Procacci Breaks Ground In Tampa

Procacci Development Corporation, the leader in the design and creation of buildings constructed to resist hurricane-force winds and maximize energy efficiency, broke ground today on a new Tampa facility for the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that has been designed to deliver both.
The building, located on 6.5 acres just north of the Tampa International Airport at 5629 Hoover Blvd., is the latest to incorporate the developer’s “Built Procacci Strong” construction concepts. These leading-edge facilities incorporate hurricane-resistant attributes to protect tenants from water and wind damage in excess of the Florida Building Code.
In the event of a major storm, the building and its infrastructure are protected from damage and operations can continue with a diesel back-up generator. By incorporating the design elements necessary to achieve LEED Silver Certification, the General Services Administration (GSA) will realize reductions in electrical consumption and environmental impacts while affording the occupants a safer, healthier workplace.
“Like many of our tenants, USCIS and the General Services Administration are concerned about remaining operational, while reducing their environmental impact. This building does both,” said Philip Procacci, founder and CEO of Procacci Development Corporation. “Our ‘Built Procacci Strong’ buildings deliver peace of mind through business continuity in a state of the art facility.”
Procacci anticipates delivery of the one-story, 42,282 rentable square-foot facility to the USCIS by first quarter 2012.  While it is being built, Procacci will simultaneously construct a 7,520-square-foot building on the property which will offer office or retail suites from 850 square feet up to 7,520 square feet. Leasing efforts will target businesses complimentary to USCIS, such as immigration attorneys, photographers, a coffee shop and other immigration / customs needs.
The “Built Procacci Strong” initiative is among the first nationwide to earn Zurich’s highly protected risk (HPR) wind standard certification. Procacci is the only developer in Florida constructing office buildings to provide this level of protection. Building features required to earn the Zurich HPR certification include large-missile, high-impact glass, structural concrete tilt wall exterior panels, and a roofing system designed to withstand or exceed standard uplift pressures.
The Tampa USCIS facility follows U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) offices built recently by Procacci in Orlando and Fort Myers. The next Procacci project will be underway soon in Nashville, Tennessee.
“Building these facilities represents the continued expansion of our GSA portfolio,” Procacci said. “Whether built to withstand hurricanes or to maximize energy efficiency, smart development transcends economic cycles. It’s just good business sense.”