basis through April, nonresidential starts are��up 9.1%. Commercial and industrial construction gained��30.4%, while institutional starts are down 12.1% over the same period.����

For the 12 months ending��April��2026, total nonresidential starts were up��10.0% compared to the 12 months ending��April��2025. Commercial starts were up��25.1%, institutional starts decreased��3.8%, and manufacturing starts were up��20.9% over the same period.����

The largest nonresidential building projects to break ground in April were the $5.0 billion Provident/PowerHouse Prairie Ridge Data Center Phase 1 in Midlothian, TX, the $1.9 billion SK Hynix HBM Advanced Packaging & R&D Hub project in West Lafayette, IN, and the $1.3 million Stargate Data Center Campus project in Saline Township, MI.��

Nonbuilding

���DzԲ��ܾ����徱�Բ���construction��starts��increased��7.0% in��April��to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of��$394��billion.��Strong��double digit��gains in miscellaneous nonbuilding��(+18.1%��m/m),��highways and bridges (+17.0% m/m) and environmental public works (+16.3% m/m) reversed��losses��from the previous month.��Electric power/utilities segment fell 9.7%��but��levels��remain��bolstered by large natural gas facilities and large renewable projects.��On a year-to-date basis through��April, nonbuilding construction was up��12.3% alongside the��79.3% year-to-date growth in electric power/utilities. The remaining public works sectors, however, are seeing deeper year-to-date declines.����

For the 12 months ending��April��2026, total nonbuilding starts were up��19.5%.��Environmental public works��fell��by��2.2% compared to the 12 months ending��April��2025.��Highway and bridge��starts��were��down��0.9%, miscellaneous nonbuilding starts were up��35.6%��and��utility/gas starts increased��62.0% over the same period.����

The largest nonbuilding projects to break ground in��April��included��the��$3.8��billion��Bison Generation Station Natural Gas Power��Plant����in��ND,��the��$3.3��billion��Cayuga Station Natural Gas Energy Replacement��in��Cayuga,��IN, and the��$1.0 billion��Tradepoint Atlantic Container Terminal��in��Edgemere,��MD.

Residential��

Residential building starts��fell��by��0.7% in��April��to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of��$383��billion. Single family starts��increased��4.2%��m/m,��and��multifamily starts��fell��7.2%��m/m.��On a year-to-date��basis, residential starts are down��4.5%,��with single family starts��down��10.9% and multifamily starts��up��7.9%.��

For the 12 months ending��April��2026, total residential starts fell��4.4%. Single family starts fell��15.0% compared to the 12 months ending��April��2025, and multifamily starts increased��17.4% over the same period.����

The largest multifamily structures to break ground in��April��were the $850��million��Gowanus Wharf 175 3rd Street Mixed Use Development��in��Gowanus,��NY, the $354��million��Deerfield Episcopal Retirement Community III (Expansion)��project��Asheville,��NC��and $303��million��Archer Towers Mixed Use Development-Garage (Phase 2)��project in��Jamaica, NY.����

Regionally, total construction starts in��April��rose��in��the��Midwest (+66.9% m/m),��the Northeast (+19.9% m/m),��and��the��South Atlantic (+9.3% m/m).��Meanwhile,��the South Central (-14.5% m/m), and the West (-8.6% m/m) saw declines.

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Planning Activity Largely Stabilizes Over the Month 

BOSTON, MA – May 7, 2026 — The 51���� (DMI), issued by 51����, increased 6.2% in April to 264.2 (2000=100) from the downwardly revised March reading of 248.8. Over the month, commercial planning grew 8.1% and institutional planning momentum improved 1.5%.   

“After three months of slowing momentum, nonresidential planning began to find its footing in April,” said Sarah Martin, Director of Economic Research at 51����. “Data centers remain the largest driver behind growth in the 51����, but several other sectors appeared to stabilize over the month. Macroeconomic risks remain weighted to the downside, with labor shortages, higher material costs and supply chain disruptions weighing on owner confidence in the near-term.”   

Planning activity for traditional office buildings, data centers, warehouses, hotels and parking garages grew in April, while retail store planning slowed pace. On the institutional side, education and healthcare planning re-accelerated, while recreational, public and religious planning slowed down over the month. Year-over-year, the DMI was up 14.1% when compared to April 2025. The commercial segment was up 37.2% (+5.8% when data centers are removed) and the institutional segment was up 28.8% over the same period.  

A total of 44 projects valued at $100 million or more entered planning throughout March. The largest of those projects included the $500 million Google Data Center (Building One) in Buffalo, West Virginia, the $470 million Stargate Data Center (Freebird Phase 2) in Burlington, Texas and the $450 million Jay Data Center in Jay, Maine. The largest institutional projects were the $256 million Navy Seal Museum in San Diego, California, the $178 million Lurie Children’s Hospital in Downer’s Grove, Illinois, and the $175 million Unaccompanied Housing improvement project at Naval Base Coronado in California.    

