NYC leads construction starts nationwide

The value of commercial and multifamily construction starts in the top 20 metropolitan areas of the United States gained 12 percent during the first six months of 2021 relative to the first half of 2020, according to Dodge Data & Analytics. Nationally, commercial and multifamily construction starts were 10 percent higher on a year-to-date basis through six months. In the top 10 metro areas, commercial and multifamily construction starts were up 12 percent in first half 2021, with only three metro areas — Austin, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. — posting declines. In the second-largest group of metro areas (those ranked 11 through 20), starts improved 11 percent on a year-to-date basis, with only Chicago, Houston and Phoenix losing ground.

The early months of the pandemic led to construction moratoriums and project delays in many of the country's largest cities, resulting in very low levels of activity in April and May 2020. Add