FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO): Construction investment in Allen County has exceeded $1 billion dollars for the fourth straight year.

Building permits totaled $1.237 billion dollars from Jan. 1 to Dec. 3 according to the Allen County Building Department. Commercial permits totaled $669 million, while residential permits came in at $568.4 million.

The department says 68.7 percent of permits were acquired online during the first 11 months of 2020.

“Our building department was able to remain in service with no interruption from the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis,” said John Caywood, county building commissioner. “We have an outstanding staff from permitting to inspectors who excel and take pride in their work. They adjusted and worked overtime to keep up with the influx of applications and additional inspections every day.”

A total of 29,345 permits were issued through Dec. 3, compared to 30,133 during all of 2019.