I am expanding my business which provides rental equipment for
commercial construction (office buildings, shopping malls, residential
towers, etc) and transportation infrastructure (new road construction,
road maintenance, bridges, etc).  I am planning to open new offices in
several US cities and would like to know which US cities are going to
have the most total revenue opportunity and growth in these two
sectors.  Can you please provide me with a list of the top 50 US
cities, sorted by SIC code for these two sectors, for the next five
years which offers the best opportunity?

---

Request for Question Clarification by pafalafa-ga on 25 May 2006 15:42 PDT

goldfidler-ga,

Are you familiar with the Dodge Reports and databases?

It is a large listing of pretty much all ongoing construction
projects, sortable by type of project, geography, etc.  You have to be
a subscriber (which I'm not) to get full information, but even for
free, you can generate lists like this, of commercial construction
projects in NY:


Bid Date	Project Type	Valuation	State	County	Sub Projects 

6/7/2006	Primary School	320,000	NY	Kings	0
6/7/2006	Dormitory	3,590,000	NY	Cattaraugus	4
6/9/2006	Middle-Senior High School	12,608,000	NY	Saratoga	17
5/24/2006	Fire-Police Station	3,392,035	NY	Westchester	5
6/7/2006	Athletic Facility	18,000,000	NY	Tompkins	11
4/26/2006	Retail (Other)	350,000	NY	Onondaga	0
6/15/2006	Middle-Senior High School	2,030,000	NY	Bronx	0
5/24/2006	Middle-Senior High School	25,748,590	NY	Erie	9
5/31/2006	Vehicle Sales-Service	6,500,000	NY	Ontario	8
5/26/2006	Primary School	1,338,000	NY	New York	0

2002-0084-5788	6/7/2006	Athletic Facility	18,000,000	NY	Tompkins	11
2003-0092-2902	4/26/2006	Retail (Other)	350,000	NY	Onondaga	0
2005-0069-7537	6/15/2006	Middle-Senior High School	2,030,000	NY	Bronx	0
2003-0091-9279	5/24/2006	Middle-Senior High School	25,748,590	NY	Erie	9
2000-0071-8707	5/31/2006	Vehicle Sales-Service	6,500,000	NY	Ontario	8
2001-0061-6519	5/26/2006	Primary School	1,338,000	NY	New York	0


and so on for a few thousand other projects listed in NY.  Of course,
you can do the same sort of lists for other states as well.


As a subscriber, you can possible get city by city listings as
well...I'm not familiar enough with the system yet to know exactly
what it can or can't provide.


But I just wanted to get your preliminary feedback....does this like a
useful source of information for your needs?


pafalafa-ga

---

Clarification of Question by goldfidler-ga on 26 May 2006 06:02 PDT

Hi Pafalafa...

I was not looking for the specific projects in each city.  What I
would like is a "top 50" list of which US cities are having the most
new construction.  It is easy to assume to that NY, Chicago, LA, and
Miami are having a large boom in new commercial and transportation
contracts.  However, I am keen to know the other cities in the Top 50.

From looking at the data extract you included, this detailed
information is useful.  However, at this point, I am more interested
in the summary of this data by major city.  And ideally, if there is
information on the growth rate of these contracts within each city,
that would be even better.

For example, NYC might offer a large amount of contracts now but the
growth rate of contracts has been flat for the last five years. 
However, Phoenix might have a lower total value of contracts but the
growth rate has averaged 20% per year for the last five years.

I hope this helps...

---

Request for Question Clarification by pafalafa-ga on 26 May 2006 06:48 PDT

Thanks....that's a big help.

The data definitely seems to be out there, but is proprietary, so it
only leaks out in bits and pieces.

One of the biggest providers of new construction starts and overall
consturction activity data seems to be CB Richard Ellis.  Take a look
at their industrial construction White Paper here:


http://www.cbre.com/NR/rdonlyres/A172E00E-6C06-405D-8AF8-76057E9F815C/309013/IndustrialConstructionBoomWhitePaper.pdf

which lists the following metro areas as the top ten (in order)
construction markets for industrial properties:

Los Angeles
Chicago 
Indianapolis 
Atlanta 
Seattle 
Columbus 
Cincinnati 
San Diego 
Phoenix 
Baltimore


I'm sure they have the means to crank out a list of the Top 50 cities
in terms of the precise markets of most interest to you.  But this
would probably have to be purchased directly from them.

Let me know if the above paper helps at all, and if this is on the right track.

Thanks again,

paf

---

Request for Question Clarification by pafalafa-ga on 27 May 2006 18:12 PDT

What do you know!!!  I found a great source of information for ranking
the top 50 cities in terms of industrial real estate and construction.
 It doesn't include transportation, but it might be enough information
to get you focused on the best opportunities.

There are two lists -- new construction in the first quarter of 2006,
and total ongoing construction in each city.

For instance, here's what the first list looks like for the top fifteen cities:

==========
City	..........................................New Construction
	..............................................sq ft--Q1 2006
	..........................................industrial only
	
	
Riverside/San Bernardino - Inland Empire, CA......	5,448,000
Atlanta, GA.......................................	3,469,000
Chicago, IL.......................................	3,161,000
Indianapolis, IN..................................	2,886,000
Dallas/Ft.Worth, TX...............................	2,284,000
Las Vegas, NV.....................................	1,809,000
Los Angeles/Ventura County, CA....................	1,782,000
Phoenix, AZ.......................................	1,666,000
Seattle/Puget Sound, WA...........................	1,582,000
Philadelphia, PA..................................	1,521,000
Cincinnati, OH....................................	1,346,000
St. Louis, MO.....................................	1,178,000
Tampa, FL........................................	959,000
Memphis, TN.......................................	953,000
New Jersey, -Central..............................	894,000
==========


Let me know if I should post both lists (about fifty cities on each)
as an answer to your question.

