Tampa Bay area continues to shed construction jobs

While real estate development activity is gaining strength in Boston, MA, it does not appear that real estate development activity is picking up much pace in Tampa, FL

Title of an article that appeared, today, in the TBBJ:

Tampa Bay area continues to shed construction jobs

From the Tampa Bay Business Journal

Date of article: Thursday, October 27, 2011, 1:59pm EDT

Tampa Bay lost 600 construction jobs between August 2010 and August 2011, according to new report by the Associated General Contractors of America.

The 1 percent decline reduced the hardhat work force to 52,100.

Nationwide, construction employment declined in 153 out of 337 metropolitan areas, increased in 145 and stayed level in 39, according to the organization’s analysis of federal employment data.

Association officials said declines in publicly funded construction projects continue to offset modest improvements in the private sector market.

“Despite the fact the industry added 26,000 new jobs in September, industry employment continues to fall in far too many metro areas,” Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist, said in a statement.

None of the 22 metros in Florida examined in the report experienced construction gains. Overall, the state lost 16,200 construction jobs over the past year, a 5 percent decline.