April 3, 2023

Sioux Falls brought in $160 million in building permits in March, enough to lift overall activity for the year ahead of 2021 levels but behind last year’s record total.

Total valuation for the first quarter was $270.3 million, down from $376.2 million last year but up from about $213 million two years ago.

A big drop is still being felt in residential construction. For the first three months, the city issued permits for 33 new single-family homes, or $15.5 million, compared with 183 and 187 the past two years respectively.

Residential additions and remodeling projects, totaling $12.9 million, are behind last year’s $16.7 million and slightly ahead of the $11.5 million for the first quarter of 2021.

Permits have been issued for 678 multifamily units so far this year, compared with 934 for the same time last year and 463 in 2021.

New commercial activity totaled $169.7 million for the first quarter, compared with $275.2 million last year and $66.6 million two years ago.

Commercial addition and remodeling projects totaled $72.2 million for the first quarter, up from $26.3 million last year and on par with $73.2 million two years ago.

With historically low home permits so far, builders weigh in on slow start to the year

Large projects permitted in March include:

• Sanford Health Virtual Care Center, 3001 W. Opportunity Drive, about $27.8 million
• Rolling Green Apartments, 5100 S. Rolling Green Ave., $18.5 million
• University Hills Village fifth apartment building, 5521 W. Superior St., $14.7 million
• Willows Edge South Commons apartments, 7000 E. Arrowhead Parkway, $14.5 million
• Maguire Iron new headquarters, 5400 N. Interchange Ave., $13.7 million
• Prairie’s Edge phase two apartments, 200 W. 85th St., $10 million