REAL ESTATE : Building Permits for Offices Decline 25% in First 5 Months of ’91

The decline in construction of commercial buildings continues in Southern California, including Orange County.

According to a report by the Construction Industry Research Board, building permits for offices fell 25% in the county during the first five months of this year, to $81 million from $108 million for the same period in 1990.

For Southern California as a whole, permits dropped 35% from a year earlier.

Industrial buildings also took a dive: In Orange County they dropped 51%, from $39 million to $19 million.

For the region, the drop was 44%.

Building permits for stores fell 34% in Orange County, to $58 million from $89 million, according to the report.

For the region, the decline was 35%.

Hotel and motel permits fell 92% in the county, from $16 million to $1 million. Boosted by building in Los Angeles and San Diego, however, permits rose 34% across the region.