Fort Smith building permit values up 28.1% in April, down 16.5% year-to-date

Fort Smith’s building sector had a nice boost in April with total building activity for the month rising above the entire total for the first quarter of the year. Fort Smith ended April with $24.6 million in building permits, a 9.3% increase from the $22.5 in building permits issued in the first quarter of the year.

April permit values were also 28.1% above April 2018 values of $19.196 million.

However, building activity year-to-date in the metro’s largest city is down. Permit values January-April in Fort Smith total $47.1 million, down 16.5% from the $56.439 million during the same period in 2018.

A $2.757 million permit issued in early April by the city for renovation of the former Shipley Baking building into an events center and future brewery and a $1.5 million permit for work at 7501 Rogers Ave. to demolish a Hardee’s restaurant and build a Raising Cane’s restaurant were two of the significant items that led to the growth.

Bill Hanna, owner of Hanna Oil & Gas and chairman of the Central Business Improvement District, owns the Shipley building located on South Sixth street near the Fort Smith Convention Center. Plans presented to the CBID in September include a courtyard landscaped with a variety of shrubs, ornamental grasses, flowers, trees, and grass areas. Other features of the courtyard include a covered deck, stage area, bocce ball court, and benches.

New business construction for the month totals $1.59 million. But it’s the residential side of things that put the city in greener pastures. The city issued $6.6 million in residential construction permits during the month. That included $3.87 million to Mark Willowbrook, LLC for construction of phase one of University Park Place on York Place and Lincoln Avenue in Chaffee Crossing. The April residential permit tally was more than double the $3.111 million in residential permits in April 2018.

Van Buren issued approximately $1.14 million in building permits for April, up somewhat from March ($809,300) but down from February ($1.978 million). Total residential permits were $183,000, while commercial saw $953,000.

Greenwood issued seven building permits totaling $945,753 in April, which is almost half of the total number amount on permits the city issued for the first quarter of the year — $1.93 million.

REGIONAL BUILDING ACTIVITY RECAP
Combined total for the three cities
2018: $211.463 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
2018: $187.678 million
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
2018: $17.629 million
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
2018: $6.156 million
2017: $15.23 million
2016: $10.235 million
2015: $11.259 million
2014: $16.813 million
2013: $9.049 million
2012: $9.983 million