The DMI is a monthly measure based on the three-month moving value of nonresidential building projects going into planning, shown to lead construction spending for nonresidential buildings by a full year to 18 months.  

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Manufacturing, Utilities, and Multifamily Lead the Way

BOSTON, MA — April 17, 2026 —��Total construction starts��rose 12.8% in��March��to a seasonally adjusted��annual rate of��$1.22��trillion,��according to��Dodge Construction��Network. Nonresidential building starts grew by 6.3%, residential starts improved 2.6%, and nonbuilding starts rebounded 37.9% over the month. On a year-to-date basis, total construction starts were down 0.5% through March. Nonresidential starts were down 0.2%, residential starts were down 7.2% and nonbuilding starts improved by 6.4% over the same period. For the 12 months ending March 2026, total construction starts were up 5.4% from the 12 months ending March 2025. Residential starts were down 5.3%, nonresidential starts were up 6.5% and nonbuilding was up 15.8%. ��

“A��few strong categories overcame��slight��weakness in all the others in March,”��stated��Eric Gaus, Chief Economist of 51����. “The commercial segment��shows the most strength with��12 month��growth for all sub-categories except warehousing.”��

Nonbuilding

���DzԲ��ܾ����徱�Բ���construction��starts��jumped��37.9% in��March��to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of��$369 billion. Three mega-projects continued the flip-flopping streak in the electric power/utilities segment, which popped up 353.6% m/m in March. Miscellaneous nonbuilding increased as well, rising 44.0% over the month. Conversely, highways and bridges (-13.6% m/m) and environmental public works (-4.1% m/m) reversed gains from the previous month. On a year-to-date basis through March, nonbuilding construction was up��6.4% alongside the��68.6% year-to-date growth in electric power/utilities. The remaining public works sectors, however, are seeing deeper year-to-date declines.����

For the 12 months ending��March��2026, total nonbuilding starts were up��15.8%.��Environmental public works��fell��by��6.4% compared to the 12 months ending��March��2025.��Highway and bridge��starts��were��down��1.0%, miscellaneous nonbuilding starts were up��34.9%��and��utility/gas starts increased��52.3% over the same period.����

The largest nonbuilding projects to break ground in��March��included��the��$2.5 billion��Darden Clean Energy Project��in Cantua��Creak, CA,��the $2.0 billion��Phase 1��Natural Gas Plant/Site Infrastructure��in Panhandle, TX, and the��$2.0 billion��CPV Basin Ranch Energy Center��in Barstow, TX.����

Nonresidential��

Nonresidential building starts improved 6.3% in March to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $466 billion. Commercial starts were down 9.2%, mostly driven by the 16.0% m/m pull back in offices and data centers. Warehouses (-6.6% m/m) also lost ground in March, while, hotels (+19.3% m/m), stores (+5.6% m/m), and parking garages (0.8% m/m) made gains. Institutional starts contracted 1.5% over the month, despite growth in education (+3.4% m/m) and healthcare (+9.7%). Other institutional categories more than offset that growth, dropping 11.8% m/m. After a lackluster February, manufacturing construction also bounced back, increasing by 251.9% m/m. On a year-to-date basis through March, nonresidential starts are down 0.2%. Commercial and industrial construction gained 18.0%, while institutional starts are down -17.8% over the same period. ��

For the 12 months ending��March��2026, total��nonresidential��starts were up��6.5% compared to the 12 months ending��March��2025. Commercial starts were up��19.2%, institutional starts��decreased��5.7%, and manufacturing starts were��up��20.2% over the same period.����

The largest nonresidential building projects to break ground in��March��were��the��$3.4 billion��Shintech��Ethylene PEP-2 & Vinyl Chloride Monomer (SPP-4)��in��Plaquemine, LA,��the��$2.4 billion��Savannah River Plutonium Processing Facility��project in Aiken, SC, and��the $953��million��Port Terminal 1 Replacement��project in��Anchorage,��AK.��

Residential��

Residential building starts grew by 2.6% in March to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $385 billion. Single family starts decreased 5.3% m/m, and multifamily starts expanded by 15.3% m/m. On a year-to-date basis, residential starts are down 7.2%, with single family starts down 14.1% and multifamily starts up 6.1%.��

For the 12 months ending��March��2026, total residential starts fell��5.3%. Single family��starts��fell��15.7% compared to the 12 months ending��March��2025, and multifamily starts increased��16.3% over the same period.����

The largest multifamily structures to break ground in��March��were the $727 million��Discovery Park (PA 31) Apartments��in Irvine,��CA, the $577 million��Harborside 4 Residential Tower��project Jersey City, NJ and $420 million��61 Broadway Residential Conversion��project in New York, NY.����

Regionally,��total construction starts in��March��rose��in��and��the South Central (+41.7% m/m),��the West (+22.1% m/m)��,��the South Atlantic (+7.5% m/m) and the Northeast��(+3.1% m/m).��Meanwhile,��the��Midwest (-15.1% m/m) was the only region to see a decline.����

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