Thanks,

paf

goldfidler-ga,

As I mentioned in my earlier comment (above), there is very good data
available for US metropolitan areas, on the level of new construction
about to come online, as well as the levels of construction already
underway.

Data is available on most, but not all, metropolitan areas...where it
is missing, the tables below indicate n/a.

I trust this information fully meets your needs.  However, if you find
there's anything else I can do for you, just let me know by posting a
Request for Clarification, and I'm at your service.

Cheers,

pafalafa-ga



====================


Metropolitan Areas in the US Ranked By New Construction


		New Construction
Metro Area		Q1 2006 -- sq ft


Riverside/San Bernardino
 - Inland Empire	CA	5,448,000
Atlanta	GA	3,469,000
Chicago	IL	3,161,000
Indianapolis	IN	2,886,000
Dallas/Ft.Worth	TX	2,284,000
Las Vegas	NV	1,809,000
LA/Ventura County	CA	1,782,000
Phoenix	AZ	1,666,000
Seattle/Puget Sound	WA	1,582,000
Philadelphia	PA	1,521,000
Cincinnati	OH	1,346,000
St. Louis	MO	1,178,000
Tampa	FL	959,000
Memphis	TN	953,000
New Jersey - Central		894,000
Portland	OR	886,000
Nashville	TN	885,000
Denver	CO	854,000
Houston	TX	840,000
Louisville	KY	711,000
Washington	DC	662,000
Sacramento	CA	515,000
Milwaukee	WI	450,000
New Jersey - Northern		418,000
Kansas City	MO	356,000
Orange County	CA	349,000
Bakersfield	CA	288,000
Orlando	FL	277,000
Cleveland 	OH	246,000
Hartford	CT	200,000
Detroit	MI	186,000
Baltimore	MD	176,000
Reno	NV	140,000
San Diego	CA	133,000
Ft. Lauderdale/
 Broward County	FL	132,000
Miami/Dade County	FL	104,000
Boston	MA	103,000
Pleasanton/
 Walnut Creek	CA	72,000
West Palm Beach	FL	64,000
Minneapolis	MN	62,000
Pittsburgh	PA	55,000
Austin	TX	26,000
Raleigh	NC	20,000
Boise	ID	n/a
Charleston	SC	n/a
Charlotte	NC	n/a
Columbia	SC	n/a
Fresno	CA	n/a
Jacksonville	FL	n/a
Little Rock	AR	n/a
Oakland	CA	n/a
San Francisco Peninsula
 - San Mateo	CA	n/a
San Jose/
 Silicon Valley	CA	n/a


====================


Metropolitan Areas in the US Ranked By Existing Construction Activity


		Under Construction
Metro Area		sq ft
			
			
Riverside/San Bernardino 
 - Inland Empire	CA	15,502,000
Atlanta	GA	12,053,000
Chicago	IL	10,668,000
Phoenix	AZ	5,487,000
Las Vegas	NV	4,198,000
Indianapolis	IN	3,856,000
Philadelphia	PA	3,838,000
San Diego	CA	3,747,000
Cincinnati	OH	3,650,000
Houston	TX	3,416,000
Memphis	TN	3,326,000
Seattle/Puget Sound	WA	3,278,000
St. Louis	MO	3,151,000
New Jersey - Central		2,753,000
Louisville	KY	2,262,000
LA/Ventura County	CA	2,078,000
Tampa	FL	1,946,000
Miami/Dade County	FL	1,908,000
Orlando	FL	1,793,000
Baltimore	MD	1,770,000
Pittsburgh	PA	1,712,000
Nashville	TN	1,701,000
Sacramento	CA	1,624,000
Orange County	CA	1,452,000
Reno	NV	1,400,000
Denver	CO	1,205,000
Portland	OR	1,177,000
New Jersey - Northern		1,060,000
Ft. Lauderdale/
  Broward County	FL	1,042,000
Jacksonville	FL	848,000
Kansas City	MO	828,000
Milwaukee	WI	750,000
West Palm Beach	FL	513,000
Washington	DC	455,000
Fresno	CA	400,000
Austin	TX	300,000
Charlotte	NC	300,000
Hartford	CT	200,000
Bakersfield	CA	182,000
San Jose/
  Silicon Valley	CA	170,000
Detroit	MI	127,000
Boise	ID	101,000
Cleveland 	OH	100,000
Oakland	CA	69,000
Raleigh	NC	50,000
Charleston	SC	20,000
Columbia	SC	15,000
Dallas/Ft.Worth	TX	n/a
Boston	MA	n/a
Pleasanton/
  Walnut Creek	CA	n/a
Minneapolis	MN	n/a
Little Rock	AR	n/a
San Francisco Peninsula 
  - San Mateo	CA	n/a


====================


Again, let me know if there's anything else you need...and my
apologies in advance if the above tables don't format properly.  I'm
afraid that's an occupational hazard here at Google Answers.


paf


Source:  http://www.colliers.com

you can also find construction data on BidClerk. Go to http://www.BidClerk.com