How JRM Construction Management Successfully Expanded to South Florida
Three years ago, JRM Construction Management embarked on a journey to the sunshine state—Florida. Originally home-grown in the bustling headquarters of NYC, it wasn’t until JRM’s reputation for delivering high-quality spaces on budget as well as on schedule earned them many repeat clients. According to Joseph P. Romano, President of JRM,
“At JRM, our fundamental principle has always been to deliver exceptional service to all our clients, regardless of the project’s scale or complexity. We’re committed to setting industry standards and exceeding expectations in every endeavor. This core belief is what has allowed us to expand our business from the very start.”
This statement proved true when satellite offices began development across New Jersey, Long Island, as well as a west coast office in Costa Mesa, California. As JRM expanded, existing clients appreciated the company’s high standards, calling them over to the warmer side of the East Coast. As Anthony Iandoli, Executive VP of JRM, exclaims, “We answered the call—and that’s when we embarked on the Florida expansion.” What seemed to be a short trip for a few loyal clients, turned into a dynamic expansion where JRM could spread their roots in a brand-new territory.
As Adam Spitalnick, Managing Director of JRM South, recalls, “Originally, we came to Florida for specific clients that called us, and we grew that into a full-time business featuring a 5500-square-foot office space with 30+ employees and a growing roster of local repeat clientele.” JRM’s move to South Florida coincided with a significant influx of people moving to the state, including from their hometown of NYC. This influx attracted Class A developers and triggered more and more growth. Spitalnick explains, “It facilitated, and continues to facilitate new housing growth, which then rolls back into commercial, hospitality, and retail sectors.”
In South Florida markets like Miami, Boca Raton, and West Palm Beach, the company continues to work on interior buildouts for corporate offices—including all assets needed to support these spaces—this encompasses retail, restaurants, hotels, and housing. Further north, in the Fort Pierce Area, JRM has been setting sail on new projects; building industrial warehouse spaces that serve the islands and cruise ship industry.
The timing and execution of JRM’s expansion into Florida exemplifies the company’s agility and commitment to seizing strategic opportunities. By successfully translating their New York-born values of quality, efficiency, and customer satisfaction to diverse markets, JRM not only stands as a testament to adaptable business leadership but also as a force of innovation and quality in the construction industry. Their ongoing projects in areas ranging from corporate offices to retail and industrial warehouses underscore their comprehensive expertise and their ability to meet the evolving needs of a rapidly growing demographic.
A Company of Builders
Despite JRM’s wide range of projects and clients, they still maintain a boutique firm approach with top-down involvement. Iandoli attests,
“We always have senior leadership involved in every project, and we pay attention to not only the big details but the small aspects as well.”
It is a rare occurrence that such a booming company can maintain attention to detail, but JRM continues to do just that. The company’s expertise stems from the fact that everyone — including the senior leadership — started in the trades. Iandoli explains, “We were all carpenters, laborers, and electricians, so we really have a good sense of what it takes to build a project.” The JRM team is also well versed in how the Department of Buildings works in each municipality, how permitting works, and how to get ahead of that process. They consistently communicate with each municipality to ensure that they fully grasp how to keep the job moving and stay on track while abiding by all local requirements. “It’s really about understanding each intricate part of the market you’re in and how to move around that,” says Spitalnick.
This sort of depth of knowledge comes in handy at every stage of the project, from budgeting to scheduling, and reviewing the results. Spitalnick explains, “We like to get in front of the design work with the clients, well ahead of time. This is where we pride ourselves—our understanding of the drawings and getting the budget and numbers ahead of time ensures that we stay within the client’s parameters on costs.” When a subcontractor shares numbers with JRM, they aren’t going to just pass them along like the average contractor would. Iandoli remarks,
“We’re very cost driven. We continually tap a full range of subcontractors to get the best cost for our clients.”
The same level of attention goes into planning the schedule. When JRM starts a project, they consider how everything from the procurement methods to current market conditions could affect scheduling. “When we’re committing to a schedule, we understand exactly how to build that schedule, what goes into the schedule that we’re committing to, and all these other nuances,” Spitalnick states. “It’s really about understanding the greater market conditions throughout the country and the local market conditions in Florida. You’re not going to build a space and then wait for air conditioning in Florida. It just doesn’t happen. You need to give people the proper amount of time to do their job and not put people on top of each other.” Within the schedule, they give themselves — and everyone they work with — ample time to deliver a quality product.
Full-Time Staff and Responsible Subcontractors
JRM Construction Management knows how important it is to build a reliable team. It’s critical to ensure that their clients receive consistent, high-level services. “We have a core philosophy of how we build projects, how we stamp projects, and how we facilitate projects with technology — and we brought that to the Florida market,” says Iandoli.
Every project they take on has a strong team, internally and externally. Iandoli says, “We always have full-time staff on projects — full-time superintendents, and project managers who oversee those superintendents. We have a general field super that travels and oversees the project. Adam and I are constantly going to job sites and making sure that the level of quality that we’re delivering meets JRM’s high standards.”
Another contributing factor to the company’s success in Florida is that JRM intentionally aligns itself with dependable subcontractors. That sometimes includes teaching their current subcontractors new techniques. Iandoli provides an illustrative case: “We have introduced alternative methodologies to drywall contractors, particularly concerning ceiling framing techniques commonly employed in New York City. The contractors expressed considerable enthusiasm, recognizing both the cost-saving and efficiency-enhancing potential of these methods.”
The JRM name has always been associated with dependable, first-rate work, and they are determined to keep it that way. Even when they’re up against the schedule, no detail goes under the radar. Spitalnick elaborates on their rigorous quality control measures, stating, “Our meticulous attention to detail allows us to identify even the most minute deviations from acceptable tolerances, such as in the case of misaligned linear elements. While these imperfections may go unnoticed by many, they do not meet JRM’s exacting standards for quality. Consequently, we advise the removal and proper reinstallation of any substandard elements. Our commitment is to deliver a product that fully aligns with the client’s investment.”
Treating Clients as Partners
Instead of the typical client/contractor relationship, JRM thinks of its clients as partners. “We’re all in it together. Our success is their success,” says Spitalnick.
Iandoli adds, “I always try to be cognizant that the people I am working for have other responsibilities that are their first priority.” He knows they may view the construction project as something they’ve been saddled with and just want to get it done, so he tries to help them do that as smoothly as possible. His message to clients:
“You’re hiring us to become part of your team and advocate for you.”
Today, a large percentage of the work JRM does in Florida is repeat work that comes both from clients who have previously worked with them in New York and new clients they’ve met in Florida. Iandoli considers that repeat work is “a true measure of our success and the path that we’re on as a company to truly excel.”
JRM is currently expanding into the Tampa and Orlando markets, and in the near future, they plan to go beyond corporate interiors with full building construction in Florida. For now, Iandoli says, “We’re focused on making JRM the premiere and most trusted construction company in the South Florida market.”
To learn more about JRM’s world-class construction service, visit their website.