City seeing building boost
It’s shaping up to be a banner year on the city’s construction front.
As of the end of June, 218 permits for $70.8 million worth of work have been taken out at city hall, according to a staff report to city council – the highest haif-year figure seen since 2012 when 258 permits for $79.6 million were issued.
The next highest was $69.2 million on 367 permits by the midpoint of 2007. By the end of that year, a record-setting $154 million on 773 permits was reached, eclipsing the old mark of $139 million seen 1993.
The total by the end of 2012 was $116.4 million, amounting to the fifth highest in 22 years.
The most-recent figures do not include the $35-million Marriott Courtyard hotel, now underway next to the Prince George public library.
At $20 million, the largest project accounted for so far is the 173-unit RiverBend seniors housing facility at 1975 Oak St. in Ron Brent Park. A permit for that project was taken out in the first quarter of the year and a groundbreaking ceremony was held this month.
“It’s been a very long time since we’ve seen two cranes operating on two separate projects. That’s very nice to see,” said Mayor Lyn Hall during Monday’s council meeting.