Cocoa Beach Police Headquarters

Award Winning Design, Unparalleled Safety

By Shawn Straight Director of Communications H. J. High Construction Company

The Cocoa Beach Police Headquarters has been on the City’s wish list for over 16 years. Originally proposed in 2004, the need grew so great, that the city could no longer delay the project. With a force of more than 90 members consisting of 39 sworn officers, telecommunicators, beach rangers, parking enforcement specialists, and civilian personnel, it was time to finally pull the trigger.

Through a design-build partnership, H. J. High was engaged along with Harvard Jolly Architecture to design and build the new facility. Since it was to be built in a coastal community and a block from the beach, there were very specific needs to be fulfilled from a structural standpoint. In addition, as in any police facility, there were also numerous programming benchmarks that had to be incorporated as well.

The headquarters is a state-of-the-art, tilt-wall, hardened facility, designed and built to withstand category five hurricane winds and rains. It will be able to withstand severe storm surge and maintain functions as an emergency operations center during times of crisis. Upgraded infrastructure and communication technologies allow for quicker, more efficient responses and allow the department to adapt to new and ever-changing requirements.

The facility includes a variety of spaces essential to a 21st century Police headquarters including: public and secured parking, security gates with access control, personal property storage, evidence storage, break and conference rooms, weapons storage, administration offices, K-9 facilities, detention cells, records, interview rooms, a communications center, and a physical agility/defensive tactics room. The physical fitness/agility room was a non-negotiable requirement for the building. The police chief, Scott Rosenfeld, is an avid supporter of physical fitness and wanted to provide his team a place to stay in shape. Affectionately known as “Chief Rosie,” the gym is adorned with a custom made sign that reads “Rosie’s Gym.”

At three stories, the building was designed so that all critical operations were placed on the second and third floors. This would allow the but still not disrupt the building’s during an

Several ABC member companies participated in the construction and made the overall project a success. The project site, often referred to as “a postage stamp,” was quite small and there was no additional area for laydown. So subcontractors had to be carefully coordinated to ensure that the specific trades were onsite precisely at their specified window.

Fabco Metal Products provided the structural steel. They were very deliberate about deliveries because there was no storage onsite and steel had to be flown into place as it was delivered.

Hudson-Everly Commercial flooring provided all the tile and LVT.

SMI Cabinetry provided millwork that had a bullet-proof rating at specific areas within the building.

Sutter Roofing provided the light-weight insulated concrete roofing and roof pavers.

VMG Construction provided the tilt-panels and the site concrete and really stole the show. Due to the small footprint of the site, there was no room to pour tilt panels, so they stacked the panels up to five high. Placement of the panels was critical because they had to be erected in a very specific order. So the earliest flown panels had to be on top. In addition, we had to coordinate the delivery of a very large crane that took 14 tractor trailer loads and shut down of a city street for an entire day.

The Cocoa Beach Police Headquarters has come to be known as “The Unicorn” around the H. J. High office. It was one of those rare projects that came together with very few surprises and is a testament to the entire team that was involved. The project was delivered under budget and any client driven changes were paid for through buyout savings. Additionally, the project was delivered a month early. It also was the recipient of three awards: The ABC Excellence in Construction Award of Merit, The Design-Build Institute of America – Florida Chapter Project Federal, State, County, Municipal Project of the Year, and the overall Project of the Year for the State of Florida.

This award-winning station was designed to withstand the demands of a coastal community and stay relevant for decades to come.

Central Florida Members

SMI

Superior Rigging & Erecting Co.

Sutter Roofing

VMG Construction, Inc.

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Aagaard-Juergensen, LLC

… On September 30, 2022, former president and CEO Randy Brooks announced his retirement.

After 52 years of service, they say goodbye to a legend! In May of 1971, Randy was one of the first employees to join the AJC team. Before becoming president, Randy oversaw the daily operations, worked as a project manager, participated in the estimation of projects, and so much more.

Focused on continuing to build upon the company’s founding values and standards, maintaining repeat business through satisfied customers was a priority. “We do what we say we’re going to do,” says Brooks. This has helped AJC stay in the limelight with private business owners who procure their services time and time again. Randy’s impact on the company and the community is immeasurable.

Although saddened by Randy’s retirement, they are pleased that the legacy of over five decades and three generations continue to move forward under the leadership of Mike Moore, the new president, and CEO.

Albu & Associates, Inc.

… 2022 was a lucrative year for Albu & Associates, closing in at nearly double what the firm made in the previous year!

A good portion of that is contributed to the work within the firm’s Target Remodel program. Albu has been providing general contractor services to Target since 2017. Each year, the number of projects the firm is awarded by Target grows. This year, Albu completed ten major store remodels as well as five minor upgrades. The minor upgrades consist of a continuation of the work Albu completed last year building out the stores’ order pick-up stations.

In addition, Albu gained new clients this year, one of them being SelfHelp Credit Union with two buildouts completed for them. The firm also completed the demolition of an existing restaurant in Clermont to make way for a new Miller’s Ale House and was responsible for the sitework as well.

Albu recently hired two new employees – an assistant project manager and an HR specialist. This is attributed to the growth of the firm’s workload. The firm is looking for additional new hires as well.

Competitive Edge Partners & Consulting, LLC

… Debbie Rodriguez’s motto is “Whatever it takes.” Over the last year, she and her team have been doing just that to ensure both CEP and the construction industry have come out on the other side of the pandemic.

The CEO of Competitive Edge Partners was recently rewarded for that work by the Orlando Business Journal as one their 2022 Power Players.

The Power Players Awards highlight 50 leaders in Central Florida who have helped grow and innovate the way business is done. This year’s list includes the president of the University of Central Florida, the mayors of Orange County and the City of Orlando, CEOs of major attractions, hospitals and more.

“It is a true honor to be listed among these impressive people,” Rodriguez said. “I firmly believe that there are people out there who are often overlooked and who, with support and training, can build an amazing life in the construction industry. I’m proud that with my incredible team, we’ve been able to build pathways to success and help our industry. I couldn’t have done it without my team’s support.”

The awards honor established leaders and up-and-comers in Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Lake, Brevard, and Volusia counties. Nominees are judged in five categories: industry giants, disruptors, deal makers, connectors, and heavy hitters.

Rodriguez was nominated as a connector for her role in bringing people together and keeping connections close to accomplish important goals.

Comprehensive Energy Services, Inc.

… under contract with Oelrich Construction, is nearly complete with the retrofit of a facility in Kissimmee owned and operated by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. This high-tech project result will be a safe BSL-3 laboratory for the state.

BSL-3 laboratories are used to study infectious agents or toxins that may be transmitted through the air and cause potentially lethal infections.

This year-long project includes:

• One new 120-ton air-cooled chiller

• One new custom RTU with energy recovery

• New chilled and heating water pumps, piping, and appurtenances

• 14 Phoenix air valves

• Two high-plume exhaust fans

• Welded stainless steel exhaust and galvanized supply ductwork

• A new Distech HVAC control system

Insulation, test and balance, commissioning, and concrete foundations were all part of this scope of work. It was a challenging project to work in an access-controlled operational facility and integrate new work into adjacent buildings without disrupting operations.