Job growth is mixed in state’s building industry

What does it mean to be the 40th fastest growing state in population? It means construction job growth is all over the board across New Mexico.

New Mexico’s construction job sector in January grew 1.5 percent to 47,900 jobs, ranking No. 38 among the states, according to the Associated General Contractors of America.

Broken down among metro areas, Las Cruces ranked No. 61 among 358, with a 9 percent increase in construction jobs, largely stoked by the industrial boom at Santa Teresa’s four industrial parks, said Mike Puelle, chief executive of AGC New Mexico, the association of commercial general contractors in New Mexico.

Albuquerque was flat with a 0.4 percent gain at No. 273. Santa Fe came in nearly at the bottom at No. 351 with a loss of 200 construction jobs from January to January, according to AGC statistics.

“Given how small the New Mexico market is, a relatively small number of projects can skew the numbers in a substantial way,” Puelle said. “It’s almost meaningless.”

Puelle did acknowledge New Mexico does have weaknesses that impact construction jobs.

“Our market is not diversified enough,” Puelle said. “It’s getting better. I wish we had more manufacturing in New Mexico.”

John Garcia, executive vice president of the Homebuilders Association of Central New Mexico, just has to look out his window to confirm Albuquerque flat construction job numbers.

“I’m not seeing cranes like crazy in Albuquerque,” Garcia said. “The economy is stale out here. We probably haven’t come out of the recession in New Mexico.”

Garcia said Albuquerque growth has reached its boundaries and now relies on infill construction, which can cost more.