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HOME: Living in the Heart of Florida
Spring 2008
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 Commercial Building
Edge
Spring 2008
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As we approach the halfway point of the year, and we prepare for the nation's birthday, it is a good time to take a minute to look back and look ahead. While the building industry and business community in our area are certainly facing challenges, as always I remain the optimist. Builders and Realtors are telling us that activity is slowly picking up, although it is happening in some parts of North Florida faster than other parts.
And as I have stated here many times in the last few weeks, we have the opportunity to take some action on our own behalf. In Alachua County, we can do that supporting the campaign of Rick Bryant for county commission. Rick has a proven track record of supporting local business, and that is critical for any economic turnaround on the local level.
Marion County has voted in a temporary halt in impact fees to try and spur activity. It is interesting that with the change in place for only a few weeks, the Star Banner ran an article saying that it wasn't working because new construction has not picked up. It is important that business leaders in Marion County remind commissioners that this is a process that will take time. It cannot be judged in a month.
So whether it is supporting a candidate, or trying to work with local elected officials, it is turning into an opportunity for us as an industry to stand up for ourselves, and try to impact decisions that will affect us for years to come.
I want to thank everyone who has participated so far in the survey. The results have been on par with expectations in some areas and surprising in others. We are taking the feedback to heart and will be making sure we deliver what is wanted. We are going to keep the survey open for one more week. If you haven't participated yet, we would greatly appreciate your participation. You can access the brief survey here.
On a sad note, we wanted to mention of the passing of Roy Camp. Roy was a member of BANCF and the Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce. R.O. Camp Construction had a hand in many of the commercial buildings built in Gainesville and the surrounding community since 1970. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife, Beverly, daughter, Dana, and son, Randal and the rest of his family and friends. The funeral service will be today. Here is a complete obituary.
Finally, I hope everyone has a terrific Fourth of July weekend. This is easily one of my favorite holidays, for the historical impact of the holiday to the time to spend with friends and family. Whether you are travelling or just staying home and relaxing, I hope you have a safe and fun holiday.
Jake's Corner
Our July issue, featuring Barry Rutenberg & Associates will be online in the next few days, and in the mail soon. We also are spotlighting Ro-Mac's new showroom in Marion County. This issue will be the print launch for Jake's Corner, and he kicks it off with a bang.
Our August issue, featuring Schafer Construction of Gainesville closes next week. The National Feature will be on Curb Appeal.
Our September cover will be announced soon. October finds us back in Lake City with Isaac Construction. The National Feature will be on weathering the Elements. This issue will also mark the return of our highly successful, semi-annual Buyer's Guide.
In November, we will be featuring Chris Luetgert and Luetgert Development. Chris is a third generation builder intimately involved in every project he works on. We are excited to share his story with you.
The Spring 2008 issue of Commercial Building Edge is online here. 2007 Marion County Small Business of the Year Stentiford Construction Services, led by Paul Stentiford is our cover story. We are also in the process of developing a website for Paul and his team. Bookmark this site at www.stentifordconstruction.net.
The Summer issue of Commercial Building Edge, featuring Brian Crawford, owner of Concept Construction goes into production this week. Brian is also the president of the Columbia County Builders Association. We look forward to our first Columbia County Commercial issue. To participate, please give us a call.
The Summer issue of HOME is in production, and the layouts look terrific. Our cover story is on Judy and Davis Rembert. In this issue, we will have an article on the difference between Green Building and "Green Speak." We will showcase Alachua County's newest green development, Campo Verde. In our healthcare section, we interview Dr. Timothy Goldfarb, CEO of Shands. This is shaping up to be our biggest issue yet. Look for this issue to start arriving in early July.
Based on the feedback and response to HOME over the last year, we have decided, starting in January to go bi-monthly. We have typically run out of magazines with three-to-four weeks left in the cycle. We already have the highest distribution in the area, so we felt going with more issues would be the best resolution. We would love to hear from you about this increase in frequency of the magazine.
