By THOMAS JENKINS Staff WriterWhile the city of Big Spring is a far cry from topping building permit valuations from a year ago, officials say the municipality is on course to have a very productive year.
According to Kenny Davis, director of the city’s code enforcement division, Big Spring has already had permits applied for totaling $2.4 million in valuations, but thanks to growth experienced by Cornell Corrections in 2007, is having a hard time keeping up.
“Last year at this time we had $11 million in valuations for the permits applied for,” said Davis. “That included four new single family homes, which we haven’t seen any this year, and $7.5 million in construction at one of Cornell Correction’s prison units. There was also another $1.5 million in plumbing for that same project, so it’s really hard to compare totals from last year to this year.”
Without the Cornell project, Davis said this year’s total — which does not include a number of high-dollar projects currently in the works — would actually be ahead of last year by approximately $400,000.
“And that’s not counting a number of projects that have already made their way across my desk,” said Davis. “There is a new tractor supply house planned for the Interstate Highway 20 N. Service Road, near the Roy Anderson Park.
“We have also received the civil plans for a Hampton Inn, which is expected to go up near N. San Antonio Street. We’re expecting that structure — a four story, 84 unit hotel — to begin going up the first part of June. We’re also expecting another hotel — a two story, 48 unit facility — to be going up west of the Best Western on Interstate Highway 20.”
Davis said none of these new projects have been figured into the current valuations, which span Jan. 1 to March 12.
Permits have also been issued for the following residential projects:
Residential re-roof, 18 permits ($510 in fees) with work valued at $54,150.
Residential electric, 28 permits ($526.86 in fees) with work valued at $31,987.
Residential plumbing, 23 permits ($601 in fees) with work valued at $16,187.
Residential heating and air, 10 permits ($275 in fees) with work valued at $37,550.
Residential gas, 40 permits ($1,060 in fees) with work valued at $23,610.
Residential water taps, three permits ($2,729 in fees) with work valued at $2,729.
Residential sewer taps, four permits ($1,568 in fees) with work valued at $1,568.
Residential additions and alterations, 24 permits ($820 in fees) with work valued at $101,552.84.
Permits have also been issued for the following commercial projects:
Commercial water tap, two permits ($2,702 in fees) with work valued at $2,642.
Commercial sewer tap, one permit ($611 in fees) with work valued at $611.
Commercial sprinkler system, one permit ($20.75 in fees) with work valued at $8,000.
Commercial re-roof, six permits ($205 in fees) with work valued at $27,050.
Commercial electric, 39 permits ($2,092 in fees) with work valued at $15,740.
Commercial plumbing, nine permits ($331 in fees) with work valued at $43,400.
Commercial heating and air, six permits ($288 in fees) with work valued at $84,100.
Commercial gas, one permit ($32 in fees) with work valued at $1,000.
Other non-residential buildings, six permits ($641 in fees) with work valued at $123,400.
Structures other than buildings, 20 permits ($450 in fees) with work valued at $31,075.
Non-residential and non-housekeeping additions and alterations, four permits ($5,150 in fees) with work valued at $1.79 million.
Signs, three permits ($90 in fees) with work valued at $8,951.
Demolition of single family homes, one permit ($25 in fees) with work valued at $1.
Demolition of all other buildings, five permits ($325 in fees) with work valued at $13,401.
Since Jan. 1 the city has recorded 255 projects and collected $21,127.61 in fees.
Contact Staff Writer Thomas Jenkins at 263-7331 ext. 232 or by e-mail at
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... this city because it reminds my family and I about our hometown back on the island of Kailua - Kona Hawaii. Well we love the people they are so welcoming and we tell our family about it and they say we are lucky to have picked a wonderful place to move to and I say "yes we are " my children love their school and their teachers i'm so glad that we moved here to give our children a better opportunity in life..
Michelle Maumau - Big Spring, TX
...i am scared to even have my kids outside because you never know if you are going to be in the crossfire of another one of the shootings.
