Archinect - News

NYC construction worker fatalities are now at record lows

2024-05-07T17:17:00-04:00

New York City construction worker fatalities have declined to record lows, according to a new report released by the NYC Department of Buildings. Construction-related deaths are now at their lowest point in the past decade despite an increase in injuries at job sites for the third consecutive year, the reporting showed. Injuries requiring investigatory actions increased by 17%, while the leading cause of death continued to be accidental falls as construction activity has largely remained unchanged in each of the five boroughs.

The report includes statistics about the number of new building permit issuances and an increase in the number of new housing units completed between 2020 and the end of last year. The DOB’s full findings can be viewed here.

Project abandonments rose sharply across the country during March

2024-04-05T15:48:00-04:00

Project abandonments have spiked recently across the country, according to a new analysis of construction project data contained in the ConstructConnect Project Stress Index for the week ending on March 31st.

Construction Dive has more on the latest economic indicators impacting nearly every sector of commercial architecture, including the startling revelation that outright abandonments have increased by 60% from 2021 base levels.

“Not many months after interest rates started rising in early 2022, the private sector was quick to respond with greatly heightened levels of abandoned projects,” Michael Guckes, ConstructionConnect's senior economist, explained. “This volatility, coupled with overall elevated weekly readings, has continued with little exception through present.”

However, the total number of privately funded abandoned projects was down 10.7% compared with the same month las...

White House announces initiatives to boost manufactured housing

2024-03-01T11:03:00-05:00

The White House has announced a series of moves to increase the production of manufactured housing in the United States. The initiatives are intended to both preserve and rehabilitate existing manufactured home communities and ease barriers to the construction of new units.

The moves include a $225 million funding opportunity for existing communities, overseen by HUD. The Preservation and Reinvestment Initiative for Community Enhancement (PRICE) will support the preservation and revitalization of manufactured housing communities, including the replacement of dilapidated homes, assistance for repairs and upgrades, and improvement of infrastructure such as stormwater systems.

In response to the growing trend of corporate investors buying manufactured housing at the expense of longtime residents, the White House has also announced the ongoing creation of a Mortgagee Letter that, once finalized, will...