Major Projects Across Ohio Boost 2021 Construction Outlook

In Ohio, officials closely involved with the union trades are seeing signs of a somewhat positive outlook for 2021, anchored by a number of large projects.

The Columbus area leads the way, with multiple massive, billion-dollar projects underway or set to break ground in 2021.

In 2019, members of the Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council logged about 6.75 million manhours. C/COBCTC Executive Secretary-Treasurer Dorsey Hager believes they topped that mark in 2020.

Thanks to the ongoing building boom in the area, he anticipates the potential for even more hours worked by affiliated unions in 2021.

“This year will be busier than 2020, with work at data centers, the Ohio State University Medical Center Wexner Tower, Phase II of the Franklin County Jail, the Columbus Crew Stadium and the Hilton Hotel expansion,” Hager said.

The Wexner project carries a $2 billion price tag, as it will add to the hospital and provide more medial research for OSU.

While not in the billions, Hager also pointed out the importance of the Hilton expansion in the downtown area.

“We’re proud to be a part of the Hilton Hotel expansion,” said Hager. “When completed, it will have over 1,000 rooms giving our city a leg up in terms of competing for conferences and conventions.”

In greater Cleveland, Cleveland Building and Construction Trades Council Executive Secretary Dave Wondolowski said work for his members was steady in 2020, as construction wrapped up on a couple of larger projects including Church + State and the Euclid Grand.

While he foresees a good year, the confidence of real estate investors will be key in determining if 2021 will rise to a level it can be considered a great year.

“I still believe we have a lot of work during the first three quarters of (2021),” said Wondolowski. “I am hopeful that following the widespread distribution of a vaccine, work will stay strong and real estate investors will regain their pre-pandemic confidence.”

In 2021, Cleveland Building Trades affiliated members will begin work on the new Sherwin-Williams headquarters and separate Research and Development Center, which is expected to create hundreds of construction jobs.

Elsewhere around the state, other major projects are still on track to move forward.

In Lordstown, work remains ongoing at the new Ultium Cells LLC battery plant, a joint venture between General Motors and LG Chem. Currently, construction remains ahead of schedule on the $2.3 billion facility, which is being built under a PLA.

Marty Looney, President of the Western Reserve Building and Construction Trades Council said the work outlook in his jurisdiction is pretty good. He expects an increase in work hours in 2021, due in part to the GM facility and a new natural gas-fired power plant that will be built in Lordstown as well.

In the southeast region of the state, Buddy Malone, Business Manager of the Parkersburg-Marietta Building and Construction Trades Council, said he believes there will be an uptick in manhours worked in 2021.

The additional hours are due to the construction of a natural gas-fired power plant and an expected heavier than normal maintenance season at a number of plants, some of which were idled last year.

While many areas around Ohio are projecting a busier year, the northwest region of the state is bracing for the potential loss of millions of manhours if the governor of Michigan forces the closure of Pipeline 5. This could close one of Toledo’s two refineries and limit work at the other.

Furthermore, Northwest Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council President and UA Local 50 Business Manager Scott Lopez is concerned his members could lose hours even if the pipeline remains open.

During the upcoming turnaround at BP Husky, more than 1 million hours of work are currently slated to go to non-union construction workers, many of whom cannot even speak English, according to Lopez.

In October, members of the NWOBCTC picketed outside the refinery, raising awareness of the use of non-union construction workers and the dangerous safety environment they were creating.

Lopez said many union building trades will be affected by this move including Boilermakers, Insulators, Carpenters, his UA members and others.

Since the refinery will be paying these non-union workers a per diem, he believes there will be no cost savings. Instead, he is fearful this is the beginning of a tactic to push the building trades out of the refinery work in the Toledo area.