Final Section of Western Beltway Opens

Officials with the Florida Department of Transportation, Florida's Turnpike Enterprise and other local representatives gathered in early December to officially open the final, 5.5-mi section of State Road 429, a toll expressway in Orlando known as the Daniel Webster Western Beltway.

Construction of the Turnpike's $328 million, 11-mi section of the Western Beltway began in May 2004. The first section opened in December 2005. This final section is located between U.S. Highway 192 and Interstate 4.

Contract Activity Declines Again, by 2 Percent

The decline in the volume of Florida's construction contract activity wasn't as steep as recent months but continued nonetheless in November, as McGraw-Hill Construction reported the value of contracts for future construction dropped 2 percent during the month, compared to the same period of a year ago. For November, the total value of new contracts totaled roughly $4.8 billion, down from $4.9 billion reported a year ago.

Again, residential dragged the overall numbers down, declining by 38 percent to total roughly $2.4 billion for the month, compared to last November's $3.8 billion. Meanwhile, the other sectors soared compared to last November. The value of nonresidential contracts jumped 39 percent to tally about $1.2 billion, up from last year's $830 million. The nonbuilding segment showed an even greater percentage gain, jumping from the $320 million of a year ago to the most recent month's $1.3 billion tally.

The overall decline brought Florida contract activity for the year-to-date to about $58.4 billion, or 11 percent behind the $65.7 billion reported through the first 11 months of 2005. Nonresidential is still 10 percent ahead of 2005, with about $12 billion of activity. Residential, with a $39.4 billion total, is now 19 percent behind 2005's pace. With November's big jump, nonbuilding construction is now 10 percent ahead of last year's pace, with a $7 billion total.

Moss & Associates to Build Paramount Beach

Boca Raton-based real estate company RPC Holdings has hired Moss & Associates of Fort Lauderdale to manage the construction of its latest residential project, Paramount Beach in Sunny Isles Beach, north of Miami. The project was scheduled to break ground in the first quarter of 2007.

Fullerton-Diaz of Coral Gables designed the 232-residence tower.

CORE Construction Starts $60M Condo in Fort Myers

CORE Florida of Sarasota began work in January on its $60 million contract to build 330 condominiums in 11 six-story buildings at Province Park in Fort Myers. The developers are Romi LLC and Harp Development Corp., both of Fort Myers.

The first building is scheduled to open later this year.

Ajax Starts $34M Middle School for Grades 4-8

Tallahassee-based Ajax Building Corp. has started construction on its $34 million Marion Oaks Middle School project in Ocala for Marion County Schools. SchenkelShultz of Orlando designed the 177,358-sq-ft. school to accommodate grades four through eight, with separation of elementary and upper grades at this single site.

The school will consist of three two-story classroom buildings and a single-story structure, with one building designated as a community hurricane shelter.

$175 Million Atlantic Center Project Announced in Fort Lauderdale

Owner/developers Crocker Partners LLC and ING Clarion Partners announced they have acquired one of the last remaining sites for development in downtown Fort Lauderdale and plan to introduce a new mixed-use project. According to the companies, preliminary plans for the $175 million Atlantic Center project will encompass 400,000 sq ft of Class-A office space and a retail/restaurant complex of 50,000 sq ft. The developers indicated a four-star, 250-room hotel component also is under consideration.

The partnership is currently soliciting design proposals. The firms hope to break ground in first quarter 2008.

Miller Starts Turnpike Distribution Center

Miller Construction Co. of Fort Lauderdale is set to start construction of Turnpike Distribution Center IV, a 112,272-sq-ft tilt-wall office/warehouse condominium project for Miami-based owner/developer Integrated Property Services. Located in Pompano Beach, adjacent to the Pompano Beach plaza entrance of Florida's Turnpike, the project consists of three, single-story tilt-wall structures.