Commercial construction permits drop in third quarter
Contractors from Hunt Electric of Yoakum lay conduit and junction boxes inside the skeleton framework of the new TDECU branch office going up on Rio Grande Street.
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Commercial construction permits (third quarter)2009: 7
2008: 24
2007: 15
Things are messy at the 1500 block of Houston Highway as crews saw, hammer and kick up dust, all in preparation for Victoria's newest Texas Dow Employee Credit Union branch office.
Messy or not, the hustle and bustle means progress. And such projects aren't as common throughout the Crossroads as in the past.
In the third quarter, seven new commercial construction permits were issued, according to data from the city of Victoria. That's a 29 percent decrease from the 24 permits the city saw in the third quarter of 2008.
There's no good explanation for the decline except that, with today's market conditions, everything's been affected, said Ray Miller, the city's deputy director of development services.
Although commercial permitting might be down, it still holds fairly steady, he said.
"We're not seeing any big projects now, but there are a lot of fix-ups and remodels," Miller said, adding he expects to see projects start up after the first of the year. "People are being cautious, but we're still seeing a lot of inquiries."
Last year's numbers might have been higher than usual, with the Victoria school district adding on the new schools, he added.
The industry anticipates an upswing sometime into 2010, said Kathy Autry, president and CEO of Associated Builders and Contractors' Texas Midcoast Chapter.
"As with many industries, the challenge has been the funding scenario with large projects," said Autry, whose organization got its start in 1982.
There are still projects on hold, however, and Autry said she hopes to see them start up once the economy stabilizes.
"We're hopeful and positive," she said. "As an organization, we are strongly supportive of our members."
Comments
Oh, how they line-up and mug for attention when new ground is broke for any new commercial construction project. Success has a thousand fathers, failure is an orphan! Do some investigative reporting and you might find that most, if not all, commercial projects had their nemesis beyond the purview of any city, county or VEDC person. The people interested in building usually only share their plans after they have decided to build and are looking for a tax abatement or a variance from the Planning Commission.
November 30, 2009 at 8:41 a.m.I know what they meant to say, but that steep decline deserves such nitpicking and extra attention. It's too important a number for them to foul up.
November 30, 2009 at 7:51 a.m.Give 'em a break BSspotter. IIRC, 7.83 = 29% of 24 permits
At least they're working the right equation...
November 30, 2009 at 7:33 a.m.Sooner or later, the reality of what the "naysayers" have been warning will come to fruition. It appears as though the time may be at hand. Victorians had better get used to driving past empty buildings, unless they change their voting habits.
November 29, 2009 at 7:29 p.m.Going from 24 to 7 permits is a 70.8% decrease, not a 29% decrease.
November 29, 2009 at 6:52 p.m.