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Local News  |
Sales of Existing Homes in Area Rise
Real estate professionals have had to change their standards about what constitutes good news. For example, J. Parrish said he sees positive signs in the fact that the inventory of unsold homes in Gainesville has grown a little bit less every month from January to May. Parrish is president of the Gainesville-Alachua County Association of Realtors and Coldwell Banker/M.M. Parrish Realtors. With 833 new listings in May, the Gainesville Multiple Listings Service shows that, when you subtract the number of homes sold or under contract, Realtor-listed homes in Alachua and some in surrounding counties grew by 214 homes in May, Parrish said. Those totals reflect 311 sales and 308 contracts. Click Here>>
Filing Period Closes, Races Now Set
Candidates for local elections now are in place. The official filing and qualifying period for candidates for county and city races ended at noon Friday and the ballot now is officially set for these races for the Aug. 26 election. Races for the superintendent of schools, two school board positions, county judge, clerk of court, property appraiser, tax collector, supervisor of elections, sheriff and three county commission positions all are up for election. In the City of Lake City, a mayoral race is set, as are races for two open city council seats.
Click Here>> Apartment Rentals Heading For Slump? When condominium sales at the Cricket Club II off of Tower Road went from 15 to 20 a month at the height of the real estate market to four a month, managers found the units were more in demand as rentals."We can rent them as fast as they come up for rent," said Carol Bosshardt of Bosshardt Realty, broker for the condos. "We're renting one a day." Gainesville property managers say the demand for rentals is up as would-be home buyers increasingly migrate to the rental market because of inflation, tighter credit and uncertainty in the housing market.
Click Here>>_ Developers Sue City Over New HomesDevelopers of a subdivision in northwest Gainesville have filed a lawsuit against the city aimed at overturning the commission's vote rejecting a 44-lot expansion of the Blues Creek subdivision. Commissioners voted 5-2 in May to turn down the plat application from Larry Ross, principal of Alachua Land Investors LLC, for phases two and three of the Blues Creek subdivision.
Click Here>> Gainesville City Commission Plans to Link School Space with Development
City commissioners added to the city's comprehensive plan Monday night an element addressing school concurrency - a plan simultaneously being included in the planning documents of government agencies across the county. The plan would require, among other things, that neighborhood schools have capacity - or room for additional students - before a development that increases student population could move forward.
Click Here>> Munroe May Need County Tax Support
To tax or not to tax. That's the question Munroe Regional Medical Center has yet to answer. Three months ago, Marion County commissioners asked Munroe's president and CEO Steve Purves when the hospital will need public help. Purves said, "I believe we're already there." Click Here>> Funding Delayed for Belleview Beltway, I-75 'Flyover'Budget cuts to the Florida Department of Transportation's Transportation Regional Incentive Program (TRIP) have pushed back the timetable for construction of the Southwest 42nd Street overpass planned across Interstate 75 and the right-of-way acquisition for the Belleview Beltway. Each project was delayed one year by the cuts. The money will now arrive in July 2011 instead of July 2010, Ocala/Marion County Transportation director Greg Slay said. Through TRIP, the FDOT pays for half of a project's costs. The state has committed to put $13.6 million toward with Southwest 42nd Street overpass. Commonly dubbed the "flyover," it's intended to relieve congestion on State Road 200. Transportation impact fees collected on new construction will provide the local funding source for construction. Click Here>>_ Bill Positions UF as Leader of Renewable Energy Efforts
A new law puts the University of Florida in the lead of a statewide effort to develop renewable energy technologies. Gov. Charlie Crist signed a bill Wednesday creating the Florida Energy Systems Consortium, which brings together UF and other state universities to work on new biomass, solar and other renewable energy technologies. "Each university has its own area of expertise," said Eric Wachsman, a UF professor of materials science and engineering and director of the Florida Institute for Sustainable Energy. "What this does is allows us to bring that expertise together." Click Here>> Camp Motivates Future Architects
