The Big Player
Ken Stiles / CEO AND Board Director, Stiles Corporation
What are the principles behind your success?
We are guided by a set of core values created by my father Terry, which have set the foundation of our business. He always told me that the key to success is a good name, and that always requires operating with the highest level of integrity and quality. With those core values, we have built a culture at Stiles that is unlike any other. Because of the groundwork my father laid, we have been able to build lasting relationships with clients and partners that continue to help us strengthen our brand and market footprint. Doing the right thing is not always easy, but it is always necessary, regardless of cost or outcome. Our core values remain the bedrock of how we operate, treat our clients, associates and partners, and how we will have the greatest impact on the communities in which we serve.
We have a deep connection to South Florida and particularly Fort Lauderdale, our home since 1951. We are responsible for more than 48 million square feet of commercial projects, most of which are located in South Florida. We are honored to be credited with helping to shape the Fort Lauderdale skyline and look forward to further contributing to the growth of this dynamic, vibrant community with new and exciting quality projects.
Does your work have a signature style? What are some core elements that always have to be present in your developments?
I believe we have always strived for the highest quality projects in the best locations as well as delivering the highest quality third party services for our clients. In doing so, we have pushed the boundaries on industry standards. You know when you’ve entered a Stiles building. We pay attention to every detail and aim to leave an imprint that is timeless, beautiful and functional. Whether it be in the area of technology, building materials and amenities or the services we offer in our various disciplines, we strive for excellence and innovation. We are constantly focused on benchmarking our successes so we can continuously aim higher in future projects and services.
What’s one project that you believe exemplifies your work?
We are particularly proud of The Main Las Olas, which will be our most significant project ever completed. Encompassing 1.4 million square feet, a full block from Las Olas to Second Avenue, we aim to create a new epicenter on Las Olas. This project encompasses a Class A office tower and luxury apartment tower as well as a GreenWise grocer, restaurants and retail on the ground floor. The Main is distinguished by quality design and luxury amenities that transcend anything you can find in office and residential today. In the office tower, we have aimed to create a luxury work lifestyle with an amenity deck that features a fitness center, outdoor and indoor gathering areas, a bar and fireplace with seating. This is more than a place to work or live; it’s a community. There is simply nothing like it in Fort Lauderdale.
Tell us about one future or ongoing project that you find particularly exciting.
We have several projects in the pipeline both in South Florida and North Carolina, where we have been growing our brand and developing actively throughout the region. We are particularly excited about The Main and are extending that concept to Charlotte, where we have a Class A amenity-rich office tower in the pipeline.
What do you believe are the main issues surrounding development in Fort Lauderdale right now? What’s working well? What improvements would you like to see made?
As a company we have believed in South Florida for decades and our current leadership team is no different. While we have expanded into new markets throughout the Southeast US over the past several years, South Florida will always be home and a continuous focus for new, exciting projects. Currently, we are under development with three of the largest projects in Stiles’ history and they are all located right here in Fort Lauderdale. The public and private sectors have done a lot of great work in trying to keep this city at the forefront. It is important we continue to work together to create a dynamic, exciting downtown that will attract large users to the market.
The Senior Manager
Patricia Will / Co-founder and CEO, Belmont Village Senior Living
What are the principles behind your success?
I think it’s very rare in life that people get the opportunity to get really excited about doing well by doing good. Finding the seniors housing and care after a first career in real estate development, I alighted on an opportunity to create not just real estate but products and services that make lives better. That privilege keeps me going and keeps me engaged. Having said all that, I think a major secret to the success of the company is the extraordinary people that have taken this ride with me. Ours is a business and an industry that no one individual creates and can take credit for. The ability to recruit and excite an extraordinary team of people both at the grassroots level and in our leadership is, for me, the critical success factor. It’s not about me, but about us.
Does your work have a signature style? What are some core elements that always have to be present in your developments?
When I began, I never dreamt I would be some 20-odd years later talking about our 32nd project. I think the projects that are most exciting are those that combine extraordinary real estate with unique know-how. If you look historically at projects that we built, for example, in affiliation with UCLA about a mile from their campus, or at UC Berkley, we combined intergenerational programming, exquisite real estate and hospitality. If you look at Fort Lauderdale – yes, very high quality hospitality services, very high quality care services, but you also have the joy of looking out the window at the ocean, or if you prefer, Capital Grille and Nieman Marcus. Lauderdale is sort of a mixed use in that we are adjacent to so much. But the mixed use projects where we embed senior housing with retail, healthcare – we even have one in Mexico City where we have all that and above it, a Hyatt hotel.
Tell us about one future or ongoing project that you find particularly exciting.
We’re getting ready to do something in Coral Gables with Baptist Health. It’s very exciting in that it’s situated adjacent to the Shops at Merrick Center. It’s a mixed use project. It’s got great urban feel but absolutely exquisite outdoor spaces. The ground floor, in addition to great outdoor spaces, will have retail and restaurants. Baptist is putting in a wellness promotion center which will be for the community as well as for our seniors. Above the parking we have eight stories of first-rate senior housing and care. And we’re situated in the heart of a very dynamic area; seniors can get out and walk, and their families can continue to engage.
What do you believe are the main issues surrounding development in Fort Lauderdale right now? What’s working well? What improvements would you like to see made?
Fort Lauderdale is an exciting place to work. The municipality has welcomed us and understands the need for what we do and has embraced these concepts very well. Like all communities that are growing, we are always supportive of advances to support the infrastructure. But we are proud to be a part of this community where we see continued high growth not just from incumbent Floridians but from people from out of state – younger people who are apt to bring parents with them. We think the in-migration dynamics in Fort Lauderdale are very favorable to our sector, both now and in the future.
