Institutional planning drives monthly gains

BOSTON, MA – June 6, 2025 — The Dodge Momentum Index (DMI), issued by Dodge Construction Network, grew 3.7% in May to 211.2 (2000=100) from the downwardly revised April reading of 203.5. Over the month, commercial planning grew 0.8% while institutional planning improved 10.5%.

“Nonresidential planning continued to accelerate in May, primarily driven by strong project activity on the institutional side of the DMI,” stated Sarah Martin, associate director of forecasting at Dodge Construction Network. “Planning momentum moderately improved on the commercial side as well, following subdued growth in that sector over the last few months – outside of data centers. Increased economic and policy uncertainty will continue to contribute to heightened volatility in the project data – but in aggregate, planning activity is on steady footing.”

After a very strong April, data center projects returned to more typical levels in May and constrained overall commercial planning. Without data center projects, the commercial portion of the DMI would have improved 5% and the entire DMI would have grown 7% over the month. Accelerated warehouse and hotel planning drove the commercial portion of the Index, while office and retail planning remained flat. On the institutional side, a strong uptick in education and recreational projects drove this month’s gains, partially offset by a mild slowdown in healthcare planning.

In May, the DMI was up 24% when compared to year-ago levels. The commercial segment was up 15% from May 2024, and the institutional segment was up 47% after a weak May last year. If all data center projects between 2023 and 2025 are excluded, commercial planning would be up 4% from year-ago levels and the entire DMI would be up 17%.

A total of 33 projects valued at $100 million or more entered planning throughout May. The largest commercial projects included the $486 million Evolve Energy Partners Data Center in Warrenton, Missouri, the $366 million LEGO Warehouse and Distribution Facility in Prince George, Virginia, and the $330 million Summit Crossing Data Center (Building 2) in Fredericksburg, Virginia. The largest institutional projects to enter planning were the $500 million renovations to the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, the $238 million phase 2 of the Sterling Bay Pacific Center research and development building in San Diego, California, and the $201 million patient tower at Berkeley Medical Center in Martinsburg, West Virginia.

The DMI is a monthly measure of the value of nonresidential building projects going into planning, shown to lead construction spending for nonresidential buildings by a full year.

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