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Pandemic Permitting: Virus Takes Minor Toll on Building Projects
January 18, 2021 by Haag Brown in News Articles

Article written by Marty Cook of Arkansas Business.

Pandemic Permitting: Virus Takes Minor Toll on Building Projects

Building permit revenue makes up a small portion of a city’s revenue stream, but the number of building projects can signal a municipality’s economic state and growth potential.

So when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States in March, city officials in Arkansas worried, among many possible effects, how the virus might derail or hinder the building permit process.

It turns out that they worried unnecessarily. Instead the pandemic “made things kind of thrive,” said Dennis Sanders, the building safety director for the city of Fayetteville.

Sanders said the only permit numbers that were down in 2020 for his city were multifamily developments. He didn’t believe that drop had anything to do with the pandemic but was instead a result of the natural ebb and flow of such commercial projects.

Even so, Sanders said, the city has a number of apartment projects ready to go this year.

“No one came in and built new apartments toward the end of the year,” Sanders said. “We had some at the beginning. We have some that were in review, but nothing came out in 2020. I do have 13 buildings that are going to be [built] this year in 2021.”

Little Rock saw its permit revenue drop slightly to $2.43 million in 2020 compared with $2.62 million in 2019. That relatively small decrease was a relief after a couple of weeks of doldrums at the beginning of the pandemic.

“When the pandemic started and everything got shut down, we had about a month of slowdown for us, not quite a hiatus,” said Jamie Collins, Little Rock’s director of planning and development. “People were just taking stock. We did have that lapse a little bit. We were only down $187,000 approximately from the previous year, but our revenue is within what our revenue should be typically. We do have up years and down years.”

Collins said that without the effects of the pandemic, the fiscal year’s permit revenue would have surpassed 2019’s. “I think we were fine for the year,” Collins said.

Do-It-Yourself Projects

During the pandemic, many people worked from home and many also kept close to home rather than going out. That has inspired people to undertake do-it-yourself projects such as planting a garden or building a deck. On a city level, the homebound nature of the pandemic led to an increase in permits for additions and alterations to residential and commercial properties.

The city of Rogers saw permits for residential alterations or additions jump 45%, to 231 from 159 in 2019. William Hyde, the city’s deputy fire chief and building official, said the pandemic that closed Rogers Aquatic Center for the entire year led to an increase in residents wanting to install swimming pools.

The city issued 88 permits for swimming pools in 2020, up from 51 the year before. “If you call today to get a swimming pool, you might get it built in 2023,” Hyde said.

Hyde said Rogers met its budget goals for permits in 2020, collecting $1.15 million compared with $1.13 million in 2019. Hyde said a 16% increase in applications for business licenses also was a nice boon: The city collected $351,000 in 2020 compared with $303,000 the year before.

“I’m not an economist, but to me that indicates healthy business growth,” Hyde said. “There certainly was an increase in our permit collections. It indicates how healthy the area is.”

Jonesboro also saw an increase in renovation permits, but a tornado that struck the city in March played a large role in that. Derrel Smith, the city’s director of planning, said the city waived permit fees for tornado-related applications. Permits not related to the tornado almost doubled from 56 in 2019 to 100 in 2020.

“We had a lot of folks rebuild,” Smith said. “Since the pandemic we can’t see that it has slowed growth down from the permits that we have issued. That is a pretty big jump, but a lot of that was rebuilds from the tornado. “Everything has continued to trend up.”

Fayetteville had 801 permits for additions, alterations and miscellaneous buildings for residential and commercial properties. That was up from 621 in 2019. “The additions and alterations I think had to do with people being stuck at home, trying to take [on] some of the honey-do list,” Sanders said.

Single-Family Shows Strength

Little Rock saw a slight decrease in the number of single-family residential permits with 391 in 2020, four fewer than in 2019.

But the year ended splendidly for the state’s capital with 51 permits in December, the best final month since the housing bubble burst in 2008.

“That shows us what is happening in the economy,” Collins said. “2020 was the third-best year overall since the housing collapse for single-family. I think this is a regular continuation of growth. Little Rock has always moved on. There has still been development.”

Fayetteville and Rogers both reported large increases in single-family permits. Fayetteville had 738 in 2020, up from 553, and Rogers had 402, up from 346.

These were “valuable homes at that,” Rogers’ Hyde said. “That tells the story. Commercial gives you a glimpse, but residential says more people are moving here.”

Sanders said Fayetteville’s permit revenue was just below budget, coming in at $1.4 million, approximately $100,000 less than projected. Sanders said the lull in multifamily permits was the reason, but he has projected revenue of $1.6 million in 2021, a sign of how optimistic he is about Fayetteville’s continued growth.

Part of his optimism is attributable to the number of apartment units on the horizon and the promise of some closed businesses reopening, perhaps after renovations by new ownership.

