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Construction employment on Long Island saw a year-over-year increase for the fourth month in a row in June, rebounding following nine months of declines, according to a new report from the Associated General Contractors of America. 

Nassau and Suffolk counties gained 1,800 construction jobs from June 2023 to June 2024, a 2 percent year-over-year increase, rising from 85,300 to 87,100, the AGCA reports. 

Regionally, the number of construction jobs in New York City was down 5 percent, losing 7,100 jobs from June 2023 to June 2024, falling from 145,500 to 138,400, which was the largest drop in construction jobs in the country’s 358 metro areas that AGCA tracks for that period. 

Construction employment in the Orange/Rockland/Westchester area dropped by 3 percent, losing 1,300 jobs from June 2023 to June 2024, falling from 48,000 to 46,700, the AGCA reported. 

Association officials said that while demand for certain types of construction is soft, overall construction activity remains robust and firms are still having a hard time finding workers to hire. 

“High interest rates and rising vacancies have depressed construction of developer-financed projects such as apartments, offices and warehouses in some markets,” Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist, said in a written statement. “Nevertheless, strong demand for data centers, manufacturing and power projects, and infrastructure is keeping employment on the upswing in a majority of metros.” 

Metro areas adding the most construction jobs over the last year include the Houston area, which added 12,300 jobs for a 5 percent increase; Baton Rouge, La. area, which gained 8,400 jobs for an 18 percent gain; and the Las Vegas area, gaining 8,200 jobs for a 10 percent rise. 

Besides New York City, the metro areas seeing the largest drops in construction employment from June 2023 to June 2024 include the Minneapolis area, which lost 4,400 jobs for a 5 percent drop; the Denver area, losing 4,300 jobs for a 4 percent decrease; and the Portland, Ore. area, which lost 3,000 jobs for a 4 percent drop. 

John Caravella Esq., is a construction attorney and formerly practicing project architect at The Law Office of John Caravella, P.C., representing architects, engineers, contractors, subcontractors, and owners in all phases of contract preparation, litigation, and arbitration across New York and Florida. He also serves as an arbitrator to the American Arbitration Association Construction Industry Panel. Mr. Caravella can be reached by email: John@LIConstructionLaw.com or (631) 608-1346.

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David Winzelberg

dwinzelberg@libn.com