Last week was a good one for the Lawrence economy.

First, national call center USA800 said it will open a Lawrence facility that will create 300 new jobs. Second, June statistics released by the city of Lawrence show the city is on a record-shattering pace for the issuance of building permits.

The addition of jobs and investment in new construction bode well for Lawrence.

Many of USA800’s new jobs will more than replace the 200 call center jobs that are being lost with the recent closure of Rezolve Group and pending closure of the Results Companies.

USA800 will move into the space formerly used by the Rezolve Group in the I70 Business Center, the Lawrence chamber of commerce said.

USA800, which bills itself as the largest employee-owned call center in the nation, already employs more than 1,000 people at facilities in Kansas City and St. Joseph and was looking to expand.

The Lawrence Chamber reported that it partnered with the Kansas City Area Development Council to attract USA800 to this area. It was a significant accomplishment for the chamber, which competed with surrounding communities, including Topeka, to bring USA800 here.

The chamber said USA800 will occupy 20,000 square feet in Lawrence, and that the company will invest more than $3.5 million in improvements to the facility and its equipment.

The investment in USA800’s building will add to the $156 million in building permits issued this year, the most ever in the first half of the year for Lawrence. In fact, there have only been four times that the full year has produced $155 million or more in construction projects — 2013, 2006, 2000, and 1996.

Lawrence builders are within $20 million of the record of $175 million set in 2000. Based on trends, it seems likely that record will fall in the coming months.

The permits issued include about $22 million for city sewage treatment projects and another $4.6 million for projects at two Kansas University fraternities. Most of the rest were issued for residential projects, including a $12 million expansion of Pioneer Ridge retirement community, that will increase housing inventory and choices for Lawrence residents.

Construction activity and job growth are good barometers of the economic health of a community. It’s good to see both picking up in Lawrence.