Rochester, MN  (KROC AM News) - Rochester home builders enjoyed their busiest September in over a decade.

The City Building Safety Department issued 52 permits for new single family homes last month. That was up 5 from August and was nearly double the total from September of last year, making it the busiest September for home construction activity in Rochester since 2005.

During the first nine months of this year, the city has approved 344 permits for single-family homes, which is only 20 below the total for all of last year.

The overall building permit total last month was 229 with a valuation of $36.6 million. That pushed the valuation total for the year above $345 million, which is about $40 million below the tally through the first 9 months of 2015.

The largest building permit approved last month was for the Buckeye Flats apartment complex and was worth about $10.7 million.

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