Moving the red dirt in Milton.

The new business, Bottles and Corks, will soon open at the corner of Webb Road and Ga. 9 in Milton. It is one of the few commercial building projects this year in Milton.

Construction takes back seat to renovation.

by Jonathan Copsey / Appen Newspapers.

May 16, 2011

MILTON, Ga. - Milton residents and businesses are renovating instead of constructing new buildings, according to information provided by the city.

For the period from January to March 2010 and 2011, overall requests for building permits – both residential and commercial – stayed about the same for both years. January 2010 saw 50 total permits issued, while the same month this year saw 48. February 2010 saw 66 permits versus 58 this year, with March of 2010 having 87 compared to this year's 91.

So overall, the numbers say Milton is doing about the same in the first quarter of 2011 as it did last year. However, a break down of the numbers shows a slightly different picture.

The city had four new commercial building permits issued in January 2010; there were none in the same month in 2011. March was similar. In fact, the only new commercial building permit issued in 2011 was in February. There were seven last year.

Commercial renovations, in contrast, are much higher. 2010 had no renovation projects until March, when 29 permits were issued. In January 2011, the city had 18 permits; 13 in February and 8 in March.

Residential building permits tell a similar story. New buildings in 2010 totaled 16 – three in January and 13 in March. There were none in February. This year had 5 in January, 13 in February and 17 in March.

Home renovations far outstripped new building in both years. There were 43 in January last year; 42 in March. This year saw 25 in January, 31 in February and 66 in March.

"There are a lot of alterations, a lot of stores moving in and out," explained Lynn Tully, Milton's community development director.

At least some of the home alterations are the result of people working from home. So far this year, the city has issued 99 business permits, with fully half of those going to new home-based businesses.

"They're 'new entrepreneurs' who are working out of their home," Tully said. "There's a real push for entrepreneurs here in the city of Milton. We want to encourage them."