Fort Smith building permit values up 85% in February

Building activity in the Fort Smith metro area rebounded in February. Permit values in Fort Smith, Greenwood, and Van Buren totaled $25.078 million in February, 81.6% higher than $1.81 million in February 2025. The total was 48.2% higher than $16.928 million in January.

Fort Smith issued 266 permits in February with a value of $23.538 million, up 85% from the $12.72 million value of 176 permits in February last year. The city had $39.838 million in permitted activity in January and February, down 8.5% compared to the first two months of 2025.

There were 17 permits issued for new residential construction in the month with a value of $3.778 million, almost nine times the $430,000 value of three new single-family homes permitted in February 2025.

Along with new single-family homes in residential construction, building activity in Fort Smith showed permits for 21 new duplex construction projects with a value of $6.926 million, up 183% from the $2.45 million value of seven new duplex projects in February of last year.

A $1 million permit was issued for the remodel of Village Early Learning Center at 1801 S. 74th St., by Methodist Village. The Fort Smith Board of Directors voted Sept. 2 to transfer ownership of land and buildings at the site, previously used by Bost.

The property was once donated by Methodist Village to Bost, so the board action returned the property to Methodist Village. Methodist Village CEO Melissa Curry said the learning center project is estimated to cost $2.2 million, with $1 million provided by a donor who wishes to remain anonymous.

VAN BUREN, GREENWOOD NUMBERS
Van Buren had 52 projects permitted in February with a value of $1.277 million, up 32% from the $962,000 value of 44 projects permitted in February of 2025. The city issued seven permits for residential construction with a value of $1.065 million, a 94.7% increase from the $547,000 value of five residential projects permitted in the second month of 2025.

There were two commercial permits issued with a value of $83,500, about six times more than the $13,600 value of one commercial project permitted in February 2025.

Greenwood issued 25 building permits in the month with a value of $262,661, 313% more than the $127,448 value of 13 projects permitted in February 2025. The city has had $753,376 in permitted activity so far in 2026, down 41.1% from $1.28 million in the first two months of 2025.

Building permit values in Fort Smith, Greenwood, and Van Buren totaled at least $282.576 million in 2025, up 4.2% compared with 2024.

Combined annual permit value totals for the three cities:
2025: $282.58 million*
2024: $271.09 million
2023: $520.64 million
2022: $480.37 million
2021: $343.28 million
2020: $265.97 million
2019: $241.74 million
2018: $231.78 million
2017: $210.84 million
2016: $211.34 million
2015: $218.89 million
(*The 2025 tally does not include December permit numbers for Greenwood.)