Judge Stays Miami-Dade Crane Regulations

By Scott Judy

A judge with the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida has issued a temporary injunction and voided implementation of Miami-Dade County’s newly enacted ordinance regulating cranes and hoisting equipment. The injunction is the result of a lawsuit filed by a coalition of contractor associations, including the local chapters of Associated Builders and Contractors and Associated General Contractors.

“We respect the judge’s decision, but the county’s disappointed,” says Eddie Gonzalez, an attorney for Miami-Dade County. “We’re analyzing an appeal of the order that held that parts of the ordinance weren’t enforceable.”

The ordinance had gone into effect on March 28, just three days after a fatal crane accident in Miami. Judge Ursula Ungaro held that Miami-Dade County had preempted existing OSHA law, and stated that the plaintiffs had proved that contractors face “substantial threat of suffering irreparable injury” from the regulations. However, the judge did not rule on the merits of the coalition’s argument that it was impossible to comply with the regulations, since the plaintiffs had not yet applied for a permit under the ordinance.

“We have a strong position that they can comply,” says Gonzalez. “The main issue is it’s the court’s conclusion that it’s preempted by federal law.” He adds that the county would argue that the wind-load standard should not be considered an employee safety regulation, but a general safety regulation.

Florida Contracts: All Sectors Down Again in April

McGraw-Hill Construction, publisher of Southeast Construction, reported that the value of new Florida contracts declined by 40% overall in April, compared to the same period of a year ago. According to this latest report, the value of April contracts for future construction totaled roughly $2.8 billion, compared to last April’s $4.6 billion total.

All three of the sectors used by McGraw-Hill Construction experienced double-digit percentage declines. Residential fell 49% compared to last April to total about $1.1 billion for the month. The nonbuilding sector declined by 38% compared to last April to total $582.2 million. Nonresidential fell sharply again, too, dropping 29% compared to last April to total roughly $1.1 billion.

Through the first four months of 2008, the total value of new contracts is 42% behind the 2007 pace. Residential is 48% behind 2007, and is valued at about $4.5 billion. Nonresidential is 31% behind ‘07, with approximately $4.2 billion in new starts. The nonbuilding sector is 47% behind last year, with about $1.9 billion in new projects to date.

Immokalee Tech Center to Provide Real-World Business Training

SchenkelShultz Architecture of Orlando designed the School Board of Collier County’s new $26.5 million, two-story, 92,000-sq.-ft. Immokalee Technical Center, now under construction in Immokalee.

Zirkelbach Building FedEx Distribution Center

Zirkelbach Construction of Palmetto, Fla., is building a 123,367-sq-ft FedEx Ground regional distribution facility in Manatee County, in the Port Manatee Industrial Park.
The project consists of 6,138 sq ft of office space and 117,229 sq ft of distribution space with associated site improvements and automobile parking spaces and maneuvering areas.

Construction started in April and is targeted for completion in early 2009.

Gresham, Smith and Partners Goes Green with Brooks Rehab Design

Nashville-based Gresham, Smith and Partners has designed the corporate headquarters for Brooks Rehabilitation in Jacksonville.

According to the design firm, the facility will be the first building on a Jacksonville health-care campus that is registered for LEED certification.

Construction of the $14.8 million, 47,000-sq-ft facility, which will serve as the headquarters for the Brooks Health System’s 143-bed Rehabilitation Hospital and its 25 outpatient clinics, is expected to complete by next July. In addition to the office space, the four-story facility will feature a training center for hospital employees and community events, and a new main visitor entry.

Green features will include: construction waste management recycling; water use reductions; low-energy lighting products and occupancy sensors; high-efficiency window systems; building materials made using high levels of recycled content and sourced regionally; and implementation of a recycling program when occupied.

DooleyMack Building Assisted-Living Facility in Riverview

Sarasota, Fla.-based DooleyMack Constructors was selected to build the Bridges at Winthrop, a two-story, 103-bed assisted-living facility with a 16-bed memory wing in Riverview. The project owner is Senior Care Group of Tampa.

The project includes an on-site wellness center and an integrated services care center, as well as a resident clubhouse that includes formal dining, casual dining, bar, beauty salon, library, arts and crafts, pool and spa, and meeting and conference spaces.

Creative Contractors Achieves First LEED School in Florida

Clearwater, Fla.-based Creative Contractors announced that one of its recent projects, Gulf Trace Elementary School, is the first K-12 public school in Florida to receive LEED certification.

Located in Holiday, in Pasco County, Gulf Trace Elementary School is a 90,000-sq-ft school designed by Holmes Hepner and Associates Architects of Tampa.

In achieving this certification, Creative noted: 1.4 million pounds of construction waste, or 80% of all waste, was recycled; 40% of construction materials were extracted and manufactured within 500 mi; 26% of construction materials were made of recycled content; the school features referred parking spaces for low-emitting and fuel-efficient vehicles; use of dual-flush toilets and water-conserving fixtures reduced water use by 40%; and 52% of wood used in the building came from sustainably managed forests certified by the Forestry Stewardship Council.

BCArchitects Designing St. Cloud Medical Arts Park

BCArchitects, with offices in Coral Gables and Celebration, has been named architect for the St. Cloud Medical Arts and Technology Park, in St. Cloud in Osceola County. The 100,000-sq-ft medical and technology center will include a 10,000-sq-ft imaging center and a 10,000-sq-ft surgical center. It will also feature a 30,000-sq-ft incubator space to be occupied by the University of Central Florida Technology Incubation Program, a university-driven partnership that provides early-stage businesses with tools, training and infrastructure to foster high-growth enterprises.

The proposed sustainable design incorporates open air circulation to reduce heating and cooling loads, tensile fabric roof in selected areas to reduce lighting load, the collection of condensation for reclaimed water, photovoltaic cells to reduce the energy requirements, and low e-glass to reduce heat gain while increasing natural light.

The general contractor is Snow Construction of St. Cloud.

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