Pikes Peak Regional Building reports modest single‑family gains, sharp drop in new multifamily permits and high inspection volumes

Pikes Peak Regional Building presented its 2024 annual report to the Colorado Springs City Council, reporting modest gains in single‑family permitting, a sizable drop in new commercial and multifamily permits, a continued elevated volume of reroof permits tied to the 2023 hail season, and a large number of field inspections.

Why it matters: Building permit trends affect housing supply, construction employment and municipal revenue. Councilmembers used the presentation to ask about accessory dwelling units (ADUs), condo permitting and how to track long‑term build‑out of named communities such as Banning Lewis and Wolf Ranch.

Key permit and construction figures Greg D'Ingrando, public information officer with Pikes Peak Regional Building, and Roger Lovell presented several headline figures. They reported a breakdown of single‑family permits that included 2,463 detached home permits, 273 townhome permits and 118 duplex permits (the duplex count equals 236 dwelling units). The department also reported roughly 838 new apartment units permitted in 2024 (a 63% decline from the prior year) while about 3,795 multifamily units completed last year. More than 6,000 apartment units remained under construction at year end, with an expected ~3,000 units to complete in 2025.

Commercial activity and valuations The presenters said Pikes Peak saw 302 new ground‑up commercial projects in 2024 (down roughly 25%) and a Colorado Springs commercial estimated valuation of about $375 million (down 17%). Notable projects cited included Patriot Park Apartments (reported as a $60 million project), Abrams Elementary ($40 million), Meridian Ranch Fieldhouse ($14 million), and multiple Colorado Springs Airport renovations connected to new international flights.

Inspection volumes and reroofing Regional Building reported 296,112 inspections in 2024, up about 3% year over year; the department employed 63 field inspectors and continues to offer same‑day inspections. Reroof permits numbered 16,139, a persistent high figure that staff tied to the 2023 hailstorm and delayed insurance‑driven repairs.

ADUs, condos and build‑out questions Council members asked for more granular data. Council member Risley said the city has approved 60 ADUs since the 2020 ADU ordinance (about 12 per year). The presenters said condos were rare in 2024: two permits covering 40 units in Colorado Springs and a handful in Monument (five permits, 5 units in one remark). Council members pressed whether the city can track remaining lots or build‑out capacity in named master‑planned communities; presenters said Regional Building does not track available lot counts and recommended planning, HBA or individual developers for those estimates because entitlement and platting affect when lots are truly buildable.

Public access, education and code change work Greg D'Ingrando demonstrated a GIS mapping tool on the department website (pprbd.org) that allows the public to view permits by year, jurisdiction and council district and to click individual permit points for builder or valuation information. He also described homeowner and contractor education classes the department offers, including a homeowner permitting class and a monthly Contractor 101. Roger Lovell said the department participates in code‑change review cycles and coordinates with the Home Builders Association and local design professionals when new model codes are considered.

Ending Councilmembers thanked presenters and requested follow‑up data on ADUs, condo permitting and any available inventories or estimates of remaining buildable lots from planning or industry sources.