At Westwood Middle School this week, they're building miniature houses and amusement rides from sets of blueprints. And these builders are young - grades fourth through ninth. It's the 17th annual Techno Building Camp, and today ends the first of two summer sessions at the Westwood technology lab. "Everything depends on their creativity," said camp director Dennis Scott, who has been a technology education teacher for 17 years. Click Here>> New Logistics Degrees OfferedLake City Community College, in conjunction with its Employ Florida Banner Center for Logistics and Distribution, will offer two new online degree programs this fall, in addition to an introductory course in logistics and a transportation specialists certificate. The associate in science and the associate in applied science degree programs will provide workers with an opportunity to obtain the education and credentials needed to compete for well paid jobs, according to Director of the Employ Florida Banner Center Elaine Puri. Click Here>> Developers Eye Columbia County FairgroundsTen acres of the Columbia County Fairgrounds are for sale. The rest of the 75-acre site is off the market, as it sits gleaming in the Florida sun, directly in the middle of one of Columbia County's hottest commercial real estate zones. At least that's the story for now. Steve Briscoe, president of Columbia County Resources, the company that oversees the fairgrounds property, said 10 acres on the west side of Real Road is being shopped. Click Here>> Mount Dora May Get Water Star Homes A proposed $150 million, 400-home community in Lake County may become the first subdivision certified by the Florida Water Star program -- a move that someday could reap government incentives for homebuilders. The Water Star program's goal is to reduce a home's water use by 20 percent indoors and 40 percent outdoors.
MCBIA Calendar of Events
BANCF Calendar of Events
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State News  |
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Florida Considers Greenhouse Gas Limits
Florida could be among the most vulnerable states should dire global warming predictions of rising seas, shore erosion and monster hurricanes come to pass - is considering capping emissions of greenhouse gases and hoping fellow Southern states to follow suit. It might be a tough sell. New clean energy legislation, backed by Gov. Charlie Crist, directs the state to set up a program to limit carbon dioxide emissions by power plants and require companies to pay whenever they exceed the restrictions on the gases widely suspected of causing global warming.
The Florida Supreme Court recently made a surprising about face on a Motion for Rehearing and Clarification, and handed the Florida Home Builders Association an outright victory in the Pozzi insurance case. The about face came after a December, 2007 ruling that gave FHBA a victory in the J.S.U.B. insurance decision, but a loss in the Pozzi battle. However, just two weeks ago, the high court clarified its previous decision in FHBA's companion Pozzi case - giving a clear victory.
Click Here>> Amendment 1 To Save Homeowners $200 to $300
Most homeowners will net a savings of $200 to $300 on average from this fall because of Amendment 1. But beyond those small savings, Amendment 1 also will help offset a mandatory 3 percent property assessment increase the state is imposing this year. "Had Amendment 1 not passed, countywide taxable value would have increased approximately $2.5 billion," said Tim Wilmath, director of valuation for the Hillsborough County property appraiser's office.
Click Here>> Sen. Haridopolos Calls for Public Debates on 'Tax Swap' AmendmentOne of the Legislature's top money managers enlisted several business, education, health care and civic organizations Monday to fight the "tax swap" amendment on Florida's ballot next fall. State Sen. Mike Haridopolos, R-Indialantic, called for a series of 10 public debates on Amendment 5. The proposal, put on the ballot by the Tax and Budget Reform Commission, would wipe out the required county property tax levy for schools and make future legislative sessions come up with replacement revenues to support education.
Click Here>> Hernando Considers Economic Stimulus ProgramEager to explore any possible way to jump-start Hernando County's flagging economy, the County Commission on Tuesday agreed to hold a public hearing in mid July to consider an economic stimulus program. The program, created by the Florida Legislature earlier this year, would provide access to a $20-million fund for affordable housing. But there is a substantial catch.
