Large Power Plant Project Lights Up in Florida City

Florida Power & Light named the Zachary Construction Corp. of San Antonio, Texas, as general contractor on a $600 million expansion of the Turkey Point Power Plant in Florida City. The project, which began in May, is a natural gas-fired system that will be capable of producing 1,150 megawatts of electrical generating capacity.

New High Rise Stretching Skyward in Orlando

Boyken International, with offices in Orlando, has been retained by Euro American Advisors of Tampa to manage the construction of the $150 million 55 West condominium in downtown Orlando. The 32-story high rise will house 363 condominium units, retail space and restaurants. Groundbreaking took place in April.

Florida Contract Activity Improves 4 Percent in March

The overall value of March contracts for future construction in Florida increased by 4 percent over the same period of a year ago, McGraw-Hill Construction reported recently. The total value of new contracts was estimated at nearly $5.3 billion.

In March, the value of residential contracts improved by 8 percent over last March to total roughly $3.9 billion, up from last year's $3.6 billion. Reversing a downward trend, the value of nonresidential contracts improved by a significant 19 percent to tally $927.4 million, ahead of last March's approximately $777.3 million total. The value of nonbuilding starts decreased dramatically, however, by 34 percent, to total roughly $465.1 million, compared to last year's $702.3 million.

For the year-to-date, Florida activity is valued at approximately $14.8 billion, or about 7 percent ahead of the same period of a year ago. The nonresidential category is down by 16 percent, totaling approximately $2.2 billion. The value of nonbuilding contracts, estimated at roughly $1.5 billion, is even with the 2004 pace. Residential is approximately 14 percent ahead of the first three months of 2004, with a cumulative value of roughly $11.1 billion.

Tyndall Air Force Base to Get New Air Operations Center

Speegle Construction of Niceville was selected by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to design and construct a new air operations center at Tyndall Air Force Base in Panama City. The $9.3 million project includes a theatre-based command and control center housed in a building with dual redundant systems to provide comprehensive back-up capabilities for the center's operations. The 1st Air Force, headquartered at Tyndall, is responsible for the defense of the Southeast, NORAD Systems Support and the Continental United States Regional Air Operations Center.

Seacrest School Will Feature Modern, Eviro-Friendly Campus

Professional Building Systems of Naples announced it will begin first phase construction this fall of the 30-acre Seacrest Upper School campus. The three-phase project is valued at approximately $25 million. The private school was designed by SchenkelShultz. Included in the environmentally friendly design are rainwater-harvesting technologies, water-saving plumbing fixtures, a 9-acre wetland preserve and two lakes. When completed, the school will be able to provide enrollment to 900 students.

Park Will Be Largest in Central Broward County

Broward County hired the joint venture team of H.J. Russell-Seawood Builders to build a new 109-acre park in Lauderhill. H.J. Russell of Atlanta and Seawood Builders of Deerfield Beach, Fla., will team up on the $35 million project that includes a multi-use main event field, soccer and football fields, water playground, instructional swimming pool, a large lake for non-motorized boating and a nature trail. The park is projected to be completed by summer 2006.

High-Profile Launch for South Beach Resort

Actors, other celebrities and their guests recently celebrated the launch of The Angler's Boutique Resort, a luxury hotel condominium project being developed in Miami Beach. The project is being developed by Michael Capponi and third-generation Miami developer Gregg Covin.

Capponi recently helped develop the Clinique La Prairie Residences at Ten Museum Park, a mixed-use real estate development currently under construction on Biscayne Boulevard in downtown Miami.

Built in 1930, The Angler's Hotel is currently uninhabited. Once completed, the resort will feature 49 fully furnished resort residences, a landscaped swimming pool and a garden lounge.

Clancy & Theys Handling Hurricane Damage Work at Orlando Airport

The Florida division of Clancy & Theys Construction Co. has been hired by the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority as design-builder for hurricane damage restoration work at Airside 2 at Orlando International Airport.

The contractor and its design and engineering partners are charged with evaluating the implications of upgrading the roof and exterior wall systems of Airside 2 to withstand 110 mile-per-hour wind speeds and lead the repairs and upgrades as directed.

The project, valued at $2.7 million, began in February and is expected to be completed in August.

New St. Regis Resort Planned for Bal Harbour

The Related Group of Miami and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide of White Plains, N.Y., announced they intend to form a joint venture to build a new resort at the site of the current Sheraton Bal Harbour. Demolition of the existing structure and new construction is scheduled for June 2006.