Putnam County is noting increases in starts for both commercial and residential construction.

“We had to go all the way back to 2006 at the very peak of that building boom to find a month that beat May,” said Putnam County Executive Randy Porter in a statement, adding county construction permits exceeded $5 million in May – more than $1.4 million over April’s numbers. Meanwhile, single-family home construction continues to flourish. Twenty-six of the 38 permits submitted in May were for single-family homes – accounting for $4.5 million in planned construction projects; that’s almost $1.7 million more than the April figures.

A total of 311 permits have been issued this fiscal year, representing a 20 percent increase over the same period a year ago. Those 311 permits encompass $39.6 million in construction projects. More than $23,000 in permit fees were collected in May.

Just west of Cookeville, the recently opened exit 283 from I-40 has added to the county’s appeal for prospective homebuilders and businesses. Other draws include the proximity to Highlands Industrial Business Park and the area’s ready access to I-40.