Large commercial projects push up value of permits in Lawton

Large commercial projects and a new crop of single-family homes pushed the value of Lawton building permits to almost $10.65 million in February.

Commercial permits totaled $6.095 million for the month. The largest permit, valued at $2.6 million, was for a 65-foot blending tower and electrical additions for the Silver-Line Plastics factory at 8801 SW Neal Blvd. in the Southwest Rail Industrial Park near the Goodyear, Bar-S Foods and Georgia Pacific plant. Silver-Line is a major supplier of plastic plumbing pipe, including to Lowe’s.

A project years in the making — construction of a new Braum’s Ice Cream and Dairy Store — began with the issue of an $800,000 permit for construction at 151 N. Sheridan between Arlington and Lake avenues north of Arby’s.

The city also issued a $750,000 permit for a 4,900-square-foot expansion of the Fires Innovation Science and Technology Accelerator in former Sears space on the west side of Central Plaza, 200 SW C.

A disused city movie theater will get a new lease on life from Comanche County Memorial Hospital after the city issued a $100,000 permit to remodel the former Carmike 8 at 7102 Cache Road. The theater, built in 1994, later was acquired by AMC and was closed in 2017.

“The old movie theater is being renovated to be the latest Lawton Community Healthcare Center clinic (LCHC) offering numerous health care services to include services for autism,” said Nicole Jolly, spokesperson for the hospital. “We’re excited about the opportunity to provide this specialty service needed in our community.”

Also adding to February’s permits was a roofing permit valued at $613,796 for American Renal Associates Lawton Dialysis Center, 5112 W. Gore.

A $490,000 permit was issued for construction of a 4,000-square-foot commercial shell building at 2504 and 2506 E. Gore.

Residential permits were valued at $4.554 million, with 17 new single-family homes accounting for $2.72 million of the total. Builder D.R. Horton, which has already built dozens of homes in west Lawton, purchased 16 more permits valued at $2.24 million in the Rolling Hills and West Hill additions in February.