Robert High of HJ High along with Dan LaMorte of Turner Construction Co. and Tim Keating of R.C. Stevens listen to Jason Albu of Albu & Associates’ permitting discussion.

 

Here’s the significant construction projects these Orlando companies worked on this year

Builders and developers in Orlando, one of the fastest-growing cities in the U.S., are calling this year one of the best ever. And the projects they’re working on are big.

Seventeen builders and developers talked about their most significant projects this year at Orlando Business Journal’s Commercial Builders and Developers Industry Roundtable on Aug. 6. The projects ranged from Unicorp National Developments Inc.’s Starflyer to the new KPMG training center in Tavistock Development Co.’s Lake Nona.

Commercial builders and developers industry roundtable

Commercial builders and developers from across Central Florida gather at Lynx Central Station on Aug. 6 for Orlando Business Journal’s latest industry roundtable event.

Here’s what the executives had to say about their biggest projects in the past few months:

Rick Goldman, district manager with PCL Constructors Inc.

Project:Walt Disney Co.’s Riviera Resort and Disney Skyliner

Why it’s significant: “It’s unique to build a gondola in Central Florida.”


Robert Utsey, senior vice president with Coastal Construction

Project: A 350-room tower at Disney’s Swan and Dolphin Resort that’s expected to break ground in October

Why it’s significant: “We opened Costal’s business about a year ago, and shortly after that we started pre-construction on this project.”


Darin Crafton, executive vice president with Wharton-Smith Inc.

Project: Vantage Loft Apartments in Tampa Bay

Why it’s significant: “A lot of our work is in K-12 and higher education … but we’re starting to get into the private sector.”


Ken Kupp, partner with Boyd Development Corp.

Project:640-acre Hamlin project in Horizon West

Why it’s significant: “It’s about 80 to 90 percent of our work … That’s where we’re focused and probably will be for the next seven or eight years.”


Tim Dwyer, president at Brasfield & Gorrie LLC

Project: The $203 million, 600,000-square-foot Florida Hospital Apopka

Why it’s significant: “It’s pretty large scale in health care.”


Skipper Peek, senior vice president with Tavistock Development Co.

Project: The 780,000-square-foot KPMG Learning and Innovation Center

Why it’s significant: “It’s a really big project for us … And it’s going to top out this week.”


Lance Walker Jr., president of Walker & Co. Inc.

Project: Maitland City Centre

Why it’s significant: “It’s a culmination of a 15-year effort by the city of Maitland to revitalize and create a downtown.”


Robert High, president of H.J. High Construction

Project: More than 100,000-square-foot expansion of Martin’s Famous Pastry Shoppe Inc.’s production facility in Valdosta, Ga.

Why it’s significant: “It’s a pretty unique one.”


Dan LaMorte, vice president at Turner Construction Co.

Project: Intermodal Terminal Facility at Orlando International Airport

Why it’s significant: “It will be a big piece when the rail comes in there and will make a big impact to the community.”


Jason Albu, CEO of Albu & Associates Inc.

Project: An 86,000-square-foot support center for Fairwinds Credit Union near the University of Central Florida

Why it’s significant: “I think they’re really looking to draw that millennial crowd in and get them excited to work in the financial industry.”


Tim Keating, president R.C. Stevens Construction Co.

Project: Renovating six plants for an unnamed client

Why it’s significant: “That’s about all I can give you … but it’s pretty neat.”


Steve Rivers, vice president of the Southeast region for Austin Commercial LLC

Project: Universal Studio’s Volcano Bay

Why it’s significant: “We’re a relatively new office … so any new project for us has been significant for us over the past four years.”


Bob Lipscomb, CEO of Williams Co.

Project: Multiple projects with Target

Why it’s significant: “We’ve already signed up for 18 projects next year. On the retail side, it has been a real stabilizer for us.”


Bill Finfrock, president of Finfrock

Project: Broadstone Winter Park

Why it’s significant: “It’s a 268-unit multifamily project at the corner of Lee Road and U.S. 17-92.”


Richard McCree Jr., CEO and President of McCree General Contractors & Architects

Project: Private projects the company is pursuing

Why it’s significant: “We’re doing more private work than we ever have.”


Chuck Whittall, president of Unicorp National Developments Inc.

Project: Orlando StarFlyer

Why it’s significant: “What we’ve done on I-Drive has really changed the area.”


Craig Ustler, president Ustler Development Inc.

Project: $1 billion Creative Village

Why it’s significant: “We’ve been at this Creative Village thing for a long time, so it’s exciting to be under construction.”