Mountain States City Scoop: Construction Starts in Denver

Total construction starts expected to fall sharply after posting big gains in 2018

Non-building and non-residential activity is forecast to weaken dramatically, while residential work rises.

City Grill

Tony Milo
Executive Director
Colorado Contractors Association

“The civil construction outlook for the Denver area continues to be fairly strong. While a slight cooling off is expected in the red-hot housing and private development sectors, activity is likely to remain robust. This has been the strongest area for construction over the last decade, and it’s likely to continue through 2019,” Milo says.

“Water and wastewater projects are expected to remain fairly steady with a slight uptick. The passage of ballot issue 7G last fall will help fund additional Urban Drainage and Flood Control District projects in the metro area. Funding for road and bridge work continues to be flat. Some additional general fund appropriations granted by the Legislature this year will help keep CDOT and local agency programs comparable to last year,” he says.

“The big question mark for the remainder of 2019 and into 2020 is the impact that new laws passed this year will have on the economy, including SB 181, which affects the energy industry, and other laws affecting the way employers run their businesses, such as the Family and Medical Leave Act.”