Josh Garrison, president of Miranda Contracting LLC, a site and utility construction company, said most of his projects are continuing as planned with clients assuring him of completion.
“We are not doing anything special, other than office people are working from home. We have a lot to do and projects can take months,” he said. “We are following all the CDC guidelines for social distancing and prevention.”
All his commercial and multifamily projects are moving forward, but some of the single-family developers are being more cautious and waiting before starting new projects, Garrison said.
Optimism and confidence are key, he said.
“This economy will rebound just as fast as we will it to rebound by our spending. We will ignite the economy right back up with consumer confidence more than anything else. Developers are going to be just as eager.”
Garrison said he is not in social isolation. “My social connections are stronger than ever because we are calling and checking on one another, supporting each other,” he said.
Garrison chairs the Jacksonville Planning Commission, which is currently on hold.
He said some of his social connections own small businesses who are purchasing from each other “the best we can to help financially.”
Garrison’s goal is to be strategic, smart and nimble to be able to “adapt quickly to potential changes and take advantage of opportunities.”
He said he is trying to make the business healthier “so we can take care of our people. We plan to keep everyone.”
In seeking more work, Miranda Contracting is a federal 8(a) Business Development contractor, a small business certification as it relates to federal contracts.
Miranda is trying to stay up with government agencies to ensure construction is viewed as an essential service like grocery stores and health care, he said.