Calgary's estimated construction value of building permit applications for April fell by 28 per cent compared with a year ago.

The City of Calgary, in releasing the latest data Friday, said construction value was $270.3 million last month. It was $377.4 million in April 2008.

Last month's total is also off by 22 per cent compared with the five-year average of $345 million and down by five per cent compared with the 10-year average of $283 million.

The major projects for the month were the West Calgary High School at $27.6 million, the Oi Kwan Place seniors home at $22.1 million, an addition and renovation to a Wal-Mart at $11 million, and the Crate & Barrel store in the Southcentre Mall at $4.5 million.

Year-to-date, total permit values are down 53 per cent to $764 million compared with $1.6 billion in the same period last year. Residential is down 60 per cent to $311.5 million and non-residential is down 47 per cent to $452.4 million.

For April, residential building permit value was $145.9 million, down by nearly 28 per cent from a year ago when it was $202.2 million, while the non-residential value was $124.4 million, which was nearly 29 per cent off from last year's $175.2 million.

The city says building permits are a barometer of intentions in the construction industry and are not actual construction starts.