Charlie Myers

Despite the slowdown in the energy industry, commercial construction in North Texas continues at a lightning pace. With the first quarter already behind us, the projects in our pipeline are representative of the diverse needs of a growing population, among these: healthcare, higher education, industrial/warehouse, mixed-use retail, and worship facilities.

It’s up to you and your leadership team to decide how best to engage.

Today, owners and developers want fast-track projects and that means shorter construction deliverables and timelines. When construction is complicated by skilled labor shortages and weather-related delays, for most general contractors, managing business growth falls back on how prepared that firm was before the great boom we are now experiencing.

In previous years, there was a great deal of posturing and waiting for better times because it was not that many years ago that we were downsizing and shuttering stores. This is no longer the case. Retail development is exploding.

Houston has been the fastest-growing city in the United States, and a “breather” like this may actually help us with the balancing act of seeking sustainable growth. If the slump moves to North Texas and redlines some projects that impact our local economy, the silver lining may be that spiraling labor and material costs may come down.