April 1, 2020

Sioux Falls added $50.4 million in new building activity in March despite the outbreak of COVID-19.

Permits for the first quarter totaled $103.7 million. Through February, they were at $53.3 million.

The quarterly number is less than the $133.5 million in permits issued during the same time last year but almost identical to the activity in 2018.

Major projects permitted in March include:

• New office and shop for Boyer Trucks, 2101 E. Benson Road, $6.7 million.
• Aspen Heights condos at 1000 N. Holbrook Ave., $2.3 million.
• Additions and renovation at Robert Frost Elementary, 3101 S. Fourth Ave., $2.1 million.
• Dave & Busters build-out at Lake Lorraine, $1.9 million.

New residential construction for the first quarter totaled $38.2 million in permits, up from last year’s $24.1 million. That reflects 109 new single-family houses, which is 35 more than the same time last year.

Multifamily construction is lagging well behind the past two years, with permits for 15 units issued compared with 136 in the first quarter last year and 272 in 2018.

New commercial permits through March totaled $28 million, compared with $54.3 million for the same period last year. Commercial additions and remodeling projects totaled $26.1 million, compared with $45.7 million last year.