RAPID CITY, S.D. – Rapid City has broken historic building permit valuation records following an exceptionally strong two-month period in April and May, according to local officials.

The Rapid City Building Services Division issued 190 permits in May alone, carrying a combined valuation of more than $75.6 million. Combined with the April permit valuation total of more than $92.7 million, Rapid City has shattered records for both the highest two-month valuation total and the opening five-month valuation total for any year in the city’s history.

This year’s January-May valuation total of $236.2 million eclipses the previous high records for the first five months of the year, which were set in 2022 at $228.1 million and in 2018 at $210.5 million. In 2022, the opening five-month total featured permits issued for South Middle School and seven apartment complexes. The 2018 valuation total for the first five months included the permit for the expansion of Monument Health/Rapid City Regional Hospital.

The combined April and May permit valuation total of more than $168.3 million breaks the previous two-month valuation record of more than $148.1 million produced in October and November 2019, when the building permit was issued for the Summit Arena.

May’s valuation total of more than $75.6 million stands as the second-highest valuation total ever recorded for the month of May, surpassed only by the $112.8 million in permit valuation tallied in May 2022. Through the first five months of 2026, the city has issued 982 building permits, higher than the 919 permits issued during the first five months of 2025.

“The valuation totals of the past two months, even stringing together the first five months of this year, have been very impressive,” said Rapid City Community Development Director Vicki Fisher. “We are issuing permits for some big projects and we are running steady and active in permits issued in other areas as well, including permits for single family homes.”

In May, the city issued a half-dozen permits with valuation totals of more than $1 million each. Leading the way was a permit valued at $37,590,659 issued to Black Hills Power, Inc., with Mastec Industrial Corporation as contractor, for the administration and control building at 3650 Deadwood Avenue North.

A permit valued at $13,150,909 was issued to Samuelson Development LLC, with Samuelson Development as contractor, for the Tallgrass Phase 3 apartment complex at 2140 E. Philadelphia Street.

Additionally, a permit valued at more than $1 million was issued to Timothy Sauder, with RCS Construction as contractor, for a climbing gym facility at 1840 Fountain Plaza Drive.

A permit valued at $3,025,000 was issued to Khan Hotel SD, LLC, with Scull Construction Service, Inc. as contractor, for the Chick-Fil-A Lot A facility at 1902 N. Lacrosse Street. A permit valued at $1,223,685 went to Founders Park Office Building, with Lloyd Construction Company as contractor, for a dental studio at 235 Founders Park Drive. Finally, a permit valued at $1,052,862 was issued to Martinez Development LLC, with Guthrie, Inc. as contractor, for phase one of the West River Drywall Building at 865 N. Valley Drive.