Click Here>> Green, "Living Building" Opens in Florida
Ecocentre, an eco-environment building termed the "living building" opened in Lake Worth, Florida on Friday. The 33,000 gross sq. ft., four-story office building has a self-sustaining eco-environment with its occupants, plants and micro-organisms, interacting with all of its non-living physical features. The building is the first of its kind in Florida. The holistically designed structure incorporates natural systems and green technologies designed to save energy, reduce CO2 emissions, water consumption and to create a healthier environment.
Click Here>> Green Houses: Solar Power Slashes CostsThe black tubes on Sam Green's roof are popping up at more and more homes in Central Florida these days. Most are used to heat water for local pools, enabling their owners to avoid heating and electricity costs in an ever-changing energy environment. Green boasts a pair of tube systems: One for his pool and one for the water heater. Taking that high-energy appliance off the Greens' grid means an average $40 savings on their power bill each month. Click Here>> County Refunds Impact Fees Santa Rosa County is giving back $229,931 to 11 subdivision developers who were unaware that the money was coming their way. The action is part of the amendment process of the county's impact fee ordinance and was approved during the last county meeting. Now, individuals, businesses or developers do not have to pay their first road impact fee installment until the building permit is pulled. Previously, an initial payment was due at the time of final plat approval by the planning office. Click Here>> School Board Backs Impact Fee SuspensionThe School Board voted unanimously Tuesday to support the extension of the county's suspension of impact fees for another six months. The new extension will expire Dec. 31. Impact fees are charges that developers are required to pay as a condition of approval for their project and the cost of the fee is usually passed on to buyers. In January, the DeSoto County Commission ordered the temporary suspension of the collection of county impact fees through June 30. In compliance with an interlocal agreement with the school board, the commission agreed that no action would be taken by the county on the extension without the written consent of the school board. Click Here>> Governor Vetoes Construction Extension Bill
Gov. Charlie Crist has vetoed a bill that would give developers an extra three years to build large-scale commercial and residential projects hindered by the sluggish economy. "At a time when Florida's communities are struggling to find the resources to provide essential services, adequate water resources and schools to educate our children, I am concerned that this bill may increase the burden on communities and shift the cost of new development from the people that benefit from the development to the citizens of our state," Crist said in a June 25 letter. The three-year extension, passed in the 2007 legislative session, remains in effect, but it's unclear whether developers must pay for additional studies and impact fees as part of that extension. Click Here>> |
National News  |
Fed Leaves Rates Unchanged
The Federal Reserve left its key short-term interest rate unchanged Wednesday at 2%, marking the first time in the nine months that it did not cut rates. The central bank also raised alarms about inflation. But experts said it is still unclear what the Fed will do with interest rates at its next meeting Aug. 5 and for the remainder of the year. The widely expected move Wednesday comes at a time when many economists and consumers are focusing on the rising price of oil and other commodities. The central bank has a mandate to fight inflation, which it typically does by raising rates.
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New 'Green' School Will Help Kids Learn
Spotsylvania County's newest elementary school is going "green," the first of what officials hope will be the standard school building of the future. "This is just another step in the progress that we've laid out for ourselves over time," School Board Chairman Gil Seaux said. The not-yet-named Elementary 18, scheduled to open in 2012, will be a 95,000-square-foot facility that will house 900 students in the northwestern part of the county. It's the first school building in the division seeking to become certified under the standards of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. That classification is awarded for buildings that meet water-management, material- and energy-use standards set by the U.S. Green Building Council.
Click Here>> Austin-Based BeGreen Unveils Carbon Calculator
Companies wanting to go green now have a handy online gizmo to help them. Today, Austin-based BeGreen will unveil a carbon calculator to help designers and builders meet green standards. The calculator is based on the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program, the industry benchmark for eco-friendly practices.
