The Mesquite Building Department was swamped last month when applications for new home construction permits skyrocketed to numbers not seen in recent memory.

The department issued 42 permits for new homes in June with a total valuation of $9.371 million. That compares to a measly 19 permits worth $4.089 million issued in June 2016. Last year those numbers looked good.

Overall, the city issued 123 permits in all categories valued at a total of $13.123 million in June. That’s almost three times the value of what the city issued last year when 87 permits were taken out worth a total value of $4.558 million.

During the first six months of 2017, the city has issued 175 permits for new home construction valued at $39.289 million. Comparatively speaking, the city issued 99 permits for new homes valued at $22.835 million in the first six months of 2016.

Pulte Homes of Nevada took out more permits for its construction of homes in Sun City than all of last year’s permits at 21.

Nevada Residential Construction (NRC) took out eight permits while Warmington Residential Nevada received four permits for new homes.

Davis Construction and Construction West each took out three permits and Jackson Contracting LLC received two permits.

Meadowland Enterprises received one permit valued at the highest of all at $436,488. The lowest valued home permit at $142,896 was issued in Sun City.

Most of the new home construction was valued in the $200,000 range. Other than  Meadowland’s most expensive permit, only two other permits ($406,926 and $333,684, both by NRC) exceeded that range. Fourteen permits were issued for homes in the mid- to high one hundred-thousand-dollar value.

Only three permits were issued for residential modifications in June with a valuation of $11,043. Last year, 18 permits were issued in this category worth $103,684.

The city issued two permits for commercial buildings worth $2.615 million. One permit for $1.553 million was issued for the new library and one permit worth $1.062 million was for the second phase of Beehive Homes Assisted Living facility on Second South Street.

Five permits for commercial modifications were issued with a valuation of $851,228. One of those permits was issued to the Virgin River Casino for $432,608 worth of work.

Last June the city didn’t issue any permits in either of these categories.

Three permits were taken out for new businesses matching the three issued in June 2016.

Eight permits for block walls, usually an indicator of future home construction, were issued this year also matching those issued in this category last year.

The city issued six permits for swimming pools exceeding last June’s number of four.

One grading permit was issued for work valued at $23,000 on Lantana Lane.