Then vs. Now: Construction Industry and Pop Culture

The construction industry and multifamily landscape have experienced a number of changes since KWA Construction was founded nearly 10 years ago. When the Great Recession hit in late 2008, the future of the industry possibly making a recovery looked grim. Time Magazine even asked the question, “Will construction workers survive the Great Recession?” In the recent months, however, construction has seen an uptick in apartment construction demand, and the outlook for multifamily looks promising.

But we couldn’t celebrate our 10-year anniversary without taking a look back at where the multifamily construction industry was when we began in 2004 and where things stand today. We’ve even thrown in a few pop culture facts that you may or may not remember. Let us know in the comments which facts were the most surprising to you!

 

Fact

2004

2014

Who are the Super Bowl Champions?

New England Patriots

Seattle Seahawks

What is the price of gas (per gallon)?

$2.017

$3.55

What is the going rate for an iPod?

iPod Photo – 40GB for $499, 60GB for $599

iPod Classic – 160GB for $249

What song tops the Billboard charts?

Usher spent 28 weeks on top with 4 different #1 hits: Yeah!, Burn, Confessions Part II & My Boo (with Alicia Keys)

Snoop Dogg ft. Pharrell Williams – Drop It Like It’s Hot closed out the year in the top spot

Pharrell Williams – Happy has reigned for four weeks

Is it healthy to eat McDonald’s for every meal?

Morgan Spurlock gained 25 pounds by eating only McDonald’s for 30 days

Science teacher John Cisna lost 37 pounds by eating only McDonald’s for 90 days.

Has Facebook taken over the world?

1 million users

1.23 billion users

What is the apartment vacancy rate in the US?

12%

4.1% (the lowest since 2001)

What is the hot product type in multifamily construction?

Condominiums

Urban Infill

What is the cost of construction for a  garden-style apartment?

$60-65 per SF or $48,000-52,000 per unit

$83-88 per SF or

$73,000-77,000 per unit

What is the population of the US?

294 million

317 million

How many employees does KWA Construction have?

3

38

Who is the President of the US?

George W. Bush

Barack Obama

Who is the President of KWA Construction?

Keller Webster

Keller Webster

Many things have changed in our country and world in the last decade. But, KWA Construction and our leadership remain committed to one guiding principle: building the highest value at the right cost. In 2004. In 2014. And into the future.