“I could get some revenue coming in if people are remodeling or opening new restaurants and new bars,” Sanders said.

Hyde said most developments start behind the scenes a year or two before they get to the permit and construction phase. Those meetings and planning sessions did not abate in Rogers in 2020, giving him the expectation that permitting will continue to be healthy in 2021.

“We didn’t experience a slowdown in that level of interest in development at all,” Hyde said.

Collins said that when the pandemic first began, the city, expecting a significant slowdown, reduced some of its field staff. That lasted only a couple weeks as business soon sprang back to normal.

“All in all, in the times that the world is in, I believe the city of Little Rock was strong,” Collins said.

Link to Full Article

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Rogers, AR :: 3 Major Construction Announcements 🚧 -- 1 LEASE OPPORTUNITY Available in the Middle of it All ‼️

The area surrounding the 300,000+ SF Pleasant Crossing Commons Shopping Center and Wal-Mart Super Center off I-49 in Rogers, AR is experiencing MASSIVE growth. 💥 

1️⃣ Carmax Super Center has broken ground and begun dirt work for their new 42,000+ square foot used car superstore which will sit on 17 AC along South Dixieland Road. (Article :: https://tinyurl.com/yckv9ttb )
2️⃣ Mathis Brothers is set to begin construction soon on their new $50 Million furniture hub near the Carmax Super Center on South Dixieland Road. (Article :: https://tinyurl.com/mryj55df )
3️⃣ Last week, Costco announced plans to build their first location in Northwest Arkansas (and only second location in the state) at the corner of Pleasant Grove Road and Concord Street. (Article :: https://tinyurl.com/43zaswn2 )

HB is excited to have 1️⃣ brand new, Class A medical/retail space available in the middle of all these projects. 😱 Part of the JP&O Prosthetic & Orthotic Laboratory anchored development, 📍at the corner of South Pleasant Crossing Road and South Dixieland Road, this 4,000+SF free-standing building is located conveniently between I-49 and the densest area of residential in Rogers, offering quick, convenient access to both.

Details :: 
☑️ 4,023 SF Available in Mixed-Use Development just off of 49
☑️ Directly adjacent to $70,000,000 in new development along Dixieland Rd. & 49
☑️ Priced competitively at $24 PSF NNN with TI Available
☑️ Located near the 300,000 SF Pleasant Crossing Commons Shopping Center 
☑️ Exposure to 96,000 Cars Per Day
☑️ Anchored by Leading Medical Specialist, JP&O Prosthetic & Orthotic Laboratory

For More Info, Contact :
Corey Fuhrman or Joshua Brown
Haag Brown Commercial
870.336.8000
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!! OPENING ANNOUNCEMENT !! It’s Monday morning !! OPENING ANNOUNCEMENT !!

It’s Monday morning and if you're like us, you are already trying to decide what to eat for lunch! 🤔 Well you are in luck because South Jonesboro’s new DAIRY QUEEN will officially be OPEN for business at 10 AM TODAY 🍔 in their new location in front of Bill’s Cost Plus on South Stadium Boulevard! 

Congratulations to the local Dairy Queen Franchisees who have been long-time clients and have invested a significant amount of time and money in our community 🙏 with multiple projects across the city. 

To celebrate their opening, our local operators will be donating all of the Blizzard sales made on Monday and Tuesday to the Arkansas Children’s Hospital, 🏥 our state’s local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital.

So if you are craving one of DQ’s famous tasty treats, GIVE IN and go get your favorite Blizzard ASAP at their new location at 4229 Stadium Boulevard! It’s for a great cause and you’ll be so glad you did! 😋
#nowopen #business #cre
Professional Office Space :: LEASED ✅ HB is thr Professional Office Space :: LEASED ✅

HB is thrilled to announce that the former Elite Eye Care location along Windover has been Leased to a "new-to-Arkansas” vision 👓 care provider! 

The 2,700 square foot end-cap will soon be the home of Eye Specialty Group, Memphis’ leading multi-specialty vision partner who has been providing state-of-the-art medical and surgical eye care to Mid-Southerners for over 5️⃣0️⃣ years. 

HB’s Executive Broker Zac Qualls represented BOTH the Landlord, a long-time HB client and local business owner, AND the Tenant in securing the multi-year lease.

