Posts by Lisa King
DEVELOPER TO BREAK GROUND ON 226-APARTMENT PROJECT
West Palm Beach-based Verdex Construction said it was hired as general contractor for Santorini at Renaissance Commons.
Compson Associates plans to break ground in March on a 226-unit apartment complex in Boynton Beach.
West Palm Beach-based Verdex Construction said it was hired as general contractor for Santorini at Renaissance Commons, which will be on the 3.35-acre site at 1645 Renaissance Commons Blvd. It will have two six-story buildings for a combined 215,000 square feet plus a 325-space parking garage.
“We’re excited to work with Compson to help them complete their Boynton Beach centerpiece complex, Renaissance Commons,” said Rex Kirby, president of Verdex Construction. “I’ve known and worked with the Compson team for many years and we’re looking forward to continuing our strong relationship.”
The apartments should be ready in June 2017. Compson Associates, led by James Comparato, has built several apartment and commercial projects in the area.
Ram Realty Services plans to break ground in May 2016 on the 350-unit Cortina apartments a few blocks to the south.
Brian Bandell covers real estate, transportation and logistics.
APARTMENTS UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN BOYNTON TO BE FINISHED BY 2017
If you’ve driven past High Ridge and Miner roads in Boynton Beach you’ve probably seen the large blue fence.
Wondering what it is?
It’s the High Ridge Landing apartments. They’re expected to be finished by January of 2017, said Lisa King, of Verdex Construction.
The apartments were approved last year. The project will consist of eight three-story buildings and a total of 184 residences. The apartments will range in size from 800 to 1,200 square feet with a mix of one, two and three bedrooms. The area was previously zoned for 110 single-family homes.
Construction started about three weeks ago, King said.
As seen in the Palm Beach Post by Alexandra Seltzer
http://spbc.blog.palmbeachpost.com/2015/12/01/apartments-under-construction-in-boynton-to-be-finished-by-2017/
LISA KING JOINS VERDEX CONSTRUCTION AS VP OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Lisa King joins Verdex Construction as Vice President of Business Development.
King is a key member of the Verdex executive team setting strategic direction for the company. She is responsible for managing client relationships, identifying new business opportunities, revenue generation, and strategic partnerships.
NEW CHALLENGE FOR LOCAL CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS VETERAN
Rex Kirby has more than 30 years of experience – enough to know an opportunity when he sees one.
Please follow link to Palm Beach Post article by Bruce R. Bennett on Rex Kirby and Verdex Construction
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/business/monday-meeting-construction-veteran-rex-kirby-star/nnW6b/
REAL ESTATE NOTEBOOK: CONSTRUCTION EXEC STARTS OWN BUSINESS
Rex Kirby, former president of Suffolk Construction in West Palm Beach, has launched his own South Florida business, Verdex Construction.
Verdex, based in West Palm Beach, will handle projects across the region, including the construction of Sabbia Beach, a 19-story condominium in Pompano Beach, and the expansion of the North Palm Beach County Airport west of West Palm Beach.
The company also is building a 95-room hotel as part of a renovation of the Florida Keys Country Club in Marathon.
Verdex is backed financially by Index Investment Group of Jupiter.
Kirby, 58, started with Suffolk in 1999, hired to grow its business outside of the company\’s Boston base. While with Suffolk, he also headed the Business Development Board of Palm Beach County.
” I now have great respect for people who have started their own companies,” Kirby said. “Your neck is totally on the line. It’s definitely different and keeps you up at night when you know you have to make it work.”
CONSTRUCTION VETERAN LAUNCHES VERDEX
Construction Veteran and Entrepreneur Rex Kirby Launches Verdex
West Palm Beach, FL – August 10, 2015 – 35-year construction veteran and entrepreneur Rex Kirby is building his newest project, his own company, Verdex Construction, LLC (Verdex). Kirby, a business leader and key contributor to the Palm Beach County landscape for more than 15 years, has a new vision and intends to make the name Verdex synonymous with quality and service-oriented construction in South Florida. The company has already secured three sizeable projects and has hired two experienced estimators to the team. Kirby’s experience in this industry and market coupled with a strong financial backing lays the foundation for a solid business venture.
Verdex is owned in part by Rex Kirby and Index Investment Group, a Jupiter-based investment firm growing their presence in the Florida market with projects such as The Dakota apartments in Abacoa, the Riverwalk Pointe apartments in Jupiter, the expansion of the Northern Palm Beach County Airport, and the RIVA condominium in Ft. Lauderdale. Kirby will lead the operations serving as founder and president of Verdex while Index Investment Group will provide financing and the ability to bond larger projects. Kirby is committed to South Florida and is impassioned about being a new choice for a construction partner in this booming market.
“I am extremely proud of my work and contributions to the South Florida landscape and with Verdex I am looking forward to providing more attention and exceptional service by being personally involved with projects,” said Kirby. “I learned a lot along the way and have a strong sense of what works and what doesn’t. From software, systems, communication and even accounting, I’ve been involved on every level and I am set on building a better model and
providing better service. This is not a start-up; this is a continuation of what I’ve accomplished over my entire career.”
