Florida Contracts: All Sectors Tumble Again in July

McGraw-Hill Construction, publisher of Southeast Construction, reported that the value of new Florida contracts declined by 35% overall in July, compared to the same period of a year ago. According to the latest report, the value of July contracts for future construction totaled approximately $2.7 billion, compared to last July’s $4.2 billion total.

Once again, all three of the sectors used by McGraw-Hill Construction experienced double-digit percentage declines. Residential fell 41% compared to last July to total about $1.1 billion for the month. The nonbuilding sector fell 49% compared to last July to total just $572.3 million. Nonresidential fell 13% to total roughly $1.1 billion.

For the year to date, the total value of new contracts is an estimated 41% behind the 2007 pace. Residential is 47% behind 2007, and is valued at about $7.9 billion so far. Nonresidential is 24% behind ‘07, also with approximately $7.9 billion in new starts. The nonbuilding sector is 51% behind last year, with nearly $3.4 billion in new projects to date.

Elkins Starts Work on Senior Living Community

Jacksonville, Fla.-based Elkins Constructors has started construction on Abingdon at Tradition, a $26.5 million, luxury senior living community in Port St. Lucie. According to the developer, Senior Living Communities of Charlotte, N.C., the facility will feature 70 single-family homes, 160 condominium-style villas, 26 enhanced living villas and 56 assisted-living units, skilled-nursing beds and memory care units.

The 30-acre campus will offer a clubhouse and wellness center, indoor and outdoor pools, gatehouse, putting green, maintenance facility, and a community dining area with commercial kitchen. The 206,000-sq-ft facility is expected to open in November 2009.

Triad Design Group of Greensboro, NC, is the architect of record.

Skanska Awarded Contracts in Orlando, Jacksonville

Skanska USA Building of Orlando was selected to provide design-build services for the city of Orlando’s $15 million, 70,000-sq-ft police training facility. The new facility will be used for training and certifying the use of firearms required for officers in the line of duty. The architect of record is C.T. Hsu & Associates of Orlando. Completion is expected by March.

The building will include specialized features. The firearms training area will include three ranges in an enclosed environment. Also included is a weapons cleaning room that will accommodate up to 80 work stations, and a secure, fireproofed ammunition vault. The facility also will feature a three-classroom education area that can accommodate 120 trainees.

In Jacksonville, Skanska USA recently broke ground on the 100,000-sq-ft Elementary School B #161 for Duval County Public Schools.

The $20 million facility will include space for more than 800 students, and will feature 46 classrooms, administration space, a media center, cafeteria and kitchen spaces. Completion is expected in time for the 2009-2010 school year.

Construction Begins on VCC-UCF Joint-Use Facility

The Orlando-based design firm of C.T. Hsu + Associates announced that construction has begun on a 100,000 sq-ft joint-use facility for Valencia Community College and the University of Central Florida.

The joint-use facility is part of an initiative by UCF and the region’s four community colleges to expand students’ access to higher education. The program is designed give community college students more choices of bachelor’s degree programs in their home counties, allowing them to stay close to families or jobs while continuing their studies.

The firm’s design will provide classroom space, offices and labs. The facility is slated for completion in 2009 and is registered for silver LEED certification.

Hardin Design-Building TIA’s IT Operations, Data Center

The Hillsborough County Aviation Authority has chosen Hardin Construction Co. to design-build an IT Operations and Data Center at Tampa International Airport. The 7,500-sq-ft facility will house a server room, monitoring room, administrative offices, work spaces, training spaces, conference room, break room and restrooms.

Design was scheduled to begin this month, with construction slated to start in February. Completion is scheduled for next fall. The architect of record is Urban Studio Architects of Tampa.

Spec Ops Pioneers Pre-fab Construction System in Dade Co.

Spec Ops, a general contractor based in South Florida, recently used prefab construction techniques for a child care center project in southern Dade County. The 8,000-sq-ft building was erected in just three days using a system that enables the builder to have the entire building manufactured in parts at a West Palm Beach factory and shipped to the site to be erected. It is the first time this prefab modular building system has been used in Miami-Dade County.

