Land Development Projects
Habitat for Humanity –
Single & Multi-Family Residential
The CEO for Habitat for Humanity reached out to ECS for professional help on several residential development projects. Habitat’s mission is to help meet the demand for affordable homes and empower low-income residents to attain home ownership. Because giving back to our community is a driving principle for ECS, we were thrilled with the opportunity to get involved and help with the Habitat mission.
The projects featured here is a 24-acre community in Fort Myers called Heritage Heights. The first phase with 52 homes is nearing completion and design development is underway for the second phase. Phase 2 will provide 98 homes that are a combination of singly family, 3-plex, 4-plex, 6-plex and 8-plex homes.
ECS was hired to oversee and coordinate design development plans, environmental, permitting, bid solicitations, titles, easements, HOA documents, and construction work including FPL power supply and distribution, site work, water supply, sanitary sewer, storm sewer, data, landscaping, irrigation, streets, streetlights, and sidewalks.
Habitat for Humanity – Single Family Residential
Another Habitat project that ECS is working on is called Prospect Avenue. This important 29-home community in Fort Myers is currently under construction. When completed, it will help Habitat meet their mission to provide new, affordable homes to low-income people in our community.
ECS was hired to review site work bids, do a thorough bid comparison, and recommend a contractor for the site work. We also solicited bids for landscaping and irrigation. After choosing contractors, we developed AIA contracts for their services and negotiated terms to protect Habitat from excessive costs, schedule delays and risks. In addition, ECS worked with Florida Power and Light to get the power supply and distribution plan completed.
During construction, ECS monitors the progress and planning for all construction work. We also address any field issues that arise with the design team and the contractors. ECS does site inspections and leads bi-weekly Site Meetings. Following the Site Meetings, we provide detailed meeting minutes that include Action Items and completion dates for important construction tasks. We also review change order requests and pay applications for accuracy.
For this Habitat project and all the others we do for them, ECS provides weekly Progress Reports with Action Items and detailed status updates for all aspects of their projects. Our scope of work includes oversight of architectural and engineering design, titles, easements, HOA documents, Development Order approval, permits, environmental, and all construction work. We also work closely with City, State and Governmental agencies to get approved inspections, Certificates of Compliance, plats, and Certificates of Occupancy.
Eagle Ridge Real Estate Development
When a developer wanted to embark on the largest real estate development project in the history of his community, he contacted ECS. As an ethanol plant owner, the developer had trusted ECS in the past to complete two complex ethanol plants valued at $190 million. Before the developer chose to invest millions of his own capital in real estate, he reached out to Scott Flynn from ECS for his proven leadership, ability to drive out costs and because he said Scott was the only person he would trust with his money.
ECS directed all aspects of this 228-acre project including the budget and schedule, oversight of the engineering design, plat approval, rezoning, annexation and permitting. ECS also oversaw the Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP), completed site inspections and coordinated with the Department of Natural Resources as needed. In addition, ECS worked with the utility company to get gas and electricity to the site.
Throughout the construction of the project, ECS managed site development work including demolition, site grading, sanitary sewer, storm sewer, water supply, street paving, street lighting, data systems, landscaping and construction testing services.
In order to find cost savings, ECS negotiated directly with city staff and succeeded in getting a development agreement that reduced the project costs by over $1 million. In addition, ECS solicited competitive bids from multiple prime contractors to drive out as much cost as possible. Thanks to the leadership of Scott Flynn and detailed ECS Progress Reports, the developer was able to stay focused on his other business ventures and rely on ECS to get his development project done with excellent quality, on time and under budget.