The total number of cranes in the US and Canada fell 5%, or 15 cranes, from the first quarter to the third quarter of 2023, according to an Oct. 4 report from New York City-based consultant Rider Levett Bucknall.
While most cranes are stationed in residential (37%) and mixed-use (31%) projects, according to RLB, other sectors such as health, education and infrastructure they are also driving major construction efforts.
While high office vacancy rates create challenges and some sectors and cities have seen declines in crane numbers, RLB said overall construction activity remained robust in the third quarter, “indicating an urban development dynamic and evolving”.
Notably, Seattle, which has the second largest number of cranes, experienced a 26% drop in cranes, losing 10 in total. The city has seen a continuous reduction in crane activity since February, RLB said, particularly in the residential sector.
Behind mixed use and residential, commercial work accounted for the next largest share of crane projects at 7%.
Crane counts in U.S. cities were largely flat in the third quarter
The number of cranes in each city over the past four quarters, as measured by RLB.
Boston lost five cranes, but RLB said there is still significant construction in the city, with mixed-use work leading the count, accounting for two-thirds of crane activity. Educational developments in the city account for 22% of its number of cranes.
Los Angeles has more cranes than any other U.S. city, but its count declined from the first quarter to the third quarter, primarily due to the completion of several multifamily and mixed-use projects, RLB said. The remaining 42 tower cranes in the city mainly support other sectors, such as health and cultural projects.
Toronto has more cranes than any city in the United States by far, with 83 in the “core area.” Still, based on the third-quarter report released this month, RLB said it has revised its focus on downtown to better reflect the development and size of projects there.
