GOOD NEIGHBORS

Many members of The Tampa Bay Builders Association (TBBA) regularly create multimillion-dollar homes, landscaped pools and gardens and idyllic suburban cul de sacs. But that doesn’t mean that they don’t regularly see a side to life that many of their clients rarely encounter.

TBBA members routinely participate in activities ranging from renovating the homes of low-income elderly, teaching women prisoners construction skills, helping raise funds for a new children’s museum and building townhomes for single mothers recovering from substance abuse.

"Everyone has housing needs at all income levels," says Peggy Templeton, who is president of Templeton Development Company as well as president of TBBA. "Whether it costs millions or whether it’s more moderately priced, people need a place to raise their families."

With that in mind, last year, TBBA formed a local chapter of Home Aid America, an organization that provides transitional housing and housing for the homeless.

Adopted by TBBA’s Sales and Marketing Council (SMC), Home Aid Tampa Bay has launched two projects in its first year with more in the works. SMC members also serve as liaisons between the charities and builders, and are ideally positioned to identify future projects.

The first project—which should be completed by spring 2008—is to help Metropolitan Ministries build 12 townhomes and a community center for single mothers who have completed rehabilitation for substance abuse. The townhome project will be spearheaded by Lennar Homes while the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP) will be responsible for the community center.

Templeton says that although the recipient agencies must have about 50 percent of the necessary seed money, TBBA provides in-kind services from builders, architects, subcontractors and suppliers.

The second project is assisting the Salvation Army in building an 11,000-square-foot facilty where abused and neglected children can be cared for while permanent homes are being located for them. The project, which will be led by Core Construction, will be completed by December 2008.

In addition to the two Home Aid Tampa Bay projects, TBBA is also raising funds for the planned Children’s Museum, which will join the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center and the new Tampa Museum of Art by the riverfront in downtown Tampa.

The museum will occupy land where Curtis-Hixon Hall stood, and fundraising was recently kick-started by a $5 million donation from the Glazer family, owners of the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

"We’re one of the few metropolitan areas in the country that doesn’t have a full- fledged children’s museum," says Templeton. "Our role is to help raise funds to construct a wing of the children’s museum geared to showcase the building industry."

The wing, which will be called "Plan It, Build It," sounds like a dream come true for future builders, engineers, architects and planners. Children will be able to enjoy hands-on, construction-related activities. And with miniature front-end loaders, steam shovels, hard hats, perforated boards and plastic bolts, even the very young can participate.

Older kids can get a leg up in the construction industry with three ongoing TBBA incentives.

There are six chapters of the Future Builders of America (FBA) in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, all sponsored by TBBA members. FBA, which was founded by the Florida Home Builders Association (FHBA) and now has more than 60 chapters throughout the state, helps create activities and programs for high-schoolers interested in homebuilding.

In addition, TBBA offers Project CRAFT, geared toward youngsters who get in trouble and are offered a chance by the court to enroll in the program rather than enter a juvenile center. Participants must abide by the rules and take regular high school classes, but will also be taught practical skills such as carpentry and plumbing.

"The program has been extremely successful," says Templeton. "We just had a graduation, and about 12 kids finished."

For a still older group, TBBA assists with Project TRADE. The program, the first of its kind in the nation, works through the Tampa" target="_blank">Pinellas County judicial system training female prisoners in building trades, such as electrical, plumbing and maintenance engineering.

"They’ve made excellent electricians and plumbers," says Templeton. "And when they’re paroled, they’ll have marketable skills."

Another long-standing TBBA program that has enjoyed remarkable success is Rebuilding Together Tampa Bay (RTTB). What started as a purely volunteer organization is now so successful that it has just hired its first full-time executive director.

"Joseph Narkiewicz (TBBA executive director) was one of the founders six years ago," says Jose Garcia, executive director of Rebuilding Together. "He helped us get off the ground. Over the years, many TBBA members have provided teams and team captains. Many members call and volunteer for projects or refer volunteers to us."

Templeton points out that TBBA’s involvement in local charities goes far beyond these types of organizations. Members also give throughout the year during events such as the Parade of Homes and a variety of showcase homes, during which a percentage of profits are donated to good causes.

Some TBBA members contribute to the Ronald McDonald House, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, American Cancer Society and various spouse-abuse shelters. Templeton estimates that over the years, TBBA has given about three quarters of a million dollars to various charities in addition to donating time and expertise.

That sort of community service does not go unnoticed. To the beneficiaries, it’s a godsend. Over the last 12 months, Rebuilding Together’s Garcia says that TBBA members have individually and collectively raised even more for home rehab projects, especially those involving the elderly and the disabled.

Notes Garcia: "Even now, despite problems with the real estate market, members still volunteer their time and employees."