Kirby has hit the ground running in his first few months by securing three sizable projects and sees a plethora of opportunity with construction booming all over Florida. Verdex will work on the expansion of the North Palm Beach County Airport with the construction of office space and a new 30,000 sq. ft. hangar that will house aircraft maintenance and a pilot training facility for Platinum Aviation. A second project in the Florida Keys will include a new 95-unit hotel as part of the renovation of the Florida Keys Country Club in Marathon. The project will also include golf course renovation, a new clubhouse, workforce housing, and 15 private villas. Verdex has also secured the construction of Sabbia Beach, a modern 300,000 sq.-ft., 19-story, luxury condominium in Pompano Beach that boasts 73 units and includes oceanfront views along with full-height glass wall living spaces and expansive glass-lined balconies. Kirby has also brought on two experienced and respected Senior Estimators, Brad Stull and Darin Newell to help him build this portfolio and manage projects.
Kirby has over 35 years of construction experience throughout the state of Florida and is a licensed professional engineer and certified general contractor in the state. Kirby has climbed the construction ladder, advancing his career from project manager and operations manager to later division manager and regional president. His latest step now brings him to a lifelong goal of building his own business and building it his way. At his former employer, Kirby grew the annual revenues from $60 million to over $400 million, making it one of the largest and most respected construction companies in South Florida. He is now poised to bring Verdex to the same level of success through personal attention, efficient and streamlined operations, and strategic partners. Kirby is intent on living up to the Verdex motto, “Building Something Better.”
About Verdex Construction
Verdex Construction is a privately held building contractor based in West Palm Beach, FL, led by founder and President Rex Kirby, a 35-year veteran in the construction business. Verdex provides general contracting services to clients including preconstruction, construction management, and design-build. Verdex is committed to “building something better” through exceptional service, a fundamental focus on safety and quality, and value to owners, customers and the community.
NORTH COUNTY AIRPORT EXPANSION: PALM BEACH POST
Verdex Construction was chosen by Index Aviation to be involved in the project covered in a November 23, 2014 article in the “Palm Beach Post”: North County Airport expansion to add more than 80 jobs Posted: 11:25 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 23, 2014 By Tony Doris – Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
The North County Airport is getting a $5 million facility with space for offices, flight instruction and aircraft management and storage, while giving the airport annual rent of more than $43,000.
Officials of Index Aviation and Platinum Aviation, the two firms combining in the effort, anticipate they’ll need to lease beyond the initial 5 acres and expand shortly after completing the project.
The facility, which the firms are paying for, will include a 22,000-square-foot, two-story building joined with a 30,000-square-foot hangar. There will be two flight simulators and an aircraft testing lab and machine shop connected to the hangar.
The structures are being designed by Song and Associates, the West Palm Beach architects who designed that city’s library and government complex.
Index, based in Stockholm, has its North American headquarters in Jupiter. The company, led locally by Bjarne Borg, invests in aviation and housing in Florida, where it has had a presence for 10 years.
When the firm’s 184-apartment High Ridge project opens in Boynton Beach by 2016, Index will have built 500 apartments in the county, including Dakota at Abacoa and Bridgewater in Lantana. It plans to open Riverwalk Pointe in Jupiter in December. The firm also has built adult-living facilities in Orlando and is working on a project in Marathon, as well as its first condo project, called the Riva, in Fort Lauderdale.
The firm is looking to extend its aviation interests throughout Florida and beyond, Borg said Thursday.
Platinum, whose president is Johnny Stinson, has been active in Palm Beach County aviation for 40 years, including work at the Pahokee and Lantana airports and 20 years in various aviation businesses at North County Airport. Platinum is half-owned by Stinson Aviation Holdings and half-owned by Index Aviation.
Platinum is heavily involved in flight training and aircraft charter, maintenance and management.
Stinson said that with the new facility he expects to go from five mechanics to 21; from six flight instructors to 18; from five charter pilots to 20 or 30. He expects to add 10 to 12 administrative and maintenance staffers, up from four, he said.
Overall, including avionics and other employees, he predicts that the expansion will take Platinum from 16 employees locally to nearly 100.
North County opened on an 1,800-acre patch of land off the Beeline Highway in 1994. The newest of the county’s airports, it has grown quickly and has little vacant office or hangar space.
The aviation industry has strong demand for pilots, so he’s expecting that his flight instruction business will grow. With an increase in foreign students, particularly from Europe, he was considering adding dormitories to the project, but opted for now not to use the valuable airport property for that.
He also tries to work with local schools, to encourage high schoolers to get started in flight training. Oxbridge Academy, for one, has its own flight simulator, Stinson said.
“It’s a good way to get organizational skills for kids,” Born added.
“It’s going to be a needed and valuable addition to the North County Airport, said Stephen Mathison, the attorney who piloted Index through the county request for proposals process that led to the lease signing Nov. 18.