Fort Smith metro building permit numbers down in May

Building activity in the Fort Smith metro area was stronger in May but declined from the same time in 2025. Permit values in Fort Smith, Greenwood, and Van Buren totaled $20.52 million in May, 29.3% lower than the $29.03 million in May 2025 but up 56.8% from the $13.084 million in March.

In the first five months of the year, the region had $108.9 million in permitted building activity, down 8.7% from the $119.326 million reported in the same period in 2025.

Fort Smith issued 266 permits in May with a value of $18.066 million, down 33.2% from the $27.048 million value of 271 projects permitted in May 2025. The city had $98.687 million in permitted activity in the first five months of this year, down 3.9% from $102.649 million from January through May 2025.

There were seven permits issued for new single-family residential projects in the month with a value of $2.2 million, up 38.2% from $1.592 million with four new residential projects permitted this time last year. There was also a permit issued in May for a $9.009 million new multifamily residential project at 8800 Chad Colley Blvd.

There were no permits issued for new commercial construction during the month, compared to the $2.05 million value of two new commercial construction projects issued in May 2025. There was a permit issued for an $800,000 addition to the Dermatology Center, owned by TDC Properties, at 7900 Dallas St.

VAN BUREN, GREENWOOD NUMBERS

Van Buren had 72 projects permitted in May with a value of $1.549 million, up 12.2% from the $1.381 million value of 70 projects permitted in May 2025.

The city issued 14 permits for residential construction with a value of $1.205 million, a 0.8% decrease from the $1.592 million value of four residential projects in May 2025. There were four commercial projects permitted in May with a combined value of $283,000, a 159.6% increase from the $109,000 value of two commercial projects permitted in the same month in 2025.

Building permit values in the five months of 2026 for the city totaled $4.423 million, a decrease of 63.8% from $12.23 million in the same time last year.

Greenwood issued 30 building permits in the month with a value of $904,520, 50.6% more than the $600,509 value of 26 projects permitted in May 2025. The city has had $5.724 million in permitted activity so far in 2026, up 5.6% from $5.42 million through May 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.

ANNUAL PERMIT NUMBERS
Following are combined annual permit value totals for the three cities since 2015.
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.)