Briefly Noted.(housing starts statistics)(Ikea's plans for outlet in New York City)(Wal-Mart's plans for Maryland outlet)(DryClean Depot franchise in Virginia zoning case)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)

HOUSING STARTS FELL slightly in May, the Commerce Department reported this week. Overall, starts dropped 0.4 percent. Single-family starts were down 0.2 percent and multifamily starts fell 1.5 percent. By region, housing starts in the Midwest were up 15.8 percent, and the West showed a 2.9 percent gain.

Starts in the Northeast fell 28.3 percent, and in the South, starts were down 1.9 percent. Building permits were up 2.1 percent, apparently confirming continued optimism among builders that sales will continue fairly strong at least for the near future. The National Association of ...

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