Click Here>> Builders Call on Congress to Pass Housing Stimulus Bill The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) has initiated an all-out effort to get Congress to pass badly needed stimulus legislation that will help stabilize the economy and housing market and assist millions of current and potential home owners. A central component of this legislation is a temporary home buyer tax credit to stimulate home purchases by qualified first-time buyers. With the goal of urging lawmakers to act before their July 4th recess, NAHB is waging its effort on several fronts, including a grassroots lobbying initiative among the association's 235,000 members and an ongoing national advertising campaign.
Click Here>> On the Path to a Housing ReboundThe news that housing starts have fallen to their lowest level in 17 years sounds like one more reason to be depressed about the shrinking value of your home. In fact, it's an almost certain sign that the path to a housing recovery is finally in sight. If prices are going to stabilize, let alone rebound, the United States needs to produce far more first-time home buyers than new houses. That's the only way to tame the glut of "For Sale" signs dotting front yards from the Inland Empire of California to the Gold Coast of Florida.
Click Here>> Senate Supports Mortgage Aid Plan A massive foreclosure rescue bill cleared a key Senate test Tuesday by an overwhelming margin, with Democrats and Republicans both eager to claim election-year credit for helping hard-pressed homeowners. The mortgage aid plan would let the Federal Housing Administration back $300 billion in new, cheaper home loans for an estimated 400,000 distressed borrowers who otherwise would be considered too financially risky to qualify for government-insured, fixed-rate loans.
Click Here>> The New Trophy Home, Small and EcologicalFor the high-profile crowd that turned out to celebrate a new home in Venice, Calif., the attraction wasn't just the company and the architectural detail. The house boasted the builders' equivalent of a three-star Michelin rating: a LEED platinum certificate. The actors John Cusack and Pierce Brosnan, with his wife, Keely Shaye Smith, a journalist, came last fall to see a house that the builders promised would "emit no harmful gases into the atmosphere," "produce its own energy" and incorporate recycled materials, from concrete to countertops. Behind the scenes were Tom Schey, a homebuilder in Santa Monica, and his business partner, Kelly Meyer, an environmentalist whose husband, Ron, is the president of Universal Studios. Ms. Meyer said their goal was to show that something energy-conscious "doesn't have to look as if you got it off the bottom shelf of a health-food store." Click Here>> Homeowners Call for Energy Efficiency Upgrades As they grapple with skyrocketing energy costs, more homeowners are turning to remodelers for money-saving solutions. According to the results of the National Association of Home Builders' (NAHB) quarterly Remodeling Market Index (RMI), 33 percent of surveyed remodelers report that they are increasingly called on to improve the energy efficiency of their client's homes. The RMI measures remodeler perceptions of market demand for current and future residential remodeling projects. Click Here>> The IRS is Adjusting the Per-Mile Deduction for Business TravelThe Internal Revenue Service is trying to take some of the sting out of rising gas prices with a rare mid-year increase in the per-mile deduction for business travel. Many government agencies and businesses are expected to follow suit with the rates they reimburse employees. The rate is up 8 cents to 58.5 cents starting July 1. Many employers use the IRS rate as a guide to the rates they reimburse employees for business travel. For those who are self-employed, the rate determines the amount of business travel costs they can deduct from their income for tax purposes. Click Here>> | |
Commercial News  |
Courthouse Expansion Taking Shape DowntownThe drilling and pounding people feel while tending to business at the Marion County Courthouse may not all exist in their heads. Whatever stress individuals may undergo dealing with various legal matters, the echoes of construction taking place around 110 N.W. First Ave. has become a familiar refrain around the courthouse lately. With Phase I of the county's plans for a courthouse addition successfully complete, the envisioned 150,000-square-foot structure adjacent to the current judicial complex is gradually taking shape. Click Here>>
NAED Joins Consensusdocs
The National Association of Electrical Distributors (NAED) has joined the growing number of associations that support the construction industry's ConsensusDOCS. Released Sept. 28, 2007, ConsensusDOCS was designed to increase efficiency in contract negotiations and project execution. Written by, and for owners, contractors, subcontractors, designers, and sureties, ConsensusDOCS includes more than 70 contracts and forms and addresses all project delivery methods. The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), Construction Users Roundtable (CURT), Construction Owners Association of America (COAA) and National Association of State Facilities Administrators (NASFA) are the lead organizations in this collaboration of construction industry and client groups.
