Sarasota sets building permit record

SARASOTA — The city of Sarasota issued a record number of building permits in the 2013-2014 fiscal year, with 7,216 total filings.

The tally is up 14% over last year, according to a release, and the total construction value of the permits nearly doubled, from $127.6 million to $362.1 million. The city's fiscal year ended Oct. 1.

“This shows we're heading in the right direction,” City Manager Tom Barwin says in the release. “There is a culture of 'yes' in the Building and Permitting Division, with our exceptional employees working diligently to ensure permits are issued for everything from roof construction to air conditioning work to plumbing and window installations.”

Adds Barwin: “Sarasota continues to be an attractive location for savvy investors.”

Several noteworthy developments have recently broken ground in the city, including multiple hotels, mixed-use projects and multifamily complexes.