Sept. 4, 2018

Building permits in Sioux Falls are easily on pace to set another annual record.

They totaled $576.3 million through August, which is $50 million more than the record pace set for the first eight months of the year in 2016. Last year, the total at this time was $494.2 million.

Commercial activity is responsible for most of the increase.

New commercial construction totaled $225 million through August, up from $177.1 million last year. Commercial additions and remodeling projects are at $169.3 million, up from $121.3 million last year.

One big project that pushed August numbers up was the $40.6 million Minnehaha County Jail. That’s the second-largest project for which building permits were issued this year.

Residential activity is somewhat behind last year. There have been permits issued for 493 single-family homes, which is 53 fewer than the same time last year. Multifamily units at 743 are ahead of last year’s 648 units but well behind the 1,323 units for the same time in 2016.

Residential remodeling and additions are at $30.8 million, $1.7 million ahead of last year.