New Britain herald., 1928-04-14
THE BUILDING RECORD AND CITY GROWTH


 Two important business blocks are under construction in the downtown section, and one home for frater- nal body, In addition to these there are residences being constructed in all sections of the city. Which is by way of saying that the urge to pro- vide additional facilities for the housing of the city's growing trade needs has not reached an untlmely end after the building boom of scv- eral years ago. Building may not be booming, but no one can claim it is exactly dead hereabouts.
 During the boom of 1926, which overlapped into 1927, large opera tions helped greatly to swell the records of the building department, During the latter part of last year q change began 10 be manifest, per mits for fewer large operations be- coming scarce, while the number of permits for smaller operations gen orally increased,
 The fiscal year in the building de- partment closed March 31, and in re- porting that building operations during that time totalled S3,75S,6oG Arthur x. Rutherford, the building inspector gave out the information that the revenue of the department had been $S,323 during the fiscal year, thus proving again that the building department is a self-sus- taining unit in the city government. Whereas it once was a department that earned much justified complaint l it now has become so efficient that it i has passed almost entirely from pub lie view. We have no heSitancy in saying this has been due to the good , management of the present building f inspector who knows his job and at , tends to it.
 The total Of building operations for the previous fiscal year was more than s7,ooo, ,Ooo. Now the record has gone down to below s4,ooo, ,ooo, It is difficult to judge whether this can ! be regarded as normal or still bit above the normal figure as larger city naturally brings with it larger total building construction. In other words, what would have been con- sidered normal construction ter years ago would be below norma today; and what can be considered normal this year would have looked like q boom q decade ago.
 Indeed. building operations in New Britain formerly were SO far below the present normal increase that nt building inspector was known herr until 30 years ago, when New Brit ain had about 26,o00 population. II to that time the Common Counci directly controlled building opera
 lions with very few question asked; loning was considered | dream that never would be needo, in this city. Even when building inspector Was deemed necessary. II
 had so little inspecting to do that h was also the plumbing inspector
 fire marshal and had other clyl
 duties. It was not until 1921 that th Lngislaturo provided q building com mission composed of five member:
 and we have building inspector
 plumbing inspector, and an el"ctrica
 inspector. They have eNacting Job
 and the public has been trained 1 cNpect efficient service. The build ; ing department of the city lad il 1rst sclf-sustaining year during tn fiscal year which ended March ,. 1897. so that the similar expcricnc Tor the fiscal year that has just end 6 ed is thc second time in the histoI Jf the city that this has occurred. l . all probability this cminently sati' factory condition will continue, { Q end; it would take building ycj | far below the normal to bring abol r a deficit