Grow Sarpy report shows increase in building permits, single-family houses

Grow Sarpy, formerly known as Sarpy County Economic Development Corporation, is a cooperative venture of the county’s public and private sectors, according to its website. It is also a member of the Greater Omaha Chamber’s Economic Development Partnership.

Building permit valuations totaled $147,996,608, up from $137,258,775 in the first quarter of 2023, according to the report. Bellevue led the way with $54,384,621, up from $19,426,394 a year earlier. Papillion posted $44,960,556, down from $56,830,256, but still a strong number.

Gretna’s total of $27,006,682 was down from $51,638,351.

“There’s a lot going on,” Bellevue Mayor Rusty Hike said. “It looks like the waterpark and the NC3 building are going to come out of the ground at the same time.”

“Last year was a really big year,” Gretna Mayor Mike Evans said during his State of the City Address on May 2. “But we’re just getting started.”

There were 240 building permits issued for single-family housing projects, up from 167 in the first quarter of 2023, according to the report. Here, Gretna led the way with 94 permits, up from 69 last year. Papillion followed with 81 permits, up from 68. Bellevue issued 36, up from 29 last year.

“We understand there’s a big need for housing,” Evans said. “We’re going to have more employers out here, we’re going to need more employees.”

Multi-family housing units reflected in first-quarter permits totaled 44, down sharply from last year’s first-quarter total of 210. Last year’s number was buoyed by Gretna’s total of 210, which numbered a modest eight units in the city’s Q1 total this year.

Among the largest commercial projects permitted in the first quarter were an addition and renovation at Hickory Hill Elementary School in Papillion (48,845 square feet), $7.8 million; Turnkey Realty and Property Management in Papillion (165,052 square feet), $5,113,366; an addition and remodel at Parkview Heights School in La Vista (6,100 square feet), $4,968,000; MUD addition and new building in Bellevue (3,120 square feet), $3.7 million; and an addition to the Bellevue Public Schools district office building in Bellevue (469 square feet), $2.4 million.

For more information on Grow Sarpy, visit bit.ly/3UOdoc2