Blowing and going for Amarillo permits

AMARILLO – The City of Amarillo issued 2,247 permits for new construction, additions and renovations valued at $254.4 million in the first nine months of 2012. That compares with 2,516 permits for projects worth $219.5 million in the same period of 2011, City of Amarillo building permit data show.

New commercial projects accounted for $92.6 million of the year-to-date total permit value, up from $33.9 billion in business new construction in the first nine months of 2011.

Commercial projects that have gotten underway this year in Amarillo run the gamut from additional new structures for Bell Helicopter to several new Toot’n Totum convenience stores to a 55,518-sf skilled nursing facility.

A $43.5 million chunk of commercial new construction spending this year is invested in apartment projects.

Case Development LLC launched construction of The Park at Coulter Apartments, composed of 262 units, in June at 5040 S. Coulter St.

Tigris LLC obtained permits for the 210-unit Salt Fork Apartments in April at 9150 S. Coulter St., as part of the planned RedStone residential development.

Through September, the city also issued 281 commercial renovation permits for projects valued at $41.7 million. In the first nine months of 2011, the city saw $54.1 million in commercial renovation spread across 376 projects, reports show.

Home builders made 384 single-family home starts through September, 45 fewer than in the same period a year ago. The total permit value of those houses is estimated at $95.4 million, compared with $99.1 million, year over year.

Permits for residential remodeling work remained relatively flat through three quarters, compared with 2011. The city permitted 1,338 projects valued at $15 million in the period, down from the 1,552 projects worth $17.8 million launched in the first nine months of last year.