Boston Becomes First City to Shutter Construction Sites Because of Coronavirus

(March 18, 2020) - In the middle of a building boom, Boston officials are shutting down all construction in the city over mounting concerns about the spread of the coronavirus.

Starting March 17, contractors and builders across the city will be required to shut down all work on construction sites, in some cases leaving skeleton crews to secure materials and monitor the sites, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh announced in an afternoon press conference. At press time, it was the first such shutdown in the nation.

A former construction worker who rose to become the city’s head of the Building and Construction Trades Council, Walsh estimated the shutdown order could throw “tens of thousands” of ironworkers, carpenters, electricians and other tradesmen and women out of work.

“It is a difficult decision to make,” Walsh said.  “Construction is at the core of our economy here in Boston. This is something that is very personal to me and to a lot of us.”

Walsh said the shutdown order will be revisited in two weeks, though he cautioned the coronavirus crisis is so fast-moving it is hard to predict what issues the city will be grappling with at that point.

Contractors, construction companies and project owners will have until next March 23, to secure their sites, said Walsh, who urged developers of wood-framed projects to post around-the-clock security.

Only emergency street and utility work will be permitted during the construction shutdown, Walsh said.

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