Construction in the Fort Smith area up 24% from a year ago, down 22% from March

Building activity in the Fort Smith region dropped from March but remained strong compared to the same time in 2019. The region issued permits valued at $34.98 million in April, 24% higher than April 2019’s total of $28.25 million.

However, the April tally was a 22% drop from the $44.83 million issued in March.

The region’s largest city, Fort Smith, issued 175 permits during April with a $33.7 million value, a decrease of 19.3% from the $41.74 million on the 168 permits in March and an increase of 28.8% compared to the $26.17 million on 175 permits in April 2019.

Fort Smith did not have a single permit issued for new commercial projects in April in stark comparison to the $18.69 million in new commercial projects in March and the $1.59 million in new commercial projects in April 2019. There was, however, a permit to Dwight Curry for $1.58 million for renovations at Homewood Suites, 7300 Phoenix Ave.

On the residential side, Fort Smith is still going strong. The city issued $4.89 million in construction permits, a 1.6% bump from the $4.81 million in new residential construction permits in March, but a 24.9% decrease from the $6.6 million issued in new residential construction permits in April 2019.

Like Fort Smith, Van Buren, dropped in April but stayed above numbers from 2019. The region’s second largest city issued 25 permits valued at $1.26 million in April, a 50.6% drop from $2.55 million in total permits issued April 2019. Van Buren’s total includes $50,000 in commercial construction and $1.26 million in residential construction last month, compared to $435,000 in commercial construction and $2.01 million in residential construction in March.

Greenwood issued three permits valued at $20,000 in April, down 96.2% from the $539,077 issued on five permits in March and 97.8% from the $945,753 on seven permits in April 2019.

REGIONAL BUILDING ACTIVITY RECAP
Combined total for the three cities
2019: $238.752 million
2018: $231.780 million
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
2019: $204.008 million
2018: $187.678 million
2017: $169.958 million
2016: $185.783 million
2015: $191.631 million
2014: $174.252 million

Van Buren
2019: $27.731 million
2018: $37.946 million
2017: $19.665 million
2016: $15.327 million
2015: $16.009 million
2014: $7.918 million

Greenwood
2019: $7.013 million
2018: $6.156 million
2017: $15.23 million
2016: $10.235 million
2015: $11.259 million
2014: $16.813 million