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Near-record value of building permits in 2014

Permits for $125.6 million worth of work were taken out at city hall, according to a year-end report released Monday. The amount was the fifth highest the city has seen - the record is $154.
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Pre-cast walls are set at the site of Northland Dodge's new building on Highway 16 in December, 2014.

Permits for $125.6 million worth of work were taken out at city hall, according to a year-end report released Monday.

The amount was the fifth highest the city has seen - the record is $154.8 million set in 2007 - although there were actually bigger years back in the 1970s once inflation is taken into account.

Permits for commercial projects led the way at $54.1 million in 2014.

The largest of those projects was the new Northland Dodge dealership at 2855 Recplace Drive at $12 million for the foundation only.

Other major projects included facade improvements to the RBC building at 550 Victoria St., worth $7 million, the Learning and Development Centre at the University Hospital of Northern B.C., worth $6.5 million, and a new B.C. Government and Services Employment building at 500 Quebec Street, worth $4 million.

Other seven-figure projects included a new steam turbine generator at the Intercontinental Pulp Mill, at 2533 PG Pulp Mill Rd., worth $3.5 million, the new All West Glass at 1011 Victoria St., worth $3.1 million, a new warehouse and office for Papason Trucking at 2111 Rutley Ave., worth $3 million, a total of 18 units of townhouses at 7400 Creekside Dr., worth $2.7 million, a new laboratory for Husky Energy at 2068 PG Pulpmill Rd., worth $2 million, a three-story office addition to Key Lease at 1811 Victoria St., worth $2.2 million, improvements to the Finning mechanic shop at 1140 Pacific St., worth $1.5 million, improvements to the facade at Vanier Apartments at 2440 Nicholson St. South, worth $1.5 million, phase 1B of the River Point Landing retail complex at 3050 Recplace Dr., worth $1.3 million, an addition to the Money Concepts office at 492 Victoria St., worth $1.1 million, and tenant improvements to the BC Hydro office at 2244 Nicholson St., worth $1 million.

In all, 10 permits were issued for $28.8 million worth of new commercial projects and 90 permits for $25.3 million worth of commercial alteration projects.

On the residential side, 126 permits were issued for $35.2 million worth of new single-family homes, the highest total seen since 2007, when 201 permits for $47.2 million worth of similar work was taken out.

The second and third biggest years were 1992 and 1993, when the totals reached $138 million and $139 million respectively, thanks to construction of the University of Northern B.C. and more than $50 million worth of residential work in each year.

At $131.2 million, 2010 was the fourth highest. That year, five new institutional projects accounted for $64 million.