After ‘flatline,’ Fresno construction forecast to climb 20% in 2026

Contact Us Advertising with TBJ e-Newsletter Submit News/People on the Move KMJ Biz Report Public Notice Advertising Subscribe Create an accountLogin 02 Mar After ‘flatline,’ Fresno construction forecast to climb 20% in 2026 Construction file photo published on March 2, 2026 - 2:32 PMWritten by Frank Lopez Share Tweet LinkedIn Email Construction in the Central Valley was rife with activity in 2025, and while there might be a lull this year, there is still a positive outlook for 2026 and beyond. That trend is reflected on a national level as well. Total construction expanded by 5.4% in 2025, according to Dodge Data and Analytics, a news and intelligence provider serving the North American commercial construction industry. Though nonresidential starts were up 4.5%, residential starts were down by 4.8% and nonbuilding starts were 18.7% higher when compared to 2024. In Fresno, the data forecasts a climb of 20% in 2026, with gains expected for new starts across all three major construction categories—residential, non-residential, and non-building construction. Non-residential starts are expected to climb 23% in 2026 and are forecast to top $2.5 billion. The construction boom in the city is driven by major projects including the recent completion of a terminal expansion at Fresno Yosemite Airport, various hotel projects including one next to the Fresno Convention Center, work on the California High Speed Rail across the Central Valley, roadwork, and several infrastructure projec...