Sebastian Obando

Career Trajectory

Obando built his expertise through roles at National Real Estate Investor and Forbes before joining Construction Dive in 2023. His transition from commercial real estate to infrastructure reporting reflects a deliberate pivot toward public policy’s intersection with industrial economics. This evolution is evident in his 2025 coverage of tariff wars and their cascading effects on project viability.

Key Articles

• Sweeping new tariffs put future construction projects at risk (Construction Dive, April 3, 2025)

This analysis unpacks the Trump administration’s “Liberation Day” tariffs through three lenses: copper price volatility (critical for data centers), labor market contractions from immigration policies, and the paradox of infrastructure bill momentum amid funding recalls. Obando synthesizes data from S&P Global, ABC, and ConstructConnect to map scenarios where 18-24% of planned projects face cancellation. The article’s impact was immediate – within 72 hours, AGC and ABC issued joint guidance citing its material cost projections.

• Healthcare construction bucks broader building slowdown (Construction Dive, March 28, 2025)

Through interviews with Robins & Morton executives, Obando identifies healthcare’s unique insulation from economic downturns. He highlights Certificate of Need reforms driving competition in Florida and Texas, where hospitals now allocate 12-15% of budgets to “amenity arms races” in surgical suites and patient towers. The piece contextualizes February’s $69.78 billion healthcare construction spend with historical data showing 2.1% YoY growth despite broader sector contractions.

• Construction input prices increased 0.5% in March (Facilities Dive, April 14, 2025)

Obando’s granular price tracking reveals how natural gas (+22% MoM) and structural steel (+9%) diverged from lumber’s stability. His methodology cross-references Bureau of Labor Statistics data with regional contractor surveys, exposing supply chain vulnerabilities in Mid-Atlantic states versus Southwest resilience. The article became a benchmark for procurement teams, with its “40% vs 2020” comparison cited in Q2 earnings calls by Vulcan Materials and Martin Marietta.

Beat Analysis & Pitching Recommendations

1. Pitch infrastructure bill implementation challenges

Obando consistently tracks how legislation becomes reality – or doesn’t. His March 2025 exposé on MTA’s budget uncertainty exemplifies this focus. Successful pitches will highlight specific projects delayed by environmental reviews or labor shortages, particularly in states with contested federal funding.

2. Propose case studies on material substitution

With tariffs reshaping supply chains, Obando seeks examples of contractors replacing steel with mass timber or aluminum. His April 2025 piece on Shawmut Design’s $1B adaptive reuse projects demonstrates interest in innovative workarounds to price spikes.

3. Avoid residential or small-scale commercial topics

While Obando occasionally covers real estate trends (see his 2024 NREI archive), his current work excludes single-family housing or retail developments. Pitches about warehouse conversions or logistics hubs have higher success rates than those focused on apartment complexes.

Awards & Achievements

• 2024 ASBPE Regional Award for Economic Reporting: Recognized for “5 years after COVID” series analyzing pandemic-era inflation’s lingering effects on contractors. The judging panel noted his “unusually granular treatment of input costs across 17 material categories.”

Pitching Tips

• **Lead with data visualization opportunities**: Obando frequently collaborates with Construction Dive’s graphics team on interactive charts – share clean datasets on material costs or labor metrics
• **Time pitches to policy milestones**: His best-received stories align with tariff implementations, infrastructure bill deadlines, or Federal Reserve rate decisions
• **Source diverse geographies**: While Obando’s base is DC, he prioritizes projects in emerging markets like Texas’ I-35 expansion or Nevada’s lithium mine construction
• **Avoid speculative trends**: He rarely covers unproven technologies – focus pitches on solutions with >2 years of real-world adoption
• **Emphasize workforce angles**: His dual focus on labor costs and immigration policy makes stories about apprenticeship programs or visa challenges particularly relevant