MARCH 19 - MARCH 25, 2021 | THREE DOLL ARS MARCH 20, 2020 - MARCH 26, 2020 | BUSINESS OBSERVER
BusinessObserverFL.com
1B
FLOR IDA’S NE WSPAPER FOR T HE C - SUI T E
Top 50 | The largest contractors in the region, ranked by 2020 revenue. INSIDE
TOP50
CONTRACTORS
The largest contractors in the region, ranked by 2020 revenue. PASCO • H ILL SBOROUG H • PIN ELL AS • P OLK • M A N ATEE • SA R ASOTA • C H A R LOT TE • LEE • COLLIER
COOL DOWN B & I Contractors nears $150 million in annual revenue after a five-year growth surge, with more on the way. SEE PAGE 10. SPECIAL ISSUE: CONTRACTORS
GARY GRIFFIN | B&I CONTRACTORS
STEFANIA PIFFERI
LEADERSHIP
IN FOCUS
COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE
Pandemic Winners
The Apprentice
Big Dividends
The Ferman Motor Car Co. came out on top in the past year. Its leader shares keys to its longterm success. PAGE 5
Naples plumbing business moves aggressively to solve the industrywide labor shortage issue. PAGE 7
The Quay project in Sarasota looked like a gamble when it was purchased in 2014, but it’s coming out a winner. PAGE 12
RETAIL
IN FOCUS
COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE
Up in Smoke
Safe Space
Midtown Boomtown
Florida is now the third-largest state for marijuana sales. It’s bringing loads of industry jobs with it. PAGE 6
As work nears completion on Midtown Tampa, it’s attracting a large share of brick-and-mortar retailers. PAGE 14
Water Street Tampa wins Landmark Development Project award. 12 Meridian office building sells for $35.8 million. 13 Venice retail center sells for $11.5 million. 13
PAGE
15 Cut through the noise to reach every employee. SELLING YOUR BUSINESS? Know the Pros of a Third-Party Sale 353993-1
DON’T MISS
A builder committed early on in the pandemic to creating a safe-as-can-be worksite — efforts that paid off. PAGE 8
REAL ESTATE
See Page 3