$145M Waterfront Redevelopment, $5.7M in Mechanic’s Liens

Mechanic’s Liens Secure Payments

In 2018, West Palm Beach held a groundbreaking ceremony for Flagler Banyan Square, a mixed-use construction on the site where its city hall once stood. Flagler Banyan Square (Flagler) in West Palm Beach FL is a destination waterfront redevelopment with apartments (the Woodfield WPB Apartments), stores, restaurants, office space, and apparently a few million dollars in mechanic’s liens.

202 2^nd Street AKA 290 N Olive Avenue, West Palm Beach FL 33401

According to one article, the project was slated for completion by the end of 2019, though another source indicates construction was ongoing and was projected for completion third quarter this year. However, after a bit of digging – I mean, research – it appears the residential apartments are available. Though the pandemic has put a damper on restaurants and retail, Flagler is doing what it can to drive traffic.

Recent Lien Filed by General Contractor for $4M

Liens filed in July & August were filed by various subcontractors and material suppliers, with claims ranging from $50,000 to $600,000. Claimants include Paramount Depot LLC, Master Plaster Inc., Loveland Electric II, LLC and World Electric Supply, Inc.

On September 2^nd, the general contractor, Stiles Corporation (Stiles), filed its lien for a claim of $4,040,869.62, making it a standout among other claims.

According to its lien, Stiles began furnishing in April 2018 to the project known as “West Palm Beach Old City Hall Mixed – Use Project, commonly referred to as Woodfield WPB Apartment” (note: project names vary wildly, but in general I’ve seen the project referred to as Woodfield WPB Apartments) and completed furnishing in June 2020. Based on its contract amount of $58,291,326.69, it is possible the $4,040,869.62 is for retainage – but the lien simply states it is for “labor, services, materials, equipment tools, supervision, and related services.”

It’s worth noting that Florida is notoriously strict with statutory compliance.  If you are filing a lien, always review the document in its entirety to confirm all information is included and is accurate, and ensure the document is properly notarized.

Furnishing to Projects in Florida

If you are furnishing to projects in Florida, be sure to check out our additional resources:

• Infographic: Florida Notice to Owner
• Blog: Florida Construction Lien & Bond Claim
• Blog: Substantial Compliance with Florida Lien Law & Unfortunate Irony

*Image courtesy of www.flaglerbanyansquarewpb.com