2019 was another busy year for development in the City of Grand Junction. Activity in new residential development set a new all-time high, while commercial development saw a healthy upward trend.

The City’s growth has been bolstered by a near-tripling in size of Mesa County since 1970, with the Grand Junction area attracting significant in-migration from California, Texas, Florida, Arizona, and Illinois. As a result, subdivision construction and infrastructure has nearly doubled over the last three years, as subdivision lot approval numbers rose from 363 in 2017 to 688 lots in 2019.

Healthy Growth Continues for Commercial Activity

Commercial building growth within the City of Grand Junction saw a consistent, steady rise in 2019.

The City issued land-use planning clearances for approximately 529,801 square feet of new commercial space, of which 23,775 square feet was in additions/expansion and 505,066 square feet was new construction. New square footage approvals are as follows:

• 155,631 sq. ft. – Industrial Development
• 123,570 sq. ft. – Retail Development
• 114,120 sq. ft. – School/Institutional Development
• 104,666 sq. ft. – Office Development
• 31,814 sq. ft. – Other Development

Additionally, there was a 14% increase in non-residential permits for new construction (73 permits in 2018 to 83 permits in 2019). Residential valuations are up 8.3% for new and remodeled residential buildings while commercial valuations are up 4.8% from 2018.

Residential Building Permit Numbers Hold Strong

Single-family residential permits issued through Mesa County within City limits stayed steady in 2019. Last year, 515 permits were issued, down from 516 in 2018. Overall, residential building permits in the City are up 10% since 2017.

2019 also brought a resurgence in multi-family units, as the City issued Planning Clearances for 343 new multi-family units. Together with single-family, the City’s new dwelling unit clearances exceeded the previous high in 2006 of 807 units, reaching an all-time high of 871 units. Large multi-family units include the Railyard at Baserock Apartments, Village Park Apartments, and the Plaza Apartments.

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Contact: Greg LeBlanc, Sr. Assistant to the City Manager 970-244-1557 or gregoryl@gjcity.org