The Lauderdale Lifestyler
Adam Adache / Managing Partner of Cavache Properties
What are the principles behind your success?
Good question. I would say, staying committed to quality and keeping standards high, surrounding myself with good people, and most of all always moving. Nothing happens sitting still and you might not always hit the mark but don’t sit still. Life doesn’t wait for anyone. Keep moving!
Does your work have a signature style? What are some core elements that always have to be present in your developments?
For our “for sale” product we put a large emphasis on outdoor living, including large terraces or balconies, summer kitchens, and resort-style landscaping. We want the outdoor space to be an extension of the living space. Florida is all about outdoor space and so am I. As far as elements to always have present I think the key is to keep things simple – simple lines, open floor plans, higher ceilings, a functional space and a good choice of durable materials. That was a Frank Lloyd Wright philosophy and it’s also something we strive to include in every project, whether it be a condo or a multifamily rental project.
What’s one project that you believe exemplifies your work?
30 Thirty North Ocean offers a good combination of indoor and outdoor space, summer kitchens, open floor plans, high ceilings, high quality and durable materials and an overall functional space.
Tell us about one future or ongoing project that you find particularly exciting.
We are currently developing a 282-unit multifamily rental project in Pompano Beach that is targeting millennials, so the design and space is a little different than some of our “for sale” products. It’s been a fun project and we are looking at various sites in Fort Lauderdale for similar-style projects.
What do you believe are the main issues surrounding development in Fort Lauderdale right now? What’s working well? What improvements would you like to see made?
Fort Lauderdale has been in major growth mode and with that, there are always growing pains. Construction prices are at all-time highs and continue to plague projects everywhere, including Fort Lauderdale. Because of the exponential growth, land prices in Fort Lauderdale are not making development any easier. Finding land at the right price is always a challenge. That said, lease and sales prices have continued to climb and development is moving forward. Traffic is always a concern for residents. I would like to see more mobility efforts on the horizon by the city that will help compliment downtown Fort Lauderdale’s growth. More congestion is inevitable and planned bridges and various commuter transportation services working together with high-speed services such as Brightline can compliment development. We are not too far away from driverless cars, which will be the biggest game changer to development because parking requirements in high-density areas will become less of an issue.
The Re-purposer
Abby Laughlin / Owner, Sandbox101 LLC and “adaptive reuse” property developer
What are the principles behind your success?
The principle behind my success is to actually have principles. I have built a career on perseverance, patience and problem solving. Incremental development has unique challenges and is not for the faint of heart. You have to be in the game for the long haul and understand that patience and being nimble with problem solving are the foundation of success of this market sector. You have to be respectful to the neighborhood, your tenants, your contractors; it’s a total team effort.
Does your work have a signature style? What are some core elements that always have to be present in your developments?
My signature style is open white canvas. I like my spaces to present opportunities and creative thinking. Already a mural culture is emerging in the 13th Street neighborhood. The core element in my projects is reuse of existing space.
What’s one project that you believe exemplifies your work?
535 NE 13th Street is a beautiful remodel. High ceilings, exposed beams and lots of light show off this warehouse makeover project.
Tell us about one future or ongoing project that you find particularly exciting.
The exciting part is watching it all come together. Building experiential retail from scratch is merely a vision. When it all comes together and you can see a neighborhood activating and emerging, it is very exciting.
What do you believe are the main issues surrounding development in Fort Lauderdale right now? What’s working well? What improvements would you like to see made?
The main issues surrounding development in Fort Lauderdale is the regulatory process. The length of time it takes a project to be fully approved is staggering. Neighbors don’t realize that some of these larger projects can take more than a decade to come to fruition. That’s a lot of risk. On the incremental development level, the city is not yet fully equipped to make adaptive rehab a truly bankable option. What’s working well is the combination of Community Redevelopment Agency grants, low interest rates and the tax advantages of an opportunity zone. I would like to see improvements in the approval process that support and facilitate new small businesses.
The Home Maker
Thomas Yianilos / Owner and general contractor, Waterbrook Builders
What are the principles behind your success?
The underlying principle is quality first. We feel that we are only as good as our last job – so each and every project has to prove that we are quality driven. This of course is always coupled with a total client focus. It is always our goal to exceed our customers’ expectations in quality and craftsmanship.
Does your work have a signature style? What are some core elements that always have to be present in your developments?
The style is really established by the architect but we focus on materials and execution so that our projects all have a crisp and clean appearance. We often hear “that looks like a Waterbrook Home” – sometimes about homes that we did not build but the owner attempted to emulate the style.
What’s one project that you believe exemplifies your work?
All projects are a clear reflection of our work but the most recent one that is a total reflection of the Waterbrook difference is 3320 NE 58th Street in Fort Lauderdale.
Tell us about one future or ongoing project that you find particularly exciting.
We are very excited about a new coastal-styled home at 650 Isle of Palms. It is only at the very beginning stages but will be another home that is a total reflection of our company.
What do you believe are the main issues surrounding development in Fort Lauderdale right now? What’s working well? What improvements would you like to see made?
First, I am happy to be a developer that replaces one home with a new home – putting no strain on our infrastructure. I think that the services provided by our city are being taxed beyond belief with the growth in our city. I also believe that our leaders have a handle on the fixes needed to allow our city to further prosper and flourish. I would like to see further improvements in the things needed to encourage both pedestrian and bicycle traffic. Now that we have more of an urban core, alternative types of transportation will be used if they are supported.