IT’S NOT ABOUT WHEN YOU BUILD, BUT HOW FAST YOU GET THERE.

Cover of Solutions vol 23 issue 1

Click to Download Solutions 23.1

For developers, time might be the greatest integer in any financial equation. Whether it’s timing the market, timing interest rates, or the time it takes to move your concept from creation to completion, you want to partner with a company that can take you to the finish line faster –without cutting corners.

Applying in-house design and construction capabilities, FINFROCK improves building efficiency and brings your project to market faster. With FINFROCK’s architects, engineers, and construction managers providing everything from master planning to a certificate of occupancy for the finished product, developers benefit from the speed of our projects and the reduced risk associated with our team’s vertical integration.

Starting with FINFROCK enables owners to make a sound investment decision based on an upfront, guaranteed total project price and timeline for construction. With our experience and specialization, multiple disciplines can move forward at the same time, compressing schedules, and in turn, yielding your return on investment far sooner and increasing your rate of return.

 

Material Costs: An Optimistic Outlook
Although interest rates remain elevated in early 2023, there’s hope on the horizon for developers in strong markets. Some signals show that inflation may be on the verge of cooling with leading indicators such as shipping costs and commodity prices dropping in recent weeks.
graph showing cost trend of steel and copper materials
When steel prices spiked between 2021 and beginning of 2022, construction prices were through the roof. Since then, the single-family housing market has since slowed down significantly, leaving an abundance of scrap metal in the market just as supply is catching up to demand. Increases in copper prices affected the cost of electrical components in building systems, but similar to steel, the prices have come down from their pandemic-driven peak. As single-family construction projects are put on the backburner, construction has slowed and prices are dropping somewhat, indicating future purchasing opportunities for the multifamily sector.

SUCCESS STORIES

HOW MAA BET BIG ON NEW MULTIFAMILY…AND WON.

Street view of MAA Robinson at NightThe multifamily industry is battling disruption on all fronts. Technology, labor shortages, the economy, and resident backlash are all foreshadowing a transformative decade in real estate. So, what must multifamily developers do to stay ahead of the game? The answer may lie in innovation and choosing both an architect and a general contractor that specializes in multifamily.

That’s why Tennessee-based multifamily apartment developer Mid-America Apartment Communities Inc. (MAA) selected FINFROCK as the complete design-builder for its 11-story, 369-unit luxury MAA Robinson apartments in downtown Orlando, Florida. Despite the project facing a multitude of challenges at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, the entirety of the MAA Robinson project was delivered on time and on budget.

Having met every contractual deadline for the client, FINFROCK’s vertical integration is a true win for developers. In just 9 months from signing the construction contract and closing financial documents, FINFROCK topped off the structure of the building with in-house construction teams. In just 15 months from contract execution, the first two floors were turned over to the owner. And in just 21 months from contract execution, MAA had a complete finished product to add to their multifamily portfolio. In turn, pre-leasing began less than a year after the construction contract was executed.

FINFROCK’s architectural design uses long and unobstructed spans that are column-free which provides the owner with increased flexibility for any future changes that may be made to the building later in its life cycle, while allowing for column-free mixed uses above and below apartment units. The long spans extend more than 60 ft in some instances, with depths of 24in or less. FINFROCK’s innovative DualDeck Building System® also eliminates floor prep and core drilling, allowing the team to apply paint directly to the concrete ceilings with minimal preparation while yielding a top-of-the-line finish to the ceiling. All of this results in fewer trades on-site and faster project delivery.

“We are all very proud of this project,” said Matthew Smith, Senior Vice President, Development at MAA.

 

Timeline of MAA Robinson's construction progress over one year

Capitalizing on the high return of mixed-use housing built in urban, walkable areas, the luxury structure features 3,898 square feet of restaurant and retail space for a total of 640,445 square feet, including the attached 725-stall parking garage which was also handled by FINFROCK. The community itself features a combination of one-, two- and three-bedroom floor plans, as well as studios. Exceptional amenities like an elevated pool deck with skyline views, kitchens with highend finishes, and a cardio training center with an added yoga studio allow for luxury living, all while remaining accessible to many retail and dining options right outside the door.

While MAA has not typically pursued the design-build method, FINFROCK’s off-site modular approach proved to be highly successful when it came to timely construction during economic uncertainty.

WHY BUILD WITH FINFROCK?

From parking garages to apartments to hotels –FINFROCK handles every step of the building process. With our team of award-winning architects, engineers, manufacturing crews and construction experts, we guarantee a budget and schedule for your project because the entirety of it rests in our hands.

With our vertical integration and focus on modular construction, multiple disciplines can move forward at the same time. That means reduced risk, less cost, and a faster timeline to get your investment going.

For over 75 years, FINFROCK has been an industry-leading expert in large-scale design and construction with skilled professionals ready to handle every phase of your finished structure:

collage of a Variety of FINFROCK projects

Our Project Types:

Luxury Apartments • Hotels • Student Housing • Office Buildings • Parking Garages

Our Scope of Work:

Site Planning • Architectural Design • Structural Integration • Signs/Wayfinding • Precast Maufacturing • Construction • Subcontractor Management • Operations and Maintenance