A Northeast Florida Construction Leader

J.B. Coxwell Contracting
Written by Claire Suttles

J.B. Coxwell Contracting got its start in 1983 as a firm specializing in clearing and earthwork. Since then, the Jacksonville, Florida based company has steadily expanded its scope of operations to cover complete site development, including underground utilities as well as heavy highway and civil construction in both the public and private sectors.
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Today, J.B. Coxwell Contracting is a respected player in Florida’s earthwork, underground utility, and road construction sectors and is known for quality, on-time work, and a diverse project range.

Services
J.B. Coxwell Contracting can handle the full gamut of site development services as well as heavy highway and civil construction work. Specific services within these areas include: box culvert, chilled water piping, clearing and grubbing, concrete flatwork, conduit installations, curb and gutter, earthwork, force main installations, grading, lift stations, pond excavations, retaining walls, storm drainage installations, and water line installations.

The company also offers disaster response and recovery services. “Chairman of the Board John Coxwell has assembled a powerful team that has the experience to prepare you before the crisis occurs and be there with disaster response and recovery services when you need us most,” the company website states.

J.B. Coxwell asks potential customers if they can answer several key questions. “Can you tactically implement your crisis management plan to successfully navigate a crisis? Are your crisis communication plans developed and your key people trained? Are you where you want to be with your Homeland Security planning and preparedness programs? Are your government agencies or business elements positioned to survive and thrive through disaster?” The team is ready to assist any customer who cannot definitively answer yes to each of those queries. “J.B. Coxwell Contracting, Inc. has a proven track record in debris management, emergency infrastructure restoration, and temporary housing site preparation that is coupled with decades of experience in the construction of sitework, underground utility and road building projects,” the company website reports. “We can quickly and effectively ensure a rapid response after the crisis occurs.”

The construction firm is also involved in the recycling industry. Whitehouse Recycling is a J.B. Coxwell Company that operates as a State Certified Material Recovery Facility (MRF). The subsidiary company removes, transports, recycles, and sells a wide range of construction materials, from asphalt and concrete to all types of metal. The initiative has been remarkably successful. “Over 90 percent of all materials entering our facility are recycled, saving valuable resources for future generations, while saving time and money now for local contractors,” the company website explains.

Projects
J.B. Coxwell has a well-rounded résumé filled with a variety of projects. Recent road projects include the design and construction of Jacksonville’s SR-212 (Beach Blvd.), which transformed a rural, 4-lane road into a 6-lane urban thoroughfare. The team also constructed a new interchange between I-95 and St. Augustine Road. The $13.8 million project included roadway, bridge, utilities, drainage, pond construction, bridge lightning and landscaping.

For the $9.9 million Branan Field / Chaffee Road widening project in Jacksonville, the company constructed two new northbound traffic lanes, resurfaced two existing southbound lanes, added turn lanes, installed traffic signals, lightning, roadway signs, traffic separator, curb, gutter, and grass. The company also took care of a series of improvements on SR-202 (J. Turner Butler Blvd.), including widening over three miles of a four lane, limited access road to create a six lane limited access highway stretching from Kernan Blvd. to San Pablo Pkwy in Duval County, Florida.

The company’s extensive commercial experience includes recent big box store projects. J.B. Coxwell took care of the commercial retail site development for a new Home Depot and Target in Yulee, Florida, a project worth $11.5 million. The company’s responsibilities included clearing the site, 1/2 million CY fill dirt, grading, all underground utilities including lift station, building pad construction, parking lots, curb, gutter, sidewalk, and traffic separators. The team also obtained certifications for turnover to the vertical contractor. A $6.7 million job for a Home Depot and Walmart in Middleburg, Florida involved site clearing, over 1.5 milion CY fill, grading, building pads, parking lots, lightning, signals, curb, gutter, sidewalks, traffic separator, fencing and landscaping.

In a very different project, J.B. Coxwell Contracting carried out a large water distribution-piping project for JEA Total Water Management. The job connected the north grid wells to the south grid and included the installation of over 16,000 LF of 36” to 24” size ductile iron pipe beneath busy highways, streets, and railroads.

In a $17.1 million project for the City of Jacksonville, J.B. Coxwell Contracting worked on Alltel Stadium infrastructure and sports complex parking site rehabilitation for Alltel Stadium, Jacksonville Memorial Arena and Baseball Grounds in downtown Jacksonville. The job took care of streetscaping as well as multiple utilities including storm, water, force main, fire main, chilled water communication, and electrical systems.

The company also handled site development of the 135-acre Ring Power corporate headquarters, warehouse, and shop facilities in St. Augustine. This $19.2 million project included complete utility infrastructure, 3.2 miles of arterial roadway, comprehensive storm management system, all power distribution, lightning, signalization and landscaping with irrigation system.

For the Cecil Equestrian Center, J.B. Coxwell Contracting took on the entire site development and construction of outdoor infrastructure including the water distribution system, master stormwater management system, sanitary sewer conveyance, and roadway work including lightning and signals, as well as all concrete work and landscaping.

Moving forward
J.B. Coxwell Contracting is known for developing long-term relationships and working closely with clients to ensure a positive outcome. “Earning and maintaining a favorable reputation in the contracting industry requires years of hard work, sacrifice and dedication,” the company website states. “It has been, and continues to be, the philosophy and goal of J.B. Coxwell Contracting, Inc. to work with the owner, designer and engineer to deliver the very best commitment on all endeavors undertaken and to preserve the honesty, sincerity and integrity upon which this company was founded.”

As well, the company utilizes the latest machinery to keep a leading edge. J.B. Coxwell Contracting maintains a broad range of Caterpillar heavy equipment, some of which features technologically advanced features such as laser earth graders. The company’s experienced employees are trained to operate specific equipment, ensuring that everyone behind the wheel is well prepared for the job.

A complete line of bonding—including bid bonds and payment and performance bonds—is available to the company for a variety of construction projects. J.B. Coxwell Contracting maintains maximum liability and equipment insurance at all times, so the company is fully prepared should anything ever go wrong. In addition, the team utilizes job-specific insurance to meet individual project requirements on a case-by-case basis.

Of course, safety always comes first at J.B. Coxwell. The company runs relevant, up-to-date safety training for all employees, covering both general information and site-specific concerns. Safety is regularly reinforced through routine project-site inspections and equipment inspections, as well as weekly safety meetings. The company culture encourages safety and continuous improvement, offering support rather than pointing fingers. “Our field and office personnel are dedicated to seeking workable solutions if and when problems are encountered during construction, rather than affixing blame,” the company website summarizes.

J.B Coxwell has been moving forward successfully for 33 years. After three decades in business, the company boasts a rich portfolio of high profile projects throughout the Jacksonville area, from major roadwork to stadium renovations. And, the team has a number of projects on the agenda for the near future, continuing to build a strong presence in the Florida market.

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