First Florida Development Brings Palm Beach Island Luxury To Wellington

In Wellington, many neighborhoods, particularly equestrian neighborhoods, are experiencing a surge in building and development. From 50th Street and South Shore Blvd., to Palm Beach Polo and beyond, there is a new home or farm popping up, each seemingly more opulent than the last.

First Florida Development and Construction, led by president and owner Paul Kleinfeld, is one of the professional contracting companies responsible for the beautiful homes that are adding to Wellington’s aura. The company boasts an unmatched reputation for building some of the most spectacular homes in Palm Beach County and is looking forward to many more projects as part of this Wellington development surge.

First Florida was already a distinguished leader in South Florida luxury development and construction when it landed its first contract in Wellington in 2016. The company, which has a footprint that spans from Palm Beach to Martin County, has created a signature style for luxury homes, and is widely respected for its impeccable standards on building material quality, project management, and the ability to exceed client expectations and schedules.

“I have worked with First Florida over an 18-year period, and it is a truly exceptional company in terms of the product it produces,” said famed landscape architect Howard Ostrout, who frequently works with the firm. “The staff and management’s attention to detail is unmatched, and the company has really good team members, from managers to superintendents.”

Much of the driving force behind First Florida’s success is Kleinfeld, a visionary dedicated to leading the overall strategic planning and direction of the company.

A Florida native, Kleinfeld attended the University of South Florida and graduated with a degree in zoology, followed by graduate studies in marine biology. After a personal realization that he was passionate about building and the satisfaction that comes with completing a project, he founded First Florida in 1975 and has curated a team of professionals with more than 200 years of combined building experience.

“I always believed that if I strived to meet my client’s expectations and do the right thing, that success would follow, and that has been the case with First Florida,” Kleinfeld said. “Ever since I was a young man, I really valued hard work, diligence and respect for people and the environment, and I built my business largely on those principles. I continue to base our company on them to this day. It is a very simple strategy that works wonders.”

Having worked with First Florida and Kleinfeld for a number of years, Ostrout has a similar philosophy.

“In my experience, success starts at the top, and Paul Kleinfeld is such an honest person that he immediately relates well to equestrian clients,” Ostrout said. “Property owners have to feel comfortable when making a decision to place trust in a general contractor, and whether it is a $5 million or $40 million project, Paul is always going to make sure it gets done properly.”

The home that First Florida was contracted to build in Equestrian Estates was designed by the award-winning architectural firm Smith and Moore Architects of Palm Beach. The home, which is part of a larger equestrian property, was a traditional 9,000-square-foot, West Indies-styled home.

“The owners selected First Florida during the design process because they really responded to what they saw in the portfolio and their references,” said Johnathan Moore of Smith and Moore Architects. “First Florida has worked on very high-end projects, and that really fit what we were doing in Wellington. It was immediately apparent that they were very conscious about the work that they were doing, not to mention that the lines of communication were always flowing easily, which was crucial on a project that had such a tight deadline.”

Similar to most construction projects, the general contractor is the driving force on completing construction, which has a trickle-down effect to the rest of team hired to complete the home, such as architects and interior designers.

Constant and complete communication is key to making each project successful, especially when owners may be located anywhere in the world.

“If there is an issue or change of plans, we get calls right away from the First Florida project superintendent, asking how we would like to resolve the issues,” Moore said. “The meetings they facilitate between all of the relevant parties are really helpful in making sure that their jobs move forward on time, concisely and that the client is satisfied — which is, obviously, the most important detail of all.”

With summer quickly approaching, First Florida Development is looking forward to working on a handful of equestrian properties in the Wellington area, as well as acquiring new projects and making clients’ dreams a reality.

“I am really excited about making our mark in Wellington,” Kleinfeld said. “This community is incredibly vibrant and ever-changing, which gives us the opportunity to bring the building expertise that we have honed on coastal-constructed homes to the equestrian space and help to blend the best that Palm Beach County has to offer.”

To learn more about what First Florida Development and Construction can do to help bring your building dreams to life, visit www.firstfloridainc.com.