Tag Archives: construction

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Some local contractors haven’t been paid for work at Tampa Premium Outlets

outlet

Nearly two months after Tampa Premium Outlets opened to the public in Pasco County, some local contractors who helped build the mall say they still haven’t been paid.

asco County public records show that four building liens have been filed against the outlet shopping center in Lutz that opened Oct. 29, and only one of those has been paid, according to the subcontractors.

Among those who filed liens is Sue Mignoli, co-owner of RoofUSA LLC, a roofing company based in Brooksville. In the lien, Mignoli states that the general contractor behind the project, VCC LLC, still owes the company $1.89 million for the $4.15 million metal roofing job the company completed. Mignoli said they haven’t received a payment for their work since May.

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Florida’s construction worker shortage is stalling development

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Florida is on the verge of another building boom, but there’s just one problem: No one wants to do the work.

Construction workers are scarce for a number of reasons. Many were burned by job losses during the recession and aren’t returning to the industry. Others are turned off by low pay or don’t want to work outside in the Florida heat.

Older workers are retiring and younger people aren’t eager to take their spots. Millennials don’t see construction work as a career path, and shop class is no longer featured in high schools as it used to be.

All this is threatening to derail a surge of new development in Florida as contractors struggle to find qualified workers. It could lead to higher prices and longer buildout times — not only for homes, but for major developments like new retail plazas and condominium high-rises. Even high-profile projects like Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik’s plans to reshape downtown Tampa, and the $953 million in ongoing renovations at Tampa International Airport could be stymied.

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As Tampa Bay contractors seek skilled workers, program trains women in construction

By Justine Griffin for the Tampa Bay Times

women construction

Blanca Caudillo is good at math.

She’s the first to raise her hand with an answer in a carpentry class at the Helen Gordon Davis Centre for Women in Tampa. She lights up with a smile every time she’s right.

Caudillo recently separated from her husband. On a desperate quest to find a job, she found the Women Building Futures program, a free 10-week training course hosted by the center in Hillsborough County that teaches women the skills to work in construction. She is one of 40 women who make up the program’s inaugural class, which began last month.

“Right after my husband left, everything started falling apart. My a/c broke, my car started breaking down,” said Caudillo, who lives in Plant City. It’s tough to afford these costly repairs. “I need to learn to do these things for myself.”

The construction classes aren’t easy, Caudillo said, but she’s learning. On Tuesday night, she spent three hours building the wood frame of a wall. She had to calculate and measure the proper distances to include a window and a door. The week before, she learned how to hang dry wall.

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