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PO Box 1212 Tampa, FL 33601 Pinellas Updated April 2006
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Plant City Real Estate Shows No Signs Of Slowdown PLANT CITY - If there's a slowdown in the new housing market, the city's latest building permit report doesn't reflect it.
Residential accounted for slightly more than half of the $6.5 million in permits pulled during March. Permits for single-family homes have been strong for months as developments continue to move off the drawing board.
``Things are booming,'' Marion Smith, president of the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce said today.
National experts have talked recently about a cooling of the new home market due to rising interest and a glut of inventory. But Plant City's building permit reports show now signs of a slowdown.
Developers have plans for more than 7,000 homes in various stages of government approval and the city of 33,000 residents continues to annex more and more property at the landowners' requests. In March, builders pulled permits for 23 single-family homes.
Mayor John Dicks said today he wasn't surprised that housing demand remains strong, calling Plant City a good place to ``live and raise a family.''
Few permits were issued for major commercial permits during March. The largest was for $400,000 for a project at 1602 E. Alsobrook St.
Overall, including all kinds of construction, permit activity for the first quarter was about $18.9 million, slightly more than the $18.3 million in the same period of 2005.
Building permit activity is considered a key indicator of economic health.
Reporter Dave Nicholson can be reached at (813) 865-4432.
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