When Hurricane Andrew walloped South Florida in August 1992, Tom Murphy Jr., a third generation Irish-American builder, set out with his mid-size construction company to help rebuild the Florida Keys. The Miami-based general contractor quickly made a name for itself and its disaster recovery efforts, rebuilding Ocean Reef Club and various other structures in south Miami-Dade County.
Fast forward twenty-five years later, Coastal is nowone of the largest privately held general contractors in the Southeast with $2 billion in current commercial and residential projects underway. The company has built some of Miami’s most headline grabbing projects, including Porsche Design Tower, Paramount Miami Worldcenter, Residences by Armani Casa, Four Seasons Hotel, St. Regis Resort & Residences, Bal Harbour and Ritz-Carlton, South Beach.
Today, the Honorable Patrick Murphy, former U.S. Representative for Florida’s 18th congressional district and head of Coastal Cares, the philanthropic arm of Coastal Construction, announced the company’s aid plan to help storm victims in the Florida Keys and the Caribbean devastated by Hurricane Irma.
Through the American Red Cross, Coastal has set up a matching fund with its network of subcontractors and employees, committing to matching allfinancial donations dollar for dollar (up to $25,000)to fund vital building supplies. To donate visit: https://www.redcross.org/donate/cm/coastalconstruction-emp.
Additionally, Coastal has teamed up with Aria Development Group, who is leading a supply drive for Hurricane Irma survivors in the Florida Keys and the Caribbean, donating an additional $25,000 to the drive and soliciting contributions of everyday personal items like toilet paper, toothbrushes, soap, water,canned foods, and blankets,through an established network of drop-off locations (see locations here:http://bit.ly/2w35K0E).
“As a part of the fabric of this community and our family’s deep legacy in the Florida Keys, we felt it was our duty and privilege to pay forward our blessings and lend a helping hand to our neighbors who have been devastated by Hurricane Irma. We are humbled by the tremendous need and are reminded by incidents like this, that we are all citizens of the one global community,” said Murphy.
Coastal has a long history of helping its neighbors in the Caribbean. Following the devastating earthquake in Haiti in 2010, Tom Murphy Jr. and Patrick Murphy headed to Haiti. When it became apparent that Haiti’s local dance troupe,Ayikodans,a source of cultural pride, was in jeopardy of having to close its doors, Coastal and a broad base of community leaders stepped in to provide much needed financial support so they could rebuild and continue their tradition.
Additionally, in 2011, Coastal rebuilt Miami Bridge Youth and Family Services,Miami’s only emergency shelter for abused, neglected, and abandoned youththat was in desperate need of renovations. The shelterwas later renamed the Miami Bridge Coastal Home for Children and Teens in honor of Coastal’s support and efforts leading the initiative.
Coastal Cares benefits numerous organizations throughout the year including: Miami Bridge, Rebuilding Together, ACE Mentoring Program, Sheridan House Family Ministries, Camillus House, I have a Dream Foundation, Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County, United Way, Baptist Health Foundation, Education Fund/Teach-A-Thon, Miami Dade County Public Schools and other non-profit organizations.
“At Coastal, caring extends beyond financial contributions. Our team is grateful for our many blessings and will do whatever it takes to help those less fortunate. It’s an important part of who we are as citizens and our corporate culture,” added Murphy.
About Coastal Construction
Award-winning Coastal Construction Group and the Murphy family have been building projects throughout Florida for more than five decades and have earned a reputation as one of the leading contractors in the state and the Southeast. Coastal currently has operations in Miami, Palm Beach, Naples, Tampa, Orlando, and the Florida Keys, and has significant experience in commercial, hospitality, single and multi-family residential, educational, government-related facilities and disaster recovery projects. Coastal has built more than 50 hotels and resorts in Florida, including the Ocean Reef Club, Boca Grande, Fisher Island Club, St. Regis Resort & Residences Bal Harbour, the Miami Beach Edition, SLS South Beach, Four Seasons, Faena Hotel, and the West Palm Beach Hilton as well as numerous South Florida condominiums, office buildings and schools, such as the Mansions at Acqualina, Porsche Design Tower, Residences by Armani Casa, Mystique, and the Bacardi World Headquarters. For more information on Coastal, call 305-559-4900, or visit www.coastalconstruction.com.
