AWC receives an ABC Excellence in Construction Eagle Award for NEFBA Workforce Center
Auld & White Constructors was honored to receive three awards at the Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC) Florida First Coast Chapter Excellence in Construction awards on Friday, August 7, 2026. Over 500 members and clients of the Northeast Florida building community gathered at the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront for the annual awards dinner.
NEFBA Workforce Center, Jacksonville FL
ABC EIC Eagle Award Winner
The NEFBA Workforce Center represents far more than a building renovation. As the home of Florida’s largest builders association and one of the region’s most impactful apprenticeship programs, the facility serves as a direct investment in the future of Northeast Florida’s construction workforce. For decades, NEFBA has educated apprentices in borrowed classrooms and dispersed training locations throughout the region. The new Workforce Center brings classrooms, training labs, administrative offices, industry programs, and Builders Care operations together under one roof, creating a dedicated hub for workforce development, industry advancement, and career opportunities.
AWC’s connection to the NEFBA apprenticeship program spans more than three decades. Since the company’s early years, AWC has partnered with NEFBA to support workforce development and help train the next generation of construction professionals. Some of AWC’s earliest employees advanced their careers through the apprenticeship program and remain valued members of our team today. Currently, AWC employs more than 20 NEFBA apprenticeship graduates and has 17 employees actively enrolled in the program. For Project Superintendent Dylan Crounse, a NEFBA apprenticeship graduate, the project represented a true full-circle moment as he returned to lead construction of the facility that will educate and train the next generation of construction professionals.
Architect: Studio 9 Architecture
Photography: Severine Photography Studio
UNDERSTANDING THE PROJECT
After a multi-year search for a permanent home, NEFBA acquired a 43,000 SF former call center on Sunbeam Road with the vision of creating a centralized workforce development campus. Through adaptive reuse, the facility was transformed into a modern training and education center featuring 11 classrooms, a 300-person auditorium, administrative offices, Builders Care operations, and dedicated hands-on training labs for carpentry, plumbing, HVAC, and electrical instruction. By consolidating programs that previously operated from multiple locations, the new Workforce Center significantly expands NEFBA’s ability to educate, train, and support future generations of skilled tradespeople while strengthening the construction workforce throughout Northeast Florida.
PROJECT CHALLENGES
Delivering the NEFBA Workforce Center required more than the renovation of an existing building. The project demanded careful coordination, accelerated decision-making, and a highly collaborative approach among NEFBA leadership, trade partners, industry contributors, and the project team. Below, we highlight some of the most significant obstacles that were resolved.
Challenge #1 – Transforming a Former Call Center into a Workforce Development Campus
The project required the complete adaptive reuse of a 43,000 SF former call center into a modern workforce development campus capable of supporting classroom instruction, hands-on trade training, administrative functions, industry events, and community outreach programs. While the existing structure provided a solid foundation, it was never intended to accommodate specialized educational environments, training laboratories, or the diverse operational requirements of Florida’s largest builders association.
The transformation required extensive demolition, reconfiguration, and coordination to create 11 classrooms, a 300-person auditorium, administrative offices, Builders Care operations, and dedicated training labs for carpentry, plumbing, HVAC, and electrical instruction. A particularly complex component involved the construction of a large carpentry lab, requiring new exterior openings and an oversized roll-up door to accommodate hands-on training opportunities. Through creative problem-solving, detailed planning, and strategic adaptive reuse, AWC successfully converted a conventional office building into a facility designed to educate, train, and inspire future generations of construction professionals.
Challenge #2 – Coordinating a Community-Supported Project Through Industry Contributions
One of the most unique aspects of the project was the extraordinary level of support provided by the Northeast Florida construction community. Numerous vendors, subcontractors, consultants, and industry partners contributed donated materials, discounted services, engineering support, inspections, and other resources to help bring the Workforce Center to life. Many contributors had personal connections to NEFBA’s apprenticeship program and viewed the project as an opportunity to invest in the future workforce supporting the construction industry for decades to come.
While these contributions created tremendous value for the project, they also introduced a level of coordination beyond that of a traditional construction project. AWC developed a highly collaborative management approach that aligned donated resources with active construction activities while maintaining schedule, quality, and design objectives. Continuous communication between NEFBA leadership, trade partners, consultants, and community contributors ensured each contribution was incorporated effectively and at the appropriate time. The result was more than a successful construction project; it became a visible demonstration of an entire industry coming together to invest in workforce development and the future of construction throughout Northeast Florida.
Challenge #3 – Critical Mechanical System Coordination and Ventilation Code Constraints
As construction neared completion, the project encountered a critical challenge involving the facility’s mechanical systems and final inspection approvals. The specialized HVAC units serving the Workforce Center’s training environments were impacted by extended manufacturer’s lead times and a late-stage ventilation compliance issue identified during inspection. Due to the proximity of the units to adjacent parking areas, minimum separation requirements between the fresh air intakes and potential vehicle exhaust sources raised significant approval concerns that threatened final occupancy.
With mechanical systems installed and the building nearing completion, relocating equipment or redesigning the surrounding site was not feasible without substantial financial and schedule impacts. Rather than pursuing a disruptive redesign, the project team worked collaboratively with inspectors, engineers, and stakeholders to develop a practical compliance solution that preserved both the project schedule and design intent. Adjacent parking spaces were designated for exclusive electric vehicle use, eliminating combustion-related exhaust sources within the required separation zone while satisfying the intent of the ventilation code. The solution avoided physical modifications to the building, maintained project momentum, and demonstrated the team’s ability to navigate complex mechanical, regulatory, and site constraints while keeping the project on track for occupancy.
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Auld & White Constructors (AWC) is one of Northeast Florida’s leading construction firms. Headquartered in Jacksonville for nearly 40 years, AWC has built long-standing relationships by providing open communication, innovative ideas, and diverse construction solutions. With significant expertise in the commercial, healthcare, and public sectors, AWC helps our clients bridge the gap between dream and reality. As we continue to grow, AWC maintains a locally-focused philosophy to allow all of our employees to be at home at night. This is integral to AWC’s strong company culture and the foundation of its connected/collaborative team.