Led by $1.8-million for the Victoria Towers building, permits for nearly $3.5 million worth of construction were taken out in January, according to a recent report from city hall.
The total is up $1 million from the activity seen over the same month last year but down from the$6.1 million reached in January 2011, when a permit was taken out for $4.8 million of work on the 36-unit seniors housing project next to the Commonwealth medical building downtown.
A fifth-floor fire in November 2011 left most of the 12-storey Victoria Towers apartment building uninhabitable and in October 2012, B.C. Housing bought the building from Vancouver-based Pacific West Properties for $7.8 million.
B.C. Housing has said it will invest $3.2 million in all to complete renovations and the building, located at 1245-20th Ave. just east of Victoria St. should be ready for new tenants this summer.
The other major project for which a permit was issued was a $646,700 renovation for the new Heather Sadler Jenkins office in the Commonwealth Health Centre at 1302 Seventh Ave.
As well, a commercial development permit was issued to Kidd Ventures Ltd. for a new carwash at 8087 Hart Highway.
Just two permits for $403,293 worth of single family housing were issued over the month, compared to five for $1.2 million during January 2012 and two for $458,998 during January 2011.
