June 3, 2024

Building permits in Sioux Falls are continuing to trail last year and are about half of what they were two years ago.

Through May, the value of permits in the city totaled $394.4 million, down from $482.9 million last year and $769 million two years ago.

Building activity still could be getting off to a late start, said Butch Warrington, the city’s chief building official.

“I believe things are just peeking through the ground, and it won’t be long before everything takes off,” he said.

New commercial activity is starting to creep back toward last year’s levels, totaling $208.9 million compared with $270.9 million last year but still well behind $539.1 million two years ago.

Commercial additions and remodeling projects are at $81.5 million, behind $120.6 million last year and ahead of $65.4 million two years ago.

New residential construction continues to rebound from last year but not yet outpacing 2022. The city has issued $71.6 million in permits versus $53.4 million last year and $134.1 million two years ago. That equals 206 new single-family homes, up from 123 this time last year and down from 412 homes two years ago.

Residential remodeling and additions totaled $32.4 million through May, down from $38 million last year and up from $30.4 million two years ago.

The city has issued 511 multifamily units this year, less than half of last year’s 1,108 units for the same time and behind the 1,830 units from two years ago. Several large apartment projects permitted phases in May, including phase two of the Spring Creek Apartments at 1825 E. 77th Circle and the first phase of Atlas Apartments at the Sanford Sports Complex.