Click Here>> FasterBetterSafer Campaign LaunchThe FasterBetterSafer Campaign of the Americans for Transportation Mobility (ATM) Coalition officially launched today at the National Press Club in a nationwide effort by business, labor, transportation organizations and concerned citizens to increase federal investment in transportation. ATM's diverse membership, including the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), works to demonstrate to policy-makers in Washington the groundswell of public support for repairing, rebuilding and revitalizing America's aging transportation system. AGC and its chapters have been working with similar coalitions all over the country, including Ohio, Minnesota, Utah, California and Arizona.
Click Here>> AGC Urges Congress to Invest in Flood Control
The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) today called on Congress to provide an appropriation of at least $6.8 billion for the Corps of Engineers Civil Works program in FY 2009. "Unfortunately tragedies like the Midwest floods highlight the deficiencies in America's critical infrastructure. AGC has been trying to get Congress and the Administration to focus on the massive documented needs for levees, locks and dams," said AGC's chief executive officer, Stephen E. Sandherr. "Our request for this appropriations cycle is to invest now in America's critical infrastructure. The $6.8 billion that we are urging represents a small down payment toward covering the nation's staggering waterways investment gap. In order to maintain our economic competitiveness and national security, we must be willing to make the necessary investments in our critical infrastructure."
Click Here>> Casinos Going Green to Save Energy, Money Step inside the newly rebuilt Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel and you'll find the typical blackjack tables, slot machines and loosen-your-belt buffet. But your eyes - and nose - may detect unusual features. During daytime, half the casino's lighting comes from skylights. Drinks are served only in glasses: no cans or bottles. Some gamblers are smoking, but the air isn't thick with smoke. And, outside, the roof of Bourbons 72 restaurant sports day lilies, ferns and leafy hostas. Turtle Creek, near Traverse City, bills itself a "green" casino, designed to make the lightest possible footprint on the landscape without sacrificing profitability. Its owners, the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, are among a growing number of casino builders and operators interested in environmental stewardship. Even in an industry closely identified with devil-may-care gluttony, going green makes business sense as consumers increasingly demand sustainable products and services, said Stephen Knowles, principal designer for Turtle Creek. Click Here>> Supreme Court Ruling Will Help Educate Employees on Union OrganizingABC celebrated another victory for merit shop construction June 19 when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to allow employees in California to be informed by their employers about union organizing efforts. In the case, U.S. Chamber of Commerce v. Brown, the court decided 7-2 to strike down a California law that prohibited the use of state money by employers to educate their employees about unions in the workplace. ABC led a coalition of business groups that filed a "friend of the court" brief, including the ABC of California chapter, in opposition to the California law. Click Here>> ABC Honors America's Top Construction Projects, Safest Construction Firms
ABC June 18 recognized the nation's top 2007 construction projects and safest construction firms during its prestigious Excellence in Construction Awards program and dinner at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. ABC is pleased to present these innovative and industry-leading projects of 2007 with its Excellence in Construction award, said Bill Fairchild, 2008 ABC national chairman and president of R.W. Murray Co., Manassas, Va. This year's winners were exceptional examples of construction expertise that once again demonstrate that ABC members are the driving force behind some of our nation's highest-profile projects. Click Here Upcoming Events
AGCGF Golf Tournament
AGCGF July Membership Meeting
AGC of Greater Florida Calendar of Events Click Here>> AGCGF Green Building Seminar | |
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