Construction Activity in Rochester Returns to Pre-Recession Levels

Rochester homebuilders enjoyed a modest rebound in business last month after a significant drop-off in September.

The City Building Safety Department approved 35 permits for new single-family homes worth about $8.5 million in October. The permit total is 12 above the tally from September, which was down sharply from the total of 60 single-family home permits issued in August. For the year, the city has now issued 316 permits for new homes, which is only 10 below the total for all of last year.

Overall, the Building Safety Department approved 235 building permits worth about $25.8 million. That pushed the permit total for the year above 2000 and the valuation total above $332 million, which puts the city on a pace to match or exceed the new construction totals from 2006 before the start of the Great Recession.