Orlando Officials Unveil $1B Downtown Plan

Orlando and Orange County Mayors Buddy Dyer and Rich Crotty recently unveiled an agreement that will deliver more than $1 billion for new downtown construction projects. The package provides funding for three community venues: a new events center, where the Orlando Magic basketball team will play; a new performing arts center; and an upgrade of the existing Citrus Bowl stadium.

"It's a very good thing for downtown," said Steve B. Rivers, senior vice president of Hardin Construction Co. of Orlando, who expects the new venues to spur additional private development and also validate the investment in residential projects now under way."

Funding for the entertainment, sporting and cultural venues will come from an extra penny in tourist tax dollars; state grants; money from the city's Community Redevelopment Agency; the Orlando Magic; and private contributions. City and county commissioners still must approve the plan and allocate the funding, and the Tourist Development Council, a county advisory board, must review the plan. The city hopes both commissions will approve an interlocal agreement by year end, with a 1.5- to two-year design phase starting in 2007, with construction to follow.

A group of Central Florida business and economic-development leaders formed a nonprofit grassroots organization, called Project Hometown, to educate the public and build support for the projects.

The proposal provides approximately $376 million for a new performing arts center, located at the corner of Orange Avenue and South Street. Initial reports from city and county officials described the new venue as a four-story, 400,000-sq.-ft. facility that will include three halls, ranging in size from 300 seats for smaller, local arts groups to 2,800 seats for large-scale, traveling shows. Officials also indicated it will have education space for dance, theater and music academies; a rehearsal hall; and an outside performance space for civic events and festivals. The announced completion target was 2010.

The announcement also foresees the Orlando Magic and Orlando Predators arena football team playing in the new events center by 2010. The plan provides $385 million for this facility, which was announced as measuring approximately 800,000 sq. ft. The city has acquired property at the corner of Hughey Avenue and Church Street for the events center.

Renovation of the 70-year-old Florida Citrus Bowl to attract bowl games and, possibly, preseason National Football League contests also has become a priority. As part of the estimated $175 million upgrade, individual seats will replace bleachers, and the stadium will gain club seats, luxury boxes and new bathrooms.

"These projects provide a tremendous economic opportunity for our region," said Dyer, who calls the initiative a "triple crown for downtown."

"In addition to the $10 billion of operational impact they'll have over the next 20 years, they are also estimated to produce $1.1 billion in construction impact," he said. "The economic impact study done on these projects also shows that close to half of this construction impact will be in wages for our local workforce - totaling more than $450 million in earnings and supporting close to 11,000 jobs."

Value of Contracts Down 33 Percent in September

The volume of Florida's construction contract activity dove again in September, as McGraw-Hill Construction reported the value of contracts for future construction declined by 33 percent during the month, compared to the same period of a year ago. For September, the total value of new contracts totaled nearly $4.5 billion, down from the $6.7 billion reported a year ago.

The state's biggest sector, residential, dropped 45 percent to total roughly $2.9 billion for the month. Nonresidential also fell, by 10 percent, to tally about $953.5 million. The only sector to move up was nonbuilding, which increased by 72 percent to total approximately $572.4 million for the month.

The decline - the fourth consecutive major monthly drop - brought Florida contract activity for the year-to-date to about $49.2 billion, or 10 percent behind the $54.8 billion reported through the first nine months of 2005. The nonresidential category is now 10 percent ahead of 2005, with about $9.7 billion of activity so far this year. The residential market, with a $34.5 billion total, is 15 percent behind 2005's pace. Nonbuilding construction is 8 percent below last year's pace, with a nearly $5 billion total.

SFWMD Names CM for $480M Everglades Reservoir

The South Florida Water Management District has selected a joint venture of Pasadena-based Parsons and Barnard Construction Co. of Bozeman, Mont., to construct a massive reservoir in the Everglades Agricultural Area. The reservoir, located near West Palm Beach, will provide additional water storage and environmental benefits in the southern region of the EAA.

This $480 million project, which is a key element of the $10.4 billion Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Program and a cornerstone of the SFWMD Acceler8 Program, will consist of an aboveground 190,000-acre-ft. reservoir with approximately 20 mi. of levees/embankment, seepage canals, a new pump station and a new four-lane bridge on U.S. Highway 27.

