Fort Smith metro building activity in September was down almost 40% compared with the same period in 2024, but the regional permit numbers are up almost 20% through the first nine months of the year.
September building permits issued in Fort Smith, Greenwood, and Van Buren totaled $14.763 million, down 39.5% from the $24.41 million in September 2024. However, values increased 21% from the $12.198 million reported in August.
Year-to-date, the three cities reported $231.414 million in permitted construction, up 18.9% from the $194.69 million in the three quarters of 2024.
Fort Smith issued 243 permits in September with a value of $14.532 million, down 33.4% from the $21.822 million value of 180 projects permitted in September 2024. The city has issued $204.171 million in building permits through September, up 6.3% from the $192.108 million reported in the same period in 2024.
There were eight permits issued for new residential construction of single-family homes in September with a total value of $3.955 million, down 18.5% from $4.855 million value of 12 new single-family home projects in September 2024. There also were 11 new residential duplex projects permitted in the month with a total value of $2.889 million.
There were no new commercial projects permitted in the month, compared to two new commercial construction projects in September 2024 that had a combined value of $4.855 million.
VAN BUREN, GREENWOOD PERMITS
Van Buren, the region’s second largest city, had 60 projects permitted in September with a value of $126,979, a 93.8% decrease from the $2.036 million value of 91projects permitted in September 2024.
Van Buren had $16.7015 million in permitted building activity the first three quarters of 2025, down 13.4% from the $19.286 million during the same period in 2024.
Greenwood issued 18 permits in August with a combined value of $103,765, 81.2% less than the $551,574 value of 19 permits in September 2024. Through September, Greenwood has issued building permits with a value of $11.521 million, up 15.4% from $9.985 million in the first nine months of 2024.
Fort Smith, Greenwood, and Van Buren building permit values in 2024 totaled $271.09 million, a 45% decline from $492.29 million in 2023. It was the first year since 2017 that regional building activity declined.
REGIONAL BUILDING ACTIVITY RECAP
Combined permit value totals for the three cities
2024: $271.09 million
2023: $520.64 million
2022: $480.37 million
2021: $343.28 million
2020: $265.97 million
2019: $241.74 million
2018: $231.78 million
2017: $210.84 million
2016: $211.34 million
2015: $218.89 million
2014: $198.98 million