Spokane-area building-permit values surpassed $900 million in 2005, easily shattering records set the previous year.


Paced by an increase in home construction and a few big-ticket projects, the city of Spokane, Spokane County, and the city of Spokane Valley issued building permits valued at a total of $900.7 million last year, up 27 percent from a record-high $707.5 million in permitted activity the previous year.


The number of permits issued increased sharply as well. Last year, the two cities and county issued a total of 23,000 permits, up 22 percent from the 18,900 permits issued in 2004.


Its further evidence that the region continues to be discovered by people outside of the area, says John Pilcher, economic development director for the city of Spokane. This is capital investment in the community.


Home-construction accounted for a big chunk of the increase. Last year, the city and county issued permits for 2,150 single-family homes worth a total of $343.5 million, up from 1,579 homes worth $253.1 million in 2004. That equates to a 36 percent jump in both the number of homes for which the city and county issued building permits and the values of those homes.


The city of Spokane Valley doesnt break down its permit data into individual building categories, so numbers of permits for houses and the values of those permits werent available.


Large projects for which the cities and county issued building permits in 2005 included a $44 million portion of the $89 million Spokane Convention Center expansion, in downtown Spokane; a $27 million addition and remodel at West Valley High School, in Spokane Valley; the $18.8 million Upper Falls Condominiums, on the north bank of the Spokane River, overlooking downtown; and the $18.5 million Pinehurst Apartments complex, in Spokane Valley.


The figures dont include some large projects that were in the planning stages last year, but for which major permits havent been issued yet. Such projects include the $54.8 million Rogers High School addition and expansion, on Spokanes North Side; the $34.6 million Washington State University Intercollegiate College of Nursing, at the Riverpoint Higher Education Park; and the Davenport Towers & Residences hotel, a high-rise structure planned in the citys core.


Of the three jurisdictions, the city of Spokane experienced the largest jump in activity, issuing permits for more than $400 million in work. Pilcher says thats 60 percent more than the average annual activity for the previous four years. From 2001 to 2004, the city issued permits for an average of $240 million in work.


The citys growth plan calls for in-fill development, and the increased activity suggests that such development is occurring, Pilcher asserts.


I see a bright future for the city and confirmation that our growth strategy is paying off, he says.