Contracts for new construction in San Diego County and California plunged in November, a statistical reporting company said.
The F.W. Dodge division of the McGraw-Hill Cos. reported Dec. 30 that the amount of building contracts signed in November in the county totaled $276.2 million. That’s a 30 percent drop from the same month in 1998, when $393 million worth of contracts were signed, said Robert A. Murray, vice president economic affairs for the company.
The total number of San Diego County building contracts issued for the first 11 months of 1999 hit $3.63 billion , a 2 percent increase over 1998’s $3.54 billion for the first 11 months, Murray said.
For the state overall, new construction contracts fell 7 percent to $2.8 billion from $3 billion in November 1998. However, year-to-date totals were up 8 percent to $40.8 billion from $37.7 billion for the first 11 months of 1998.
Meanwhile, San Diego-based Bycor General Contractors Inc. broke ground the middle of last month on a $3.3 million facility for Raphael’s Party Rentals at 8606 Miramar Road. Kenneth D. Smith, Architect and Associates of El Cajon designed the 105,653-square-foot facility, said Katie Dineen, a Bycor spokeswoman.
Roel Construction Co. Inc. has finished tenant improvements for 40,000 square feet of office space owned by Qualcomm Inc. at 5775 Morehouse Drive, said Jacquie Johnston, a Roel spokeswoman. Michael Asaro of Delawie Wilkes Rodrigues & Bretton of San Diego was the architect.
Other building contractors and space designers said they have also completed office projects in the past three weeks, among them Pacific Interior Systems. The San Diego-based company’s president, Greg Rogers, said King Diagnostic; Ed & Ted’s Excellent Lighting; and Moon Custom Woodworking all have remodeled suites at the building at 980 Park Center Drive in Vista. Cooper Roberts Bennett Space Planners of San Diego designed the project.
