Last week, the Allen County Building Department reported that the value of building permits issued in 2025 totaled $3,836,321,507 – the second year in a row to surpass the $3 Billion mark, besting last year’s total by nearly $172,000,000.
Allen County Building Department news release:
Allen County Continues $3 Billion Permitted Construction Value Trend
Allen County, Indiana January 13, 2026) – Last week, the Allen County Building Department reported that the value of building permits issued in 2025 totaled $3,836,321,507 – the second year in a row to surpass the $3 Billion mark, besting last year’s total by nearly $172,000,000.
The annual Building Permit Value includes the numbers for both residential and commercial permits, which estimate the value of a construction job at the time of application. The values include not only construction costs, but also final touches such as painting, flooring, and finishes.
Large, multi-year projects have helped boost the value of jobs in Allen County in the last two years. Several of those wrapped up in 2025, such as the Water Furnace expansion, the new Arts United wing, and The Pearl luxury apartments. Some still in progress include the Google Data Center, the Allen County Jail, The Lofts at Headwaters Park multiuse complex, and the professional soccer stadium.
Allen County Building Commissioner Joe Hutter shared, “Google completed Building 1 and began buildings 2 and 3. There are several other exciting projects in the works that will keep Allen County on track to match or exceed the Building Permit Valuations we’ve seen the last couple of years. An example is The Eddy that Fort Wayne revealed at the end of December.” Hutter also commented on projections for residential activity. “If interest rates drop like we keep hearing, then people will build. We have approximately 5,000 residential lots developed that are waiting to be built on in Allen County right now.”
The Allen County Board of Commissioners, which oversees the Building Department, responded to the news, “The growth we are experiencing now can be attributed to past decisions which have set us up for success now and into the future. The Commissioners are committed to continuing to create an environment that encourages businesses to build and expand and one that draws individuals and families to put down roots.”
When asked about changes in the building department for 2026, Hutter noted that, “The cost of building permits will increase slightly this year and the recent increase to inspection fees is getting us a little closer to other permit costs around Indiana. However, it is the first time in over 20 years that the cost of Allen County Building Permits has gone up. We still have the most competitive permit costs in the state.”
The price increase will help the county with inflation as well as offset the hiring fulfillment of the department’s many job openings. To view current available positions, visit the Allen County Candidate Portal searching with keyword, “building.”
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