Florida's BEST Awards highlight builders' innovation: with land ever scarcer in South Florida, this year's BEST Awards highlighted innovative solutions to multi-use high-rise projects

South Florida CEO, June, 2004 by Richard Westlund

Single-family homes will always have a place in South Florida's building industry. However, multifamily housing in all its variety is rapidly taking center stage in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. Innovative approaches to townhouses, lofts, condominiums and mixed-use residential/commercial developments took the spotlight at the Florida's BEST Awards 2004.

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The annual Builders Association of South Florida (BASF) competition culminated in an awards ceremony, held March 27, 2004, at the Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa in Hollywood. Some 700 South Florida real estate and building professionals attended the ceremony, which was sponsored by BASF, The Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald. More than 300 Platinum, Gold and Silver Awards were handed out in more than 24 product categories.

"The judges were demanding quality and innovation at every level," says Oscar Barbara, president of Quantum Homes and Quantum Development, which received 50 awards. "We are proud of our awards for quality design and construction, and most of all for creating value for South Florida consumers."

Barbara, BASF's 2004 president, notes that one of the trends in this year's competition was the growth of mixed-use developments--high-rise and mid-rise projects with a commercial component on the lower levels and residential housing on top. "As South Florida's supply of undeveloped land continues to shrink, higher density multifamily housing, including innovative mixed-use developments, will become increasingly important in meeting our community's need for affordable homes," he says.

The Florida's BEST Awards honor companies, projects and individuals associated with the region's building industry. Florida homes, offices and communities were judged for design, craftsmanship, creativity, features (and amenities), functionality, flow and value. Advertising entries were evaluated for criteria such as concept, copy, layout, execution, creativity, design, impact and originality.

Individual achievement awards honor the professionals who are key to the industry's reputation for quality, such as builders, architects, land planners, landscape architects, interior designers, public relations firms, advertising agencies, mortgage lenders, realtors, sales directors, sales managers, sales associates, rookie sales associates, sales teams, marketing directors and title company professionals. Personal achievement entries were assessed for evidence of communication, problem-solving, leadership skills, commitment to the industry and creativity.

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"The awards program is extremely competitive," says Toni Pacelli-Hinkley, BASF's executive director. "The 20-year old program, formerly known as FAME, challenges building industry professionals to 'give us their BEST.'"

Judging took place over a three-day period in January, when 20 building industry professionals from around the country came to Florida to view and assess hundreds of entries on-site from South Miami-Dade to Jupiter. Judges included builders, architects, interior designers and marketing professionals, all from outside Florida.

"Our judges know quality and good design when they see it," says Marianna Perez of Union Planters Bank, who co-chaired the awards ceremony with Keyla Alba Reilly of Squirrel Realty.

"I can tell the South Florida builders are striving for higher quality and greater excellence," says John Palumbo, one of this year's judges, and president and CEO of The Sterling Group of Gulf Shores, Alabama. "I do a lot of judging throughout the year, and the South Florida market is far more competitive than most U.S. markets."

South Florida's fast pace of living and its unique cultural diversity are also reflected in its new residential offerings. "Builders are constantly coming up with innovative ideas here," says Palumbo. For instance, on Miami Beach and other oceanfront communities, builders and developers are tearing down older buildings to create dynamic new multifamily products. "Each builder and developer is rethinking old plans to come up with fresh new concepts, especially when they look at the diversity in the market."

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Because South Florida attracts sophisticated, affluent buyers from around the world, the area's builders are raising their standards and quality levels--both for luxury and for lowerpriced products, according to Palumbo.

"Today's homes are not getting bigger and bigger, but buyers are definitely looking for more feature-rich product," he says. "As the cost per square foot rises, consumers say they don't need huge homes with lots of space. But they do want their goodies. Things that used to be expensive upgrades, like granite countertops and stainless steel appliances, are becoming almost standard components now. So, many builders are thinking how to stretch beyond that, bringing in imported goods for their projects."