Evening star., 1924-12-20
BUILDING FOR 1924
NEARS SIX BILLION
New Record Set in United
States, Straus Reports.
Boost Is q 1-2 Per Cent.

Total building operations in the
United States for the year 1924 were
approximately S5,750, 900, 900, accord
ing to the estimate of s w. Straus &
60. based on official reports from $50
cities and towns. and made public to-
day.
The year 1924 has been the largest
building year in the history of the
country in point of financial require
luents,' the Straus report states.
Last year the volume was $500
600. 900, but aggregate operations this
,car, based on the amount Of plans
sled and building permits issued in
The $50 leading centers, exceeds the
7?23 total by about ~ per cent. In
1928 the gain over the previous year
was "a per cent
"Inasmuch as building costs aver
aSed about per cent less in 1924
than in 1923, the gain in actual new
construction work was correspond
lugly larger than the increased finan
cial outlay would Indicate"
Year Opened With Gain.
THE year opened with large gain,
the increase in January over the
same month in 1923 being 10 per cent.
+ 4 February this gain rose to 20 per
cent. but fell to per cent in March,
swing an increase for the first quar-
er of II per cent. a sharp slump oc-
'urred in April when the volume of
permits issued was per cent less
han for the corresponding month of
1928, although New York and several
other of the larger cities continued
heir upward trend. In May the whole
country was again swinging forward
with an increase of per cent and
with New York's activities entirely
ont of proportion to the rest of the
country. The first half Of the year
closed with an per cent gain for the
entire country.
There was another slowing up in
July and August, when gains were
out TO and per cent, respectively f;
but September revealed an 8 per cent
Increase and the three quarter period
"nded with !. per cent gain.
Trend Is Downward.
In October New York, Chica go. Los
angeles. Milwaukee and several 9th er
larger cities began To show evidences
o2 more normal operations, and the
gain for the entire country was re-
1uced to per cent. A further down
card swing by New York in November,
amounting to AZ ger cent. was large
~ responsible for the 13 per cent de-
crease in the entire country, so that
the year closed with prospective ope-
retions throughout the country run
ming about the same as was the case
At this time in 1929.
During most of the year. building
operations, as measured by permits
issued and plans filed, gained steadily
and in considerable volume in the
East and South. while there have been
almost continual losses. though of
small volume, in the Far West and
Central States. For the three-Quarter
period the East gained 16 per cent
and the South 13 per cent, while the
cities OF the Central section lost .
per cent and the Pacific Coast per
cent. In October the East's gain was
reduced to per cent, while the CEN
Eral section gained per cent. the
Southern cities gained 29 per cent and
The Pacific Coast States lost 19 per
lent. In November all sections lost,
although these losses in the Southern
and Central Cities were negligible.
The loss in the East for a. month was
"a per cent and for the Pacific Coast
was 10 per cent.
THE year closes with a building
shortage of considerable magnitude
confronting the industry. In the
cities of more than 10000 population
alone this shortage is in excess of
$4,000 600, with a very large ap-
parent shortage in places of less than
10000 population. In addition, about
three-Quarters of billion dollars is
20 be expended duSing the next two
years for churches, hospitals. chari-
table and educational institutions.
These prospective operations are
not included in the shortage figures"