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Council stoked about building permit growth
City of Cranbrook council was ‘stoked’ about chief administrative officer (CAO) David Kim’s Building Services Division – Office of Innovation & Collaboration update last night.
CAO Kim outlined the city’s Building Permit Summary for the second Quarter of 2017 (April to June), with a peak at even larger third quarter totals.
“It is significant and remarkable. It shows the confidence in our market,” he said.
The second quarter of 2017 saw a total construction/building permit value of $8.62 million as compared to $5.78 million for the second quarter of 2016, Kim told council.
“The second quarter of 2017 saw 10 new housing starts (single family and medium multi- family) and four manufactured/mobile home foundations as compared to 10 new housing starts and three manufactured/mobile home foundation for the second quarter of 2016.
“A total of 99 building permits were issued in the second quarter of 2017 as compared to 77 for the same period in 2016,” Kim reported.
Leading the way in growth is commercial construction, at $3,296,000 up to the end of the second quarter this year, compared to $62,707.57 for the same period last year.
Residential construction is also ahead of last year, with $4,630,672.99 in value compared to $4,616,916.38.
Industrial construction is down from last year, with $334,163.98 to the end of the second quarter this year, compared to $903,300 last year for the same period.
Institutional construction is up so far in 2017, with a value of $262,200, compared to $179,403 last year.
Signs are another area showing significant growth over last year, with $102,535 so far in 2017, compared to $20,908.50 last year.
While noting it is “a great story” that the city is experiencing growth on most fronts, Kim said it is getting even better, noting that as of the end of August, the city has taken in $25.2 million, compared to $18.3 million last year for the same time frame.
Year-to-date construction costs for 2017 are $10.18 million as compared to $13.63 million to the end of June 2016. As of June 30, 2017, a total of 130 permits have been issued, compared to 122 for the same period in 2016, Kim outlined.
Council members were pleased with the CAO’s report.
“That’s exciting. Cranbrook is open for business; I love it,” said Coun. Isaac Hockley.
Mayor Lee Pratt said the city had a “slow start” but things are getting rolling.
“I really like to see the commercial where it is at. That’s a huge increase,” he said, adding he sees the growing numbers as people showing “a lot of confidence in Cranbrook. It also tells me it is jobs,” he said.
The mayor said it looks onward and upward, too.
“We are getting a lot of interest from outside developers, too,” he told council and city staff.
Lead image: Ongoing construction of a new trades hall at College of the Rockies in Cranbrook. e-KNOW file photo
– Ian Cobb/e-KNOW
