Ingles renovation permit drives Morganton’s $10.1M May total

Morganton permits show more than $10 million in approved May construction

Morganton approved 99 building, electrical, mechanical, and plumbing permits in May, with reported construction values totaling more than $10.1 million, according to the city’s May 2026 construction permit report.

The largest project by far was a renovation at Ingles Market at 120 Carbon City Road. The building permit, issued May 1 to Ingles Market Inc., listed Vannoy Construction as the applicant and carried a construction value of $5,997,815. The project was listed for mercantile use.

Vannoy activated its permit on June 2.

May’s activity marked a shift from the prior two months. The city approved fewer permits in May than in April, 99 compared with 123, but the listed construction value jumped sharply, from about $3.7 million in April.

Permit activity was spread across the city. Electrical permits made up the largest number of approvals, with 34 permits. Mechanical permits followed with 28, plumbing with 27, and building permits with 10.

The report included a mix of major commercial investment, public facility work, and smaller residential upgrades. Residential permits included decks, bathroom additions, service upgrades, HVAC replacements, water heaters, generators, remodels, and plumbing repairs.

Seiren North America received a building permit for re-roofing work at 1500 E. Union St., with Radco Construction Service listed as the applicant. That permit carried a value of $549,841.

The City of Morganton received approval for construction of a restroom facility at Bethel Park, 600 Bethel Road. Ridgeline Building Corporation was listed as the applicant for the recreation-space project, valued at $441,515.

Blue Ridge Healthcare and Carolinas HealthCare Blue Ridge also appeared repeatedly in the May report, with permits tied to inpatient pharmacy Phase 4 work at 2201 S. Sterling St. The project included building, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, and fire-protection-related work. The building permit for the pharmacy alteration was valued at $150,000, with additional permits tied to electrical, plumbing, mechanical, and sprinkler-system work.

Mountain Ice Inc. also showed significant activity at 236 Rand St. The report listed fire alarm and electrical work connected to a new addition, including one electrical permit valued at $644,520 and another fire-alarm-related permit valued at $7,000.

Several downtown or commercial-area projects also appeared. GUIDO Holdings LLC received permits for work at 113 N. Sterling St. related to construction of a beauty bar. Belton Phifer LLC received a permit for a small structural bathroom renovation at 105 E. Union St. Tequila Mockingbird LLC received a plumbing permit tied to bathroom remodeling at 200 White St.

The report also showed continued activity in apartments and multifamily properties, including work at Woodbridge Apartments, Cedarbrook Apartments, Stonebridge Apartments, and other rental units.

Through April, Morganton had approved 410 permits with about $22.3 million in listed construction value. Adding May brings the five-month total to 509 permits and roughly $32.5 million in listed value, showing that one or two large commercial or institutional projects can dramatically change the month-to-month construction picture.