Bluffton’s 2018 building permits totaled a whopping $13,612,185 – thanks to a $10 million building project underway at GROB Systems.

The 2018 figures compare to 2017 figures, which reached $2,433,428 in construction. In 2017, 46 permits were issued totaling $1,773,128 for residential and $660,330 for commercial and industrial.

According to Jesse Blackburn, village administrator, 65 building permits were filed with the village in 2018. Of those, 60 were in Allen County and five in Hancock.

Residential permits on eight new homes totaled $2,725,176. Commercial and industrial permits totaled $10,887.009.

Two visuals at the bottom of this story reveal 2018 permits.

Among the largest building projects in addition to the GROB project were:
• Office building, 80 State Route 103, $500,000
• Moyer Science Center at university nature preserve, $195,914
• New building, TTS Rentals, 121 State Route 103, $88,000
• First National Bank remodeling, $75,000

Building permits are required for the following:
• Construction or structural alternation of any building, including accessory building
• Change in use of an existing building or accessory building to a use of different classification
• Occupancy and use of vacant land
• Change in the use of land to a use of a different classification
• Any change in the use of a non-conforming use

CLICK ON IMAGES BELOW TO ENLARGE