Progress & Industry: Single-family building outpaces multi; commercial permits up

While residential building experienced a bit of a lag in Brandon in 2019, commercial building was on the rise. 

The city issued 375 building permits last year at a total valuation of $12.17 million, compared to the prior year’s 432 permits valued at $15.5 million. 

Construction of single-family homes in 2019 was on par with previous years, while the city saw no new multi-family dwellings rise from the ground up.

Brandon issued 36 residential building permits, compared to 49 in 2018. All went to single-family homes, for a total valuation of approximately $6 million. 

Forty new single-family homes were permitted in 2017, during which residential construction totaled $8.2 million, and 48 in 2016, for a total of $13.2 million.

Residential expansion lots are available in the Bluffs and the new Twin Rivers Crossing and Aspen Harbor developments, noted Paul Clarke, city building inspector.

On the commercial building front, Brandon issued 44 permits in 2019 for a total valuation of nearly $4 million, compared to 35 commercial permits in 2018, also for $4 million.

Clarke called last year’s commercial boost “very positive for the Brandon community.”

“Even though the number of new single-family home permits in 2019 was lower than in 2018, those new businesses will bring in new residents in the coming years, and we anticipate a spike in 2020 for new single family home permits,” he said.   

Among new commercial builds in 2019 were Alliance Communications, next to the new post office at Alliance Plaza; the conversion of the former post office on East Holly Boulevard into an eye clinic, set to open in 2020; and Beautique’s warehouse in the industrial park.

Commercial building permits were also issued last year to Agassiz Seed Company, Bridger Steel, The Drop Nutrition, Kingbird Coffee and Obbink Insurance Agency, among others.

Also in 2019, Valley Springs saw 45 residential permits valued at $376,554.