Year-to-date building permit values up 11.6% in the Fort Smith metro

September was another good month for building starts in the Fort Smith metro, with permit values in Fort Smith, Greenwood and Van Buren totaling $9.831 million, up 8.4% compared with the $9.068 million in September 2017.

For the year, permit values in the three cities total $170.696 million, up 11.6% compared with the $152,903 during the same nine-month period in 2017.

Fort Smith officials issued permits with a total value of $8.522 million in September, up 9.36% compared with September 2017. The impact of residential and commercial construction was reversed when looking at the two months. Commercial permits in September 2017 totaled $5.163 million, well ahead of the $2.711 million in commercial permit values for September 2018. Of the September commercial work, $2.242 million was for remodel and repair.

The largest commercial permit issued in September was $850,000 for repair and renovation work by Oklahoma City-based Ishani Hotel LLC on the Best Western Aspen Hotel at 2900 S. 68th St.

Fort Smith residential permit values in 2017 totaled $2.29 million, well below the $4.269 million in September 2018. Of the September 2018 permit values, $2.937 million was for new construction. The largest permit was $664,580 for new home construction by Parker Built Homes at 6811 Bentley Ridge Road.

Year-to-date, Fort Smith permit values total $133.723 million, up 5.7% compared with the $126.497 million during the same period in 2017.

GREENWOOD, VAN BUREN
Building starts in Greenwood almost came to a halt during September. The city issued permits valued at only $89,750, well below the $338,300 in September 2017. For the year, the city has issued permits valued at $4.795 million, 60.48% below the $12.135 million for the same period in 2017.

Van Buren officials issued permits valued at $1.22 million in September, up 30% compared with the $938,050 value in September 2017. For the year, the city has issued permits valued at $32.178 million, up 125.47% compared with the same period in 2017. Driving most of the gain is a $13.5 million permit for construction of the Oliver Springs Elementary School at 505 Northridge Drive. That permit was issued in August.

REGIONAL BUILDING ACTIVITY RECAP
Combined total for the three cities
2017: $210.844 million
2016: $211.345 million
2015: $218.899 million
2014: $198.983 million
2013: $202.389 million
2012: $154.64 million
2011: $201.079 million
2010: $149 million
2009: $164 million

Fort Smith
2017: $169.958 million
2016: $185.783 million
2015: $191.631 million
2014: $174.252 million
2013: $185.057 million
2012: $136.248 million

Van Buren
2017: $19.665 million
2016: $15.327 million
2015: $16.009 million
2014: $7.918 million
2013: $8.283 million
2012: $8.609 million

Greenwood
2017: $15.23 million
2016: $10.235 million
2015: $11.259 million
2014: $16.813 million
2013: $9.049 million
2012: $9.983 million