The 9 largest commercial construction starts of May 2025

Total construction starts rebounded 13% in Could however nonetheless lag final 12 months’s stage of shovels hitting grime, in keeping with Dodge Building Community.

Nonresidential constructing begins, which embrace workplace, lodge and healthcare work, jumped 18% in Could, whereas nonbuilding exercise, corresponding to highways, bridges and utility tasks, grew 20%. Residential begins ticked up 2% through the month, in keeping with the info.

The rebound affords some aid for contractors after a slow April, although financial uncertainty and ongoing coverage questions could restrict how long the momentum lasts, mentioned Sarah Martin, affiliate director of forecasting at Dodge Building Community, within the launch.

“Building begins rebounded throughout most sectors in Could, bouncing again from a sluggish April,” mentioned Martin. “Nonetheless, year-to-date figures stay under final 12 months’s tempo. Ongoing uncertainty round commerce coverage and the financial outlook is more likely to maintain construction activity in check for the months forward.”

Listed below are the 9 largest U.S. tasks to interrupt floor in Could, in keeping with Dodge:

• The $1.5 billion Sierra photo voltaic farm and storage venture in Fallon, Nevada.
• The $1.2 billion Delta Blues superior energy station in Greenville, Mississippi. 
• The $1.2 billion BART prepare management modernization in Oakland, California.
• The $900 million SpaceX Starship GigaBay facility in Brevard County, Florida.
• The $780 million College of Kentucky CTC Markey most cancers remedy and ambulatory surgical procedure heart in Lexington, Kentucky.
• The $720 million Pfizer HQ residential conversion in New York Metropolis.
• The $705 million DSHS Western State forensic hospital in Lakewood, Washington.
• The $403 million Domino Sugar residential redevelopment in Williamsburg, New York.
• The $290 million Monmouth Sq. residential improvement in Eatontown, New Jersey.

Begins progress

Nonbuilding development begins surged in Could to a seasonally adjusted annual charge of $336 billion, in keeping with Dodge.

Utility work greater than doubled with a 102% spike, whereas environmental public works jumped 9%. Freeway and bridge begins, however, slipped 5% through the month, in keeping with the report.

Regardless of Could’s bounce, nonbuilding exercise stays 2% decrease on a year-to-date foundation. Utility work has declined 22% up to now this 12 months, whereas environmental public works dropped 5%. Freeway and bridge development, however, is up 6% 12 months to this point, in keeping with Dodge.

Nonresidential begins climbed to a seasonally adjusted annual charge of $459 million in Could, led by a 28% bounce in business development tasks. Retail, workplace and warehouse tasks all posted good points, whereas institutional begins rose 19% amid stronger healthcare exercise. Manufacturing exercise, in distinction, dropped 13% over the month.

By way of Could, nonresidential begins ticked down 6% in comparison with the identical interval final 12 months. Industrial begins remained up 6%, whereas institutional exercise dipped 2%, in keeping with the report.

Residential begins improved to a seasonally adjusted annual charge of $368 billion. That progress got here totally from the multifamily sector, which jumped 15%, whereas single-family begins declined 5%. To this point this 12 months, residential groundbreakings declined 5% in comparison with 2024, with single-family begins down 9% and multifamily up 5%, in keeping with Dodge.