{"id":35074,"date":"2026-04-17T17:23:15","date_gmt":"2026-04-18T00:23:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/construction-starts-rebound-13-in-march\/"},"modified":"2026-04-17T17:23:15","modified_gmt":"2026-04-18T00:23:15","slug":"construction-starts-rebound-13-in-march","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/construction-starts-rebound-13-in-march\/","title":{"rendered":"Construction Starts Rebound 13% in March"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <a href=\"https:\/\/essential.construction\/files\/membership-default-internal\/\" class=\"memberhide\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2023\/01\/20220718_175041000_iOS.jpg\" alt=\"-\"><\/a><br\/><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div itemprop=\"text\">\n<div align=\"center\">\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Construction Starts \u2013 March 2026\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/mL6uF4KuXeY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong><em><span data-contrast=\"auto\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" lang=\"EN-US\" class=\"TextRun MacChromeBold SCXW194999595 BCX0\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW194999595 BCX0\">Manufacturing, Utilities, and Multifamily Lead the Way<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">BOSTON, MA \u2014 April 17, 2026 \u2014<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Total construction starts\u00a0rose 12.8% in\u00a0March\u00a0to a seasonally adjusted\u00a0annual rate of\u00a0$1.22\u00a0trillion,\u00a0according to\u00a0<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\">Dodge Construction\u00a0Network<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. 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%. <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134245417&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201cA\u00a0few strong categories overcame\u00a0slight\u00a0weakness in all the others in March,\u201d\u00a0stated\u00a0Eric Gaus, Chief Economist of Dodge Construction Network. \u201cThe commercial segment\u00a0shows the most strength with\u00a012 month\u00a0growth for all sub-categories except warehousing.\u201d<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134245417&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Nonbuilding<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Nonbuilding\u00a0construction\u00a0starts\u00a0jumped\u00a037.9% in\u00a0March\u00a0to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of\u00a0$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\u00a06.4% alongside the\u00a068.6% year-to-date growth in electric power\/utilities. The remaining public works sectors, however, are seeing deeper year-to-date declines.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134245417&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">For the 12 months ending\u00a0March\u00a02026, total nonbuilding starts were up\u00a015.8%.\u00a0Environmental public works\u00a0fell\u00a0by\u00a06.4% compared to the 12 months ending\u00a0March\u00a02025.\u00a0Highway and bridge\u00a0starts\u00a0were\u00a0down\u00a01.0%, miscellaneous nonbuilding starts were up\u00a034.9%\u00a0and\u00a0utility\/gas starts increased\u00a052.3% over the same period.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134245417&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The largest nonbuilding projects to break ground in\u00a0March<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0included\u00a0the\u00a0$2.5 billion\u00a0Darden Clean Energy Project\u00a0in Cantua\u00a0Creak, CA,\u00a0the $2.0 billion\u00a0Phase 1\u00a0Natural Gas Plant\/Site Infrastructure\u00a0in Panhandle, TX, and the\u00a0$2.0 billion\u00a0CPV Basin Ranch Energy Center\u00a0in Barstow, TX.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134245417&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134245417&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Nonresidential<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134245417&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">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. <\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134245417&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">For the 12 months ending\u00a0March\u00a02026, total\u00a0nonresidential\u00a0starts were up\u00a06.5% compared to the 12 months ending\u00a0March\u00a02025. Commercial starts were up\u00a019.2%, institutional starts\u00a0decreased\u00a05.7%, and manufacturing starts were\u00a0up\u00a020.2% over the same period.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134245417&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The largest nonresidential building projects to break ground in\u00a0March\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">were\u00a0the\u00a0$3.4 billion\u00a0Shintech\u00a0Ethylene PEP-2 &amp; Vinyl Chloride Monomer (SPP-4)\u00a0in\u00a0Plaquemine, LA,\u00a0the\u00a0$2.4 billion\u00a0Savannah River Plutonium Processing Facility\u00a0project in Aiken, SC, and\u00a0the $953\u00a0million\u00a0Port Terminal 1 Replacement\u00a0project in\u00a0Anchorage,\u00a0AK.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134245417&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Residential<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">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%.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">For the 12 months ending\u00a0March\u00a02026, total residential starts fell\u00a05.3%. Single family\u00a0starts\u00a0fell\u00a015.7% compared to the 12 months ending\u00a0March\u00a02025, and multifamily starts increased\u00a016.3% over the same period.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The largest multifamily structures to break ground in\u00a0March\u00a0<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">were the $727 million\u00a0Discovery Park (PA 31) Apartments\u00a0in Irvine,\u00a0CA, the $577 million\u00a0Harborside 4 Residential Tower\u00a0project Jersey City, NJ and $420 million\u00a061 Broadway Residential Conversion\u00a0project in New York, NY.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Regionally,<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"none\">\u00a0total construction starts in\u00a0March\u00a0rose\u00a0in\u00a0and\u00a0the South Central (+41.7% m\/m),\u00a0the West (+22.1% m\/m)\u00a0,\u00a0the South Atlantic (+7.5% m\/m) and the Northeast\u00a0(+3.1% m\/m).\u00a0Meanwhile,\u00a0the\u00a0Midwest (-15.1% m\/m) was the only region to see a decline.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-27191\" src=\"https:\/\/www.construction.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Monthly-Mar26-Chart-300x156.png\" alt=\"Monthly Mar26 Chart\" width=\"671\" height=\"349\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.construction.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Monthly-Mar26-Chart-300x156.png 300w, https:\/\/www.construction.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Monthly-Mar26-Chart-1024x533.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.construction.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Monthly-Mar26-Chart.png 1707w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 671px) 100vw, 671px\"\/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-27190\" src=\"https:\/\/www.construction.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/12Mo-Mar26-Chart-300x156.png\" alt=\"12Mo Mar26 Chart\" width=\"650\" height=\"338\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.construction.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/12Mo-Mar26-Chart-300x156.png 300w, https:\/\/www.construction.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/12Mo-Mar26-Chart-1024x533.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.construction.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/12Mo-Mar26-Chart.png 1707w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px\"\/><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-27192\" src=\"https:\/\/www.construction.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Starts-Mar26-bar-graph-300x156.png\" alt=\"Starts Mar26 Bar Graph\" width=\"635\" height=\"330\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.construction.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Starts-Mar26-bar-graph-300x156.png 300w, https:\/\/www.construction.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Starts-Mar26-bar-graph-1024x533.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.construction.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Starts-Mar26-bar-graph.png 1707w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 635px) 100vw, 635px\"\/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<p>###<\/p>\n<p><strong>About Dodge Construction Network<\/strong><br \/><span data-teams=\"true\"><span class=\"ui-provider a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z ab ac ae af ag ah ai aj ak\" dir=\"ltr\">Dodge Construction Network harnesses data, analytics, and industry connections to be the leading source of insights and opportunities in the commercial construction industry. 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