“High-quality, existing medical space in our market does not come available often and when it does, it normally does not stay vacant for long — add on top of that a central location within the Windover business park and this space was leased within weeks of becoming available! It was a pleasure getting to work with both the Landlord, a long-time HB portfolio client, as well as the Eye Specialty Group, on this deal. The space was a perfect fit and I’m excited for them to bring their services to Jonesboro." - Zac Qualls, Haag Brown Executive Broker

🌟We are always excited to play a part in bringing new businesses to Jonesboro. To find out more about Eye Specialty Group, visit their website at 
https://www.eyespecialtygroup.com
‼️ Rare and brand new office / medical space a ‼️ Rare and brand new office / medical space available at one of the most convenient and visible locations in Jonesboro ‼️

The Southwest Drive Business Center’s prominent position 📍 along Main Street/Southwest Drive is shown in this awesome video. It is visible from CVS, Starbucks, the DMV, and the intersection of SW Drive and Highland. 

As you can see, this recently upgraded Jonesboro staple is surrounded by new development in all directions including the expansion of Jonesboro High School’s campus. AND this prominent 2,000-square-foot end-cap retail/office/medical space is FOR LEASE at the middle of it all. 🥳

New and nice lease space along this heavily populated corridor does not become available often, so don’t miss this 💎 rare opportunity. 

Details :: 

- 2,000 SF End-Cap Space
- Rare Opportunity to be on Southwest Drive
- Significant Renovations to Building & Landscape
- Includes Space on Professional Monument Signage
- Completely Refinished Parking Lot
- Exposure to More Than 42,000 CPD
- Surrounded by a Surge of New Development Projects 

For More Info, Contact :
Zac Qualls
Haag Brown Commercial
870.336.8000
For Sale or Lease : High-Profile Car Dealer Proper For Sale or Lease : High-Profile Car Dealer Property 🚙

Looking for an opportunity to position your business at the epicenter of all significant trade and retail in the Jonesboro, AR trade area❓Then this 2️⃣ AC site along Highland Drive between the city's 2 largest signalized intersections is for you!

Not only is this property nestled in a corridor where opportunities have been non-existent the past several years, but it is also an extremely dynamic piece of real estate with a laundry list of potential uses including a 10,500 SF strip center, auto dealership, high-profile office, or medical clinic. 

Details ::
✅ A+ Facility in A+ Location
🚙 Formerly Occupied by Bayird Pre-Owned Super Store
🚦 Between 2 Major Signalized Intersections that Have Combined Exposure to Over 100,000 Cars Per Day
🛍 Within 5 Mi Radius of the City’s Top 4 Largest National Retailers
🔁 Access to Multiple Signals
‼️Rare Opportunity in Tight Retail Market

For More Info, Contact : 📲
Nathan Eller
Haag Brown Commercial
870.336.8000
Happy Mother's Day! ✨🌷 To all the Mothers & Happy Mother's Day! ✨🌷

To all the Mothers & Mother figures, may all the 🤍 you gave to us come back to you a hundredfold on this special day!

"Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: 'Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.’"
- Proverbs 31:28-29
HB Construction Update :: ⚠️Construction is RO HB Construction Update :: ⚠️Construction is ROLLING on the brand new, multi-tenant strip center located between Fat City and Firehouse Subs in the Wolf Creek Development at Hilltop. 

With the addition of a dramatic, multi-level roofline, this 10,000+ square foot commercial building, which faces the highly traveled East Johnson (Highway 49 N) corridor, is really starting to take shape. And with a new lease signed for this development, there is only a small amount of space left available for lease, so act
fast! 🏃
 
✨ We look forward to making an announcement about another new tenant coming to the Hilltop area, so be sure to check back 👀 for more updates regarding this exciting project!
We are saddened that Jonesboro's beloved Sai Thai We are saddened that Jonesboro's beloved Sai Thai & Japanese Steakhouse has closed its doors. We are so thankful for the top-quality 🏆 dining experience they created for this community and we wish them all the best in their future endeavors. 

“I remember visiting with Sai, her husband and small children in downtown Jonesboro almost fifteen years ago. We wound up working with Clay Young and leasing space he owned where Uncle Tacos is now located. The restaurant they delivered was first class, gorgeous and innovative for Jonesboro. On top of that, they are simply some of the best people you could ever meet. I'll miss their food, but will always look back on the lunches there with fond memories.” - Joshua Brown, Haag Brown Commercial Principal

⬇️ Comment below with YOUR favorite Sai Thai memory and let them know how much you've enjoyed them over the years. 

NOW, we have been tasked with finding a new tenant for the restaurant's former space in the Metro Centre. Any recommendations on who would be a good fit for the space❓👀

Here are a few details about the opportunity ::
📍 Located on Red Wolf Boulevard Between Jonesboro’s Main Retail Area and Arkansas State University
🛍 2,000 SF Suite Available Adjacent to Stripes Spa & Nail Care & Jimmy John’s
🚙 Exposure to 34,000 Cars Per Day
✅ Remainder of 15,000+ SF Center is Fully Occupied
👀 Ideal for Business Needing High Visibility and Immediate Market Presence

For More Info, Contact :
Zac Qualls
Haag Brown Commercial
870.336.8000
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