Construction is down in Cranbrook for the second quarter of 2013, as compared to last year.
According to the city's documents with regards to the issuing of building permits, the second quarter of 2013 saw only $5.7 million of construction, a drastic drop from the $14.1 million for the same time last year.
The number of building permits issued dropped slightly to 64 this year, from 72 last year in the second quarter.
"In 2012 construction values in Cranbrook were up in the commercial, institutional and industrial, largely due to two large projects, Target and the new dental clinic building being built on the corner of Kootenay Street and 2nd Street North across from the Cranbrook Public Library building," explained Chris Zettel, corporate communications officer with the city.
"This year, to date, the city has not seen construction projects of that size and value."
The construction numbers include all additions, alterations and new construction.
In the 2013 period, residential construction dropped by 31 per cent to $3.1 million from $4.5 million the year before.
Commercial construction saw a huge slowdown of 60 per cent to $2.4 million from $7.9 million in 2012. Commercial construction includes retail stores like grocery and hardware stores.
When the past six months is compared for commercial, the 2012 values still dwarf the present figures, with $4.5 million on residential construction for 2013, and $7 million for 2012.
The same can be said about Commercial construction figures, with $3.7 million in 2013 compared to $9.3 million in 2012.
The largest slowdown in construction came in the Industrial category, which includes mostly properties where things are manufactured, with a drop of 98 per cent to $20,000 from $1 million.
When compared over a six-month period, the industrial construction figures are still 10 times less in 2013 than 2012, at $240,000 compared to $2.5 million.
Institutional construction, which includes hospitals and schools, dropped 83 per cent to $95,900 from $588,096.
Signs construction for the period was up almost double over the period last year, at $80,435 compared to $43,360.
However the numbers for the year to date are almost identical, at just over $94,000 for each year.
Zettel said construction numbers will likely go up in the third quarter of 2013, with the construction of the SportChek and Dollar Tree buildings in the Walmart lot.
"Overall, it appears building permits are down nationally in June 2013, based on the news coming out of Building Permits Canada," he added.