A ceremonial groundbreaking was held August 2. Construction is scheduled for completion by December 2009.

Coastal Construction Wins Two New Residential Contracts

Miami-based Coastal Construction Group was awarded two residential contracts in the Florida Keys, including the $70 million Beachside for Spottswood Cos. and Marlin Bay Yacht Club for SouthStar Development Partners.

The Beachside project is a four-story, 129-unit condominium building in Key West that will feature a full-service resort with one-, two- and three-bedroom residences, a five-star restaurant and a convention center. The project is being designed by Thomas E. Pope and is scheduled for completion in September.

Coastal's contract for its Marlin Bay Yacht Club in Marathon includes the construction of 25 single-family residences ranging from 2,500-6,000 sq. ft. Coastal will also construct the club's 8,700 sq.-ft. dockmaster facility and clubhouse. This project is being developed by Coral Gables-based SouthStar Development Partners and is scheduled for completion in July 2008.

Wharton-Smith Starts on UCF Football Stadium

Wharton-Smith Construction Group of Sanford has started construction on a 45,000-seat football stadium for the University of Central Florida in Orlando.

The press box tower provides VIP and press services on four levels. The first level, the club, has direct access to the top of the seating bowl, so club patrons can flow back and forth between their seats and the club lounge. The second and third levels contain the suite boxes, each of which provides two rows of exterior seating, protected by an overhang above. The fourth level is the press level.

360 Architecture of Kansas City, Mo., is the project architect.

Moss Tops Off Emerald Grande Project in Destin

Moss & Associates of Fort Lauderdale announced it has topped off Emerald Grande, a 281-unit luxury waterfront condominium incorporating retail and entertainment space. Located at HarborWalk Village in Destin, the twin-tower Emerald Grande is being built by Moss Anderson Construction Group, a partnership of Moss & Associates and Roy Anderson Corp. contractors.

The project - which is the first of two phases planned by Legendary, Inc. - consists of two 13-story towers being built on top of a five-story parking garage; 75,000 sq. ft. of retail, nightclub and restaurant space; and a separate building for a Pat O'Brien's restaurant and bar. This initial phase is scheduled for completion in the summer of 2007.

WELBRO Starts on Mascotte Elementary Project

Maitland-based WELBRO Building Corp. recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for its Mascotte Elementary School project for Lake County Schools. The project consists of one two-story building measuring 121,875 sq. ft. and 1,150 student stations.

Construction was set to begin in November, with completion slated for December 2007. SchenkelShultz Architecture of Orlando is the architect of record.

Design-Build Team Picked for Winter Garden City Hall

Clancy & Theys Construction Co. and architecture firm C.T. Hsu + Associates, both of Orlando, have been selected to provide design-build services for a new $10.2 million city hall for the city of Winter Garden. The three-story 40,000 sq.-ft. facility is slated for completion in June 2008.

Suffolk Starts on South Fork High School

Suffolk Construction Co. of West Palm Beach was recently named construction manager for the $10.1 million first phase of the South Fork High School project in Stuart.

Phase one consists of the construction of a new two-story, 27,000 sq.-ft. classroom building with lab components. Suffolk plans to break ground on the project in early 2007.

Westgate Resorts Selects Roger B. Kennedy for Timeshare

Westgate Resorts of Orlando has selected Roger B. Kennedy, Altamonte Springs, to build the $12.5 million Westgate Lakes Building #100 at the timeshare resort in Orlando. The six-story project consists of 60 two-bedroom, two-bath units, and totals 113,000 sq. ft. The project is scheduled for completion in October.

The architect is Bloodgood Sharp Buster Architects & Planners of Jacksonville.

CORE Construction Starts $5.5 Million Assisted Living Facility in Zephyrhills

Orlando-based CORE Construction Florida has started construction of West Winds, a $5.5 million assisted-living facility in Zephyrhills.

Husker Development is developing the facility for project owner Golden Health Services. The single-story, 50,000 sq.-ft. building will accommodate 69 assisted-care living units that range from 303 to 682 sq. ft. The project is slated to open next July.