Cranes in the sky and new development have marked Charlotte’s continued growth over many years. However, continued growth hasn’t necessarily meant an easy walk for the construction industry. Today, the industry is navigating a more complicated landscape, with worker shortages and financial pressures, including rising costs and tariffs.
Just last year, construction on new apartments hit a five-year low in Charlotte and construction on retail, office space and restaurants was at the lowest it had been in a decade. In some areas, like infrastructure, development is accelerating, while in others, momentum is beginning to ease.
The industry is facing a persistent shortage of skilled workers. ABC Carolinas, a trade association representing the industry in North and South Carolina, projects that in 2026 a significant portion of new worker demand will stem from retirements, indicating the need for investments in recruiting.
Other industry interrupters have caused noticeable slowdowns in projects, such as tariff policy and immigration enforcement. Tariffs can impact the costs of imported steel, aluminum and lumber, while geopolitical tensions, including war, can affect pricing and availability. Immigration enforcement operations in Charlotte included raids on construction worksites. Immigrants make up a quarter of the construction workers building houses in North Carolina, according to the National Association of Home Builders.
On this episode, we check in on an industry navigating change in a constantly evolving Charlotte. We’ll discuss the challenges and opportunities ahead, and what it all means for the future of what gets built and how quickly it gets built in the region.
GUESTS:
Tony Mecia, founder and executive editor of The Charlotte Ledger
Lingguang Song, Ph.D., executive director of Albert School of Construction at UNC Charlotte
Dave Simpson, president and CEO of Carolinas AGC (Associated General Contractors)
