EBR building permits down in 2008

The value of commercial and residential building permits issued in East Baton Rouge Parish decreased in 2008 as few replacements came in for the big construction projects that had been ongoing. The value of permits issued last year was $666.7 million, compared with more than $1 billion in 2007. Much of the drop was caused by declines in commercial building, which went from nearly $777 million in 2007 to $457.2 million in 2008. Residential construction held up a little better despite effects of the national housing slump spreading to Baton Rouge. The value of all residential permits was $200.6 million in 2008, compared with $282.8 million in 2007. The total number of residential permits also dipped slightly, falling from 2,157 in 2007 to 2,049 in 2008. Big projects that received permits in 2008 included the Mallard Crossing Apartments on Greenwell Springs Road, a new bottling plant for Baton Rouge Coca-Cola, renovations and remodeling to Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center and new Woman’s Hospital campus.—Timothy Boone