Each Monday, we'll let you know what's coming in the week ahead, including important residential and commercial report releases, as well as our feature articles.
The effect of tech-hub construction on the surrounding community — May 9
Major technology companies can help both the local economy and the local construction industry when they take on massive building initiatives at their corporate campuses. But what about the indirect development and implications they bring to the surrounding community? In our feature article on Tuesday, May 9, we'll explore how the effects of a new tech hub can reverberate far beyond its boundaries.
Lumber prices feature — May 10
Although the preliminary 20% tariff on Canadian softwood lumber imports announced last month was not a surprise, it left the industry to grapple with its possible near- and long-term impacts. In our feature article on Wednesday, May 10, we'll look at how the hike is impacting the market today and what builders and material suppliers can expect down the road.
A walk through Boston's 121 Seaport project — May 10
Boston's Seaport District is undergoing a massive transformation. Front and center in that development is Skanska USA and its 121 Seaport project. On Wednesday, May 10, we'll share how the 400,000-square-foot office building's elliptical shell is an energy- and space-efficient departure from the typical glass-and-steel box, the innovative methods used in its construction, and its likely economic impact on this area of South Boston.
Construction material price report — May 11
The Bureau of Labor Statistics will release the monthly Producer Price Index report on Thursday, May 11. Last month, the BLS reported that construction material prices rose 0.3% between February and March. While March marked the fourth-consecutive month of monthly gains, the year-over-year increase leveled off slightly after two months of sharp increases.
Associated Builders and Contractors Chief Economist Anirban Basu cited diminished confidence in the U.S. economy as the primary factor in the slowing price growth. If energy prices continue to slump, overall material costs could follow suit and remain tamped down.
While economists had predicted that material prices would surge this year — and add to overall climbing business costs — uncertainty at the federal level regarding infrastructure plans and the overall economy could lead to a more volatile price-growth pattern in the coming months.
Protecting buildings from sea-level rise — May 11
Sea levels are on the rise and could threaten a significant portion of coastal properties. In our feature article on Thursday, May 11, we’ll find out what solutions designers and builders have come up with to protect buildings from this looming threat.
