It's just one factor of many in the data-dense real estate market, but one set of statistics might make people who sell, service and otherwise benefit from residential housing construction perk up.
The statistic: Single-family residential starts jumped more than 50 percent in the 12 months through October from the year before.
Another statistic: Those starts soared 83 percent when compared to the 12 months that ended in October 2011.
The city's Building Inspection Division reported 1,913 single-family and townhouse housing starts in the 12 months through October, up from 1,249 the year before and 1,047 the year before that.
This report tracks the monthly single-family housing starts permitted by the city for Duval County, except for the Beaches and Baldwin, which issue their own permits.
It doesn't include other counties, either, especially busy St. Johns County.
This report tracks permits for single-family dwellings from November 2010 – as the Great Recession continued its grip – to October 2013.
The low point was January 2011, when just 50 permits were issued. That was close to the 51 in December 2010.
But then the climb began. Monthly permits reached triple digits for the spring and summer of 2011, trailing off again until spring 2012.
Since May 2012, they've been in triple digits – that's 18 straight months.
The peak the past three years was April, when 231 single-family permits were issued. There were 216 in August.
While the permits are still well below the more than 600 a month in 2004-05, the trend definitely is up.
Fifth Third Bank plans Lakewood office
The city is reviewing plans for Fifth Third Bank to build an almost 3,000-square-foot office at the University Shopping Center at 3600 University Blvd. S. Infinity Engineering Group LLC of Tampa is the project agent.
Fifth Third Bank would be the third outparcel at the 10-acre site at University Boulevard and St. Augustine Road. McDonald's and CVS Pharmacy developed the other two.
The shopping center is anchored by LA Fitness, which redeveloped the space formerly occupied by Publix Super Markets.
The center also featured a Stein Mart, which relocated its Lakewood business.
Site plans continue to show a Marshalls store in the former Stein Mart space, although the developer and Marshalls have not commented about that.
Retail on the upswing
Discount, value-oriented and gas/convenience stores also continue to take shape in Jacksonville. In recent weeks, news surfaced that:
• Walmart intends to remodel its Supercenter at 13490 Beach Blvd. at a project cost of $300,000. It's a general remodel.
• The city is reviewing a permit for the Buddy's Home Furnishings rental store at 5201 Norwood Ave. The almost 6,000-square-foot store carries a project cost of $350,000.
• Dollar General plans to build at 11151 W. Beaver St. Concept Construction of North Florida Inc. is the contractor for the 9,100-square-foot store at a project cost of $350,000.
• Family Dollar is making plans to build at 8088 Old Kings Road S. Twin Rivers Capital LLC of Charleston, S.C., is the developer of the proposed 8,320-square-foot store on about an acre at southwest Old Kings Road and Plaza Gate Lane. The city is reviewing site plans.
• Dollar Tree wants to build an almost 10,000-square-foot store at 10827 Harts Road. The $450,000 construction project is out to bid.
• Gate Petroleum Co. plans to build a 6,700-square-foot convenience store with 22 fueling positions and a car wash on almost 3 acres at Baymeadows Road East and R.G. Skinner Boulevard.
• RaceTrac Petroleum Inc. is planning to develop at 5142 103rd St. The 5,928-square-foot store is planned on about 2.6 acres at 103rd Street and Harlow Boulevard, according a city concurrency and mobility fee application.
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