Brick by brick: the coolest projects in the region

The west coast of Florida has a high quotient of cool construction projects — but it comes with a chilly caveat: The industry’s severe labor shortage continues to drag down the otherwise robust sector, both in the state and nationwide.

For starters, 80% of construction firms report having a hard time filling hourly positions, which represent the bulk of the construction workforce, according to an industry-wide survey released Aug. 29 by Autodesk and the Associated General Contractors of America. “Labor shortages in the construction industry remain significant and widespread,” ACG Chief Economist Ken Simonson says in the statement. “The best way to encourage continued economic growth, make it easier to rebuild aging infrastructure and place more young adults into high-paying careers is to address construction workforce shortages.”