[LandofFrost]

Hey guy + gals,
I’m sure quite a few of you subscribe to land & material forecasts but just in case you didn’t get the latest G&E for 2008 here was an interesting construction materials bullet.

“Construction costs will be increasing in 2008: Shortages in metals: copper and brass. Surplus of wood, gypsum products. Increases costs of asphalt and diesel.”

I hope this doesn’t mean more ugly, stucco-covered, wood construction in midtown/downtown (like the condos on the corner of 21st and L).

[wburg]

Wood construction doesn't have to be ugly: look at 1701 L Street, Tapestri Square, SoCap, and a few other wood-framed projects (either with or without first-floor concrete pedestal) and there are some things to like. 21st and L is a particularly bad example. Assuming that structural steel gets more scarce and wood sees a surplus and resulting drop in price(partially because slowing housing markets means fewer orders for wood, causing the surplus) it's likely that things will go that way.

[TowerDistrict]

Where does concrete fall into the forecast? That was a big deal when it
came time for the Towers construction. Yet we see two steel framed towers
going up right now....

Also the big concrete storage silos are under construction in West Sac, so
maybe that doesn't get hit so much by the rising materials and shipping costs?

I really don't know anything about this stuff, I'm just throwing out some
optimistc speculation...