CLIPBOARD : Non-Residential Building Valuations

The value of future commercial construction projects in Orange County remains mired well below last year. During the first eight months of 1991, the period for which the most recent information is available, commercial building permits totaled $591.1 million, a 25% decline from the comparable period of 1990.

Not one of the five major categories of commercial building is running ahead of last year’s total. Closest, however, is the alteration/addition segment--3.6% behind 1990. In contrast, the change for the hotel/motel part of the total is down almost 95%.

This local slump is part of a Southern California regionwide decline that has permit values down 30% from last year. Orange County’s overall 25% drop is actually one of the better marks in the six-county region. Only Ventura’s 16% dip was less precipitous. Statewide the decline is 25%.

Of all the commercial construction permits issued during the first eight months of the year, just 15% of the value was for future Orange County projects; about 9% of the value of all permits issued statewide occurred here.

Here’s how the county’s first eight months of 1991 compare to last year:

1991 % of Jan.-Aug. Jan.-Aug. 1990-1991 6-County Building Type 1990 1991 % Change Total Industrial $50,153 $28,099 -44.0 8.7 Office 158,298 110,658 -30.1 18.8 Stores/Mercantile 124,950 106,623 -14.7 17.4 Hotels/Motels 25,402 1,388 -94.5 0.7 Alterations/Additions 270,719 260,918 -3.6 17.7 TOTAL BUILDING* $787,647 $591,094 -25.0 15.5

1991 % of State Building Type Total Industrial 4.7 Office 12.3 Stores/Mercantile 10.2 Hotels/Motels 0.6 Alterations/Additions 9.4 TOTAL BUILDING* 8.8

Note: Amounts listed in thousands of dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

* Includes the above categories plus others not shown.

Source: Construction Industry Research Board