Construction business falls sharply

(Park Record) Park City's construction industry through the first two months of 2010 posted just less than $1.3 million of work, a figure that is well off the pace of the previous year.

It has been rare in the past decade that a two-month tally is as low as the approximately $1.3 million that was posted between January and February. Although January and February are typically slow months in Park City's construction industry, the 2010 total thus far could be worrisome to City Hall and the industry. Through the same period last year, the total was $30.6 million.

Park City officials have expected construction could struggle through another down year in 2010, but a two-month total as low as what was recorded in January and February is an exceptionally poor showing.

According to the Building Department, no permits were issued in February for new structures. The permits issued in February were valued at a combined $604,312, with alterations or additions to residential properties accounting for most of the total.

The total was down slightly from January. The February figure, though, fell dramatically from the same month the year before.

In February 2009, the Building Department issued just less than $27 million worth of work. A high-dollar permit was issued that month for work at the Montage in Empire Pass. The Montage permit buoyed the end-of-year numbers in 2009.

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