Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - Rochester home builders are coming off their busiest July in a decade.

The City Building Safety Department approved 45 building permits for single family homes last month. That’s the highest total for the month since July 2007 when 60 permits were issued by the city for the construction of new homes. The total number of new home permits issued this year is now up to 264, which is almost 20 above the tally through the first seven months of last year.

Overall, the city approved 219 building permits worth just under $40 million dollars last month, boosting the overall valuation of new construction in Rochester this year to almost $280 million. A year ago, the total was $265 million through July.

The largest building permit issued in July was for the Riverfront Commons apartment project near Apache Mall, which was valued at over $9 million. The city also approved a nearly $5 million permit for expansion of the Kerry Group food ingredient plant on 7th Street Northwest and a $3.2 million permit for an office complex near the intersection of 37th street and West Circle Drive Northwest.

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