“Pre-fab construction cuts down on onsite labor, and the quality is top notch because it is built under controlled circumstances,” Jim Rasche, founder and president of Spec Ops, said in a press statement. “We were able to reduce costs by 35% and save 14 months using this system by Royal Concrete Concepts in lieu of conventional construction methods.”

According to the contractor, the building is completely finished upon arrival on site, with walls, floors, ceilings, A/C, fixtures, and cabinetry work completed. It requires only assembly and minor finishing work when it arrives on site.

“It is virtually ready to use; all you need to do is furnish the interior,” stated Rasche.

Spec Ops provided its services on a pro-bono basis.

The South Dade Child Care Center will accommodate 80 children, augmenting the existing 265-child facility that serves the families of South Dade's rural farming community.

Perry-McCall Wins $23M College of Aviation Phase II Contract at ERAU

Perry-McCall of Jacksonville, Fla., was selected to build Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's College of Aviation Phase II project in Daytona Beach. The $23 million project is expected to be completed by spring 2011.

The project will add instructional and aircraft maintenance space to the university’s existing College of Aviation complex, including a 45,000-sq-ft operations/classroom building; a 35,000-sq-ft aviation maintenance science/lab building, and a 16,000-sq-ft fleet maintenance hangar.

Perry-McCall will demolish the Gill Robb Wilson Flight Center to make room for the new buildings, as well as perform site utility improvements and renovations to the existing adjacent structures.

Stellar to Rebuild Hendricks Avenue Baptist Church Sanctuary

Jacksonville, Fla.-based design-builder Stellar has started work on a new sanctuary for the congregation of the Hendricks Avenue Baptist Church in the San Marco area of Jacksonville. The church’s sanctuary was completely destroyed by fire on December 23, 2007.

Stellar will work as construction manager. Designed by Rink Design Partnership of Jacksonville, the structure is in the shape of a cruciform and features a steeple with windows and cross, acoustically balanced platform, choir loft, and space to accommodate both traditional and contemporary worship services.

The sanctuary will accommodate between 525 to 640 worshippers, including the platform and choir loft.

Construction is scheduled to start in the fall.

Luxury Condo Development Will Provide Health Care

Miami-based Kapital Development (dba CityClub Residences, CityClub Living) is moving forward on CityClub Residences in Boca Raton. The project is a prototype for the first luxury housing brand for high net-worth individuals age 62 and over, with premium health care options available inhome or elsewhere within the building.

Stiles Launches Construction of Huizenga Center

Stiles Construction Co. of Fort Lauderdale has started construction of what it states is the world’s largest Junior Achievement education center: the 59,500-sq-ft JA World’s Huizenga Center at Broward College in Coconut Creek. The project is being built for Junior Achievement of South Florida.

Slated for completion in 2009, the structure will enable Junior Achievement to provide more than 50,000 students a year from Broward and South Palm Beach County schools with “hands-on” educational programs in business, entrepreneurship and personal financial management.

The building will also serve as headquarters for Junior Achievement of South Florida, and will include training and meeting space.

Gates Breaks Ground on Lehigh Acres Elementary

GATES of Naples, Fla., has broken ground on the G. Weaver Hipps Elementary School in Lehigh Acres. The 122,244-sq-ft school will be identical to the prototype school Patriot Elementary that GATES built in 2007. The school will house approximately 1,000 students from kindergarten through fifth grade.

Campus features include a covered play area with restrooms, 1,013 sq-ft physical education facility, classrooms and administrative offices. RS&H Architects & Engineers is handling architectural design.

RS&H Designing University’s Fine Arts Music Building

RS&H of Jacksonville is designing Florida Gulf Coast University’s new phase two Fine Arts Music Building in Fort Myers. The proposed 25,000-sq-ft academic building will be used by the College of Arts and Sciences and will serve the Bower School of Music and the university’s visual and performing arts programs.

RS&H will provide master planning that will incorporate future construction phases that could be added to the project.

The facility will include separate rehearsal and recital halls for 100 and 200 patrons, respectively, as well as faculty spaces, music labs and music classrooms on two floors.

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