Plant, Single-Family Home Construction Increases

Construction of industrial plants and single-family houses in Ventura County was up in the first seven months of this year, but multifamily and office-building projects were down, according to the Construction Industry Research Board.

The board, an industry trade group, said the sharpest upswing was in industrial construction, which totaled $21.1 million in new permits through July 31 of this year--a 79% improvement over the $11.7 million of the same period in 1991.

A total of 706 single-family houses were built in the county this year through July 31--23% more than the 574 started during the comparable period in 1991.

On the downside, only 451 multifamily housing units were started in the first seven months of 1992--48% less than the 861 units in the same period a year earlier.

Permits granted for new office buildings totaled $33.9 million in this year’s first seven months. This was off 26% from the $45.6 million in the year-earlier period.