Developers are finding that a community-minded approach to development in fast-growing communities is yielding great returns. As construction booms across North Carolina, firms moving to the area are finding long-term opportunity in projects that contribute to local infrastructure or serve a greater good.

“We’ve worked in North Carolina for almost 20 years, and we’re seeing more momentum in the Charlotte and broader statewide market now than ever,” said Dan Patete, N.C. business unit leader of regional construction management firm Branch Builds. “Because we specialize in landmark projects that build the infrastructure of a community — education, public safety, social services — we see a lot of opportunity in growing communities like Charlotte to take on meaningful, large-scale projects that are actually needed.”

Charlotte is one of the fastest-growing metro areas in the U.S., currently experiencing a soaring housing market and a construction boom. Patete said it is not uncommon for developers to come to rapidly developing cities like Charlotte and take on projects that flood the market with retail or multifamily inventory before understanding what those cities can sustain. What expanding communities really need, Patete said, are infrastructural projects that support a community’s growth.

Branch Builds established a brick-and-mortar office in Charlotte last summer, and now is planning to open a new, larger office next month in the Interstate 77 and Tyvola Road area. While Charlotte is a hot spot for commercial real estate now, Patete said the potential is statewide. He pointed to the $2.5B, Durham-to-Chapel Hill light-rail project that was just approved, a forthcoming $700M development project near Fort Bragg, and Charlotte International Airport improvements to the tune of $2.5B, and said he is confident this kind of growth will continue throughout the region.

Patete said the firm is making investments in its North Carolina team, which currently has 20 Charlotte-based team members including construction industry veterans Danny Alderman, Chris Mabry and Jose Pocasangre. Branch Builds has announced plans on its careers page to grow the Charlotte office by at least four new hires in 2019.

Patete said, in part, these new hires would support the large-scale private and public sector Branch Builds projects currently under construction across the state, including two high schools.

“Cabarrus County High School will be a world-class, K-12 education facility that boasts a variety of dynamic learning spaces and cutting-edge auditorium, gym and CTE labs with a focus on aerospace, logistics and transportation, drafting and construction,” Patete said. “We’re also working on some significant additions and renovations to Sun Valley High School, which will provide needed classroom and amenity spaces to improve the experience for students and faculty there.”

Another notable project for Branch Builds was the Winston-Salem Firearms Joint Training Facility, which involved creating a much-needed training facility for the Charlotte Police Department, Patete said.

He said the indoor firing range at the training facility is completely baffled for maximum safety, and the mechanical system not only heats and cools the firing range, lobby, training rooms and administrative offices, but also provides laminar flow in the firing ranges to move any lead dust and harmful contaminants down range and away from the user.

“For the construction industry, Charlotte is a very exciting place to be right now,” Patete said. “We hope the trend of community-first development will become the norm here. Our Charlotte team is excited to be part of it.”

This feature was produced by Bisnow Branded Content in collaboration with Branch Builds. Bisnow news staff was not involved in the production of this content.