Steel gleams in the Sunshine State

摘要

Not so long ago Florida was a ripe yet untapped market for structural steel. The residential boom was at its peak, drawing the lion's share of attention from larger developers, while the non-residential market languished. Preconceived notions about building materials and their uses and the building traditions formed over decades by architects and contractors in the Sunshine State created a climate where change was exceedingly slow and creativity and innovation gave way to the status quo. But times are changing and that famous Florida sun is beginning to shine on structural steel for use on projects of all sizes and types. The market share for structural steel in Florida has increased 14% in the last two years-from 22% in 2005 to 36% in 2007.