Accompanying this report are tables and charts based on RSMeans’ measures of dollar-per-square-foot construction costs. The results for 25 major cities are shown for four recreational types of structure. Means has updated specifications with regard to its building cost models. For this reason, it is not valid to directly compare this year’s figures with last year’s. That is why the percentage change columns read “not applicable”.

Ranking of Recreational Type-of-structure Buildings by Expense

Among the four categories of recreational buildings shown in the table and graphs, it is most expensive to build an enclosed swimming pool. The second-most expensive is a hockey rink/indoor soccer arena. Relatively inexpensive are a racquetball court, followed by a bowling alley. It is almost 30% cheaper to build a bowling alley than an indoor swimming pool.

New York is the Most Expensive; Cities in the South are Least Expensive

New York has the highest dollar-per-square-foot construction costs in the country. San Francisco, Boston, Chicago and Philadelphia round out the top five. Relatively low-cost cities are mainly in the southeast and southwest, including Miami, Atlanta, Phoenix, Houston and Dallas.

The nation’s capital, Washington, is in the lower mid-range for construction costs among the 25 cities considered in the tables and graphs. Pittsburgh and Denver are just on the edge of being among the lowest-cost. Seattle, Detroit and St. Louis are in the upper mid-range. In California, dollar-per-square foot construction costs in Los Angeles and San Diego are between 12% and 15% lower than in San Francisco.

Some City Comparisons

It is interesting to make some regional comparisons. It costs about 27% more to build in Chicago than in Atlanta. The relationship is about the same between higher-cost Philadelphia and lower-cost Miami. The mark-up in New York, the most expensive city among the 25 shown, and Winston Salem, the least expensive, is slightly more than two-thirds or 68%.

These charts and tables were abstracted from RSMeans cost data publications for the A/E/C industry. For more information about RSMeans Square Foot Cost Guide and RSMeans CCI (Construction Cost Index), which indexes square foot costs for cities in the U.S. and Canada, visit the online bookstore at www.rsmeans.com and click on cost data publications (or call 1-800-448-8182).

"n/a" means not applicable. Recent adjustments to specifications mean that year-over-year percentage changes will not be valid in 2009.

Data source: Reed Construction Data – RSMeans.
Charts: Reed Construction Data – CanaData

Enclosed Swimming Pool Construction Cost:
May 2009 Ranking of Major U.S. Cities

Data source: Reed Construction Data – RSMeans (www.rsmeans.com).
Chart: Reed Construction Data – CanaData

Racquetball Court Construction Cost:
May 2009 Ranking of Major U.S. Cities

Data source: Reed Construction Data – RSMeans (www.rsmeans.com).
Chart: Reed Construction Data – CanaData

Bowling Alley Construction Cost:
May 2009 Ranking of Major U.S. Cities

Data source: Reed Construction Data – RSMeans (www.rsmeans.com).
Chart: Reed Construction Data – CanaData

Hockey Rink/Indoor Soccer Arena Construction Cost:
May 2009 Ranking of Major U.S. Cities

Data source: Reed Construction Data – RSMeans (www.rsmeans.com).
Chart: Reed Construction Data – CanaData