Developer Foram Group of Miami announced it has hired general contractor John Moriarty & Associates of Hollywood, Fla., to build its Brickell Financial Centre, which the developer is touting as Florida’s largest “green” building.

“Foram selected John Moriarty & Associates based on their 19 years of experience in South Florida and their history of building LEED office buildings,” says Loretta Cockrum, founder and CEO of Foram Group.

The 1.5 million sq-ft Brickell Financial Centre will be built in two phases. The $245 million first phase will consist of 600,000 sq ft in a 40-story tower that will include retail space on the first floor; 11 stories of parking; and 28 floors of Class-A office space.

The second tower, rising 68 stories, will include retail and office space, and a 300-room hotel that will occupy the highest floors.

Florida Contracts Negative Again in June

Florida’s residential sector continued its major slump in June, as overall contract activity declined by 14%, McGraw-Hill Construction reported. For the month, the total value of new contracts totaled roughly $5.1 billion, down from the $5.9 billion reported a year ago.

Residential was the only declining sector, however, registering a 44% drop from last June to tally about $2.1 billion. The nonresidential category improved by 4% for a total of about $1.5 billion. The nonbuilding segment, with a total of about $1.4 billion for the month, was more than double the amount this category registered last June.

PCL Civil Wins $182 Million in Road Contracts

PCL Civil Constructors of Tampa has been awarded two projects totaling about $182 million – the $104 million Interstate 275 reconstruction project in Tampa, and the $78 million East-West Expressway widening for the Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority.

The I-275 project includes the addition of three to four new lanes on the outside of the existing highway, for a total of 1.64 mi. The project also involves the construction and widening of seven new and existing bridges. Construction was slated to start this past August; completion is slated for August 2009.

Meanwhile, PCL was to begin widening a section of State Road 408/East-West Expressway from Crystal Lake to Conway Road. This project includes roadway and bridge widening as well as safety and aesthetic improvements along the toll-road facility. Also, a new toll plaza will be constructed, and modifications will be made to the existing Conway Road exit. This $78 million project is slated for a January 2010 completion.

Tamiami Automotive Announces New Facility to Be LEED-Gold   [W/ PIC]

Tamiami Automotive Group of Miami announced that it will be relocating and expanding to a facility that will be the first-ever LEED Gold certified dealership in the country. The new 18-acre dealership is located at a former Superfund site (a former lumber mill), situated just east of the Palmetto Expressway and Coral Way.

“We are reusing land that was contaminated and revitalizing it to build an eco-friendly structure that will cooperate with the environment,” says Carlos Planas, chairman of Tamiami Automotive Group. The new facility is slated to open in late 2008 as Tamiami Chrysler/Jeep/ Dodge.

The development team of Tamiami’s new location will include the Flagler Development Group and Revuelta Vega Leon Architecture.

KBR Managing Panama City-Bay County Airport Project

KBR’s management and engineering unit is providing program and construction management services for the new Panama City-Bay County International Airport in Panama City. The scope of work includes the relocation and construction of a new $330 million airport, scheduled to open in late 2009.

Creative Contractors Starts $23 Million Green School

Clearwater, Fla.-based Creative Contractors announced it has started construction of the $23 million Tarpon Springs Elementary School in Pinellas County. The 110,000-sq-ft school consists of six buildings, including classrooms, library, cafeteria/multipurpose room, art and skills laboratory, teacher planning areas and administrative offices.

The project is being designed to become LEED-certified upon completion.

Lane Florida Announces Montage Project in Orlando

Lane Florida, a division of multifamily real estate firm Lane Company, plans to build the Montage, a 19-story rental community in downtown Orlando. The Montage will have 184 one- and two-bedroom apartments and feature a rooftop pool. Lane reports the building will have an Art Deco exterior.

The project is the first of three phases Lane is planning for the one-and-a-half city blocks it controls in downtown Orlando. The next two rental towers will total 360 units and will be built after the completion of The Montage.

Construction is expected to begin late this year, with the first luxury apartments becoming available in mid-2009.

Lane Management will manage the community. EDI of Houston is the project architect and Stillwater Technologies of Orlando is the civil engineer.

FDOT, NASA Pick RS&H

Jacksonville, Fla.-based Reynolds, Smith and Hills was selected by NASA to design the emergency egress system for Orion, the next-generation space exploration vehicle that is expected to launch in 2014.

The new escape system will allow astronauts to travel safely during an emergency across the launch tower and enter into tram cars, which will then transport them to safety in a roller coaster-type fashion. RS&H has already designed the new lightning protection system for Orion at Launch Pad 39, and is also working on the design of its new mobile launcher.

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