City sets building record in 2007
January 02, 2008
The total value of construction has set a new high in the city.
Going back 32 years to 1975, the previous highest value of construction was $25,798,500 in 1996 whereas the value up to the beginning of November this year was $28,253,184
The permit values ballooned due in part to the Terraceview Lodge expansion, which has a construction value so far of $10,868,686.
Year to date construction values increased by more than double – $9,980,144 from last year to $28,253,184 this year as of October.
Single family dwelling starts have reached a level not seen since 1998 and are expected to exceed the number for that year, said senior building inspector Bruce Miller.
“It’s encouraging to see this kind of stuff. Let’s hope that it keeps right on going in the new year. We’ve got a number of plans in for approval for the spring,” he said, referring the continuation of the trend.
“I got more plans on my desk for next year than we had for last year,” he said, adding those plans are for the construction of new houses.
The new residential permit value to date is $6,696,922, which includes 24 new homes and 15 units of multi-family buildings – 10 units at 3404 Adam St. just behind the farmers market with a construction value of $276,000 and four units on Yeo St. – that add up to 26 per cent of the total, he said.
The multi-family units are the first in a number of years and they’re selling, Miller said.
“We haven’t had any multi-family units for quite a few years. They’re going up and selling,” he said, adding he’s already issued occupancy permits for several of these buildings.
Most of the housing construction is ongoing and will likely continue through the winter, which is good news for the city, he said.
Kevin Goddard, owner of Deep Creek Masonry Ltd., said business has increased by 25 per cent this year over last year.
His company is building the four-plexes and three-plexes at 3404 Adam St. and he expects to be working on constructing the 36 suites in 10 buildings for another two years.
It’s a large project and Deep Creek is financing it, he said.
He’s applied for and received five building permits this year for Adam St. and a residential housing build on Temple St.
Deep Creek, which has been in business for 18 years, turned from masonry work to general contracting five years ago, Goddard said.
Future projects include the possibility of being the contractor for the new Ksan House emergency shelter. Discussion has begun on the project but nothing is confirmed yet, he said.
For Betty Barton, general contractor at Barton Construction Ltd., this year has been the busiest in a long time.
“We haven’t done any new house construction for four or five years,” she said.
“We’ve done renovations and additions but you probably know from talking to the building inspector 24 building permits have been taken out for new homes [this year], and last year there was only one or two.”
Her company, which has taken out four of those building permits, is constructing Sun Ridge homes – 20 townhouses – on the hill at the north end of Yeo St. on the Bench.
It’s the biggest project her company has worked on in a long time, she said.
The first townhomes are going up and buyers have shown interest in them, she said.
How long the project continues is up to the buyers, she said.
“We hope that this project we’re working on will carry on until all 20 are built,” she said.
“It just depends on the market and demands.”
However, she’s not rushing to jump into any more big projects in the near future.
“We’re very concerned about quality. We don’t want too many people working in too many places at one time,” she said.
Winter work the company has lined up includes renovations and finishing a house.
Terrace Standard
