2012 continued a six-year run of below-par construction in Henderson and Henderson County.
The city and county issued permits for the construction of just 38 new single-family homes in 2012, four more than the year before but far below the average of 138 new houses per year here since 1990.
Last year marked the sixth consecutive year in which housing starts totaled fewer than 100.
The construction value for new houses here totaled almost $8 million last year.
The city issued nine permits for new houses with an average construction cost of $165,833, while the county issued 29 permits averaging $223,953. That continued a years-long trend in which larger, more expensive homes are being built outside the city limits, where larger building tracts are available.
Meanwhile, the total value of all types of building permits amounted to $26.9 million in 2012, down $5.6 million from the previous year. Since 1990, total construction here has averaged $39.1 million per year.
December, which is historically a slow month for construction starts, provided little momentum with just $889,245 of permits and one new single-family home.
The biggest commercial permits last month included:
A $92,000 permit issued by the county to Ellis Park last month for a snack bar in the racetrack’s new Instant Racing gaming parlor.
A $75,000 permit issued by the city to Henderson County Fiscal Court for construction of a maintenance building on the backside of the property at 16 S. Water St. that will also serve as storage for some emergency management agency materials.
A $50,000 remodeling permit by the city to Church of God of Prophecy at 626 Fifth St., which was the site of where the former sanctuary of Alms of Faith Crusade for Christ collapsed in August.
A $38,000 remodeling permit by the city to Meuth Concrete Services for a maintenance building at 703 Eighth St.
A $19,600 remodeling permit by the city to Country Cupboard No. 6 at 1773 S. Green St. for converting a laundromat into a liquor store.
A $12,000 permit issued by the county to AT&T for upgrading an existing wireless tower at 2250 S. Green St.