MEMO: MISSOURI CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY RISES IN JULY

Total construction activity in Missouri is up.

The F.W. Dodge Division of McGraw-Hill, an authority on the construction market, reported total construction for July at $714,373,000, up 22 percent from the $583,988,000 for July 1994.

Nonresidential construction in the state during the month, which includes commercial, manufacturing and other buildings not designed for shelters, was reported at $346,943,000, up 30 percent over the $266,605,000 figures of July a year ago.

Residential construction for the month was $208,102,000, down 13 percent from the $238,476,000 in July 1994.

Nonbuilding construction, which includes streets, highways, bridges, river and harbor developments, airports and a few other projects, was reported at $150,328,000 for July, about double the $78,907,000 during the same month a year ago.

Total construction for the first six months was up 9 percent. Overall totals for January, February, March, April, May and June were $3.7 billion, compared to $3.4 billion a year ago. Nonresidential construction for the first half was reported at $1.7 billion, up 34 percent from the $1.2 billion for the same period a year ago; residential construction was reported at $1.3 billion, down 15 percent from the $1.5 billion of 1994; and nonbuilding was reported at $711 million, 21 percent more than the $589 million of a year ago