The BE&K Building Group of Orlando is moving forward on its $55 million contract from Lake Nona Property Holdings to provide preconstruction and construction management services for the Burnham Institute for Medical Research’s East Coast research facility.

The project is being designed to achieve LEED Silver certification. The Lake Nona campus will include a two-story administrative wing and a three-story research wing. The facility will also feature a 196-person auditorium and cafeteria.

Perkins + Will of Atlanta is the project architect. Construction was expected to start in October, with an anticipated March 2009 completion.

Residential Down Again, Other Sectors Up

Florida’s residential sector continued to decline significantly in July, leading an overall drop in state construction contract activity of 10% for the month, McGraw-Hill Construction reported. For the month, the value of new contracts totaled roughly $3.8 billion, down from the $4.2 billion reported a year ago.

Residential continued its nosedive, registering a 42% drop compared to last July – following on the heels of a 44% decline in June – to tally nearly $1.7 billion. Other sectors were positive, though. The nonresidential category improved by 3% for a total of about $1.1 billion for the month. The nonbuilding segment, with nearly $1.1 billion in new contracts during the month, was at roughly triple the pace of July ’06, when it had experienced $332.6 million in new contracts.

The July figures added to the bad news for ’07 Florida contract activity for the year-to-date, which now stands at just over $30 billion, or 26% below the first seven months of 2006. The residential market, estimated at about $14.7 billion, is 48% behind last year’s pace. But again, it’s not all bad news. To date, nonresidential, at about $9.1 billion, is 10% ahead of 2006’s pace, while nonbuilding construction is approximately 65% ahead of last year with a $6.2 billion total so far.

Weitz Busy at Breakers Again

The Weitz Co. is busy at The Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach again. The West Palm Beach company started renovation of 125 rooms within the resort’s northwest wing. The refurbished space will feature new mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems, as well as new impact-resistant windows. Peacock + Lewis is the project architect. Kemble Interiors is designing the interiors.

Developer Pursuing Green Designation for $125M Mixed-Use Project in Naples

The D’Jamoos Group of Naples has announced it will pursue green designation for São Grato, the developer’s planned $125 million, 23-acre mixed-use project in Naples.

The project combines approximately 132,000 sq ft of commercial and retail space and 312,000 sq ft of residential space. The commercial space will include approximately 40,000 sq ft of retail; 17,000 sq ft of restaurants; 72,000 sq ft of office space; and 9,000 sq ft of medical office space. Colliers Arnold Commercial Real Estate is brokering the commercial space.

São Grato’s 224 condominium units will be equipped with energy-efficient appliances and sustainable building product selections. Starting in the $300,000s, units will range from approximately 920 sq ft to 1,730 sq ft.

Current Builders of Naples has been named as the contractor. Humphreys and Partners Architects of Dallas is the project architect, Vanasse Daylor of Fort Myers is the engineer.

$137M Loan Closes for Boca Raton Resort & Club Condos

Miami-based law firm Akerman Senterfitt announced it has negotiated and closed a $137 million construction loan for an affiliate of the Blackstone Group to develop luxury condominiums at the Boca Raton Resort & Club’s Beach Club. The loan was made by a syndicate led by Wells Fargo for the development of One Thousand Ocean, a 52-unit luxury development adjacent to the Beach Club at the Boca Raton Resort & Club.

Unit prices range from $2.75 million to more than $15 million. RTKL Associates of Coral Gables and Garcia Brenner & Stromberg Architects of Boca Raton are designing the project.

Ardaman & Associates Designing Big Gant Lake Restoration

The Florida Freshwater Fish Commission has hired Ardaman & Associates of Orlando to design the restoration of Big Gant Lake in Sumter County. The scope of work for the 100-acre lake includes designing a system to remove and dispose of more than 700,000 cu yds of organic sediment from the bottom of the lake in order to restore its aquatic vegetation and habitat.

Brooks & Freund Building Punta Gorda Apartment Complex

Brooks & Freund has been awarded a contract to build Gulf Breeze, an apartment community in Punta Gorda. The 179,300-sq-ft complex includes 49 apartment buildings for a total of 171 units.

Construction is expected to be complete in December 2008.

Moss & Associates BuildingFour Fire-Rescue Facilities in Broward

Fort Lauderdale-based Moss & Associates has started construction of four fire-rescue facilities for the Broward Sheriff’s Office and Broward County Commission.

The facilities include: Regional Everglades Fire Rescue Station – a 7,142-sq-ft facility with two bays to accommodate an advanced life support fire engine and a crew of four;  Regional Technical Rescue and Hazardous Materials Team Fire Rescue Station – a 16,727-sq-ft Fort Lauderdale facility with four bays to accommodate six vehicles and 17 personnel; the Airport/Seaport Fire Rescue Station – a 15,535-sq-ft, three-bay facility near Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and Port Everglades; and Regional Logistics Warehouse – a  23,097-sq-ft facility on the same site at the Airport/Seaport Fire Rescue Station.

The fire-rescue stations, designed by PGAL Architects, will include drive-through bays, sleeping areas, storage spaces, workshops and office areas, landscaping and parking.

Emerson International Breaks Ground on $54M Golf Villa Project

Developer Emerson International recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for its $54 million Curzon Place Golf Villas project. The community is being developed at the firm’s 1,300-acre Eagle Creek golf community near the Lake Nona area in Orlando.

The 144 two-story townhomes will be the first multifamily residences added to the development.

Hennessy Starts $18M Design-Build Contract for Pinellas County

Hennessy Construction Services of St. Petersburg has been awarded an $18 million design-build contract with Pinellas County for the new Public Works Highway Campus, Phase 1 Traffic Operations Centralized building. The contractor’s design-build partner is Mason Blau & Associates of Clearwater.

The facility is being designed to withstand a Category 5 hurricane, and will house some of the county’s emergency and first-responder departments. Construction is expected to start in fall 2008.

Edwards Construction Under Way on $17.5M Tampa Industrial Park

Edwards Construction Services has started work on its $17.5 million IDI Madison Industrial Park, Buildings A and E project in Tampa. Designed by Horton Harley & Carter, Building A will feature 386,000 sq ft of flex warehouse space with 106 loading docks. Building E will contain 147,000 sq ft of flex warehouse space.

The buildings are being constructed with 36-ft-high tilt-up concrete wall panels and built-up roof systems.

GATES Completes Dual School Project

Naples-based GATES has completed construction of Challenger Middle School and Patriot Elementary School project in Cape Coral.  With a combined 284,618 sq ft, the schools were constructed simultaneously in just 13 months.

Challenger Middle School was designed by BRPH Architects while Patriot Elementary School was designed by RS&H Architects.

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