Halfacre construction: Breaking out of its mold

Published: Monday, February 16, 2015 at 1:00 a.m. Last Modified: Sunday, February 15, 2015 at 10:59 p.m.

Nobody was building office headquarters anymore, retail contracts had pretty much dried up and once-promising corporate expansions statewide had been put on hold.

But the commercial construction manager found a way to offset the painful slide in private-sector spending.

The firm began bidding on more government work -- including road projects for the first time -- to help it withstand the prolonged slump that forced many of its competitors to close down.

That diversification has Halfacre poised to reap the benefits of an ongoing real estate recovery that could soon lift the lagging commercial sector.

"Businesses don't just buy a second building because they want to; it's very strongly tied to the economic environment," said Andrew Stultz, a Halfacre vice president. "Today, we are much more optimistic about our opportunities."

40 years of change

A family-owned business for more than 40 years, the company was founded in 1970 by Bill Halfacre.

The company moved three times, settling on its current location on Professional Parkway, in Lakewood Ranch, in 1999. Today, the firm has 25 employees.

In the 1980s, the company did a lot of its own building and site work. But now, Halfacre focuses solely on construction management, which allows it to operate with more consistent staffing and keep costs low through subcontracting.

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Halfacre construction: Breaking out of its mold