Business View Civil & Municipal Apr-2023

108 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 4, ISSUE 4 “We also have another environmental area on the opposite end of the city, which is the Orange Hammock Conservation Area.” North Port is also home to 28 parks, an aquatic center, and two community centers, all managed by what Mayor Langdon describes as a very large and active Parks and Rec Department. Interim Manager of North Port’s Economic Development Division, Vinnie Mascarenhas believes that the growth the city is experiencing is due to its strategic location, surrounded by both national and international airports, with proximity to four seaports. “It makes logistics and distribution very attractive in the Southwest Florida area, in the state, and in the nation.” She mentions Benderson Development, an important partner for the city, which is creating commercial and industrial lease space throughout North Port. “They leased out their phase one at our Innovation Corridor at I 75 in Toledo Blade so quickly in the first year that they’re doing phase two,” she discloses. The Benderson complex is home to entities such as the Tervis Tumbler fulfillment center. WS-WE BUILD COMMUNITIES When it comes to everything needed to ensure that a community thrives, Wharton- Smith has what it takes. With a laser-focus vision pointed toward building communities, we specialize in education (K-12 and higher ed), public safety, parks and recreation, water and wastewater, sports venues, entertainment, and hospitality projects. Wharton-Smith brings to the community almost 40 years of proven experience. Based in Sanford, Florida, we operate 11 full-service branches across the Southeast and the work that it undertakes every day has been recognized. For many years Wharton-Smith has ranked in the top 50 national contractors in the delivery of water supply projects by Engineering News-Record (ENR) magazine. ENR has ranked Wharton-Smith the number one school builder in Florida and the number two school builder in the Southeast. Our talented and dedicated staff is composed of approximately 680 team members that include highly qualified construction professionals and skilled craft personnel. Through our office in North Port, we have developed strong relationships in the business community and are pleased to support the local economy through our construction projects. We take tremendous pride in what we build and are committed to delivering superior services to our clients. Whether the project is hard bid, construction management, general contracting, or design- build, we have the in-house expertise to ensure our clients’ needs are always met. Our team is excited about the future of North Port and grateful to be part of this growing community! We are helping to further lay the foundation of this dynamic and prosperous region. For more information visit www.whartonsmith.com NORTH PORT, FLORIDA .