A look at building permits issued in Oil City during 2024 shows over $13 million in improvements are underway in the city, dwarfing the value of the improvements made in 2023, which came in at about $3.7 million.
A total of 59 building permits were issued last year in the City of Oil City totaling an estimated improvement value of $13,479,434.
In comparison, a total of 63 building permits were issued in 2023 by the City of Oil City, with an estimated improvement value of $3,795,477. The improvement value in 2023 was about half of the estimated improvement value the city saw in 2022. However, the 2023 amount is slightly higher than the estimated $3 million of projects in 2021.
A driving force in the huge increase in the dollar figure of new construction in 2024 was several significant projects largely funded by state and federal grant monies.
Over half of the value of the improvements was reflected in three permits totaling over $7,158,992 for 100 Seneca, which is owned by the Venango County Economic Development Authority.
The most costly permit issued in 2024 was for $6,105,000 in work on the first floor of 100 Seneca.
The multi-year rehabilitation of 100 Seneca has been largely paid for by a variety of state and federal grant dollars, along with some private grants and local matches.
During 2024, renovations were completed on the fifth floor of 100 Seneca, which opened in October.
On the fifth floor is a Makerspace, which provides tools and opportunities for multiple creative ventures, as well as a co-working space, an office space, and the Venango Area Chamber of Commerce offices.
The first floor of 100 Seneca is slated to open during the spring of 2025, with Side Hustle Brews and Spirits opening a restaurant and craft distillery on the first floor in the coming months.
Verland also received two permits totaling $3,530,000 in renovations to two houses in Oil City which they will be operating as group care homes for former Polk State Center residents. One permit was for $3 million, the other for $530,000.
Verland had been awarded a $2 million Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) grant from the state for the development and construction of four what they call “signature homes” homes in Venango County, which will each house up to eight individuals.
It is unclear if any part of this grant money was used to renovate the two Oil City locations. Verland has also purchased land on Pittsburgh Road in Sandycreek Township and along Steffee Boulevard in Cranberry Township.
A number of local businesses and organizations also undertook interior renovations to their properties in 2024, totaling over $1.8 million
Northwest Commission received a permit for $1.2 million interior renovations to their 395 Seneca St. location.
Interior renovations at National Fuel Gas on Relief Street ($300,000), Community Services of Venango County’s Center Street location ($196,000) and McDonald’s ($150,000) were also reflected in the permits, as were interior renovations to a former hardware store at 312 Seneca Street, now owned by Pathways, for which no dollar figure is available.
Pathways also received three permits to install generators at a total cost of well over $150,000.
In addition, Pepro received a permit for “interior alterations” totaling $125,000 to their building on Colbert Avenue and the Oil City YMCA received a similar permit to construct an elevator room totaling $33,400.
The remaining 44 permits were residential permits for smaller projects such as constructing garages, new roofs, window replacements, new porches and other home improvement projects totaling over $640,542.
In addition, 11 demolition permits were issued in Oil City during 2024.
The most notable demolition last year was the razing of the Days Inn, at a cost of $345,000, which began in mid-September and took about a month to complete.
The other 10 demolition permits were for five houses and five garages.
